Jeri glanced in my direction and winked, making my stomach do a little flip. The guy was charming in a less obvious, non-ass kissing way, and I was perfectly enchanted.
“Give me the VIN number of the truck you liberated, and I’ll get my boss to square it with the owner that you borrowed itwithpermission. Tell me the license plate number on your truck, and we’ll get someone to pick it up and bring it to you. They’ll return the borrowed truck too.”
At hearing Schatz’s plan, Jeri turned to me. “Red, open the glove box and find the registration, will ya?” There was that sexy wink again.
I did as he asked while he put his wallet on the console. “Get in my wallet and find my truck insurance card. It’s got my license plate number on it. They can pop the lock with a Slim Jim. There’s an extra set of keys under the front passenger seat.”
I stared at him for a moment. “Slim Jim? Like the beef jerky?”
Jericho laughed, along with Lawry Schatz on the phone.
“You can both go to hell.”
I opened the glove compartment and found the registration papers, relaying the information about our current mode of transportation, before I found Jeri’s insurance card in his wallet, repeating the process.
“Okay. I’ve got the security footage from the condo building. I’ll send it to you, and when you get a minute, can you take a look to see if you recognize anyone, Sean?”
“Yes, of course.”
Jeri spoke up as he slowed to a stop at an intersection. “Did you get the chance to check the footage from the police station shootout? There were two stickers on the back of the black Chevy SUV that the shots were fired from. One was a cross draped in an American flag, and the other was a slogan,Defenders of the Faithfulin red, white, and blue letters. I came across them in the past when I was in the Army at Camp Mackall. There was no license plate on the black Tahoe.”
“Gimme a second.” We both heard the clicking of keys as Schatz typed.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing, yet. Let me do some digging. Meantime, get yourselves somewhere safe. Turn off your phones, pick up a burner at a discount store, and call me. I can’t say they’re tracing your phones, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Sean, do you have your laptop with you?” Schatz sounded worried.
“No. I didn’t have time to grab it or my phone. It’s still at the condo.”
I suddenly felt naked at remembering I didn’t have my devices. I never went anywhere without them. I didn’t know any phone numbers, and I had a lot of upcoming meetings. I had no idea what the hell to do about any of it.
“Good. If they were somehow able to track your signal, it’ll stay there in Bethesda. Jericho, does your mom have a cell or a landline?” Lawry asked.
“We have a landline. The number is 301-435-1001. Wait till we get there to call. I’m gonna have a hell of a time explaining all this to my mother as it is.”
“Jericho, do you want to send your mother to visit family or for a vacation?” Schatz asked.
“Naw. She’d just be more worried about what the hell was going on at home if I got rid of her. If you call the landline and she answers, tell her you’re the old buddy of mine from the Army who came by the farm a week ago. With my mother, the less said, the better.”
Jericho shot a quick glance at me before he smiled, signaling he wasn’t upset about what he’d been dragged into because of me.
He smirked and said, “And Sean’s my new boyfriend. That’ll give her something to stew on. Thanks, Schatz.”
He reached over to the phone in my hand, ending the call. I stared out the front window unable to speak.
What the hell?
We exited the Beltway to take Route 50-East, and I was still stunned silent.
Boyfriend?
I was the last person to be consideredboyfriend materialby anyone.
We turned left and crossed over a bumpy metal bridge-like thing. I’d never seen anything like it. “What was that?”
“What? Oh, back there? It’s a livestock guard. It keeps the animals from getting onto the road. You got something you want to say? You’ve been awfully quiet, and that’s not your style, I’m guessing—or it hasn’t been since I’ve been around you.” Jericho slowed down as we approached a modest ranch-style home.
“How will your mother feel about you bringing some stranger home? How did we meet?” Everything was spiraling out of control—ormycontrol—and I didn’t like it one bit.
