Chapter 12
Lucky
After we leave Calliope off at the college, I convince Suds to stay for another day so we can oversee her new security system. While we lean against her living room wall, I pick up one of the many small cardboard boxes littering the space and toss it on a pile. Then, I nod at the bloke on a ladder in the outside hall. He and I had a little talk earlier about getting me access and now I’m all set to spy on her.
This morning, I nearly lost it when Callie agreed to see that Ruski. He’s a nob of the worst sort and not someone who should be spending time with my future wife. I’m going to make his life a living hell until he leaves her be.
Suds eyes me, probably not happy about the sounds coming from my bedroom last night. “Tell me again. Why are we here?”
I grab the television remote from the coffee table and click at the widescreen until I find the news. “No reason. I’m just making sure Patten’s blokes don’t fook anything up.”
“Yeah, right. His guys are the best in the business. ’Fess up the real reason or I’m out of here.”
When he takes a step toward the door, I grab his arm. “Okay, I may have done some research on that Yuri bloke.”
“And?”
“The Feddies think he may have ties to Isis. And it’s not just him. The other bloke, her ex? Tell me, did you ever make love with a woman and later, become friends?”
He snorts and shakes his head with a half grin. “Hell no, and I don’t believe in unicorns either.”
“Right.” I lean forward and whisper so the installation crew can’t hear. “Let’s just say your ex put you into friend status and after, you went to her apartment to feed her cat. Would you think it was okay to open her computer?”
“Lawd no. Ladies are crazy about shit like that. You ever try to look in a woman’s purse? Her computer is way worse.” Chuckling, he points at the telly and stops on a sports channel where guys in suits discuss the finer points of American footie.
“Right. So, whydoyou suppose Calliope let that fook-wad Gerard Chase, off the hook?” Antsy, I start to pace. “I get the feeling we’re missing something important.”
Suds shakes his head and scratches at his short beard. “I agree that somethin’ don’t sound right. First off, he should’ve asked her. Secondly, she should’ve read him the riot act. Thirdly? I don’t rightly know what it is but it deserves more thought.”
I watch the commentary on the telly until the next advertisement. Then, I decide to let Suds in on last night’s discoveries. “I did a little digging on the web. Countries are paying big money for EMF technology. I say, we need to keep tailing her.”
“Hold your horses. What does Grayson say?” My friend’s got a point but I’d rather apologize after the fact than blatantly disobey an order.
“I reread her mum’s contract. It says we’re supposed to protect her.”
“Theearrings, dude, not Calliope.”
“Well, that’s the thing. The earrings weren’t actually stipulated, neither was the time frame. So, if the shit hits the fan, we can say we were doing our job.”
“And Patten agreed to this?”
“Not exactly.”
“Nah-uh. You call Slate. If he agrees, I’m all in. Otherwise, you’re on your own.”
I motion Suds into the hall, pull out my cell phone, and punch in the number for Grayson’s right-hand man, Slate. “Hey, mate. I got a situation.”
“Shoot.”
“I’m sending you a few links. Me and Suds here want to keep Ms. Bradford-Clarke under protection for a little bit longer but need your approval.”
There’s silence on the other end for almost three minutes. Finally, he hisses on the other side of the line. “Shit, you think someone is after her research?”
My stomach churns as he states what I had hoped was not so obvious. “Yeah, skipper, that’s what it looks like. But I’ll bet my last dollar she has no idea.”
“I assume Suds is there with you?
“Yeah.”
