Page 129 of Ricochet

“Does something feel off to you?”

Parker grimaced. “Boss, I don’t know how to deal in those terms.”But his mind ran the probabilities of this job compared to their usual schtick. There would be inherent difference in the job when it came to a secondary position and this wouldn’t be a contract they would likely take without cause, but when an old Army Ranger buddy of the boss calls, things change. They’d agreed to the project.

“Recap what we know,” Jared said as though they were in the warroom.

“We have a secondary protection detail contract on Gloria Astor—”

“Not the paperwork.” Jared cracked his knuckles. “Who’s trying to kill who?”

Parker blanked. “I have no idea about Astor. We weren’t read into specifics other than the threat type and our target profile,” Parker said.

“Because we’re solely backup,” Jared muttered. “Extra hands and guns if one threat is too much for a privatesecurity team to handle.”

Seemed overboard to Parker, but Gloria Astor wasn’t the first high-maintenance billionaire he’d met.

“Give me the profile Delano provided.”

Parker pulled up the details that he’d given to Brock and Javier. They were vague at best. “Female. Mid-twenties to mid-forties. Last known location, New York City. Access to private corporation information that would affect thevaluation of company. May have worked for Astor companies prior.”

“That’s it?” Jared scowled. “That’s not a profile to provide bodywork off of.”

Parker had nothing much to say. “We’re back up in case of a problem.”

“There’s not going to be a problem if they don’t know what they’re looking for—or they do, and they’re not telling us.”

“Why pay us? Even if she has billions, and it doesn’t matter…”Parker’s mind trailed. “Why?”

“Because they don’t need extra men and guns. They want intel.”

Parker’s internal red alert flashed. “I didn’t give them anything they shouldn’t have.”

“You said blitzkrieg—”

“Yeah, but—” He pinched his brow. Info in and out. He hadn’t bothered to look at it. “Fuck. I didn’t see it.”

“See what?”

“This was all a distraction.”

Jared muttered. “From what? Screwit, get Brock on the phone.”

A moment later, Brock’s voice carried through the speakers. “I’m here, what’s going on?”

What the hell would Jared ask? Parker waited to see how the conversation would roll.

“Needed a trip to the big city?” Boss Man ran his tongue on the inside of his cheek. “What gives?”

“I wanted eyes on the job. It felt off, and I couldn’t place it,” Brock said.

“Welcome tothe fucking club.”

That was easier asked than Parker thought. “Have you seen Delano?”

“Other than the asshole—I mean, that guy—blowing up my phone with dumbass questions? No.”

“Let’s get this straight,” Jared boomed. “If he’s a pain in your ass, you talk to me. I don’t care who is causing problems. If you’re keeping problems quiet for my sake? You stop that shit.”

“Ten-four,” Brock said.

---