‘We could go back to the apartment,’ I suggest. ‘Daniel’s there. I think you’re right that we need to talk to him. Anyway, if Ian was going to do something, he has had the opportunity and he’s not taking it.’
Zeke smirks. ‘So you think that we’re just fine and dandy?’
I shrug. ‘We don’t have any other choice.’
‘OK.’ Zeke pauses and picks up the laptop, setting it on the table next to Spencer. ‘Maybe while you’re looking for the money, you could also take a look at this.’
Spencer gives it a wary glance. He doesn’t want to turn it on any more than I do.
Zeke ignores him and gives Spencer a fist bump. ‘Whatever. Tina and I will call later and see how it’s going.’
‘Later, man,’ Spencer says, but he’s not even paying attention to us anymore. He’s back to his computer screens. Again I envy him.
Zeke is still holding the gun, and he indicates that he’s going to go first. I lay back a little, giving him some space. When we get outside and go around to the front of the house, however, the black BMW is gone.
THIRTY-EIGHT
The car is gone, but the threat remains. He’s watching us, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Even though he hasn’t made a move beyond trying to run us off the road, the psychological toll is doing a number on both of us. He is in control, and we are on the defensive.
Zeke constantly checks the rear-view and side-view mirrors, but there’s no sign of the BMW. I remind him about my theory about Tony DeMarco, about how, perhaps, he wasn’t supposed to die.
‘Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that.’
‘It might be a set-up. To trap us.’
‘The man did get shot.’
‘He’s Tony DeMarco. There are probably plenty of people who want him dead.’
‘But he’s sick.’
‘Cancer?’
Zeke nods. ‘He doesn’t have long to live. It’s possible he arranged that hit himself, but maybe not to get at us.’
‘To sort of commit suicide?’ I ask.
‘Crossed my mind. I’ve been over so many scenarios, though, and none of them really sits well. Why does Tony DeMarco give a shit about either of us, especially if he’s going to die anyway? Yeah, we stole from him, but it’s not like he doesn’t have money. He already got his revenge on your father.’
‘Well, either way, if he thinks that I tried to have him killed, he’s not going to let it go. He’s not going to let me off, even if he is sick.’
‘You’re right about that,’ he says thoughtfully.
We are right back where we started. We don’t know any more than we did that morning in Falmouth when the FBI interrogated me. ‘Do you think that whoever did this figured that you’d come get me?’ I ask. ‘Maybe he wanted us both in the same place? Betr@yD knows you’re FBI. Knows who you are.’
‘That would mean that somehow he found out about Tracker,’ Zeke says.
‘Maybe you haven’t been covering your tracks as well as you thought.’ The moment I say it, I see his face fall and I regret it. But I can’t take it back now. I keep going. ‘Let’s say Ian planted Daniel on your team for a reason. And it wasn’t to help his kid.’ Again I feel sorry for Daniel. I’ve been in his shoes.
I’ve been in his shoes.
‘I used to hack into my father’s accounts,’ I say, thinking out loud. ‘I knew everything.’ I was younger than Daniel when I started hacking; I’m not naïve enough to think that he’s just started on this road, too. He had to have garnered quite a few skills in order to hack into his school’s system and change grades.
It’s almost frightening how parallel my life was with his at that age.
‘So let’s say Daniel’s been hacking into Ian’s accounts – not only Ian’s, but DeMarco’s, too,’ Zeke says, caught up in my theory now. ‘He knows DeMarco, but maybe he didn’t know everything. And then he finds out a lot more than he was expecting. Maybe he went to Ian about it—’
‘And the only way Ian can protect him is to turn him over to you,’ I finish for him. It makes sense. ‘But Ian also protects Tony by telling Daniel that he can’t reveal what he’s found.’ I think another minute. ‘It’s possible that Daniel found out who you are online. You’ve been in close quarters with him; you’ve been working together. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility. I think Daniel knows a lot more than you think.’
We mull that over a few seconds, then Zeke says, ‘I’m going to drop you at the apartment. I want you to keep an eye on Daniel.’
We’ve been concentrating on how Daniel might know about Tracker, but if he does, then he might also know who p4r4d0x really is – not the imposter, but me. I’m not thrilled with this plan, especially since Zeke’s going to ‘drop me off.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘I have to talk to Ian.’
This is not a good idea, but I can see by the way his jaw is set that there is no way I’ll be able to talk him out of it. ‘I’d tread a little lightly on this. He can be pretty volatile. I mean, I really do think he’s the one who tried to run us off the road. And I think he was the one in that car across the street from Spencer’s. He’s not stable.’
Zeke gives me a tight smile. ‘I know. Don’t worry.’
But I do.
We are at the apartment, and Zeke pulls into the parking lot. He gets out of the car, which is my cue to get out as well. He comes around to my side, and before I take a step toward the building, his arm circles my waist and he pulls me to him. He leans in and kisses me. When he stops, I reach for more, but he merely smiles, tracing my jaw with his finger and causing electric currents to run through my body. This is not how it ever was between us.
‘I brought you here to keep you safe,’ he whispers, his breath tickling my ear, his lips against my neck. ‘I’m sorry.’
And then as quickly as he grabbed me, he lets me go and begins walking toward the apartment building. It takes me a few moments to grasp that I need to follow him, that I can’t stand out here in the parking lot. I jog a little to catch up with him, and he slows down. His hand wraps around mine. I’m not sure what to make of this; it almost feels more intimate than the kiss. I try to remember if we held hands before, back when we were younger, but I can’t. There were hours in bed, motorcycle rides to the beach, but all of it is eclipsed by the memory of how I shot him on that houseboat on the Seine.
I watch his profile as we climb the stairs and wonder what my life would have been like if I’d gone with him, if I’d left Ian right then and there. Zeke knew who I was, but would he ever have told me? I can’t imagine that I would never have found out he was Tracker. Neither of us would have been able to stay away from a computer. Would Zeke and I – or Tracker and I – have ended up like a virtual Bonnie and Clyde? Him running from the FBI, me from my father and Tony DeMarco and Ian? It sounds so romantic, but the reality would not have been.
We reach the apartment, and he lets go of my hand. Despite the heat of the night, my fingers grow cold.
Zeke pushes the door open. They are lined up behind the computer screens: Jake, Charles, Heather – and Daniel. None of them looks up; they are all wearing headphones. It smells like popcorn and weed. Despite our misgivings about Daniel’s loyalties, I can’t help but think that he’s one of us, regardless, and maybe we should give him a pass. That Ian is exploiting him is not his fault.
He is watching us over the top of his screen. Zeke cocks his head at him, indicating that he should follow us into the other room. Daniel gives me a curious look, then gets up. He’s again wearing a white button-down shirt and chinos. He’s the anti-Spencer.
When we get into the bedroom, Zeke closes the door behind us. Daniel slouches against the wall, his arms folded across his chest, a sullen expression settling into his face. I’ve had very little exposure to teenagers in the last few years, but I remember the attitude well.
I’m not quite sure what to say, how to start. Zeke senses my hesitation, and he tells Daniel, ‘Tal
k to Susan. I’ll be right back.’ He slips back out, leaving me face to face with Ian’s son. The resemblance is so striking, now that I know.
‘What exactly are you working on for your father?’
His expression changes slightly. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
I give him a small smile. ‘My dad wanted me to do something a long time ago, and I did it. I didn’t think I could say no. It didn’t turn out so well for me, but I think Zeke could help if you talk to him.’ I have no idea if that’s true.
Daniel looks dubious, and I can tell I’m not getting through to him. I have no idea how to talk to him, so I just come right out and ask, ‘Have you found out who Tracker is?’
Daniel bites his lip and shifts from one foot to the other. He really is so young, and I find myself getting angry with Ian for manipulating him like this. I am almost certain that Daniel does know about Zeke.
‘Have you told your father what you’ve found?’ I ask when he doesn’t answer me.
Before he can respond, Zeke comes back in, an anxious expression on his face. ‘Go back to the other apartment.’ He presses a key in my hand. ‘Ian’s here.’ He glances over at Daniel, whose eyes widen. I can tell that he’s afraid we’re going to tell Ian that we know. I feel bad for him, but not enough to stay.
I start to go, but it’s too late.
THIRTY-NINE
I hear one knock and the doorknob turns. Daniel is right behind me, so I can’t back up. I duck into the bathroom and shut the door. Maybe it’s childish, maybe I should face him, but I don’t want to do it here. Not in front of his son. Or Zeke.
Still, I put my ear to the door to try to hear what’s being said. I’m unsuccessful, however, as the sound is muffled. I lean back against the wall and take some deep breaths. Zeke tells me I’m not a fugitive, but I certainly feel like one right now.
A knock on the bathroom door startles me, and I freeze as it opens. Heather’s face appears around the corner.
‘Susan? You OK?’
I brush down the front of my T-shirt and take a step forward. ‘Yeah, sure.’ I keep my voice down, straining to hear what’s going on out in the living room, but I don’t hear anything.
‘They’re gone.’ She pauses. ‘What’s the problem, anyway? It’s just Daniel’s dad.’
‘No problem.’ I try to keep my tone light. ‘I needed to use the bathroom.’
She doesn’t believe me, but she doesn’t push it.
I wash my hands to keep up the ruse, flush the toilet, and follow her out. For the first time, all eyes are on me, curious. I wonder again what Zeke and Ian said to each other. This was not played well.
Daniel is standing in the middle of the room. He looks at me quizzically, as though trying to figure out exactly how much I know about what he’s been doing for his father. I’ve handled this wrong. He’s going to tell Ian that I questioned him about Tracker. I’ve probably played my hand. I don’t want to get in any deeper. I still have the backpack over my shoulder, so I shift it a little and say, ‘If Zeke’s looking for me, I’m in my apartment.’ I doubt that my departure is going to be considered as casual as I’d like it to be.
‘Have you two found something?’ Heather is bold. She stares me down.
I shake my head. ‘No. Dead ends. Like all of you.’
I let myself out of the apartment and move into the hall that overlooks the courtyard with the fountain. I can hear them: Ian and Zeke. They’re arguing. I shift the backpack higher on my shoulder, and instead of going directly to the apartment, I move along the hall to find a place where I can eavesdrop better.
They are directly below me now, and their voices carry on the still air.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Ian’s voice is clear. ‘Where do you think I was? Some seedy motel?’
‘It’s not seedy, but it is a motel. Why were you there?’
‘I wasn’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve been at DeMarco’s since he came home. You do know he’s home, right?’
‘It was before. Before he came back.’
‘Before what?’
‘Before DeMarco came home, you were at the Palm Court Resort.’ Zeke’s voice is laced with exasperation, but he’s not going to get anywhere. I’ve heard every lie out of Ian Cartwright’s mouth, and he’s not lying. There’s no explanation for it, but he’s telling the truth. I don’t have to see him face to face to know that.
‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘OK, fine. But if you’re lying—’
‘I’m not.’
‘What do you have for me, then? Now that DeMarco is home, what’s he doing about the hit?’ To his credit, Zeke has switched gears, but he’s being too confrontational. If this is the way he is with Ian, then there’s no wonder he has to rely on his computer skills for information. If I try to intervene, though, he’ll take it the wrong way. I tiptoe back to the apartment, careful to open and close the door without making any noise.
The air conditioning hits me in the face as I enter, and goosebumps rise on my arms. I hadn’t realized how hot it is outside. I drop the backpack on the sofa and head to the glass doors. The small balcony overlooks the parking lot, and I slide the door open a little, letting in the heat. I peer over the railing, but from here I can’t see Zeke or Ian. I can’t even hear them anymore. I shut the door and take a deep breath.
The bicycle I rented and have yet to return leans against the wall. I run my hand along the handlebars, the cold steel comforting. I could use a ride right about now, but I’d have to go past Ian and Zeke. I couldn’t go quietly.
It’s late in the afternoon, and I rummage through the refrigerator for something to eat. I find a package of strawberries and pop one into my mouth. I don’t expect it to be so sour and my lips pucker. A bottle of seltzer is in the door, so I pour a glass and take it into the living room. I put the glass on the coffee table. It’s already begun to sweat, despite the air conditioning. I sit and wait.
He finds me here, in this spot. He stops in front of me.
‘You want out?’
It rushes over me: the desperate need to escape. I can’t speak, so I merely nod.
He watches me for a few seconds, then holds out his hand. ‘Come on.’
I don’t know what he’s up to, what he’s suggesting.
‘It’s time,’ he says gruffly. ‘You have to go.’
Does he really mean it? I grab the backpack as I reach for him. He takes my hand and pulls me behind him, out the door, and down the stairs. We’re moving so fast that my feet can barely keep up.
We get to the car, and he takes the keys out of his pocket. ‘Dump the car at the airport. You’ll have to travel as Susan McQueen, but you can change your name as soon as you get wherever you’re going. Find another island.’ He shoves the key at me, and I take it, although I’m still uncertain whether he really means all this.
‘Go,’ he says. But he doesn’t mean right this second, because he pulls me to him and kisses me, holding me so tight I’m afraid I might break in half. He finally breaks away, and I struggle to catch my breath, but he doesn’t let go completely. ‘You have to go now.’
I still don’t completely understand.
‘Ian knows you’re here, and he’s confirmed that DeMarco’s got a hit out on you. Go as far away as you can and never come back.’
FORTY
I am vaguely aware that I have begun to shake. I put my hand on his arm to steady myself and look into his eyes. ‘What about you?’ I whisper.
‘I’m fine. Get to the airport. Get on the first flight you can.’
‘But won’t he know where I’m going?’ Daniel’s upstairs. Ian’s probably got him checking on flight lists as we speak.
‘You just need to get out of the city right now.’
Tony DeMarco’s empire stretches far and wide. Miami is not the only place he can find me.
‘He’s after you, too,’ I remind him.
‘He’s aft
er Tracker.’
‘Daniel knows who you are, which means Ian does, too.’ I am as sure of this as I am of anything.
‘I’ll be OK,’ he says.
‘You have to be careful.’ I hear the fear in my voice – fear for him as much as for me.
He reaches up and touches my cheek. ‘I will be, but you have to go,’ he says. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cell phone. He hands it to me. ‘Take this. You’ll need something.’
I remember the disposable. ‘I’ve got one in my bag.’ All I have to do is fill it up with more minutes. I take it out and put his number into it. ‘How’s that?’
‘OK.’
‘I can’t go to the airport,’ I tell him. ‘That’s the first place they’ll look.’ I have another thought. I shove the keys back at him. ‘I’ll be right back.’
I take the stairs two steps at a time. When I reach the apartment, I push open the door and see the bike. I wheel it out and down the stairs, where Zeke is waiting for me. I tug on the helmet. He reaches over and fastens it under my chin.
‘I don’t know how far you’ll get—’
I put my finger to his lips. ‘I’ve been here before.’ I give him a small smile. ‘I know how to disappear.’ Already a plan is formulating in my head, but I can’t let him know. Not yet. In case someone comes too soon. He needs to be unaware of where I am.
I straddle the bike, and he kisses me again.
‘Go,’ he whispers, and I mount the bike and begin to pedal. I don’t look back, even though I desperately want to. He is in as much danger as I am. He says Tony’s got a hit out on me, but I’m willing to bet that he’s also got one out on him.
I see the car as I cross the South Dixie Highway. A black BMW, tinted windows. It might be Ian. It might not be. My heart pounds; I can’t take any chances.
I don’t think the driver has seen me. If he has, then he may not be registering that I’d be on a bicycle. Nevertheless, I pump the pedals hard as I go up one side street and down another, zigzagging my way around the neighborhood and into the next.
Betrayed Page 17
