Annabelle had started working for him before he’d gotten his start.It had been a risky gamble for her to make that career change.Obviously, it had paid off, but it could have gone a different direction.
Barry checked his watch; it was time to go.He grabbed his keys and headed for the hotel.He pulled over into a dirt parking lot near a hiking trail and walked back to the hotel just as the window van was arriving.He hurried up the trail and came onto the job site, but panicked for a moment when he didn’t see the van.He’d seen it driving up, so it had to be there.
It clicked in his brain that it might be in the back of the hotel where the window needed replacing.Barry kept his head down as he crossed the dirt path; none of the workers seemed to notice him.They were all focused on their own jobs and didn’t mind the other workers.So many people were coming and going, it was like an ant hill preparing for winter.
He came around the corner and saw the van parked facing the hotel.The back doors were opened, and several men stood around it.The front passenger door was open too; Barry saw there was a jacket that matched their uniform and a hat.
Barry walked to the front of the van, put on the jacket—which was a little small for his frame; hopefully no one noticed—and pulled a hat low over his face.
The team branched off, and a few headed for the propped open door in the back of the hotel.Barry used that opportunity to join the rest of the work and headed inside.He made sure to stay in the back.
A guard checked the leaders’ name badges and allowed them access to the elevator.The team laughed and joked with each other as they rode it up to the eighth floor.No one seemed to notice he didn’t belong.He just kept his head down and his shoulders forward to make himself appear smaller.
They filed out of the elevator and were stopped at the end of the hall.“What are you doing here?”Barry heard a guard.For a moment, he panicked that Miles was still there, which would make the transfer that much harder if not impossible.
“Replacing the window,” the leader informed him.
“Let me see your orders,” the guard demanded.
The leader handed them over, and the guard scanned the contents thoroughly before handing them back.The guard used a key card and unlocked the door, then held it open.
“Be quick.”
The leader just nodded, and the team entered the office.Barry didn’t see anyone in the room, so Miles must be out, but his guards were there to keep an eye on things.
The team immediately went to the window and got right to work on cutting around the window frame.They moved with an efficiency that said they did this quite often.
The door remained open, and the guards watched them.The desk sat right in front of the window, so Barry used that to hide himself.
He shook the mouse, not at all surprised the computer was password protected.He pulled a sub from his pocket and plugged it into his phone.Using the monitor to block him, Barry sat up and inserted the other end of the sub into the port.
He sat back down on the floor and typed on his phone to remotely log into the computer.Once he was in, he went the file drive and started the transfer.
He set his phone on the desk chair and pulled out an audio device from his pocket before he planted it under the desk in the far corner.Miles would never see it, and it would be impossible for him to bump into it unless he was rooting around under the desk.
He wished he could do a visual camera, but with the guards on lookout, he’d never get it put into place.
Barry stood up when he was done and assisted the team so as to look like he was a legitimate part of the group.He started cleaning up the mess and putting tools away as the team used suction cups to lock onto the window and pull it inside.
Barry checked his phone and saw the download was finished.He pocketed his phone and turned to see one of the workers looking at him.His face was red and flush like he was struggling.
Barry rushed to help the team pull the window to the floor.He slid into place alongside one of the others and gripped the suction cup, helping pull it inside.
They walked it down the hall and into the elevator and then out to the van.The new piece of glass had already been removed and was attached to the crane and being lifted into the air.
He helped push the broken window into place and stepped back as the team strapped it down.Barry used that time to slide out of the jacket and hat and put them back into the front of the van.Then he calmly walked away.
He walked more briskly across the front yard.He looked back to see if anyone was following, but the coast was clear.He turned back around and came to a screeching halt, almost slamming into Annabelle.
She looked up at him with wide eyes of fright at almost being bowled over.“Sean,” she gasped breathlessly, placing a hand over her chest as if her heart was galloping.
“Annabelle, hi.”He played it off casually, not at all worried about being seen there.
“I’m shocked to see you here,” she said, sounding calmer.
“I had a small gap in my schedule and came to see if I could get some work done.”
Annabelle looked him over.“Without your tools?”
