Even if I hate the thought of looking into the lives of my employees, I can’t stand someone betraying me. I grab my notepad by my phone and scribble the names down, then hand it to Ryder. “Let’s hope I’m way off here.”
“Honestly,” says Ryder, folding the paper and shoving it into the pocket of his tan cargo pants. “I can’t see any answer to this question being a good one.”
“Sadly, I think that’s very true.” My cellphone beeps and I take a quick look, seeing an email from a client before I focus back on Ryder. “Now about that other update?”
Ryder reaches into his pocket, taking a piece of paper out. “Prepare yourself, you’re not going to be happy.” He hands me the piece of paper.
I unfold it, and I’m staring at a sketchy photo of a man in his mid-thirties wearing a blue baseball cap. “What about this person will bother me?”
“That’s Shawn Mason,” Ryder states, “coming through airport security.”
I jerk my head up, straightening in my seat. “He’s here in San Francisco?”
Ryder nods. “He landed about an hour ago.”
So many things cross my mind, it’s hard to center my thoughts. I glance down at Mason’s picture, trying to see what Taylor saw in him. He looks scrawny, like a rat. “What did you make of him?”
“To be honest, he seems very, very normal,” Ryder answers. “Alex has dug as much as she can and she’s simply finding nothing on him. He comes from a middle-class family, nothing major happened to him in his childhood.”
“Odd.”
Ryder nods. “Has Taylor told you nothing?”
“She won’t talk about it.”
“Scared?”
I consider that and then shake my head. “No, I don’t think so.” At least that’s not the feeling I got from her. She seemed pretty clear where it came to Shawn and how she felt about what happened. “But she’s remaining tight-lipped about him, and why that is I don’t know.” Ryder stays silent, clearly knowing there isn’t much we can do unless she tells me more, so I push the conversation along. “Do you know where he is now?”
“Of course I do.” Ryder’s voice is well amused, as are his eyes. “We followed him to the Twin Peaks Hotel on Market Street. I’ve got a surveillance team on location.”
“Has he left the hotel at all?”
“Once to grab some food, but he came right back.” Ryder pauses, watching me intently, clearly assessing my mood. “How would you like this matter handled?”
I’d like the guy killed. Of course, I keep that thought to myself. “Tail him at all times.”
“Again, it would be easier for us to tail her,” Ryder offers. “Would she—”
I snort an unamused laugh. “Taylor won’t be happy to know that I’m still looking into Mason, let alone allowing you to tail her. We’ll have to do this by following him.”
“All right.” Ryder runs a hand over his buzzed-cut hair, rising from his seat. “But this isn’t something you can keep from her, especially with Mason here. It’s not safe for her.”
I sigh, knowing the hellish conversation that will be. “Yes, I know, and I’ll make her aware.”
Ryder reaches into his pocket again then hands me a business card. “You might want to give her this. It’s a contact that I have at the police department. He’s a good, clean cop and will handle her case gently.”
“Thank you,” I tell him. “You’ll keep me updated?”
“You know it.” Ryder smiles, offering his hand.
I return the handshake. Tough men I can deal with. I don’t make things gentle. I lay it out and tell them how I want things to happen and wait for them to accept it. But Taylor isn’t a businessman I’m going up against. She’s emotional and strong, and her reaction to this news crosses my mind.
That’s when I realize one very true fact: I’m a dead man.
Taylor
After a quick lunch date with Allie to catch up, I enter Bennett, Inc.’s elevator and hit 63. My aching feet make me damn glad it’s Friday, and soon I can soak them in a hot bath. When the doors shut, I lean against the back and fire off a quick text to Mom in reply to her earlier text this morning asking me over for dinner on this coming Wednesday: Yes, I’ll be there. Allie will, too. Or so Allie told me during our lunch together. Then I shove my cell back into my purse as the elevator begins to whiz up and smile to myself. Things have been good.