It would be the end of his law enforcement career.But if it got Bree out of this alive, it would be worth it.
Saying a prayer, he flipped the snap off his holster.
“Save your theatrics, Dempsey,” a voice said from behind him.“I can take you to Jeter without you doing time for terrorizing a building manager when this is said and done.”
Tanner recognized that voice, and he had his weapon coming out of the holster anyway, spinning to face the man behind him.
Creepy, thin man.“Steele.”
Steele held out his hands at shoulder height.“Actually, my name is Chris Martinez.”
Tanner didn’t lower his weapon.“Is that name supposed to mean something to me?”
“Perhaps if I say my full name is Christian, and that the love of my life named one of our children after me, it might ring a bell.”
Now he lowered his weapon.“You’re the twins’ father?”
“Yes.And I worked for the Organization before they had me killed.Or almost had me killed.It’s been a long recovery.”
It explained some of the man’s thinness.And so much else.
“I would love to answer all the three hundred questions burning in your eyes right now, but it will have to wait.I know where Jeter is.”
“How?”Tanner asked.
“I’m not nearly as good as Bree with computers, but I know my way around one enough to be able to hack food services and find out where private meals are being delivered.”
Tanner put his weapon back in the holster.“If you’re lying, I’m arresting your ass.”
Chris rolled his eyes.“I’ll be happy for you to arrest me if we’re still alive in a few hours.”
They made their way through the hordes of people crowding the convention center for the symposium, everyone just milling around.
“They’re all waiting for the big update coming in about five minutes,” Chris explained.“To be here when it goes live gives them bragging rights.”
“If they knew what it was really going to do, they wouldn’t be so thrilled.Bree has been working day and night to try to find a way to stop Jeter.I have no idea if she finished.”
They finally made it into any empty stairwell and started going down.
“If anybody can do it, it’s Bree,” Chris said.“Jeter has been obsessed with her for years, even when it seemed probable that she was dead.Melissa thought she was dead, too.”
Tanner shook his head.“You know, when you said I had three hundred questions for you, that was probably a little on the conservative side.”
“Get us out of this alive, and I promise I’ll answer all of them.As thanks for keeping my children safe.”
As they walked side by side down the hall, Tanner stuck out his hand to shake.“Deal.”
Chris shook then picked up speed.“This hallway isn’t used by anyone but security and food services.It leads from the main suite to the underground parking for bigwigs.”
“Okay.”
“The room is at the end of this hall.Our best bet is probably to try to come in an air duct from the next room or to impersonate hotel staff and get them to open—” Chris stopped to look at his phone when it beeped.
“Oh, my God.”The man couldn’t tear his eyes from the device.
“What?”
Chris shook his head.“That was the Communication for All update.She did it.Holy hell, did she do it.”
