what finally got through to them?”
“Will it get me out of here?”
“They caught him. It was like you wrote the scene. He waited until five in the morning, when everything was quiet, and approached the desk dressed like a business executive. When he asked if you were still checked in, our guy at the desk hit the switch and sniper Sam was surrounded – false ID, false documents, false passport, the whole smear. The bad news is he picked you as his accomplice.”
Nick burst into laughter, nearly choking on his coffee, with Tim and Grace joining in.
“I told them we were acting on your suggestions,” Tim informed him after many moments. “They believe you had nothing to do with the hit – and it was a hit.”
“Interpol lit up like a Christmas tree when we put out the guy’s picture and fingerprints,” Grace added. “We can’t tell you anymore about him, but you’re off the hook.”
“Well, in that case.” Nick stood up “Can I go home now? I’m thinking maybe I have enough Pleasanton material after all.”
“Kim would like to see you,” Grace said.
“That’s very funny.” Nick smiled, running both hands through his hair as he stretched. “I believe the stars are not right for Kim and me. Tell her I said no hard feelings.”
“Sit down, Nick,” Tim urged. “We have a proposition for you.”
“No offense,” Nick proceeded carefully, hoping they were going in the direction he’d been steering them. “But if this proposition has anything to do with me and Kim, forget it.”
“We have a leak in the program.” Grace patted the chair until Nick reluctantly sat down. “No way anyone finds out where Kim is without a leak. First, the guy she was to testify against grew a third eye in Manhattan and now there’s an attempted hit on Kim.”
“Maybe it was the same guy.”
“He was in France when the Manhattan guy went down.”
“Tanus? I read the papers.”
“You know too much. Nobody likes a smartass.”
“So I’ve been told. That’s why I live alone. What’s the proposition?”
“Your house in Pacific Grove has two safe rooms,” Tim stated.
Uh oh
, Nick thought, trying to keep his face in neutral.
Grace put an arm around Nick’s shoulders. “Now what would a cute writer-type like you need with not one, but two safe rooms? Bet you’re wondering how we found out you have them, aren’t you?”
Nick shrugged. “It’s public knowledge. Any two-bit hack could get into city planning.”
“You’re one of those damned computer nerds too?” Grace pulled her arm back and pretended to pout.
“Want to tell us why you have two?” Tim asked quietly.
“One’s downstairs, one’s upstairs. I’m a little paranoid.”
“What would you have to be paranoid about?” Grace eased up over the table until she was smiling in Nick’s face, resting on her arm in front of him.
“No reason. I’m just naturally careful.” Nick smiled back.
Grace sighed and slid into her seat again. “I told you he’d say that.”
“We’d like you to take Kim with you, Nick, until we get this leak business straightened out,” Tim explained. “Grace and I will go down with you, while some people we trust implicitly find the leak.”
Yeah, that’ll work.
“You two are out of your ever lovin’ minds.” Nick registered the right amount of shock and awe. “Kim and I just met. I don’t even know her.”
“Ah…but would you like to?” Grace laughed at her own play on words. “C’mon Nick. It’ll be fun. You have a huge house. Tim and I will stay in Monterrey so we’re near if you need us. US Marshalls put people in places where other bad people can’t find them. We aren’t exactly bodyguards. It’ll only be for a couple weeks.”
“Does Kim know about this?”
“She’s very excited about it, Nick. Kimmy loves the idea.”
* * * *
“You want me to what?” Rachel cried out in astonishment, with Grace trying to shush her, while Nick tried not to laugh.
“For the
“Will it get me out of here?”
“They caught him. It was like you wrote the scene. He waited until five in the morning, when everything was quiet, and approached the desk dressed like a business executive. When he asked if you were still checked in, our guy at the desk hit the switch and sniper Sam was surrounded – false ID, false documents, false passport, the whole smear. The bad news is he picked you as his accomplice.”
Nick burst into laughter, nearly choking on his coffee, with Tim and Grace joining in.
“I told them we were acting on your suggestions,” Tim informed him after many moments. “They believe you had nothing to do with the hit – and it was a hit.”
“Interpol lit up like a Christmas tree when we put out the guy’s picture and fingerprints,” Grace added. “We can’t tell you anymore about him, but you’re off the hook.”
“Well, in that case.” Nick stood up “Can I go home now? I’m thinking maybe I have enough Pleasanton material after all.”
“Kim would like to see you,” Grace said.
“That’s very funny.” Nick smiled, running both hands through his hair as he stretched. “I believe the stars are not right for Kim and me. Tell her I said no hard feelings.”
“Sit down, Nick,” Tim urged. “We have a proposition for you.”
“No offense,” Nick proceeded carefully, hoping they were going in the direction he’d been steering them. “But if this proposition has anything to do with me and Kim, forget it.”
“We have a leak in the program.” Grace patted the chair until Nick reluctantly sat down. “No way anyone finds out where Kim is without a leak. First, the guy she was to testify against grew a third eye in Manhattan and now there’s an attempted hit on Kim.”
“Maybe it was the same guy.”
“He was in France when the Manhattan guy went down.”
“Tanus? I read the papers.”
“You know too much. Nobody likes a smartass.”
“So I’ve been told. That’s why I live alone. What’s the proposition?”
“Your house in Pacific Grove has two safe rooms,” Tim stated.
Uh oh
, Nick thought, trying to keep his face in neutral.
Grace put an arm around Nick’s shoulders. “Now what would a cute writer-type like you need with not one, but two safe rooms? Bet you’re wondering how we found out you have them, aren’t you?”
Nick shrugged. “It’s public knowledge. Any two-bit hack could get into city planning.”
“You’re one of those damned computer nerds too?” Grace pulled her arm back and pretended to pout.
“Want to tell us why you have two?” Tim asked quietly.
“One’s downstairs, one’s upstairs. I’m a little paranoid.”
“What would you have to be paranoid about?” Grace eased up over the table until she was smiling in Nick’s face, resting on her arm in front of him.
“No reason. I’m just naturally careful.” Nick smiled back.
Grace sighed and slid into her seat again. “I told you he’d say that.”
“We’d like you to take Kim with you, Nick, until we get this leak business straightened out,” Tim explained. “Grace and I will go down with you, while some people we trust implicitly find the leak.”
Yeah, that’ll work.
“You two are out of your ever lovin’ minds.” Nick registered the right amount of shock and awe. “Kim and I just met. I don’t even know her.”
“Ah…but would you like to?” Grace laughed at her own play on words. “C’mon Nick. It’ll be fun. You have a huge house. Tim and I will stay in Monterrey so we’re near if you need us. US Marshalls put people in places where other bad people can’t find them. We aren’t exactly bodyguards. It’ll only be for a couple weeks.”
“Does Kim know about this?”
“She’s very excited about it, Nick. Kimmy loves the idea.”
* * * *
“You want me to what?” Rachel cried out in astonishment, with Grace trying to shush her, while Nick tried not to laugh.
“For the
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