She tugged her hand free and resumed her pushing. “You’re supposed to be a messenger, and a messenger wouldn’t stay this long. Besides, I don’t want you to see my sister. One look at her and you’ll think I’m a dud.”
His eyes strayed past her. “Is that her? The one with the gorgeous red hair, the sexy bod, and the bottle of Chivas?”
Savannah bit her lip, which was precisely where Jared looked next. The cast of his eye became more pronounced, the gray flecks darker, creating a smoky look that made her burn. Her teeth relaxed their hold; her lips parted.
“It’s you I want,” he whispered. “Call me later?”
She gave a jerky nod, which was all her hammering heart would allow.
“Promise?”
She nodded again, then gripped the door as he left. It seemed the only static thing in sight. She closed it, locked it, took the twenty-dollar bill from between her breasts, and buried it in her pocket. Then she turned.
Susan, who’d been watching her, put down the bottle of scotch and began to unload the first of the bags. “A messenger, you say? He sure didn’t look like a messenger, not the way he was dressed. That jacket didn’t come from K mart. How well do you know him?”
“Not well.”
“Did you see the way he was looking at you?”
“He was delivering our dinner.”
“He looked like he wanted to eat you for his.”
“For God’s sake, Susan!” Scowling, Savannah glanced nervously toward the hall.
“He was big for a delivery boy. Looked more like a bodyguard. You should have invited him in. He could prove helpful later.”
Savannah set one drink after another on the table. With each she regained a bit more control. “He won’t be needed. Everything is going to be just fine, Susan. Just fine.”
***
At first, it looked that way. Will was nervous, which was understandable, but he seemed to know exactly what he was supposed to do, and he hadn’t lapsed into wildness again. So Savannah, Susan, and Hank were optimistic as he and Sam left.
The plan was for Sam to follow him most of the way, wait until Will made the drop, then trail him home. Both cars were equipped with two-way radios. If Will panicked at any point, Sam could help.
Will didn’t panic. As though taken by a drugged calm, he put the paper bag filled with money into the dumpster as directed, then sat quietly in his car.
When he didn’t signal that he was leaving, Sam began to get nervous. “Will? Can you hear me, Will?”
“I’m waiting,” Will informed him.
“For what?”
“That guy.”
“No, you’re not. Get out of there, Will.”
“I’m waiting. That man hung up on me before I could speak with Megan. I want him to know that if he dares harm her—”
“Buddy, he’ll do more than harm her if you don’t get your tail out of there.”
“I’m waiting.”
“You do that and you’ll blow the whole thing.”
“I’m waiting.”
Sam touched the gun holstered under his arm. “Fine. You wait, and I’m coming in with my lights flashing and my badge on display. You want that?”
