Page 71 of Preying Heart
He keeps his eyes on the road. “It’s one way to get your money.”
“What if I don’t want to ever step foot there again? Can’t I get it electronically?”
“You could do that, too, but you’d have to transmit your identification card over the internet. If you show up at the bank, you only have to show it to the teller.”
“Oh, I see.” Only I don’t see. “Do you think I’m still in danger?”
“We won’t know until we get back to the Fortress. Another reason for taking off is to see if Big Dude is actually aware of your whereabouts or not. I needed to know if we have a spy in town.”
“What do you think he’ll do?”
“Raid the Fortress in case I left you behind. That’s why I had you hiding under the sleeping bag. He might have thought I took off with my dog to go hunting.”
“Oh, but what would it prove?”
He shrugs. “Don’t know. Just shaking the box to see if anything falls out.”
ChapterTwenty-Five
Gavin
There are certain meetings I don’t do on the phone or on email, and certain places I go without taking my phone or my electronically connected Tesla. When Guy gives me the code word, I know it’s important enough to meet in person.
He obviously doesn’t do details, but it has to be big enough for me to evade my security itinerary and take off incognito. My bodyguards are used to me taking off because they get a big bonus to look the other way, so here I am, dressed as a truck driver in faded jeans, a flannel shirt, a dirty canvas jacket, and wearing a nondescript camouflage baseball cap.
I drive a junker pickup truck from way back before they came with computer chips, and meander down the backroads with a shotgun on the rack behind the back window. No one is tailing me, as far as I can see, so when I arrive at the backwoods hunting shed, I appear like any other guy going on a trek for game. The absence of a dog might give me away, but I have no use for creatures who get dirty, drool, and leave tracks.
I hide the pickup behind juniper bushes and circle the area twice before making the short hike up a footpath to the shed at the back of a foreclosed property owned by a banker who owes me favors. He’d bungled a money laundering deal that would have connected my parents to an organized crime syndicate.
Guy’s ATV is parked on the property, and he walks slowly around the shed with his hands up. I require all my concierges to come out in full sight when we meet, in case authorities are tracking us. This way, they get arrested before I show my face.
He walks slowly around the shed, and after five minutes, I decide we’re clear.
I emerge from my hiding place and raise and lower my hand in greeting.
“Boss, I wasn’t sure you were on your way.”
“Get tired of walking around in circles? I’m punctual, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, at least I can put my hands down.” He lowers his arms and rubs his shoulder.
“What’s so important to drag me out here? You have Remi?”
“No, better.” He unlocks the padlock on the shed and pulls the door open. “I have her useless brother.”
Guy shines a harsh flashlight beam on the bound and gagged man.
“Slade Bruckner.” I give him a swift kick. “Just couldn’t keep yourself out of trouble, could you?”
He moans against the gag tied around his mouth while zip ties cut into his wrists and ankles.
“You’re going to lead me right to Remi.” I rip the gag from his mouth and dodge the spittle he hurls at me.
“I don’t know where she went,” he says. “That’s why I ditched her, so I wouldn’t know.”
I dart a commanding tilt of my chin at Guy, and he responds with a stomp on Slade’s face.
“We don’t have to know where she is. We only need you to contact her.”
