“In a bar?” I raised my glass in a mock salute. “You shouldn’t be that surprised.”
His initial smarmy grin faded, and he rolled his eyes impatiently. “Did you just call me here to annoy me? You could have waited a week and done it in Vegas.” He slid back to the end of the booth like he was going to leave.
“Sit. Down.” My tone had gone from playful to deadly serious in the span of an instant, and he must have realized I wasn’t fucking around because he moved back to his place across from me and fixed me with an unreadable stare.
Not a lot of people told Prescott what to do. I was either special or stupid. Most folks would have put money down on the latter. They were probably right.
“What do you want?” The tension in his hands and jaw told me he wasn’t happy about this. That made two of us.
I rifled through my coat pocket and slammed the commandeered phone on the table in front of him.
“I have a phone, but thanks.”
I slid it back towards me and pulled up the call log, dialing the last number I’d called from it. Prescott’s phone started to ring right on cue.
“Go ahead. Answer it.” I held the smartphone out in front of me and waited for him to get his own.
When he did and read the number on the screen, all the color drained from his face. He hung up without answering.
“I can explain,” he began.
“For stalking me? This should be good. I’ve heard of being shadowed by death before, Pres, but this is insane.”
“I’m not stalking you.”
“What are you talking about?” Leo demanded. Apparently being left out of the loop wasn’t his cup of tea, and he had no interest in waiting until we were finished here to ask questions.
“This idiot was having me followed. And his henchman damn near broke two of my ribs. After punching me in the head.”
“Whoa.” Prescott’s hands balled into fists, and the anger in his expression was evident. “That was not part of the plan.”
“But you admit you had her followed?” Leo barked.
“I wasn’t having you followed.” He sighed and flexed his fingers, trying to chase off the rage. “I paid a guy fifty bucks to tell me when you left the marina, that’s all.”
“Why?” I’d ask him about the dead kids soon enough, but first I wanted to know what it had to do with me. There was a reason he’d wanted to know my movements, and that was bothering me more than a little right now.
I wasn’t sure if he had anything to do with the murders, but I knew without a doubt he was tailing me, so I’d start there and then work my way up.
When he didn’t answer right away, I slammed my palm against the table. Both Prescott and Leo jumped, as if simultaneously waking from a dream.
“Is it Manea?” I asked. Chances were good that after what Leo and I had done she’d be out to find a way to get her revenge.
Leo blanched at her name.
“No, she doesn’t know.” Prescott’s gaze cut to Leo and then back to me. “Can we discuss this privately?”
“I don’t think—” Leo started to protest, but I placed my hand on his arm and gave a gentle squeeze.
“It’s okay. Give us a couple of minutes, all right?”
He sat stock-still, moving his eyes from me to Prescott, and I could tell he was debating whether or not it was safe to leave me alone with the guy. Ladies and gentlemen, chivalry was alive and well in Seattle today. After a few more seconds he apparently remembered I could take care of myself, and got up from the table.
“I’ll be right outside.”
“Thank you, Leo.”
Prescott didn’t say another word until the curtain closed behind Leo and he and I were truly alone together in the booth.