Page 101 of Emergency Exit
“He’s going to give us the files that ridiculous Russian is asking for and pay Mason the money he’s owed. Obviously. You’re here just to make sure he doesn’t get any funny ideas.”
“Oh,” said Harper, realizing with abrupt clarity why she was having such a problem. “You’re full shit.”
Emma burst out laughing.
Stephanie glared at the two of them. “You know what? I think maybe you can wait in the engine room.”
Stephanie stood up and grabbed Harper by the bicep. Harper wondered if now was the point that she should fight, but Emma still had that gun, and it wasn’t like she wanted to spend more time with either of the women. Stephanie marched her down a narrow hallway, opened a door and shoved Harper through, then slammed the door behind her.
Harper looked around the room; it pulsed with the thrum of engines in a continuous white noise. She had expected someplace dark, dingy, and greasy. Instead, the room was painted white, meticulously clean, and seemed to have been laid out by an engineer on his fifth Red Bull. Every square inch of space had pipes, panels, and switches folded around on themselves.
Harper felt immensely relieved. She felt certain that somewhere in this room was a user’s manual. She just needed twenty minutes to herself, and she was quite sure she could sabotage the hell out of this thing.
32
Ash
Bell Harbor
Ash watched the police officers gesticulating angrily at the Port Authority officers. They were arguing over who got to be Marty. Pier 66 at Bell Harbor was the embarkation point for the Norwegian cruise line. The terminal was an industrial three-story space with massive cement columns and a wide gated area leading out to a pier. This close to New Year’s was a dead zone for most cruises, and the vaulted space was echoingly empty.
Detective Caine approached, crossing the cement floor, carrying Ash’s small duffle bag and wearing a frown. She had turned out to be a Black woman in Adidas and jeans.
“OK, Mr. Valkyrie,” she said, shoving the duffle bag at him. “We’ve photographed all of the cash. Although, tell me again, why you have a million dollars in cash on hand?”
“It accumulates,” said Ash with a shrug. He’d ransacked the scary closet. The amount had surprised him, too. “I keep meaning to take it back to the bank.”
He had no intention of taking it back to the bank. He was going to shove it back in the closet, but he wasn’t about to tell the detective that.
“I’m still not sure the money is necessary. It’s not what he asked for.”
“I’ve known Mason since I was nineteen. He’s going to expect me to negotiate,” said Ash, patiently. “If I don’t do something, he’ll be suspicious. I need him to think he’s predicted me. It’s a distraction to keep him from wondering if I’ve done something else—like call the cops.”
“Well, working with the policeiscompletely unexpected for a Valkyrie,” said Detective Caine.
“That’s not true,” protested Ash.
“Your older brother sent me an email and then went on a punching spree. And your oldest brother ran his own special ops force into a murder investigation!”
“And you arrested all the bad guys, and nobody died,” said Ash. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”
Detective Caine’s eye twitched. “I’m complaining about your complete disregard for the police force.”
“I had my people call your people,” said Ash. “And I donate to the police union. I have loads of regard.”
“You three are a menace,” said the detective.
“Yeah, my third-grade teacher used to say the same thing,” said Ash.
Detective Caine snorted, and he distinctly saw her lips twitch.
“We don’t do it on purpose,” said Ash, sensing an opening. “We aren’t anti-police. We’re just very pro-getting the job done.”
“And right now, you think the police are the quickest way to get the job done?” asked Detective Caine, cocking an eyebrow. Ash tried not to make an expression that would show how right she was. “Mr. Valkyrie, where is your older brother Rowan?”
“Mexico,” admitted Ash.
“Mm-hmm. We’re his replacement, aren’t we?”
