Stacey gave him a look that said she wasn’t buying anything he’d said. “Hey, Jason, this is me. We’ve been friends since our first day at CU. You can talk to me. I even got you this job. If something is wrong, maybe I can help. C’mon, Jason, open up.”
“You sound just like my mother does. I told you, nothing is wrong. I’m not feeling 100 percent, so ease up, okay?”
“Sure, no problem. You’d tell me if Emily dumped you, right?”
“Emily did not dump me,” Jason said through clenched teeth. “I told you, we’re just friends.”
“Ha-ha, yourself, Jason. That’s not what Emily told me. She told me you two are more than best buds. A lot more,” she fibbed, hoping to get a rise out of Jason. “Don’t you dare hurt my friend, Jason. If you do, you’ll have to deal with me. I’m going out to her house before I go to CU and see what’s wrong. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, pal.
“Just for the record, Jason, I hate it that you’re lying to me. I know when you’re lying because your left ear turns red, and it’s red as a beet right now. So there!”
Jason watched as the tall redhead stomped out of the kitchen and back to the paint department. He finished his Coke and threw it in the trash bin. He hated it that he’d lied to Stacey. But in the scheme of things, what other choice did he have at the moment? None. He felt like crap.
Back at the loading platform, Jason eyed the bales and bales of peat moss that still had to be unloaded. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the two women who had been eyeing the wilted petunias. They were on to the last of the flats of Gerbera daisies, which looked just as sorry as the petunias. The young guy had moved from the clay pots to the retractable hoses.
They were on to him. He could feel it, sense it in every pore of his body.
Jason swiped at his forehead again and walked over to where his boss was talking to a customer. He waited until the customer walked away. “Mr. Quincy, I’m afraid I have some kind of stomach bug. I have to leave. I’m sorry if I’m leaving you shorthanded, but I’m about to pass out here.”
“Sure, Jason, go on home. Take off tomorrow if you’re not better. We can manage. Take care of yourself. Don’t forget to punch out.”
“Thanks, Mr. Quincy. I appreciate it.”
There was no way to get out of the gardening department without passing the two women and the guy checking out the hoses. Where did he screw up? What had he done wrong? Were they following him? How in the hell did they find him to begin with? He didn’t have to pretend to be sick. He was sick now. He had to call the girls, but he’d given them his cell phone since they were afraid to use their own. He hadn’t had time to get a new one. Well, shit, there was a phone in the kitchen. He could call his cell from there. Whoever was following him didn’t have access to the kitchen. He could punch out and leave by the back entrance that a lot of the employees used. He had to act normal, do things the way he always did them. Shit, shit, shit. This spook stuff was not something he was good at. And from where he was standing, it didn’t look like he’d get any better at it anytime soon.
Jason looked around to make sure the kitchen was empty. It was. He quickly called his cell. Emily picked up on the first ring. He spoke quickly, explaining about Stacey’s seeking him out, the three strange people in the gardening department, and finally explaining that he was leaving.
“But I don’t understand,” Emily said, panic ringing in her voice. “How did you come under their radar? Think, Jason!”
“That’s all I’ve been doing, Emily. I guess I screwed up somehow. I’m sorry. Look, I’m going home to change and shower. I’ll leave right away and come pick you up and take you somewhere else. Don’t make any calls on that phone. They can triangulate or something to find out the pings. I’m not up on all that stuff, but I do know they can track cell-phone usage. I probably shouldn’t have called you now either. Sit tight, okay?”
Jason was standing under a steaming shower when the answer to his question rocked him back on his heels. Facebook! Of course. His whole life was on Facebook. He’d even bragged about his new friend Emily. Thank God he hadn’t told Emily about that little indiscretion. He’d even posted a picture of her. How could he have been so stupid? Maybe because he was starting to think of Emily Appleton as a little sister who needed help and who wasn’t really Emily Appleton at all but someone named Rosalee Muno. He didn’t even want to think about Patricia Olsen and who she was married to.
Jason was shaking like a leaf in a rainstorm when he stepped out of the shower.
He had to be smart now. Really smart. If they, whoever they were, found him at the Home Builders Depot, then they knew where he lived. They had probably followed him home and were waiting outside somewhere to follow him when he left. Smart. Think smart, he cautioned himself. How was he going to get out of the apartment without anyone’s seeing him? His two roommates were still sleeping since they worked the night shift at one of the big hotels. That meant their vehicles were in their assigned parking spaces. He could take one of their cars and leave his for them. They were good enough friends that they wouldn’t squawk, especially if he left a ten spot for gas. He quickly scribbled a note, left his keys on the counter, and pocketed Joe Cramer’s keys. He left a ten-dollar bill on the counter, scribbling another short note asking both roommates not to talk to anyone if they came around asking questions. It was all he could think of to do.
Now he had to figure out how he was going to get out unnoticed. He lived on the third floor. He looked out at the small balcony, then across at the one next door. He was in good shape. He should be able to hop over, then jump down and hit the ground running. Unless they had people stationed around the back. He peered out the sliding doors but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. He shrugged. It wasn’t like he had any other options at the moment. It simply came down to go or not to go.
Poised on the minibalcony, Jason closed his eyes. Man, he was so not ready for this. Before he could wallow in his own self-pity, he took a flying leap and landed perfectly. He took a deep breath and moved on to the next and then the next until he was four units away from his own. Then, before he could think twice, he dropped to the second-floor balcony, then the first, and finally landed on solid ground.
He’d lived in the apartment complex going on four years, so he knew the property like the back of his hand. He raced across and between cars until he found Joe’s Saturn. He unlocked it and sat there a moment, trying to catch his breath. When he had his breathing finally under control, he drove away, around the Dumpster, and out to the service road. Finally, he turned onto the highway. He drove, literally holding his breath as he kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror. As far as he could tell, no one was following him, but he was the first to admit he didn’t know what to look for. The same car following him for miles, he supposed.
Jason drove aimlessly for a while, through villages, through neighborhoods, then out to the main artery and, finally, to the Beltway. He was reasonably sure no one was following him. He drove for almost an hour before he hit a small mini shopping mall, where he stopped at a drugstore to buy two TracFones. He paid cash.
Jason’s next stop was an ATM machine. Even he knew he could be tracked for making a withdrawal, but if he was going on the run, he needed money. He hated that he was taking his tuition money, but at the moment, he couldn’t think of any other way to get money quickly. Four stops later he had over a thousand dollars in his pocket. Then he backtracked all the way to his apartment parking area, where he plugged in the TracFone, programmed it, and then blocked the number so he could call his cell again to give the women an update. He was getting pretty good at this spy stuff, he decided.
Jason set out again, this time going in the opposite direction. As far as he was concerned, he’d done all he could. Now all he had to do was let his mind wander to his Facebook page and all the silly nonsensical things he’d posted, like the stupid oaf that he was. It was true what his elders had been preaching: Once it was out there, it was ther
e for the whole world to see, and the whole world as he knew it was seeing it in all its glory, his whole life story. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Two hours later, Jason barreled up to the cabin and stopped on a dime, the brakes squealing and protesting. He was out the door before the engine stopped sputtering. The women looked at him, and he could read the panic on their faces. “C’mon, get your gear, we’re outta here. Shake it, ladies.” The women didn’t need to be told twice. They had their canvas bags over their shoulders and were at the car within seconds.
“I need to reset the generator and shut down the pump and lock up. Did you wipe everything down that you touched, and I mean everything? Ten minutes tops.”
“We did just what you said,” Rosalee called to his retreating back.
“Good!” Jason bellowed in return.
“Whose car is this?” Amalie asked.
“I have no clue, but if I had to take a guess, I’d say it probably belongs to one of Jason’s roommates. He switched up so it would be harder to follow him. God, Amalie, what happened? I thought we were safe.”
“I’ll tell you what happened. It’s our own fault. Mine actually. You just did what I told you to do. We never should have bolted. When we didn’t call in the way we were supposed to, 001 saw the red flag.”
“The lady that runs the underground railroad. Is that what she’s called? You never said she was 001. Why can’t we just call her now and meet them somewhere so they can find us some place safe?”
“It doesn’t work that way, Rosy. Didn’t you pay attention when we first got there when they told us what the rules were? They said as long as we obeyed the rules and did what they said, we would be safe. To deviate or break the rules meant they were done with us. No second chances. I blew it because I panicked when I saw that tabloid. Now we’re dependent on Jason. He’s now in as much jeopardy as we are, and it’s all my fault.”
“Do you think they know about Jason?”
Amalie looked at Rosalee and grimaced. “Total disclosure, remember. We told our handler about Jason the first time you met him and how you were friends. By now, they know everything there is to know about him. That’s not a bad thing, Rosalee. What’s bad is Jason is in harm’s way just the way we are. Lincoln has sources 001 wishes she had. It’s just a matter of time before he finds us.”
Jason sprinted back to the car, his breathing ragged. “You guys ready to split this place?”
“Yes and no,” Amalie said quietly. “Where are you going to take us? Listen, Jason, I’m sorry you got involved in this. Maybe you should just take us to a bus depot, and we’ll take the next bus to wherever it’s going and hope for the best.”
“Now you know I’m not going to do any such thing. I have an idea if you girls don’t mind camping out until we can make some sense of what is going on.”
“What do you mean by camping out?” Rosalee asked nervously.
“The whole nine yards. Tents, sleeping bags, camp stove, kerosene lanterns. If you’re okay with it, we’ll stop at the next mall we see and buy what we need. I know a place that I think is safe. When I was a little kid and belonged to the Boy Scouts, we used to go camping. No one goes to that campground anymore. I read somewhere not too long ago that the Scouts shut it down and opted for more modern campgrounds. I felt sad because I had some good times there. I think it will be safe for a little while. No wild animals or anything like that. The downside is I won’t be able to stay with you. I have to get back and get into the same routine. Are you following me here?”
“And then what?” Amalie asked.
Jason took his eyes off the road to look across at Amalie, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. “Then I don’t know is my answer. We have to play it by ear. We’ll get enough food to last you a good while in case I can’t get to you for a few days. I can’t think of any other way. Do either one of you have a better idea?” Both women shook their heads.
“Then I guess that’s our plan.” Jason looked over at Amalie again, and asked, “In your opinion, how long do you think it will take your husband to find you?”
Amalie shivered as though she was chilled to the bone. “With his money and his resources, not long at all. He never gives up. Never.”
That is not exactly what I wanted to hear, Jason thought. What was that old saying his mother was so fond of quoting? Oh, yeah, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Like that was really going to work. He decided right then that he was scared out of his wits. He wished now that he’d read more spy novels instead of the science-fiction novels he was addicted to.
If only . . .
Chapter 7
Kathryn Lucas bit into her bacon, egg, cheese, and onion burrito and watched the world go by as she sat in the parking lot of a Taco Bell. She’d slept late, barreled out of bed, showered, and headed straight to the fast-food shop before heading out to the farm. She was going to be late, but that was okay. The world wouldn’t come to an end. She munched contentedly as she watched a steady stream of people going about their early-morning business. She was so into her own zone that she almost missed the tall imposing figure heading up the walkway to the In the Know building. How ironic that she was sitting here across the street. When she’d pulled in, she thought the area looked familiar, but she hadn’t put it together immediately. Her phone was in her hand a moment later, her burrito forgotten. She quickly thumbed a text to Nikki and scooted out of the car. She was across the highway in seconds and in the building just as she saw Lincoln Moss get into the elevator.
Kathryn waited for the next elevator to ping. It did just as a return text buzzed on her phone. She stepped in and looked at the message at the same time. Do what you have to do. See you at the farm. Well, damn, that could mean anything. She grinned at what she imagined she could do to Mr. Joel Goodwin. She supposed she could flirt with Lincoln Moss. Ha!
The elevator door opened, and she was staring across the room at Pam Warren, who looked like she was going to black out any minute. Kathryn smiled, showing all her perfect teeth. The smile said, gotcha. Because she had excellent vision, she could see Warren about to hit a key on her console that would undoubtedly alert Mr. Joel Goodwin to her presence. She wagged her index finger back and forth and shook her head. Pam Warren sat back on her swivel chair as she placed her hands flat on her desk.
Kathryn continued to smile as she advanced to the counter. She did love to intimidate people. She leaned forward, and said softly, “This is what you’re going to do, Miss Warren. You can now press that little button and you will say, ‘Mr. Goodwin, Miss Goldshield is here, and she doesn’t have much time. She’s returning the packet you gave her yesterday but says you must sign for it in person.’ ”
Kathryn tilted her head so that she could hear Goodwin’s response, which was almost immediate. “Show her into the conference room. I’ll be there in a moment.”
“Promptness is such a virtue,” Kathryn said lightly as she tripped behind Pam Warren. “Having said that, the other virtue I admire most is silence. I know who that man is in there with your boss. Now, sweet cheeks, if you were a betting woman, who would you be betting on right now?”
“Ah . . . ah . . . you. Would . . . um . . . you care for coffee or tea? Anything?”
“Coffee would be lovely. Black.” Kathryn thought about the delectable breakfast she’d left behind in her car. It would be cold when she got back. Oh, well, she’d just order another one. She grinned at how fast Warren made it out of the room. Within a second, Joel Goodwin was in the room. He looked ill. He closed the door, then he locked it.
“Why are you here? I gave you everything yesterday. I thought we were done. Do you know who is in my office right now?”
“Well, yeah,” Kathryn drawled. “Why do you think I’m here? Do you want to see that gold shield again? Just so you know, Mr. Goodwin, it trumps Lincoln Moss.”
The little man wrung his hands. “I think there’s something you didn’t tell us yesterday, Mr. Goodwin. I’m sure you just happened to forge
t, so I’m very generously giving you another chance,” Kathryn said so softly, Goodwin had to strain to hear the words.
“All right, all right. I sent Jane Petrie a text to warn her. I’m in the newspaper business, and I have to protect my sources. You know how that works.”
“Actually, I do know how that works. What does he want?”
There was no sense pretending he didn’t know who the he was that Kathryn just mentioned, so he didn’t bother. “The same thing you want. I already told him I had no further information. He was just telling me what he could have done to me when Pam buzzed me that you were here. I don’t mind telling you that he made my hair stand on end. Everyone in this town knows how powerful he is. He is a very intimidating man. But . . . but you scare me more, lady, agent, whoever you are.”
Kathryn let loose with a chuckle. “You are a wise man, Mr. Goodwin. What did Mr. Moss threaten you with?”
Goodwin tugged at his collar. “For starters, he said a full-blown tax audit. Then he said he could shut down this paper in a nanosecond. Then he said he could have my kids expelled from their schools, then he started on how he could ruin my wife’s reputation. How’s that for intimidation?”
Until now, they had been standing. Kathryn looked at Goodwin, and said, “Sit.” He sat. “Is there a phone in here with a speaker?” Goodwin nodded and pointed. “I want you to listen very carefully to this call. Can you do that?” Goodwin nodded again. Kathryn pressed in the digits and waited.
“Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
“Well, good morning, Allison. I’d like to speak to Director Sparrow ASAP. You know who this is, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. Hold please for Director Sparrow.”
“Good morning, Director. Nice day, isn’t it.”
In Plain Sight Page 7
