Page 67 of The Hacker
“She’s going to be leaving soon and going to a bar called Arthur’s on Haddonfield Road. Tell them to be extra vigilant.”
Tully frowned. “Want to tell me why?”
“Call them now. Then I’ll explain.”
Tully put his headset back on and tapped his computer screen. It was good to have partners who trusted you enough to do what you asked before requiring an explanation.
As soon as Tully had contacted both of Dawn’s guards, he gave Leland a sharp look. “Okay, partner, what’s got your knickers in a twist?”
Leland explained about Dawn being pressured into attending a party she didn’t have any interest in. “Chad has been persistent in the past but this took it to a new level. Combined with your bad feeling, I’m concerned.”
“Chad’s the new trainer,” Tully said, swiping at his screen and taking a moment to read what he’d brought up. “We did a background check on him and nothing popped. But we didn’t dig that deep because he didn’t seem worth it.”
“I see a pattern that says whoever is involved in the arms dealing has gotten suspicious of Dawn and wants to make sure they know where she is. Which means if anything goes wrong with your surveillance operation, she could be in danger.”
“Nothing will go wrong.” Tully’s expression and tone were hard.
“I know you’re good at your job but I also know you can’t control all the variables in this situation.” Leland realized he’d already made a decision and he stood up. “I’m going to Cofferwood.”
“You know that’s a bad idea.”
“Youknow I can’t leave Dawn alone to face whatever it is we’ve stirred up.” Leland locked eyes with his partner for a long moment.
Tully shook his head in resignation. “Yeah, I understand that. Let me get one of my people to take you. I’ll put you in contact with Dawn’s shadows. You do what they tell you. Agreed?”
“Depends on what they tell me.” Leland grinned. He felt better now than he had all day. He’d hated being separated from Dawn when she needed protecting.
“Shit, you are a pain in the ass.” Tully stood up and offered his hand across the desk. “Stay safe, buddy.”
Leland shook it. “You too, cowboy.”
“Hap-py birth-day to you!” The ragged singing ended in cheers as Josh blew out the candles on the ice cream cake, his long, curly bangs flopping into his eyes.
“Hey, what’d you wish for?” someone called out.
The young man blushed and smiled as he slid a sideways glance toward Dawn. She gave an inward sigh. She supposed she’d have to give him a kiss on her way out. Damn Tiffany anyway! Dawn would never have noticed the longing looks Josh had thrown her all evening if the receptionist hadn’t shared his secret with her. When Dawn had bought him a beer, he’d spilled it on his shirt in his haste to give her a kiss on the cheek in thanks.
Her encrypted phone vibrated against her butt where she’d stowed it in the back pocket of her jeans. She had her regular phone in her other back pocket. Since a few of the guys in the bar were more than a little inebriated, the phones made excellent armor against unwanted groping.
Actually, Chad had been a pretty good deterrent too but not one she welcomed. He had hovered nearby ever since she arrived, giving her the heebie-jeebies after what Leland had said. Maybe it was just the dim light of the bar and her imagination, but he looked different. The jovial jock had developed a hard, watchful edge that made her nervous.
A casual glance around placed him about four feet to her right, which meant she couldn’t pull out the phone to check the message. It was too obviously not a normal device. Time to go to the ladies’ room.
She took the last swallow of beer from the bottle she’d been nursing for a half an hour, held it up, and said to the people standing nearest her, “Too bad you just rent this stuff.” Someone laughed and she threaded her way through the crowd to the corridor leading to the restrooms.
And nearly freaked out when she pivoted to open the door to the bathroom and saw Chad coming down the hallway toward her.
He winked. “In heaven, there is no beer. That’s why I drink it here. A hell of a lot of it.”
She forced a laugh as he passed her to get to the men’s room.
Yanking open the door, she bolted into an empty stall, her heart racing, and locked the latch. Was Chad following her, even to the bathroom? She pressed her back against the cold metal wall, counting as she breathed in, held it for a count of ten, and breathed out again, trying to calm down enough to think clearly.
Then she remembered the text and jerked the phone out of her pocket.
Equal parts of relief and anxiety vibrated through her as she saw Leland’s message.
On my way to you. Make it easy for your bodyguards to follow you home. Go up to your apartment and I’ll text you when I’m on my way up. Don’t open the door to anyone but me.
