Little Girl Gone

element of surprise. Aaron had maybe a year or two as a cocky bastard in high school, and little else.

It was Aaron’s own fault it had even happened, though. Logan hadn’t wanted to fight him in the first place. Aaron didn’t have to chase him after he’d heard Logan cough. He could have let it go, and assumed Logan was just someone out getting a little fresh air in the middle of the night. It would have sure made a hell of a lot more sense from his point of view than finding the guy who’d been snooping around looking for Elyse back in L.A.

Logan dragged him down the passageway, and laid him on the floor behind the snack counter. It was only a temporary solution, but it was out of sight in case anyone else came by on a late night stroll.

He then went and woke Daeng.

 “My turn already?” Daeng said as he opened his eyes.

“I need your help.”

“Now?”

“Yeah. Now would be good.”

Logan led him back to Aaron. The kid was still lying on the floor, not having moved an inch.

“Is he dead?”

“No.”

Daeng glanced at Logan. “This isn’t exactly keeping a low profile.”

“I thought we could use this to our advantage.”

 “This should be interesting.”

“The train’s got to stop again in the next hour or so, right?” Logan said. “I was thinking that might be a good time for Aaron to get off, and forget to get back on. Do you know anyone in this part of the country?”

“I know people in all parts of the country.”

Logan had hoped as much. “Someone who could meet us in the middle of the night, and take possession of our friend here?”

Daeng looked at Aaron for a moment. “That could be arranged.”

“Excellent.” Between Daeng and Dev, Logan was creating a network of people stashers. Whatever it took, he guessed.

“His friends are going to come looking for him,” Daeng said.

Logan shook his head. “Not until morning.”

“You can’t count on that.”

“They were drinking, so I gotta think they’re going to be out for a while.”

“What about him?” Daeng asked. “He wasn’t sleeping.”

“True,” Logan conceded. “We should put him someplace out of sight until we hand him off. One of the bathrooms would work. And while we’re waiting I’ll see if he’s up for a chat.”

Daeng let out a quick, low laugh. “I wouldn’t mind having a man like you working with me. Maybe we should talk when we’re done with this.”

Logan moved around, and got his hands under Aaron’s shoulders. “Help me carry him.”

34

Logan tied Aaron to the toilet with some twine they found behind the snack counter, then closed himself in the bathroom with him. Daeng was still working on finding someone to meet up with them while also standing guard in the passageway in case any of Aaron’s buddies showed up.

Once Logan was satisfied the kid wouldn’t be able to break his bonds, he slapped him across the face a couple of times. Finally, Aaron groaned, and his head lulled back, then his eyes opened.

When he saw Logan, he tensed. “You have no idea who you’re messing with. Let me go. Now!”

“You know, Mr. Williams, or was it Mr. Dean? Anyway, one of them said something similar to me when I had them tied up in Santa Monica. And yet, I’m still here.”

There was a flicker of surprise in Aaron’s eyes.

“And if I remember correctly,” Logan went on, “your friend Ryan said I should have let him go, too, not long before he died in front of me last night.”

Aaron couldn’t let that one go. “What are you talking about?”

Logan shrugged. “He decided not to cooperate.”

“You’re lying.”

“Really? Did he show up back at your place on the river after his shift was over? You know the one I mean. That space you sanitized with one of your friends before heading for the train.”

Aaron stared at him.

“You left in a cab, dropped your friend off, then took two duffle bags to a deserted building and had them burned. Come on, you remember this, right?”