Brad gulped and nodded.
‘Fine! I’ll forgive him. But keep him away from me. I don’t trust the guy.’
Payne quickly agreed. ‘No problem at all. DJ, go wait by the elevator.’
Jones scurried away as quickly as he could.
As he did, Megan cleared her throat and stepped
She looked at Payne for his approval. ‘How was that?’
He glanced down the hall and watched her neighbours retreat, one by one. ‘That was perfect.’
‘Well, I aim to please.’
Payne flashed a smile. ‘That’s good to know.’
‘So,’ she said as she blushed slightly, ‘the show’s finally over. I guess you and your driver can leave now.’
‘I guess so. Thanks for being so understanding. You, too, Brad.’
Brad gulped again, then slipped into his apartment without saying a word.
Megan smiled at Brad’s skittish behaviour. ‘So, where’s Ashley? Is she inside?’
Payne nodded, not sure how to respond. He had lied to Megan enough already, and the more he did, the guiltier he felt about it — especially since her friend was dead and he was keeping that from her. Not only that, but if the intruders returned, Megan could be in harm’s way.
finally get my package.’
‘Actually,’ Payne said as he touched her arm, ‘that’s not a good idea.’
‘Why not? Did you wear her out?’
Payne shook his head, realizing he owed her the truth. No matter how painful it was.
33
Not surprisingly, most men were intimidated by her presence. They ogled her from afar, practically drooling, but when given the chance, they lacked the self-confidence to approach. Even when she smiled at them or met their gaze, they tended to freeze, or stutter, or look away.
Like boys with a schoolyard crush.
But Jonathon Payne was different. She sensed that from the moment she had met him. As did nearly every person he had ever encountered. In the entertainment field, it was called the ‘it’ factor — an innate quality that couldn’t be taught or learned but ultimately determined who became
Not to mention a hit with the ladies.
When Payne turned on the charm, he could sell steak to a vegetarian. Or, in this case, convince Megan to have a chat with him a few minutes after Jones had pulled a gun on her.
Of course, she wasn’t stupid about it. She didn’t invite Payne inside her apartment. Instead, she suggested a recreational lounge on the second floor. It had a pool table and video games, and most importantly, several neighbours who could protect her better than Brad.
Payne went downstairs first and grabbed a booth while Megan changed into jeans and a sweater. To help keep her calm, Jones stayed on the far side of the lounge where he kept his eye on the door. By the end of her chat with Payne, Jones knew she would understand why he had pulled a gun on her, but until then, he was willing to give her the space she needed to stay comfortable.
Ten minutes later, Payne spotted Megan in the doorway. Before she entered, she glanced round
Taking a deep breath, she walked across the room towards Payne’s booth, holding items in both hands.
He stood as she approached. ‘Thank you for coming, Megan.’
‘Just so you know,’ she warned him, ‘I’ve got my pepper spray in one hand and my cell phone in the other. One false move, and I’ll use both.’
Payne pretended to shield his eyes. ‘If I get a vote, start with the phone.’
She smiled and took a seat. ‘So, what’s this all about?’
Payne was surprised the chatty girl from before was now all business. But considering the events of upstairs, he could understand why. ‘How well do you know Ashley?’
‘Excuse me? Why is that important?’
‘Why? Because it will help me decide the tone of this conversation.’
She stared at him. ‘I’m not liking this already.’
‘The second, I guess. Ashley moved next door about six months ago. We’re roughly the same age and had some common interests, so we were friendly. We didn’t hang out all the time or anything like that, but we kept an eye on each other’s apartment when one of us went out of town. You know, getting mail, watering plants, and so on.’
‘But you had her key.’
She nodded. ‘Her spare key — just in case she got locked out. Our building manager is never around, so we exchanged keys for an emergency. She had mine as well.’
Payne listened to her explanation, trying to gauge how he should break the news about her neighbour’s death. Normally, he’d come right out and say it, but in this situation, he wanted to learn as much information about Ashley as possible since there was always a chance Megan would clam up when she learned about her neighbour. ‘And did she—’
‘Hold up,’ Megan said, interrupting him. ‘Did you call me down here to find out dirt about Ashley? Because if you did, that’s really sleazy.’
‘No, Megan, that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.’
‘Actually, no, I wasn’t.’
She looked at him, confused. ‘What are you talking about? I walked in on you.’
He shook his head. ‘On me. Not us.’
Instinctively, she clenched her pepper spray. ‘You better start explaining, or I’m leaving.’
Payne nodded, then filled her in on everything that had happened, starting with her neighbour’s trip to Pittsburgh and ending with the incident in the hallway upstairs. About the only thing he didn’t mention was the translation of the letter. That information was too important to share with someone he had just met.
Once Payne had finished, Megan sat quietly in the booth, considering everything she had been told. Normally, she was the sceptical type, requiring all kinds of evidence before she was willing to accept anything, but due to the level of detail in Payne’s story, she believed his account of things — at least for the time being.
‘I don’t know how to feel about this,’ she admitted. ‘I should be distraught over her death, but at the same time, I just found out
Payne nodded in empathy. ‘I doubt this will make you feel any better, but I’m a pretty good judge of character. Normally I can spot a liar or a phoney a mile away. Yet for some reason, I believed everything she told me. And so did my partner. The woman was very convincing.’
‘Speaking of convincing, how do I know you’re not lying to me as well?’
He shrugged. ‘I guess you don’t. But if you want, feel free to check up on me right now. It wouldn’t bother me at all. Tell me, does your phone have an Internet browser?’
‘Yes, why?’
He pulled out his wallet and showed her his driver’s licence. ‘Google my name, Jonathon Payne, and see what pops up. Same thing with David Jones, the idiot who tried to shoot you. You’ll get all the proof you’re looking for.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Completely serious. The sooner you trust me, the better — and the sooner DJ can join us.’ Payne paused for a moment and grinned. ‘Actually, I take that back. I kind of like him sitting in the
She smiled. ‘He deserves more than that. I should have kicked him in the nuts.’
Payne laughed. ‘Wow, I have to admit you’re handling this a lot better than I thought you would. When I saw your bunny slippers and heard you scream, I pegged you for a crier. A loud, theatrical, over the top crier.’
She shook her head. ‘I cried myself out at an early age.’
‘Let me guess. Guy trouble?’
‘No,’ she said quietly, ‘family trouble. I lost my parents when I was young.’
His face flushed. ‘Me, too. Eighth grade.’
‘At the same time?’
He nodded. ‘Drunk driver. How about yours?’
‘My dad died when I was two. I can’t even remember him…’
‘And your mom?’
‘A mugger shot her when I was ten. They never caught the guy.’
He nodded in understanding. ‘I guess th
at explains it.’
She looked at him, confused. ‘Explains what?’
‘The volume of your scream. You saw the gun
‘Are you psychoanalysing me?’
He held his thumb and finger a few inches apart. ‘A little bit.’
‘Well, Jonathon, I’ll have you know my scream had nothing to do with my mom’s death. I’m simply a loud screamer. I always have been.’
He grinned. ‘Good to know.’
‘Stop flirting with me.’
He scrunched his face. ‘Come on! Why would I flirt with you?’
‘Why? Because I’m awesome.’
‘Who said I even like awesome?’
She sneered at him. ‘Everyone likes awesome.’
‘Good,’ he said as he stood up, ‘then you’ll love me.’
34
New York Times article about their discovery in Greece to their biographies on Wikipedia. By the time she was done, she felt comfortable with both of them, despite the fact that Jones had pulled a gun on her less than an hour before.
While she investigated them, they returned the favour in the back corner of the room. They figured her neighbour had already burned them; they weren’t about to let it happen again. Jones called one of the detectives at his agency and asked him to do a quick background report on Megan Moore. Using her name and current address, he was able to track down everything from her personal information (single, never married, no family) to her credit score (excellent).
Once she was satisfied with her digging, she signalled for them to join her. Payne led the way, followed by Jones, who raised his hands as he approached the booth.
‘Relax, I’m no longer mad at you. And considering the circumstances, I can understand why you were a little bit jumpy.’
‘Still,’ he said as he pulled up a chair, ‘I’m sorry if I scared you.’
‘Speaking of scared, do I scare you?’
‘What do you mean?’
She smiled. ‘I mean, there’s plenty of space next to me in the booth, yet you choose to pull up a chair. Or is that your way of telling me that I need a mint?’
Jones laughed. ‘No, nothing like that. I promise.’
‘What is it then?’
‘Safety,’ he said.
‘Oh, so you are scared of me!’
He shook his head and pointed. ‘Actually, I’m afraid of what might come through that door. If I sit next to you, a pillar obstructs my view. From here, I can see the room.’
She glanced at Payne, who was sitting across from her. ‘Is he serious?’
Payne nodded. ‘We’re always serious about safety. Especially in a place like this.’
She looked around the room. It was well lit and filled with several neighbours, none of whom
‘Good,’ Payne said, ‘then we’re doing our job.’
‘You’re doing your job? What do you mean by that?’
‘I mean, we’re soldiers. When we enter a room, we automatically look for ways to minimize threats. It’s part of our training.’
‘You minimize threats? What does that mean?’
Jones glanced at Payne, looking for permission to speak. He gave him a simple nod, and Jones launched into a monologue. As he did, he never took his eyes off of Megan, letting her know that he knew everything going on around him without even looking.
‘First of all,’ he told her, ‘turn round. There’s a fire door behind you that leads to an emergency staircase. From Jon’s seat, he can’t see it clearly because of the pillar over your left shoulder, and if I had joined you on your side of the booth, the door would’ve been at my back. Right away, we’re in a position of weakness.’
She took a quick peek at the door, then refocused on Jones.
‘Secondly, check out the windows behind me. We’re on the second floor of a building, which is a floor below my comfort zone. Pull a truck
She looked at Payne, who nodded in agreement.
‘Obviously, the biggest threat is the door behind Jon. It leads to the elevators and the main hallway, which means it gets the most traffic. At first, I questioned Jon’s choice of seats. I would’ve selected the seat you’re in, allowing me to keep an eye on the door. Then it dawned on me, when he originally sat down, he knew I would be positioned in the corner, keeping an eye on all traffic in the hallway. In addition, I could see clear of the pillars that would’ve obstructed his view from the bench. Therefore, he chose the seat that offered you the best protection from the main door. The two pillars would act as shields.’
She stared at Jones, amazed. ‘How long did it take you to figure that out?’
‘Are you serious?’
Payne answered for him. ‘Like I said earlier, we’re always serious about safety.’
Megan considered his statement. ‘Then what happened to Ashley?’
Jones leaned back in his chair, frustrated by the question. ‘For the record, she flat-out lied to us about everything — her name, her background, her motivation, everything! That put us at a serious disadvantage. We thought she was a schoolteacher with a word puzzle, not a career thief with a stolen artefact. If we had known differently, we would’ve been better prepared.’
She nodded in understanding. ‘In other words, tell you the truth at all times.’
‘Yes. That’s exactly what I mean. Always tell us the truth. Always.’
‘That’s a two-way street, you know.’
Payne studied her. ‘Meaning?’
‘You didn’t invite me down here to break the news about my neighbour. You could’ve done that upstairs in the hallway. You brought me down here for another reason — one that involves my welfare. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so paranoid about safety, and you certainly wouldn’t
Payne shrugged. ‘Maybe we’re just chivalrous.’
‘Or maybe you’re full of shit.’
‘Damn,’ Jones said, ‘I like this gal. She’s smart and sassy. I’m glad I didn’t shoot her.’
‘Me, too,’ Payne joked. ‘Shootings are always messy. And there’s so much paperwork.’
Megan stared at him, unwilling to look away until she had conveyed how truly serious she was. She knew something dangerous was going on and wasn’t about to back down until they told her everything. ‘I’m waiting.’
‘For what?’
‘The reason you think I’m in danger.’
‘You’re pretty persistent, you know that?’
‘You have no idea.’
He paused for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of telling her. Eventually he decided she was right. Trust was a two-way street. ‘Fine! In the spirit of honesty and full disclosure, I’ll tell you what has us worried. I hope you can handle it, because you aren’t going to like it.’
‘Don’t worry, I can handle it.’
Payne nodded. ‘The odds are pretty good the shootings in Pittsburgh were done by the same people who broke into your neighbour’s
‘And?’
‘And guess what else was in her apartment? A stack of mail belonging to you. How long do you think it will be before they pay you a visit? In fact, I’m kind of surprised they didn’t tear up your place when they were done with hers. That’s what most people would’ve done.’
Some of the colour drained from her face, but other than that, she took the news in her stride. ‘If you had to guess, why didn’t they?’
‘They probably didn’t want to spook you.’
‘They didn’t want to spook me? Why in the world would they care about that?’
‘Why? Because if they’d trashed your apartment, there’s a decent chance you would’ve stayed somewhere else for a while. Or invited someone over to protect you. Or purchased a gun for safety. By doing nothing, they would lull you into a false sense of security, which will ultimately make it easier to get to you.’
Fear flashed in her eyes. ‘To get to me? Why do they want me?’
‘Simple. By getting to you, they improve their odds of finding the letter.’
Jones chimed in.
‘But they don’t know that. They’ll assume you two were tight.’
‘Great! This is just great! Gunmen are after me for information that I don’t have. I’m sure they’ll really believe that, if they find me.’
Payne studied her, looking for signs of shock or panic. Surprisingly, she was holding up pretty well. ‘Megan, let me ask you something. Where have you been for the past few days?’
‘I’ve been in New Orleans.’
‘On vacation?’
‘Not really.’
‘What does that mean?’
She explained. ‘Every year during the holidays, I take a week off to do charity work. I don’t have any family to visit at Christmas, so I spend my vacation helping others. This year it was Habitat for Humanity, rebuilding homes that were lost in Hurricane Katrina.’
Payne smiled at her compassion. He had spent a lot of time in New Orleans, before and after the hurricane, and knew how much damage had been done. The city’s continuing struggle
Not that he would ever tell her. Bragging wasn’t his style.
‘So,’ Jones said, ‘you don’t have any family. What about friends?’
‘Of course I have friends, but I’m not going to stay with any of them, if that’s what you’re hinting at. Why would I want to put them in harm’s way?’
‘That’s okay,’ Payne said. ‘You can stay with us.’
She shook her head. ‘No way! I don’t even know you guys.’
Payne signalled for her to calm down. ‘Don’t worry, Megan. I didn’t mean in the same room as us. I just meant in the same hotel. It’s been a long day, and it’s probably not a good idea for you to sleep upstairs.’
‘Yeah,’ she admitted, ‘you’re probably right.’
‘Therefore, if you’re willing to put up with us for a little while longer, DJ would like to get you a room for the night.’
‘Excuse me?’ Jones blurted. ‘Why me?’
Jones growled softly. ‘Fine! I’ll pay for one night, but no room service or movies.’
Megan shook her head. ‘One movie, and I can order dessert.’
‘Deal!’ he blurted. ‘But no porn. That shit is expensive.’
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