Page 68 of Devil's Marker

CHAPTER Thirteen

It was nine o’clock before Boss came dragging into the clubhouse. Nobody there had slept at all except R.C. She was on the way to the kitchen, expecting breakfast, as Boss was coming in the door.

She looked at him curiously.

“Long story,” he said. “Give me eggs, bacon, coffee, and I’ll tell it.”

“You want to eat my cooking?” she asked.

“Fuck no. Gotta be somebody around who can fry an egg.”

They were sitting in the kitchen while Bo served up breakfast. Bertalia was off on Sunday mornings, but Bo was not a bad cook. Catcher strode in and changed the big screen security grid over to local TV where they saw a big banner at the bottom announcing ‘breaking news’ .

A young Hispanic man stood at the gate of the scene. “Property ownership has been traced to a Las Vegas shell corporation. Law enforcement officials are investigating further.”

The report alternated between shots of the farm house, shots of the entrance to Night Flight, and clips of interviews with abducted girls talking about their nightmare experience from hospital rooms. “We’re just grateful to the guys who found us.”

That prompted a couple of high fives over the kitchen table.

R.C. looked at Win across the table as he took a sip of coffee then realized it wouldn’t be prudent for somebody to witness that exchange. They might get the wrong idea.

Or the right one.

Boss was uncharacteristically quiet as he finished shoveling in eggs and gulping down coffee. “Who’s on hostage duty?”

Cue said, “Smash.”

Boss nodded thoughtfully. “Goin’ on lockdown right now. Get the word out. Women and children need to be here within the hour. Tell ‘em not to take time to pack. We can get whatever they need. Cue, you organize escorts.” Cue nodded. “Armed,” Boss added.

To R.C., he said, “You stay put where you belong till this is over, missy.” For once, R.C. didn’t argue with her dad. She just nodded. “Need the words, sugar.”

“I will stay in Austin until you give the all clear.”

Boss gave the slightest nod. “That place you got there. It’s got security?”

She barked out a laugh. “Doorman. Keyed elevator. Got a remote for my personal alarm system in every room and it’s wired directly to instant response monitoring. Plus, I got the shotgun you gave me in my closet. Crimson Trace Glock in the kitchen. Laser Sig under my pillow.”

“That is not enough guns,“ Boss said.”Whachu got in the car?”

“Ruger Centerfire.”

“Jesus,” Win said.

Boss looked at him. “We got legal carry here, recruit. She’s got a license.”

Win took in a deep breath, but said nothing more.

Boss went on talking to his daughter like nobody else was there. “You get home, you let me know you’re there. Call in sick tomorrow. You gotta have groceries or whatever, have the doorman take delivery. But hear me good, Grace, you need to hunker down and stay put. Right now you’re the valuable target that could bring us all down. You hearin’ me?”

Win looked at R.C. and could not suppress outright laughter. “Grace?” He realized too late that no one else was laughing.

R.C. turned to her father. “I. Will. Kill. You.”

“Get in line. But you’ll have to wait until this is over.” Boss looked like someone unseen was talking to him just before he looked at Win and said, “You awake enough to take my kid to get her car?”

Win glanced at R.C. before saying, “Yeah.”

“On second thought, forget her car. If people see it in the parking lot at her place here, they’ll think she is here. Garrett, you put her in that black Ford out there. The one with the real black windows. Drive her home. Make sure she gets inside safe. On her own personal lockdown. Then hightail it back here. Got plans afoot.

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