yet, and has her GPS enabled.” More clacking on computer keys. “She’s at the Museum of Natural Science.” Making a mental note to check the GPS settings on his phone, Ryan left with the information.
Ryan walked back to Simon’s office, grateful Mr. Lowe was gone when he entered. “She’s at the museum. You want me to go pick her up?”
Simon sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Just go tail her for a little while. Something about this whole deal has me on edge. It’s fishy.”
“I know. He was lying his ass off in here. It all sounds illegal as hell.”
“Yeah, and that’s not really what we want to have a rep for. This is supposed to be a reputable firm.”
Ryan got up to leave, but Simon stopped him. “You were there yesterday, right?” Ryan nodded. “You get a read on him?”
“Not really. I just managed to get in long enough to drop our card, shake his hand, and tell him what we did. It must have just been lucky timing this lady does this right after I left.”
Simon nodded. “Just find her and keep an eye on her for a little while. I’ll call you when I decide what to do with her. I’m not ready to just hand her over to them without more info. Send Evan in on your way out, will you?”
“Sure thing, Sarge.” He smiled at Simon’s grimace as he left. He was curios as hell as to what Classy Lady had done to piss off money-bags, his gut telling him she needed help. Badly.
Krista wasn’t hard to find at the museum. It was a large place, but she stuck out amongst the families and sightseers. Ryan inhaled a sharp intake of breath at the sight of Classy Lady. She was wearing the same outfit as yesterday, apparently not having gone home to change.
Her clothes—a short, tight black office skirt, with a pink silky tank top, under a cropped black sweater with tiny pearl buttons—looked wrinkled and slept in. Ryan watched her carefully, realizing if he’d run across her at the bar the other night, he might have had a better day yesterday. Then he quelled those thoughts. This was professional. He needed to keep it that way. Especially inside his own head.
She sat on a bench in front of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, watching the field trip children on their Friday afternoon excursions. She bit her lip thoughtfully and twisted her hands in her lap, looking at her phone repeatedly. When it rang, she answered quickly, as if she’d been expecting the call. Ryan moved in behind her to listen.
“Karen, I’m so glad you called me back. I just wanted to check in. Everything okay with you guys? Tate’s alright?” There was a pause while Karen presumably answered the questions she’d shot at the woman. Ryan’s ears strained to hear more, but with the squeals of the kids echoing through the open area, it was a lost cause. “Have you heard from Mom and Dad?” A sister, probably. She bit her lip again and her shoulders rose with a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’m going to make it down tomorrow. Something came up.” A pause. “Um, tell them I’m too hungover.” Another pause, then an adorable eye roll. “No, I’m not, but I’d rather them be pissed at me than know the truth.” Another pause, then, “Good. Well, I’m probably going to be hard to get in touch with for a while, I’m about to start work on a new project. But I’ll call to check in from time to time, okay?” Another pause, this one longer. “I know, but a girl’s got to work, you know?” An awkward giggle that sounded entirely too forced tugged at something in Ryan. She was in trouble, lying to her family, scared, and hiding from Lowe for some reason. “I love you, Karen. Bye.” She hung up the phone, and Ryan kept moving, edging around to where he could watch her again, unnoticed. He saw her wipe a stray tear from her cheek before her shoulders rose with a deep breath. Her lips moved, like she was talking to herself, and she rose, striding confidently to the front door. She looked like she
Ryan walked back to Simon’s office, grateful Mr. Lowe was gone when he entered. “She’s at the museum. You want me to go pick her up?”
Simon sighed, running his hands through his hair. “Just go tail her for a little while. Something about this whole deal has me on edge. It’s fishy.”
“I know. He was lying his ass off in here. It all sounds illegal as hell.”
“Yeah, and that’s not really what we want to have a rep for. This is supposed to be a reputable firm.”
Ryan got up to leave, but Simon stopped him. “You were there yesterday, right?” Ryan nodded. “You get a read on him?”
“Not really. I just managed to get in long enough to drop our card, shake his hand, and tell him what we did. It must have just been lucky timing this lady does this right after I left.”
Simon nodded. “Just find her and keep an eye on her for a little while. I’ll call you when I decide what to do with her. I’m not ready to just hand her over to them without more info. Send Evan in on your way out, will you?”
“Sure thing, Sarge.” He smiled at Simon’s grimace as he left. He was curios as hell as to what Classy Lady had done to piss off money-bags, his gut telling him she needed help. Badly.
Krista wasn’t hard to find at the museum. It was a large place, but she stuck out amongst the families and sightseers. Ryan inhaled a sharp intake of breath at the sight of Classy Lady. She was wearing the same outfit as yesterday, apparently not having gone home to change.
Her clothes—a short, tight black office skirt, with a pink silky tank top, under a cropped black sweater with tiny pearl buttons—looked wrinkled and slept in. Ryan watched her carefully, realizing if he’d run across her at the bar the other night, he might have had a better day yesterday. Then he quelled those thoughts. This was professional. He needed to keep it that way. Especially inside his own head.
She sat on a bench in front of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, watching the field trip children on their Friday afternoon excursions. She bit her lip thoughtfully and twisted her hands in her lap, looking at her phone repeatedly. When it rang, she answered quickly, as if she’d been expecting the call. Ryan moved in behind her to listen.
“Karen, I’m so glad you called me back. I just wanted to check in. Everything okay with you guys? Tate’s alright?” There was a pause while Karen presumably answered the questions she’d shot at the woman. Ryan’s ears strained to hear more, but with the squeals of the kids echoing through the open area, it was a lost cause. “Have you heard from Mom and Dad?” A sister, probably. She bit her lip again and her shoulders rose with a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’m going to make it down tomorrow. Something came up.” A pause. “Um, tell them I’m too hungover.” Another pause, then an adorable eye roll. “No, I’m not, but I’d rather them be pissed at me than know the truth.” Another pause, then, “Good. Well, I’m probably going to be hard to get in touch with for a while, I’m about to start work on a new project. But I’ll call to check in from time to time, okay?” Another pause, this one longer. “I know, but a girl’s got to work, you know?” An awkward giggle that sounded entirely too forced tugged at something in Ryan. She was in trouble, lying to her family, scared, and hiding from Lowe for some reason. “I love you, Karen. Bye.” She hung up the phone, and Ryan kept moving, edging around to where he could watch her again, unnoticed. He saw her wipe a stray tear from her cheek before her shoulders rose with a deep breath. Her lips moved, like she was talking to herself, and she rose, striding confidently to the front door. She looked like she
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