Page 103 of Emergency Exit
“Where’s Harper?” demanded Ash, making his checking out of the boat obvious.
Mason looked around and then pointed at a yacht slowly cruising the harbor and coming in their direction.
“She’s perfectly fine,” said Mason.
“She’s not here.”
“Give me the files, and will radio them to pull in and let her out,” said Mason. “It’s perfectly simple.”
“Uh-huh. I want to talk to her.”
Ash thought Mason was telling the truth but needed time for the cops to catch up.
Mason visibly rolled his eyes and took out his phone.
“Yeah, I’m with Ash. He wants to talk to Harper.”
“I want toseeHarper.” He wasn’t going to be negotiated down from that point.
“He needs to see her. Just put her on. What do you mean you put... Just get her out and call back.”
Mason hung up. “They’re going to call back.”
“Then we wait,” said Ash. Down on the metal dock, the two men had finished tying up and had stepped out of the boat. They looked sizeable.
Mason’s phone buzzed, and he answered the call before holding it out to Ash.
“Hey, Baby!” said Harper. She had the bright-eyed look she got when overstimulated at a party, but she looked unharmed. She was also using their code word for wanting to leave soon. Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to get her off the damn boat any quicker than he was already doing.
“Harper, are you OK?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Harper, with a slightly hysterical giggle, “but I saw an eagle.”
“Baby, have you been bad, or do you just have poor impulse control?” asked Ash.
“What the hell are you two talking about?” Emma demanded from off-screen.
“Both,” said Harper.
There was an odd surge and the faint sound of yelling from the phone side.
“Meet you at the emergency exit,” said Harper as the phone jostled awkwardly.
“OK, that’s enough,” said Emma, and the phone went black.
“See?” demanded Mason, tucking his phone away. “She’s fine.”
“OK,” said Ash, and tossed Mason the duffle bag.
“What’s this?” demanded Mason, partially unzipping the bag and looking inside.
“A million dollars,” said Ash.
“Oh, good grief,” said Mason with a laugh. “I knew you’d try something. What am I supposed to do with that? That’ll get me through… maybe a year?”
“That’s just what I had in the closet,” said Ash, gritting histeeth. Was this what he sounded like to Harper when he blew off spending ten grand? “I can get you more, and I can write up a paystub for services.”
“Services,” snarled Mason derisively. “I ought to own your company. You wouldn’t exist without me!”
