Page 42 of Erase Me
Payam’s call came when I was a block from my apartment.
“I called you three times.Texted you five times.What did I get?Radio silence.What’s up with that?”
Glancing at my phone, I noticed the missed calls and messages.“Yeah.I didn’t have my phone on me.”
“Why not?”
“I was out on the water, trying my hand at surfing.”
“With the same fuck-buddy or did you find a new one?”
“You know, I don’t like your tone,” I snapped, feeling more than a touch of irritation.“It’s not your responsibility to keep tabs on me or ask questions about that.”
In the past, I’d allowed and probably fostered a relaxed relationship with Payam.It had always involved some playful banter.But with Reed in the picture, things felt different.
“Oh, my bad,” Payam sounded mildly repentant, though it could have been sarcasm.
I decided to take it as the former.“All good.So, what’s the deal?What was so hot that you needed me urgently?”
“I have a new person for you to talk to,” Payam told me.
I climbed the steps, my key in hand.“What do you mean, new?I’m scheduled to talk to Judy Serra in about an hour.There’s no one else I need to talk to.”
“This has to do with some intel that I intercepted regarding your fu—” Payam paused.“I mean, regarding Reed Michael.”
“Hold on.”
I pushed open the door and went into the apartment.I could still taste the salt from the ocean on my lips.I needed to jump in the shower.Eyeing the sofa, though, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me.Maybe the best thing would be to lie down for a few minutes.I sank onto the cushions and put my feet up.Even the musty odor of the upholstery didn’t bother me.
In the recesses of my mind, a twinge of hesitation crept in.So, there was more about Reed that I didn’t know, aspects I hadn’t yet uncovered.Perhaps, deep down, I didn’t want to know more.Managing the situation was difficult enough as it was.I didn’t need it to be any more complicated.
“Go ahead.”
“I’ve learned there’s a witness to Reed’s arrival here.There’s evidence he has in his possession items that would be disastrous if they fell into the wrong hands.And by the wrong hands, I mean anyone in this decade.”
Instantly, the image of the old drifter we encountered in the parking lot off Del Mar on Sunday flashed in my mind.He was still taunting Reed at the beach last night.
“The old man with a bag belonging to Reed.”
“You know about it?”Payam asked, surprised.
“I do.I overheard him bragging about having it.I wasn’t sure whether it was true or if he was hallucinating.Reed didn’t seem to be too concerned about it.”
“Intel says there are weapons in the bag.”
“No way.”
“It can only help us if you confiscate them before the agent assassin contacts the man.”
Considering what I already knew about Reed, I doubted he would make such a rookie mistake.No, he was experienced.His record was flawless.“Your intel is off.There’s nothing to this.”
“So, you’re going with your gut feeling about the man, an agent assassin that you inadvertently slept with.Do you know how irrational that is?I’m just the assistant here, but even I know that’s wrong.As far as we know, this supposedstreet personcould be part of the assassin’s support team.Plus, we found nothing in the files that saysonlyone person was sent back for…”
Payam’s words of warning continued to play in the background as the reality of what I was being told sank in.
I was a rookie on my first quantum jump, thinking I had all the answers.If I was letting my feelings get in the way, the result could be disastrous.The stakes could not be higher.
Sure, I’d needed to make a spur-of-the-moment decision to jump into this if I wanted to disrupt the assassin’s mission.And I’d had very little time to form any judgments about the character of my adversary or even the best way to handle the situation.Connecting with him had screwed up everything.Literally.
