Chapter Eighteen
Luke
We pull into a parking spot at the McDonald’s where we’re supposed to meet Smith when my cellphone rings with Smith’s number. “Yeah, man, we’re here,” I answer. “Where are you?”
“Stuck in traffic hell. I’m not getting there anytime soon. You might as well have a burger, or ten, while you wait for me.” I grimace and glance at Ana.
“He’s caught in that traffic we avoided.”
Ana’s head drops and then she says, “We’re on a timer. We need to do this.”
“Agreed,” I say and then return to Smith. “I’ll let you know if we need you. Call me when you get out of traffic.” I disconnect. “Texting Blake,” I tell Ana, before I shoot off the message that reads: We need anything you have for us now. We’re headed over to the club. Smith is caught in traffic.
I hit send and refocus on Ana.“I told Blake we need whatever he can get us. It’s just you and me, baby. We’re going to have to make it work.”
“I doubt anyone is watching Darius’s locker anyway,” she says. “They didn’t know about his cabin. They won’t know about this.”
“We don’t know how long ago he left that stuff at the cabin. Don’t be so sure he wasn’t being watched on a day-to-day basis and we have no idea how many times he went to this locker and added information. It could be exactly how he got busted and ended up dead.”
My cell rings with Blake’s number and I answer on speaker. “You have me and Ana, Blake.”
“I heard about Smith’s delay. There’s a hotel attached to the fitness club. I booked you a room. I would suggest Ana stay in the room when you go to the locker, Luke. Ana, I know you’re going to object, but these people are going to use you against Luke where they can. They proved that by using you as bait to get him to Colorado. Not to mention the two of you together are more obvious.”
“I’m worried about someone having his back,” Ana replies. “Do we have cameras to rely on anywhere near the locker?”
“We do not,” Blake replies. “The club has limited cameras for privacy reasons but you can’t back him up anyway. The men’s locker room is on the opposite side of the gym from the women’s.”
“But is there equipment by the door? I can at least watch the door.”
“It’s a long hallway,” he states. “I’m sending you the floor plan, and membership cards to the gym. You have reservations under your fake name, Luke. You have that ID, right?”
“I have it,” I reply.
“Good. You’ll need it at the hotel. There’s a parking garage for the hotel. It’s less obvious than the street or valet. It has cameras. I’ll have eyes on you. Stay on the first level. There are open spots.”
“Got it,” I reply. “What else?”
“I suggest you check into the room, look over the floorplan for the gym, and leave Ana in the room. It’s all coming at you now. There is one problem I need to bring up and it’s a big one. I found Darius on the camera feed the night before he died. He knew he had heat on him because that was after your attack, Ana, and he still went to that locker. Don’t count on that locker being anything but empty. When you’re done there, and back in the room, I’ll clear your exit path and we’ll talk about my research. And no, nothing you need to know now. Get this done. Anything I know might come together with information in that locker.” He disconnects.
I shift us into reverse. “I’ll argue my points on me not staying in the hotel room while you drive,” Ana says. “I can’t see anyone targeting you if I’m in a room.”
I pull us to the end of the driveway and onto the road, which is actually the road where the club is located. “I’ll argue my side of this once we park or you’ll win this battle and I’m not going to let that happen.”
“We’ll see,” she retorts, but she doesn’t press. Both of us have our eyes on the street, on our surroundings and it’s not long before I pull us into the garage. Once I’ve backed us into a spot against the wall, that allows rapid exit, I kill the engine and turn to Ana. “They won’t kill me, Ana. They want the package. They see us both as the ticket to get it. But they might do as Blake suggested and use you against me. Also, as Blake said, they’ve proven they’re willing to do that and more.”
“I do not like everyone using me as a weapon against you.”
“If you’re talking about Kurt, I don’t think it’s that simple. And you can call yourself a weakness, but I call you a reason to live. Which is why I need you to stay in the hotel room.”
“It works in reverse. They could use you against me. They used Darius because they felt I had the package.”
“It’s the men’s locker room, Ana. Let me have peace to know you’re safe. That’s going to allow me to get in and out fast, and without distraction.”
Worry and reluctance dance across her beautiful face, but she concedes. “Fine. But I’m giving you a time limit or I’m coming after you. What’s the plan to get into the hotel?”
Our phones buzz with a text message and I glance down to find the expected—an electronic key to a room Blake managed to make ours. “We have a room. We have an electronic key, thanks to Blake. We’re going to the first floor for easy exit.”
“It’s also more visible,” Ana says. “Less chance of someone coming at us there.”