“Just a minute, let me check.” The receptionist came back on the line. “We only have one opening today. You can have it if you can be here in thirty minutes.”
“I can make it. I’ll see you then.”
Kate caught the back end of his phone call. “You’re going there today?”
“I’ve got an appointment at four o’clock. If they’ve got Callie Spencer, the sooner we figure this out, the better.”
Striding into the bedroom, he stuffed his little .380 into his jeans pocket. Digging the .38 out of his gear bag, he carried the revolver back to the kitchen and set it on the table.
“I’ve got to get going if I’m going make it in time. Lock the doors and don’t let anyone in but me.”
She nodded, for once didn’t give him any flak. He couldn’t resist leaning down and kissing her. “Last night shouldn’t have happened, but I’m not sorry it did.”
Kate looked up at him, her gaze steady on his face. “Neither am I,” she said softly.
Jase forced himself to turn away and head out the door.
Jase was gone. She prayed he’d be okay. Her mind went back to the self-defense lessons he was giving her. She hadn’t thought she would enjoy them, but she had. It gave her a feeling of confidence unlike she’d known before. It felt good to know you at least had a fighting chance against someone trying to hurt you. When this was over, she might just take some professional courses. Though it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without Jase.
A thought that brought down her mood.
Needing to focus, Kate phoned Robin Murdock’s direct line again. She hadn’t picked up the first time. Robin wouldn’t have recognized the number, probably thought it was some kind of telemarketer.
This time she answered.
“Robin, it’s Kate. Have you got a minute?”
“Hey, Kate. You get a new phone?”
“No, this is a friend’s. I called to ask you about a company you talked to a few months back in regard to a consulting job. Briton, Inc. Do you remember?”
“I remember making a sales call, but the VP I talked to said they’d decided to postpone going public. He kept my card, though. I’m hoping he’ll call me back when the time comes.”
“Do you remember his name?”
“I talked to Victor Markum. He’s VP of Mergers and Acquisitions.”
“Did they say when they’d be ready to move forward?”
“Let me take a look at my notes.” A drawer opened and closed, papers rustled. Digital had its benefits but also its drawbacks. “Looks like they may be ready to move ahead soon. Maybe I should follow up, see if they need our services. It could be a very big job.”
“I’d appreciate if you’d hold off a few days, Robin. If it looks like it could turn into something, the project is yours.”
“All right. Thanks, Kate. Just let me know.” Robin hung up and Kate paced the apartment. She had no idea how a company as reputable as Briton could be involved in human trafficking, but in the world today, you never knew what could happen.
She glanced at the kitchen clock. Jase should be at Paradise Massage by now. A smile touched her lips. She envied the woman who would be running her hands over that magnificent body.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
“Right this way, Tom.”
Jase followed the masseuse down the hall, a woman in her late thirties with short dark brown hair and slightly plump curves. She was wearing a black skirt and a long-sleeved white blouse cut low enough to show plenty of cleavage. She wore makeup, enough to cover the dark circles beneath her eyes, false eyelashes and red lipstick.
She might have been pretty once, but Jase figured if he pulled up her sleeves, he’s see the track marks of a user.
He let her lead him into a narrow room on the first floor. A massage table sat in the middle. There was no window, just a single fluorescent casting dull white light. The room smelled of cheap perfume and rubbing alcohol. The sheet on the table was more gray than white. He could hear people moving around overhead, and wondered if they were servicing customers upstairs.
The woman smiled. “I’m Rena. I’m going to take care of you today. Why don’t you take off your clothes and get comfortable? When you’re ready, just wrap that towel around your hips and lie down on your stomach on the table.”
