"Oh shit," he groaned when the front door opened and the last person he wanted to see stepped inside the bar. For a brief moment, he considered ducking and hiding, but he just knew Ricky would spot him. He had to figure out some way to warn Wilson.
Ricky headed right for the bar as if he knew that was where Jayden was standing, but he jerked to a stop when he spotted him. His eyes narrowed. "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"I know," Jayden admitted. "Marv said you were in town."
"Why the hell didn't you call me then?"
"The story isn't here, Ricky. It's back in D.C. I thought Marv told you that."
Ricky's forehead wrinkled. "Marv said Senator Khor was here."
"He is, but he's not the story. The ex-wife is."
Ricky cocked an eyebrow. "Do tell."
Jayden nodded toward the bartender. "Get my beer and find us a table while I go to the bathroom real quick. This isn't something we want bandied about until it's on the front page."
Ricky's eyes narrowed, and he stared hard for a minute. "You better not be thinking you can cut me out of this story. Marv put both of us on it."
Jayden rolled his eyes. "So find a table that faces the door so you can make sure I don't leave. I've got to visit the john before my teeth begin to float."
Jayden walked away without saying another word. Ricky would accept his excuse or not. There was nothing Jayden could do about that now, but he could do something about Wilson showing up. Assuming he could get the man to answer his phone.
He headed into one of the bathroom stalls and pulled out his phone and dialed Wilson. "Come on, come on, come on," he said when the phone rang over and over again. Nothing. For some reason the man wasn't answering.
He needed another plan.
Jayden quickly tapped out a text message warning Wilson away from the bar then walked out of the stall. He stepped out into the hallway then turned when a door farther down opened up. The short dark-haired man looked familiar. It took Jayden a moment to place him, but when he did, a sliver of hope filled him.
"Joey, wasn't it?"
The man smiled. "Yes."
"I was hoping you could do me a favor."
"I can try."
"Do you remember the man I was with the other night?"
"Older guy, sandy-blond hair, dimples, dreamy brown eyes?"
Surprised at the adequate description, Jayden nodded. "Yeah, that's him."
With a totally straight face, Joey shook his head. "Nope, don't remember a thing."
Jayden chuckled.
"So, what's the favor?"
"He's on his way here to meet with me. I need to get a message to him before he gets here, but he's not answering his phone."
The smile slid off Joey's face. "Sounds serious."
"It is. There's a reporter back in the main room looking to make his life hell. I'm holding him off for now, but if Wilson shows up here, I can't stop it."
Joey's dark eyebrow arched. "I take it you know this reporter?"
"Yeah, I know him." Jayden grimaced as the lead ball in his stomach dropped. "We work together."
