“And if we can’t? Someone from maintenance will need to let us into the room, and he’ll want to stay in there with us.”
“I can keep him occupied. Setting it up shouldn’t take much longer than a few minutes. You can do that while I keep someone else busy.”
The older man gave it some thought, nodding his head. “Should be eight screws to remove the access panel, that’s one minute. Take the device out of the toolbox, set the timer and switch it on, another minute. Set the device inside and tape it in place, another minute. Put the access panel back on, another minute. Add on an extra minute for good measure, and it’s five minutes total.” He looked at his companion, not much more than a kid. Skinny, with pale skin. “Can you keep an American busy for five minutes without him getting suspicious?”
The kid smiled. “I can keep an American idiot busy for half an hour, just talking about nothing. Americans get nervous when it’s quiet.”
“Good. I can plant the device, no problem. All we need to do is get our foot in the door.”
“We got the aliases, right?”
“All set up. We just need someone to book us in.” The older man lit a new cigarette. Digging out his cell phone from beneath a pile of print outs, he double-checked a number and dialed. The call went through and was picked up on the second ring.
“Building Operations,” a man’s voice said. “Rick Gustafson.”
“Yes, hello, this is LS Coventry Electrical,” the Korean said, trying to control his accent. “We’re contracted to maintain your ventilation and heating systems. I understand you’re still under warranty? From our records, I see it has been a year since your last system inspection and maintenance. To keep your warranty up to date, we need to make sure you’re booked in.”
“Our usual service company is Ace Commercial, and our inspection isn’t due until…” Rick paused. “As a matter of fact, all of our inspections are up to date. We had someone in today already, checking the mechanicals.”
The Korean felt his pulse quicken. They weren’t due a visit until next month. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Did they check the electrical system?”
“No, just the HVAC hardware and ducts.”
He relaxed a little. “Yes, this is a different issue. Your warranty covers all moving and non-moving electrical components, as well as the software and firmware that controls the environmental controls. We look after the full infrastructure, not just the mechanics. It all needs maintaining properly, otherwise you forfeit your cover.”
“What happened to the usual guys?”
“LS Coventry bought Ace Commercial last month and took over all of their client accounts. Because of that, and to introduce our company to our newest clients, we are offering a half-price service. With our newly expanded fleet and crews, we have unlimited scheduling at this point in time.”
The Operations Manager took a moment. “You got references?”
“Yes, sir. Full references. We also offer an initial consultation, free of charge. If you want to book us in to check your systems, I can give you the details while we’re there.”
“Free consultation?”
“You got it. No charge, no obligation. We can be in and out in less than an hour. If you’ve got any issues, we can spot them early.”
He heard Rick take a deep breath, apparently weighing up his options. “Can you get here today?” he said, eventually. “We’ve got a busy weekend coming up. Everything needs to be perfect before then.”
“You got it. We can be there in a couple of hours.”
“Ask for me when you get here. I’ll get security to let you through.”
“See you then.” The Korean hung up.
The kid sucked down the last of his cigarette and chuckled. “Man, you can spin a lie pretty good,” he said, switching to their native language.
The older man tossed the phone onto the table. “That’s why I’m in charge.” He picked up another sheaf of paper, a printed map of downtown Seattle. “You ready for this?”
“Yeah,” the kid said, looking over. “Like the boss said. Piece of cake.” He looked over at the wooden crate. “Nothin’ to it.”
“Don’t get cocky. This is some serious hardware we’re playing with. One mistake, we’re dead, along with everybody else. This isn’t a suicide mission.”
“Relax. Nothin’ bad’s gonna happen. No mistakes.”
The older man frowned. “Check the devices again.”
The kid crushed out his cigarette. “Whatever.” He stalked off toward the crate. “Sooner this is over, sooner we go home. Hero’s welcome. Time we got what’s coming to us.”
“Be careful what you wish for, Jun-yeong. You might just get it.”
“You worry too much, Seong-min.”
The older man sighed and turned back to his paperwork. “And you don’t worry enough.”
Chapter 4
AFTER A HEAVY lunch of patatas bravas, fufú de plátano, and more cold beer, Leopold headed back to his apartment on foot, hoping to work off some of the calories. The dense early afternoon traffic helped, forcing him to weave in and out of the packed crowds as he fought his way toward East 71st, a quiet residential area tucked away behind 5th Avenue. He increased his pace, feeling sweat prickling his forehead, and headed for his apartment building at the end of the block.
Franco, one of the complex’s doormen, nodded as Leopold approached. He held the door open, tipping his cap.
“Afternoon, Franco,” Leopold said, stepping through. The cool air from the lobby’s air conditioning was a welcome reprieve. He headed for the elevators, smiling at the receptionist as he passed, and punched in the code that granted access to his apartment.
A short ride later, the doors slid open with a quiet rumble. Leopold’s entrance hall opened up ahead, with a clear view through to the double-height living room and kitchen at the far end of the penthouse, complete with panoramic view over east Manhattan and central park. Leopold shrugged off his suit jacket, tossing it over a coat stand as he passed through the hallway, heading for the kitchen.
“You’re late.” A deep voice announced as Leopold entered the room. A tall, powerfully built man stood behind the countertop, dressed in an immaculately tailored Armani suit, the black fabric almost as dark as his skin. A crisp white shirt and red tie completed the look. “And you missed your training session.”
“Finance meetings always make me hungry,” Leopold said, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. “I grabbed some lunch.”
“I don’t think you quite get how this works. If you break your itinerary, you tell me.”
“Relax, Jerome. You’re my bodyguard, not my nanny.”
“Maybe we should re-evaluate my job title.” Jerome frowned. “If you’re going to insist on going out alone, maybe stay away from crowded restaurants with known organized crime affiliations.”
“I should have known you’d have me followed.”
“And take it easy on the beer.”
Leopold sighed. “Anything else you’re not telling me? You got my phone bugged too?”
“Say ‘hi’ to Mary for me next time.”
“There is such a thing as personal privacy.”
“Not in this line of work.” Jerome turned and snatched a stack of papers from the countertop. “Speaking of which, you got a message.” He handed them over. “Came through on the fax machine while you were out.”
“Fax machine? Who the hell uses fax machines any more? This isn’t the Dark Ages.” He took the papers and studied the text. The words “United States Government” were printed in large type along the letterhead. “Ah, that explains it.”
“Looks like an old friend is calling in a favor.”
Leopold scanned the document. “I wouldn’t say he was a friend.” He looked up. “And I wouldn’t say this was a favor, exactly.”
“He’s a paying client.”
“I’m not running a security firm here, and I don’t need the money.”
Jerome smiled. “I don’t thin
k this is a man you say ‘no’ to. He wants a couple of security personnel on hand for a weekend conference. Nothing big or showy. Just in and out with the minimum fuss.”
“Maybe we refer him.”
“He wants you.”
Leopold shook his head. “He wants you. I’m just the guy who owes him.”
“Looks like a simple job. An excuse to get away for a few days. At least I’ll be able to keep an eye on you.”
“Fine, whatever.” Leopold massaged his temples. “But what’s in it for me?”
“You do remember what the FTC was planning, right?”
“Don’t remind me.”
“I think you owe him this much. A few days bumming around a hotel isn’t much to ask in return for avoiding a massive antitrust lawsuit.”
“You’re starting to sound like my lawyer.”
Jerome smiled again. “Like I said, maybe we need to change my job title.”
“You’re not getting a raise.” Leopold took a deep breath. “Okay, so it looks like we’re going to Seattle. What’s the plan?”
“A party of two needs private security for a long weekend,” said Jerome. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“If it’s a simple job, why do we need twelve pages of instructions?”
“You know Jack Melendez.”
“I know the kind of trouble he gets into, sure.”
“Looks like he’s learned from experience,” Jerome said, reading through the faxed document. “It’s all here: Melendez is a former US Ambassador to Chile, and was tipped for the Presidency two years ago, until he was abducted from an economic summit meeting in Santiago. He underwent major brain surgery to remove an explosive device from inside his skull.” He paused. “And, as if that wasn’t enough, he’s now back on the campaign trail. He’s apparently won a lot of favor. Likely to represent his party in the general election this year, but still a relative unknown as far as the public is concerned.”
“For now, at least,” Leopold said. “What are your thoughts?”
“I’d normally suggest a much larger team, but the instructions are explicit. He just wants the two of us.” Jerome leafed through the rest of the document. “And there’s a woman.”
“Isn’t there always?” Leopold reached across the breakfast bar and grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. He unscrewed the cap and took a deep swig. “Details.”
“Doctor June Kato, his date for the weekend,” Jerome said. “She’s the neurosurgeon who had stones enough to take the bomb out of his head.”
Leopold rolled his eyes. “Typical love story. Guy meets girl. Girl surgically removes explosive from guy’s brain.” He downed the rest of the water. “Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
Jerome kept reading. “Three-day weekend in Seattle, both Melendez and the woman are giving talks at separate meetings at the Washington State Convention Center. They’re staying at the hotel next door.”
“What’s the conference?”
“Some government drive to get more people interested in math and science,” said Jerome. “Melendez is talking economic theory, Kato is down to speak about medical advancements. There’s going to be a lot of eyes on this.”
“Sounds like Jack’s still got a knack for showing up where the cameras are,” said Leopold. “I’m still surprised he never made it to President.”
“Which brings me to the next issue.” Jerome pointed to a paragraph near the top of one of the pages Leopold was studying.
“Seriously?”
“Looks like our incumbent has the same idea.”
Leopold read the paragraph aloud. “‘The President of the United States is due to appear on the first day of talks. He will give a brief press statement before attending the keynote speech.’”
“Looks like Mr. Melendez isn’t the only one with a marketing team,” said Jerome.
“I’m sure both camps want to keep them separate. What’s the living situation?”
“Melendez is due to check in to the First Hill Suites Hotel, just next door to the convention center. They have the entire floor sealed off for the visit. He and Kato want to share the same suite, or at least stay on the same floor, but don’t want it publicly known they are dating.”
Leopold grimaced. “Just to make our lives easier, I guess.”
“The Melendez campaign people seem to think it will look best if he has a woman on his arm for this election, and she’s the one they’re grooming for the job.”
“I don’t see why the Secret Service can’t handle this,” Leopold said. “We’re only a few months from the election. Melendez already proved he’s a runner.”
“After the fiasco in Santiago, the Melendez people want private security for the foreseeable future.” He paused. “I guess they have trust issues.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
Jerome ignored him. “We’ll need to deal with suite requests, food, schedules, and it says here they want to go out on the town.”
“They don’t want much, do they?”
“They want romance, and not just in the bedroom.” Jerome leafed through the file and pointed to a block of text. “At least, I’m reading between the lines.”
“First, we have details to pick apart, and a hotel to inspect,” Leopold muttered, getting up from his chair. “We need specs for the First Hill Suites Hotel, and get there early for our own security check of the VIP floor Melendez has reserved.”
“Agreed. So, you’re taking the job?”
Leopold frowned. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”
“Not if you want to avoid the FTC sniffing around again. After Paris, they’ll have a field day.”
“Like you said; a few days of grunt work is a small price to pay.” He stalked off toward the bedroom. “We’d better get packing.”
Jerome followed him through. “Melendez and Kato should have a floor to themselves, if they’re planning to spend time together. We can monitor the exits more easily if there are no other guests.”
Leopold reached the master bedroom and began rummaging through his closet. “Are they coming together?”
“Separate. Melendez is on a quick West Coast trip, and Kato will come directly from LA. Leaving separately also, both arriving two days before the conference.”
“Two days early should be good enough, even if the hotel charges rent on them.”
“Melendez’s party will foot the bill anyway,” Jerome said. “Any thoughts on cars?”
“Mercedes, BMW, or Cadillac. Whichever’s the most expensive.” Leopold fished out a few days’ worth of clothes.
“That would be the Escalade. Pretty poor on fuel efficiency, too.”
“Perfect. Make sure the tanks are full.” He selected a couple of light raincoats, holding them up on their hangers. “Which of these works best?”
Jerome shrugged. “The Hermes has more pockets.”
“Is that a good thing?” He tossed them both on the bed.
“It is if you want to conceal a weapon.”
“It’s always about weapons with you.” Leopold picked out a couple of suits. “These should do. I’d rather avoid looking like a bodyguard, if I can help it.” He glanced at Jerome. “No offense.”
“I don’t think there’s much risk of you being mistaken for one,” Jerome said. “Let’s just stick to our strengths. I’ll work on movement and logistics, you take care of room security. We can get hold of the equipment before we leave.”
“Let me guess, a quick stop at Bodyguards R Us?”
Jerome folded his thick arms. “Where do you think I got all the equipment for this place?”
“Fine. Get the jet fueled and ready.”
“Not this time,” Jerome said. “Filing a last-minute flight plan makes a lot of noise.”
Leopold froze. “You don’t mean…”
“I’m sure you can cope.”
“We have to fly commercial?” He tossed the last of his clothes onto the bedsheets. “I’m starting to think this job is getting out o
f hand.” He sighed. “Whoever this Kato woman is, I hope she’s worth it.”
Jerome nodded. “I just hope she knows what she’s letting herself in for.”
Chapter 5
JUNE KATO WAS still in bed when the smell of coffee wafted up into her nostrils. Lying next to her, Jack Melendez reached over to check his alarm clock. He yawned, then settled back onto the pillow. June snuggled in closer to him, cuddling her face into the crook of his neck. The scent of his shaving cream had worn off the night before, now replaced by the remnants of her perfume and the musk of their bodies spending the night together.
“Ready for breakfast?” he asked quietly, while her hand slowly stroked back and forth over his chest.
She kept her cheek on his collarbone and her eyes closed. She wasn’t done with him. “Not yet.”
“I have to be fed, showered, dressed, and presentable in four hours for a flight to San Francisco. After that, it’s Portland, then a quick stop in Spokane before flying in to Seattle.”
She frowned. “What if I just abduct and hide you for a while? Would anybody look for you?”
“Been there, done that, remember?”
June rolled over onto her back and rubbed her face with both hands. “Oh, yeah. Almost forgot.”
Jack tossed the sheet back and sat on the edge of the bed. When she looked at his evenly tanned and firm back, there was a scratch on one shoulder. She thought of the moment she left it there several hours before, and reached out to touch him, to beg him to return to her.
Just as a fingertip made contact, he stepped away from the bed, striding off to the bathroom, naked. June stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling, too comfortable to get out from beneath the covers.
Despite outward appearances, there was nothing simple or easy about their relationship: an LA-based neurosurgeon and a bicoastal man running for President. They had met in a roundabout manner when June had been enlisted to perform life-preserving surgery on him. During the months following his recovery, a relationship between them had evolved, which had quickly blossomed into romance. June thought of the time that had passed, what had grown between them, and what the future might hold. Part of Jack’s reputation was that of a Ladies’ Man, but as long as she was the only lady in his life, June was good with it.
Ratio: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers) Page 3
