Page 33 of Sail Away
He looked around and decided to take the call on the top sundeck. He jogged up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He couldn’t think of any good reason why Jag Bowie would randomly call him, even after they’d had a decent conversation. “Hello? Jag? Is something wrong?”
“I should be asking you that.”
“I’m not following.”
“Why am I getting anonymous tips that you, and only you, plan on doing some never-done-before stunt off Deception Pass tomorrow night?”
“I don’t know. But it’s not coming from me.”
“Do you remember Albert Morning? The guy I was with in New Orleans?”
“The one who hit me, or the one who stuffed his taco in my face?”
“The one with the taco. Why?”
“Just trying to get all the players figured out,” Reid said. While the memory was quite painful, he had to admit that it warmed his heart that Darcie had such good friends and family who’d had her back after he broke her heart.
“Well, he’s a cop in the city, and he’s hearing chatter as well. So I need you to tell me what the fuck is going on.”
“Jag. I don’t know.”
“Really? Because either you’re planning something really fucking stupid that’s going to freak my sister out, or you and your little friends are planning something outlandish and trying to throw those of us who might stop it off your trail.”
“I’m doing neither. And while I wouldn’t put it past Preston to send the press on a wild goose chase, he wouldn’t use me to do it. I mean, we’ve skirted the authorities before. We would know how to do it, and that’s not what’s going on here.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Reid did a three-sixty, making sure no one was within earshot. “You’re going to have to.”
“Why? And why are you whispering?” Jag asked in that overprotective tone.
Reid couldn’t blame the man.
“You can’t tell anyone this, okay?”
“As long as you’re not getting my little sister involved in anything illegal.”
Reid pinched his nose. This wasn’t going to go over well, but he didn’t know what else to do. “I think Preston is trying to push me out of the company. I’m trying to prove it.”
“What does that have to do with what I’m hearing?”
“I’m not sure. Every once in a while, a few reporters get bored and like to print bullshit about me or Preston, so it could just be that. But it could also be Preston doing whatever it is he has planned for me. I just don’t have a good handle on it yet.”
“How do you know Preston is out to get you?”
“I can’t really talk. This might be a superyacht, but it’s not that big.” He leaned over the side, satisfied that his co-workers weren’t concerned with his whereabouts. “I’m hoping to have a better understanding tomorrow when I hack into my company’s computer system.”
“Why wait?”
“Long story. But your sister is helping me create a ghost Wi-Fi account on the yacht this evening.”
“I don’t like you bringing her in on this. What does she know, exactly?” Jag asked.
“More than I want her to, but I did lie to her as much as I could. She and Preston don’t like each other as it is; I didn’t want tensions running any higher on this vessel than they had to be.”
“She hates it when people are dishonest, but I think you did the right thing,” Jag said. “What can I do to help?”
“I wish I knew. I’m flying solo.”
