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get dressed. “Can I bring Anna over to sleep there?”
    Anna looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was. “No! I want to stay with you.”
    I ignored her as Brice came fully awake. After all, I had never asked him for anything. “Here? Sure. Hey, is everything okay, Jack?”
    I remembered my brother’s words: Jack, I have to tell you something. But you can’t tell anyone. It’s a secret. I considered, and figured it was best to keep Brice out of it. “Everything’s all right,” I answered smoothly, “I just have to help out a friend, that’s all. I don’t want Anna to be here alone.”
    “ You need any help, Carter? The wife is here; Anna will be fine.”
    Anna was dressed. I next pointed to her laptop and backpack. “ No, no. I just have to leave for a while. I may not be in tomorrow. Sorry. I need to take a personal day.”
    “ I don’t think you’ve ever taken a day off in the last ten years,” Brice’s voice had a touch of concern. “Take all the time you need.”
    “ Thanks,” I replied. “See you in a few.”
    * * *
    On the drive to Brice’s place, I told Anna not to mention anything at all about her uncle and his friend visiting or being sick.
    “ Why?”
    If I had a dime for every time Anna asked why, I’d be stinking rich. I said, “ Because, darlin’, you know Uncle Joe is in the military. Something happened to make him sick. Top secret, I think. Our secret.”
    “But w hat happened?”
    “ I’ll tell you later. For now, can I trust you to keep this to yourself?”
    “ Of course,” she answered, perhaps a little too easily.
    “ Not even your friends, okay?”
    “ Daddy, tell me what’s wrong.”
    “Keep the secret. Okay?” I pressed.
    “Fine.”
    We pulled into Brice’s driveway. “Look, baby. I promise I will tell you when I know more myself. Right now, I’ve got to get back home and figure out how to best help Uncle Joe and his friend, Mike. And I don’t want to have to worry about you.”
    We sat looking at each other for a minute. I thought of how much she reminded me of her mother. Smart, beautiful, inquisitive. Her mother, of course, was presently living in Portugal. Her mother, of course, had dumped me for her rich boss.
    I shook my head all over again. Who the hell leaves their own daughter behind? What the hell had I been thinking? Truthfully, I had no idea my ex-wife had been selfish, although the signs had been there, I suppose. Mostly, she had never connected with Anna. Not like I had. Anna was thoroughly a Daddy’s girl.
    Brice’s front porch light came on.
    “ We have to think of something to tell Brice,” I said.
    Anna picked up my thoughts. She did that a lot these days. “Let’s just say Mom’s having another meltdown.”
    I hated using my ex-wife as an excuse, but it was a pretty good idea. Brice wouldn’t question Anna about that. He would stay out of it. Brice opened the front door and stepped outside. Not much time.
    “ Angel, I don’t want you to worry, but there’s one more thing,” I said to Anna as Brice came toward the truck. Her gray eyes looked up at me. They were filled with tears. I didn’t blame her. “Since Uncle Joe is in the Navy, his bosses might be worried about him, too.”
    She nodded, understanding. My daughter was pretty savvy.
    I said, “Since Uncle Joe is family, it’s important for you to not say a word about this, especially if someone comes looking for him.”
    “But w ouldn’t they help him? I mean, don’t they have medicine and stuff...”
    “ Yes, but you have to trust me on this, Anna. I’ve taught you to always tell the truth. But this is different. If anyone comes to ask you questions, just say...”
    “ I’ll just say nothing. That’s not lying.”
    It was lying, really, but Brice was waiting patiently outside our truck now.
    I put my arms around her. “Good enough, baby.”
    “Promise you’ll help Uncle Joe. And his friend.”
    “ I promise, darlin’.”
    I had no idea how hard it would be to