Page 86 of Sweetwater and the Witch

“I’ve looked into the engineering on these long-haul rigs,” Ethan said. He surveyed the interior of the cab. “You’re right, they’re designed from the ground up to protect the driver and the cargo. Mag-steel frames and side panels, bulletproof glass, high-rez locking mechanisms, and interior sprinklers.”

“And that’s just the basic defense system,” Calvin said. Enthusiasm energized his voice. “You should see what I’ve got in the engine compartment. Turbo-charged six-forty. Out here on the open road this bad boy can cruise at a hundred for hours without breaking a sweat.”

“No kidding?” Ethan said. “I’d like to take a look at that setup.”

“Sure,” Calvin said. “When we get to the truck stop at Connerville we’ll get some coffee and take a few minutes to stretch our legs. I’ll pop up the cowling and show you the works.”

Ethan realized there was a subtle smile flickering around Ravenna’s mouth. “You probably aren’t real interested in looking at an engine,” he said.

“No,” she said, “but I am very interested in coffee and a restroom. I’m looking forward to the truck stop.”

Calvin glanced at her with a sympathetic expression. “How bad was it last night in that cave?”

“It was a bonding experience,” Ravenna said.

Ethan couldn’t tell if she was joking or not. He decided it was safer not to ask.

No question about it, he had to level up his dating game. It was astonishing that Ravenna had agreed to an affair. He was pretty sure everyother woman of his acquaintance would have given up on him by now. But Ravenna wasn’t like any other woman. He had known that the moment he walked into her office at Ottoway Matchmakers.

Ravenna nudged him with an elbow. “I wasn’t joking.”

He relaxed a little. “I knew that.”

•••

When they reached Connerville, Ethan took out Joyner’s pendant and rezzed it, sending the code that meant the hit team had been successful.

“What are you doing?” Ravenna asked.

“Buying some time,” Ethan said.

Chapter Forty-Four

His real name was Dex Forrester, but on the dark side of the rez-net he was known only as the Concierge. He was in his luxuriously appointed office on the first floor of his mansion in one of the most expensive gated communities in Illusion Town when Ethan Sweetwater came through the door.

Forrester stared at him. “You’re dead.”

“Not yet,” Sweetwater said. “We’ve got a few questions for you.”

He was not alone. Gabriel Jones and two Guild men were with him.

Forrester was stunned. He had been going about business as usual, updating some files. In his profession, you could not risk hiring a secretary. Sooner or later everyone talked, especially if there was something to sell. He had a lot of valuable data on some very rich, very well-placed, very dangerous individuals.

The sudden appearance of Sweetwater and the Guild men came as a shock, but he had an emergency procedure in place for just such anoccasion. After all, when you catered to a clientele that valued discretion and silence above all, you had to offer the ultimate in anonymity.

He also had to protect himself. That meant guaranteeing that no embarrassing information pertaining to transactions with clients ever fell into the hands of the authorities. Of course he kept excellent records—you never knew when you might have to blackmail a client—but those records existed only on paper, and all of those potentially damaging files were hidden in a chamber in the Underworld. He was the only one with the key, a locator that contained the coordinates. The locator was locked to his signature frequency.

He did not hesitate. He immediately began to channel some energy into the amber in his ring. It would send the emergency destruct frequency into the miniature locator that he wore around his neck under his clothes. He did not have to worry about destroying the coordinates. He had a backup.

But something was wrong. The amber in his ring was not responding. He began to sweat. He kept trying to send the destruct order while he mustered the natural outrage of an innocent man.

“What is the Guild doing in my home at this hour?” he demanded, rising to his feet. “You have no right to break in like this. I will sue.”

“I’ve got a warrant to search this office for evidence of attempted homicide,” Jones said. “You can save everyone a lot of time and effort if you turn over your files.”

“You want my computer?” Forrester gestured at the device on his desk. “Help yourself. You can have my phone, too. But you’re going to regret this, Jones.”

“Forget the computer and the phone,” Ethan Sweetwater said. He was studying his watch. “Looks like he’s got a locator on him. Under his shirt.”

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