slipped his thumbnail under the bottle’s label to loosen it. “Kacee called back with a match on Four’s passport photo. Shelby Kronberg, from Colorado Springs. Heard of it before?”
At her headshake he continued, “Likely because the Social Security number belongs to a five year old who’s been dead for twenty years. I arranged to have that information passed along to local police, along with the pictures I took this afternoon of the woman and the license plate of the car she was driving.” He rolled his shoulders. His muscles were tight. “We haven’t gotten much from the police records yet. Probably will have to wait until the first written reports are submitted through the department.” Hacking the Da Nang police department’s server would have been child’s play for his IT people. He knew from experience that poking around in the Customs database was much dicier.
“A police interest will slow Four down,” murmured Mia. “Maybe send her underground.”
“Divide her focus for sure.” Whatever the blond had been after today, it had been clear she’d meant Mia harm. For that alone she deserved any unwanted attention the police might bring to her. Jude raised the bottle for another swig. The heat index had eased somewhat toward nightfall, but the humidity near the water had still been stifling. “We have several hours before we have to go to the docks. It’d be best if you tried to sleep.”
As an answer she approached him where he leaned against the wall and reached for a beer. Opened it. “What’s in the sack?”
“Several sacks stuffed into one, actually. I didn’t want to draw attention by buying everything at the same place. A few odds and ends that might come in handy tonight.”
She crossed to the bed and went through the bags. Her brows rose when she saw some of his purchases, but she said nothing.
“You can talk to Raiker now. There’s plenty of time. It’s ten hours earlier in Wyoming, nine in DC. Not sure where he’ll be.” Setting the carton on the floor, he took out his cell.
“No.”
His fingers paused in the act of tapping in a number. “No what? No, there’s not plenty of time, or no, you’re not going to talk to Raiker?”
Still restless, she went to the window, cracked the shade. Something furtive skittered in the alley outside, but at least it was a four-legged animal rather than two. “I won’t talk to Raiker until I’m back in the States. And then I’ll do it in person.”
His voice was impassive. “You’re not exactly in a position to start making demands.”
Mia gave a brittle laugh. “Is that what I’m doing? And here I thought I was playing it safe.” Turning from the window she looked his way, their gazes clashing. And had the random thought that eyes the color of his were wasted on a man. “You claim to want something from me. Before you receive it you’ll get me safely out of the country. Our level of distrust is reciprocal. Call it hedging my bets.”
His mouth flattened to a thin line. That he wasn’t used to being faced with mutiny was obvious. But she’d been dealt few cards, and she’d bluff the hand she held for all she was worth. If he had sold her information to Four, he could summon the woman at any time. But she was beginning to believe he was at least telling the truth about Adam Raiker. Which gave her a tiny bit of leverage. She’d wield it ruthlessly.
“Five years haven’t made you easier to deal with.”
“I’ve been told I’m not particularly malleable.”
An artic gust of memory blew across her mind. You make things hard on yourself when they could be so very easy, Eleven. You exist only to please me. Your every thought, your every breath should be devoted to that end. And I will Break. You. Down. Until you are everything I want. Until you are perfect inside, as well as out.
Chilled, she brought the bottle to her lips. Drank. Dr. Halston had once mentioned that there was research being done on using amnesiac drugs
At her headshake he continued, “Likely because the Social Security number belongs to a five year old who’s been dead for twenty years. I arranged to have that information passed along to local police, along with the pictures I took this afternoon of the woman and the license plate of the car she was driving.” He rolled his shoulders. His muscles were tight. “We haven’t gotten much from the police records yet. Probably will have to wait until the first written reports are submitted through the department.” Hacking the Da Nang police department’s server would have been child’s play for his IT people. He knew from experience that poking around in the Customs database was much dicier.
“A police interest will slow Four down,” murmured Mia. “Maybe send her underground.”
“Divide her focus for sure.” Whatever the blond had been after today, it had been clear she’d meant Mia harm. For that alone she deserved any unwanted attention the police might bring to her. Jude raised the bottle for another swig. The heat index had eased somewhat toward nightfall, but the humidity near the water had still been stifling. “We have several hours before we have to go to the docks. It’d be best if you tried to sleep.”
As an answer she approached him where he leaned against the wall and reached for a beer. Opened it. “What’s in the sack?”
“Several sacks stuffed into one, actually. I didn’t want to draw attention by buying everything at the same place. A few odds and ends that might come in handy tonight.”
She crossed to the bed and went through the bags. Her brows rose when she saw some of his purchases, but she said nothing.
“You can talk to Raiker now. There’s plenty of time. It’s ten hours earlier in Wyoming, nine in DC. Not sure where he’ll be.” Setting the carton on the floor, he took out his cell.
“No.”
His fingers paused in the act of tapping in a number. “No what? No, there’s not plenty of time, or no, you’re not going to talk to Raiker?”
Still restless, she went to the window, cracked the shade. Something furtive skittered in the alley outside, but at least it was a four-legged animal rather than two. “I won’t talk to Raiker until I’m back in the States. And then I’ll do it in person.”
His voice was impassive. “You’re not exactly in a position to start making demands.”
Mia gave a brittle laugh. “Is that what I’m doing? And here I thought I was playing it safe.” Turning from the window she looked his way, their gazes clashing. And had the random thought that eyes the color of his were wasted on a man. “You claim to want something from me. Before you receive it you’ll get me safely out of the country. Our level of distrust is reciprocal. Call it hedging my bets.”
His mouth flattened to a thin line. That he wasn’t used to being faced with mutiny was obvious. But she’d been dealt few cards, and she’d bluff the hand she held for all she was worth. If he had sold her information to Four, he could summon the woman at any time. But she was beginning to believe he was at least telling the truth about Adam Raiker. Which gave her a tiny bit of leverage. She’d wield it ruthlessly.
“Five years haven’t made you easier to deal with.”
“I’ve been told I’m not particularly malleable.”
An artic gust of memory blew across her mind. You make things hard on yourself when they could be so very easy, Eleven. You exist only to please me. Your every thought, your every breath should be devoted to that end. And I will Break. You. Down. Until you are everything I want. Until you are perfect inside, as well as out.
Chilled, she brought the bottle to her lips. Drank. Dr. Halston had once mentioned that there was research being done on using amnesiac drugs
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