“It’s off,” Reese said. “Mati’s, too.”
“Okay, I’ll let Chance know what’s going on and I’ll call you here if anything else comes up.”
“No, let me give you my number,” David said, rattling it off. “We might be on the move, and there’s no reason to think my cell is compromised.”
“Okay, thank you,” Hodges said. “I’ll call when I hear anything else.”
David promised the same and hung up.
“Do we have to switch hotels?” Reese asked.
David frowned and typed something into his phone. “I’ll check with Chance, but…” He eyed all the stuff they’d accumulated, in large part thanks to him.
Mati didn’t want him to regret any of it. She held out her hand.
David took it and sat with them, his arm around them both.
“Chance will have to find a place with a kitchen,” she said. “I’m not giving up the David Zapetti Gourmet Experience.”
David smiled. “Okay. I’ll mention that.”
Of course, Chance had a life. DavidwantedChance to have a life. But it would be really fucking terrific if he would call David back so they could figure out what to do next.
David was a decent strategist, and normally would be happy to call the shots without asking anyone’s advice or opinion, but this was…different. He couldn’t be objective. He wasn’t distant from the problem or a rational observer. Indeed, he felt decidedlyirrational.
He’d sent Chance a text sayingCall me. Urgent.
Now he had to wait. He took a deep breath and reminded himself it wouldn’t do anyone, least of all himself, any good to be wound this tight.
The phone buzzed in his clenched hand and he answered, relieved to hear Chance’s voice. “What’s up, Davo?”
“You heard from Hodges?” David asked, curling his arm tighter around Mati and Reese.
“Yeah. Mati’s phone was cloned, huh?”
“Yeah, and Reese’s phone had location services turned on for Mati.”
“Shit,” Chance muttered.
“Yup,” David agreed, running his thumb over the curve of Mati’s shoulder and trying to figure out if he should voice the idea rattling around his brain.
“You want someone else to jump in now?” Chance asked.
“What?”
“You bored witless yet? It’s been a couple days. You’re usually ready to kill your charges at this point, and that’s if youhaven’tspent twenty-four hours a day with them. It’s cool if you want a break, and moving locations means it’s a good time to do it.”
“No. I don’t want that at all.”
“You sure?”
“I’m not bored,” David said, struck by how much of a relief that was.
Chance hummed. “I thought boredom was your thing. You sure you want to stay on this assignment?”
“Actually, about that. I need you to end my contract for this job.”
“I don’t understand. I thought you wanted to stay.”
