by Jaclyn Hardy
Dee turned her attention to Ben when Dorothy was out of sight. “Any other surprises up your sleeves? Do you know the newspaper guy out there too?”
“Phil? Nah, not really?” He laughed when Dee's jaw dropped. “I'm kidding. You just happened to pick the one diner my family used to come to all the time.”
“Did you grow up here?”
“Yep. Not too far from here. You ran into me after I left my dad's apartment last night.” Ben stared out the window.
Dee frowned. “Was that a bad thing?”
“What?” Ben looked over at her in surprise. “Oh. No, it was actually a pretty good conversation. I just learned that I got this whole handler thing from him. I'd had no idea.”
“Whoa. I bet that blew your mind.”
Ben smirked. “You could say that.”
Dee pulled her phone out and took a couple of pictures of the area to send to Dani, then put it away again. “Maybe I should be asking you where we should visit.”
“No, this is your and Dani's trip. I'm just along for the ride.”
“Fine, but maybe you can still help.” She took the list out of her pocket and set it in front of him. “These are all the places she wants to visit, but we have a day or two to see them. What do you recommend seeing first?”
Ben ran his finger down the list. “All the best places in the city, for sure. But you're missing a few that I think you'd like.”
Dee leaned forward. “What do you have in mind?”
“Do you have a pen?”
She searched through her purse and pulled out a hotel pen. “Here you go.”
Ben drew circles around a few of the places, crossed out others, and then added some to the bottom of the list. “If she's only here for a couple of days, these are the places that will be easiest for her to check out. And if you want, we can check out the memorials I wrote down below.
Dee took the list back and read through them. She'd heard of Ellis Island of course—she and Dani had already gone the last time they were here—but a few of the Irish memorials were new to her.
“So why these?” Dee stared down at Ben's handwriting. So crisp and clear. Probably even better than her own.
“Well, you're the adventurous type and you're studying anthropology, so I figured you'd want something that dealt with people from all over the world.” Ben leaned back so Dorothy could set his food down. “Thank you.”
“You're welcome, sweetie.” She set Dee's down, then went back to the kitchen.
“Wow.” Dee's plate was overflowing with bacon, waffles, hash browns, and eggs. “I don't think I'll be needing lunch or dinner today.”
Ben chuckled. “I should have warned you about that.”
Dee took a bite of waffle and it almost melted in her mouth. She didn't care what else they did for the rest of the trip, she had to come back here for these waffles.
Dee groaned as they stood and left the diner. “I was wrong. I won't need to eat for the rest of the trip.”
Ben flagged down a cab. “I'd forgotten just how much I loved that food. I'm so glad Dani suggested it.”
“Why didn't you tell me you knew the owner when we walked in?”
“I figured she'd have sold it years ago.” Ben gave the address to the driver and leaned back in his seat. He shook his head. “This trip has been weird, to tell you the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
Ben ticked off reasons on his fingers. “First, I see you. Then I run into a hot dog vendor that I used to bug on my way to and from school. Then I find out my dad used to be in the same business I am and didn't bother to tell me, and now Dorothy. It's almost like . . .”
Dee sat up. “What about the vendor guy and Dorothy? Any chance they're in on the business too?”
“Nah. It's all too coincidental. We just happened to be in the right neighborhood.”
“You sure about that?” Dee's heart thumped in her chest. “You're sure they're not checking up on you?”
Ben frowned. “I was until you mentioned that.”
He pulled out a sheet of paper and scanned the names, then shook his head. “They're not listed in Dad's contacts.”
“So? What if he didn't want you to know?” Dee's mind spun with everything that had happened since she left the museum the night before. Things weren't adding up right.
Ben glanced out the back window. “No one is following us, so that's a relief.”
“How would you know? The cars are all packed in together.” Dee scanned the cars, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Everything seemed fine. People selling their wares, others walking quickly to get to wherever they're going, tourists taking pictures—wait. “Do you know that person?”
Ben leaned over Dee to see what she was pointing at, but by that time the person had turned to something else. “I don't think so. Why?”
“I swear that lady was taking pictures of our taxi.” Dee watched a blonde woman with her camera until she was out of sight. She was all too aware of how close Ben was sitting next to her, and she couldn't breathe. Of course, that probably had something to do with the extra plate of pancakes Dorothy had brought out.
“I don't see anything.” Ben sent a quick text. “I asked my dad just in case, but it's probably nothing.”
Dee wasn't so sure. The lady was pretty focused right on their taxi. “Why would someone come after you?”
Ben's eyes flicked up to the taxi driver, then back to Dee, but didn't say anything. “They wouldn't. Oh, hey, I think we're here.”
“Great.” Dee climbed out of the taxi while Ben paid the driver.
A memorial spread out in front of them. Tourists walked around the grounds, and Dee could hear tour guides talking loudly in several different areas of the property. Ben took her arm and pulled her to the side. When they stopped, He stood close to her and leaned in. His cheek brushed hers, sending a rush of emotions through her. His lips tickled her ear as he spoke.
“I don't know why, but you're right about the fact that something is going on. The taxi driver was a little too interested in what we were talking about. Plus, look what my dad sent me.” His hand brushed hers to hand off the phone.
Dee could barely breathe as she took the phone and looked down, breaking contact from him. Man, he smelled good. She had to force herself to focus on the message his dad had sent.
No one should know you're here. Stay out of sight and leave as soon as possible. And I'd keep a close eye on Carlie.
A spike of fear ran through Dee. “What does he mean? Is Carlie in danger?”
“She's always in danger. Don't worry. I'll watch out for her. Now, we're going to walk through and pretend like nothing is wrong. We're here to see the Irish Hunger museum. That's it.” Ben looked down into her eyes, and Dee nearly melted. “You okay with that?”
Dee couldn't breathe or speak, so she simply nodded. If he'd told her they were going to fly to the moon, she would have agreed.
Ben stepped away and smiled. “Ready to see my roots?”
“You're Irish?”
“Yep. Well, half. My dad is Irish. His family left Ireland during the famine and never went back. Every once in a while I think of moving there, but I haven't taken the plunge yet.” He put a hand on the small of Dee's back and led her over to a path. “They have stones from every county among the landscaping. This is where my family is from.”
Dee bent down to take a picture of the Cork County Stone. This was definitely somewhere she needed to bring Dani. She'd go crazy. As she stood, she caught the eye of another tourist who quickly turned away. Dee forced herself to stay calm. It was fine. There were tons of tourists walking around. Millions of people in the city. Catching the eye of one of them was bound to happen. Right?
She tugged on Ben's hand. “Hey, can you actually go into the cottage?”
“Sure.” Ben stared down at her hand but didn't say anything as they walked through the ruins of the old cottage. They got to a small alcove and he leaned in. “Everything okay?”
“You're cutting off the circulation to my fingers.” He chuckled.
Dee dropped his hand. “Uh, sorry about that. I'm just so . . . I don't know. On edge. Can we go somewhere else?”
“Just follow my lead.” He put an arm around her and they walked away from the memorial. In and out of crowds, through alleyways, and down into the subway before going back up again at the next stop.
“Is this how you travel through every city?” Dee asked as they climbed onto another train.
He shrugged. “Not really. It was a little crazy when Carlie went to get the necklace because we had a mole in the group that kept giving away our location. Including your apartment. But usually I just chill in my house and wait for something exciting to happen. This is actually pretty nice for a change. Plus, I have good company with me, so what else do I need?”
Dee ducked her head so he wouldn't see her blushing. She had to admit that as freaked out as she was, the day had been pretty nice. “So, what do we do next?”
“Well, first we need to find our way back to the hotel. My stuff is there, and I need to check on Carlie. They landed and they got to their rental, but I haven't heard anything since.” He smiled, but his eyes were troubled.
“If she's in trouble again . . .”
Ben handed her his phone. “According to this, she was fine. Hopefully she's just scoping out the place and can't talk. We'll find out as soon as we get back.”
The texts were short, but they were definitely Carlie. She handed him back his phone and took her own out.
I'd better hear things are fine very soon or you're in big trouble.
Ben raised his eyebrows. “You think she'll reply to that?”
“Probably not, but I have to try something. I don't like that she just disappears for weeks at a time.”
“I don't either.” Ben climbed off the subway and Dee followed him. “Keep an eye out. We won't enter the hotel until we know for sure no one is following us.”
Dee didn't have to be told twice. She was already watching everyone around them, checking for anything suspicious. No one was meeting her eyes, so that was a bonus. “I think we're good.”
Ben nodded, and they separated to enter the hotel at different times. Dee forced herself to breathe calmly and walk slowly. No need to let anyone know she was nervous. Relief flowed over her as she stepped into the hotel. Now to make it to her room. No one followed her onto the elevator, and the hallways were clear except for a family who carried several shopping bags amongst them.
The key card clicked the lock and she carefully opened the door, breathing a sigh of relief when everything looked fine inside. She closed the door quietly and crept through the room, checking the closets and bathroom to make sure no one was there, then opened the curtains to check the balcony. All clear.
She flopped onto the bed and finally allowed herself to relax. Her head pounded from the pent-up fear that she'd held onto all day. Maybe she should go home. But what if whoever was behind this followed her back home? She couldn't let that happen. She pulled out the phone and dialed Dani's number.
“Hey, are you homesick yet?” Dani's cheerful voice washed over Dee.
“Don't count on it. Did you get all the photos I texted you?”
Dani huffed. “Yes. I can't believe you're there and I'm stuck here. Thank you for your purchase.”
Dee grinned into the phone. How Dani hadn't been fired from her job was beyond Dee. She was on her phone while helping customers all the time. Interruptions like this were just part of being friends with Dani.
“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Nope. You should see what I just sold someone. It was some old desk with a bunch of hidden compartments in it. I somehow convinced them it belonged to Thomas Jefferson.”
Dee laughed. “I can't believe they bought that.”
“Hey, it could have been.” Dani greeted another customer. “Hey, have you heard from Carlie? I told her to pick me up some chocolate while she's in Europe, but she hasn't replied.”
“No I haven't, and I'm a little worried. But listen. Remember the guy I went out with there? Ben?”
“The creeper? Yeah. Why? That's $14.95.”
Dee closed her eyes and could feel his cheek against hers. The thought sent another wave of giddiness through her. “He's here.”
“Wait, what? Why didn't you call me the second you saw him?”
“That's not all. He's Carlie's handler.” Dee waited for Dani's response, but there was just silence on the other side. Dee checked her phone to make sure the call hadn't dropped. “Uh, Dani? Are you still there?”
Dani's voice was muffled when she finally spoke again. “Dee, don't you think that's a little too convenient? Ben comes into your life, and suddenly Carlie is missing?”
The thought had crossed her mind, but there had been genuine surprise when they'd all run into each other at the exhibit the night before. “I can see where you'd feel that way, but Carlie admitted herself that he was Ed. He saved us, remember?”
“I thought his name was Ben.”
“It is. Ed's his handler name.”
Dani snorted. “He could have used any name for a handler name and he chose Ed?”
“I guess so. We've spent most of today together, and he's amazing.”
“Uh-huh. Listen, I'm getting the evil eye from my boss, so I'd better go. Tonight you're spilling everything, got it?”
Dee grinned. “Got it. How about you don't take any more calls at work for the day?”
“Yeah, right.”
At least some things in her life were still normal. Dani had reacted exactly like Dee had predicted. Suspicious and excited at the same time. Now if Dee could just figure out how she felt about the whole thing.
Ben paced his room while he waited for his computer to warm up. Carlie still hadn't checked in, and he'd put Dee in danger as well. This was not one of his better days. He jumped and went for the chair as soon as the screen appeared. Maps of England, stats for Braden and Carlie, and the location of the emerald appeared on the screen. The phone he had the tracker on sat at the house where they were supposed to be staying. He checked his watch. Only nine o'clock there so they shouldn't be asleep.
He dialed their number, but it went to voicemail. “Hey, I'm checking to make sure everything is okay. Please get back to me ASAP.”
The pulsing light on the screen did nothing to calm his nerves. Something was up. He should have insisted on the hotel instead of the rental. At least the hotel would have surveillance in the hallways he could watch.
His phone buzzed, and he grabbed it. Nothing but a request for a story from the newspaper. He sighed and typed back a response. Talking about the local baseball game was not what he wanted to be doing but he didn't have much of a choice.
Ben pulled up the game on his phone and listened while he checked stoplights in the general area of the rental in London. It was harder to break through the firewalls than it was here, but soon he was able to scan through them.
It took a bit to find the right time frame. Cars drove back and forth past the small apartment while Ben took notes of the game. He hated doing work for both jobs at once, but it kept his mind from wandering.
There. He tuned out the game and rewound the tape back. Carlie and Braden pulled over and climbed out, then got their bags from the trunk. They hurried inside and the door closed behind them. Ben checked the time. It was right around when they'd planned to be there.
“Home Run! Look at that ball fly!” The announcers went back and forth on the spectacular catch while Ben scrambled to pause the video and write down who had been batting.
Okay, so this time it was going to be a little more difficult for him to do both. His team just had to improve this year. He hit record on his second phone so he could listen to the game later and went back to the videos. Nothing happened for a few hours before there was more activity. A van pulled up to the curb and a man got out. Ben zoomed in. It was th
e guard they'd used in Egypt. He was supposed to be there as their security. Why wasn't he there already? Ed made a note to check on that and then went back to watching.
Nothing. There had been no change through all the footage that Ben had watched. No one going in, no one going out. The monitor still showed that Carlie was in her apartment, but it didn't make sense. She knew others were after the emerald.
Ben picked up the notebook with the notes for the game and started the recording. He knew the final results, but he needed details before he sent the story off to his editor.
The knock on the door sent his senses into overdrive. He pulled out a Taser and crept over to the door. When he saw Deirdre standing there, he smiled and slipped the Taser into his back pocket as he opened the door.
“Hey, I figured you'd be at one of your shows by now.” He opened the door wider so she could come inside.
She held up a couple of bags. “Figured you were hungry, so I grabbed some chicken from one of the places on Dani's list.”
“That smells amazing.” He moved some books off the table so she could set down the food. “Perfect timing. You can listen to the baseball game with me.”
“Oooh, who's playing?” She pulled out the smaller bags of chicken and set them on the table, then pulled drinks out of the other bag.
Ben turned on the recording. “It's for the paper, so it's our local team. From what I paid attention to, it was a pretty close game.”
Deirdre pulled out two plates. “I forgot they were still playing. Everything else kinda disappears the second school ends.”
“I get that.” Ben took a couple of pieces of chicken. It was crispy, and the flavors were perfect. “Dani knows how to choose her restaurants.”
“She really does. That's why I drag her along with me. Most of the time.” Dee wiped her hands on a napkin and pulled out another small container. “I hope you're hungry, because they also sent vegetables and mashed potatoes. Oh, and some rolls too.”
Ben helped her serve the other dishes. “Starving. It's amazing how much staring at a screen can take out of you.”
