Different breed, but same species ashimself.
The skin on the back of Taylor’s neckprickled. They eyed each other for a moment, the other man cradlinghis pretzels and blue slushy. Taylor nodded curtly, stepped aroundhim.
The other man stuck to the back of the storewhile Taylor paid for his purchases; Taylor could see him in theround mirror behind the cashier. Not skulking exactly, butcertainly keeping in the background.
Taylor gathered up the coffees and the bagof snacks, strolling out through the glass door. There was a blackPorsche parked at the front curb. California plates. 2GRR313. Hememorized it, carrying the coffees and bag to the Land Cruiser.
Will was across the road, throwing a ball toRiley in a dirt lot. Unhurriedly, Taylor unlocked the Land Cruiser,set the bag inside. He paid for the gas, replaced the pump nozzle.He opened the back hatch, found his bag, found his SIG within thebag, and tucked it in the waistband of his Levi’s. It nestledreassuringly in the small of his back.
Still no sign of the convenience store’sother customer. Taylor walked around, opened the driver’s door, gotbehind the wheel, and started the Land Cruiser’s engine. He idledfor a second or two, waiting, but when there was no sign of hisquarry, he pulled away from the pump and drove across the road.
Will whistled to Riley and came to meethim.
Riley leaped onto the backseat, pantingcheerfully. Will slammed the door behind him, opened the passengerseat door and said, “Did you want me to drive?”
“No. Get in.”
Will got in, buckled up, saying mildly,“National emergency?”
“I think maybe we’re being followed.”
“You’re kidding.” Will studied his profile.“You’re not kidding.”
“No.” Taylor put the Land Cruiser intodrive. “Did you happen to notice that black Porsche behind us onthe five?”
“You think we’re being followed by a guy ina Porsche? That’s not exactly inconspicuous.”
“I don’t think he’s the inconspicuoustype.”
Will studied the mini-mart as they drovepast. “I don’t see the driver anywhere.”
Taylor lifted a shoulder.
“Okay,” Will said, declining to argue withwhat Taylor was not bothering to articulate. He opened the glovecompartment and pulled out a map. Very old school in these matters,Will. “You want me to find us a back road?”
Taylor nodded, watching the rearview. Themini-mart door opened and the man in black stepped out, lookingafter them. “He’s on the move.”
“I see him.”
Taylor glanced at Will. “They had wasabipeas in the mini-mart.”
Will was watching his side mirror. “Well,then it’s all for the best.”
“They’re probably a million years old.”
“Just makes them more of a delicacy right?Are you packing?”
“Yep.” Taylor said ruefully, “I’m probablyparanoid. He still hasn’t pulled out of the driveway.”
“Take a left up here on Bannerman Road.”
Taylor took a left on Bannerman. Willnavigated the next few miles of back roads and then they were backon the Interstate. Taylor put the pedal to the metal.
“No sign of Mr. Black,” reported Will aftera time as they flew past cattle ranches and the occasionalbillboard.
“I guess I’m just edgy,” said Taylor.
“Maybe. What put you on edge?”
“Just a feeling in my gut. He knew me.”
“Did you recognize him?”
“No.”
“Okay.” Will didn’t bother to argue or pointout all the obvious non-alarming possibilities. He trusted Taylor’sinstinct. “You want to get a motel for the night or drive onthrough?”
“Up to you.”
“Let’s drive.”
Taylor nodded.
The sun was setting, the sky turning ahectic orange and indigo, the golden California hills fading intoanonymous brown and gray shadows.
There was no sign of Mr. Black on the roadbehind them. No sign that anyone was paying any particularattention to them, and now both Taylor and Will were keeping an eyeout for patterns in the traffic around them.
“I’m surprised Gretchen would recognizeyou,” Taylor said abruptly. He kept circling back to this. Itbothered him. It especially bothered him because he’d mostlyforgotten about Gretchen.
“Maybe she has a good memory for faces.”
“Maybe. Did you recognize her?”
“I did when she started screaming.”
“But you must get that a lot?”
Will briefly turned his gaze to Taylor.“Ha.”
Taylor smirked, but returned to his line ofthought. “I’ve got a pretty good memory for faces, but I don’tthink I’d be able to pick Gretchen out of a lineup. Not if I didn’tknow I was looking for her.”
“I can tell you this, she was as surprisedto see me, as I was to see her.”
Taylor mulled that over. “Okay. So runninginto her was random.” He didn’t like coincidences.
“I think so.”
“The fact that she recognized you? Thatmeans she did some checking up on us after New Mexico.”
“It’s possible. Hedwig did say Gretchen wasa girl who held onto a grudge.”
“I wonder if losing us our jobs will beenough for her.”
Will looked his way again. “You think shemight come after us?”
“It’s been known to happen.” Taylor’sthoughts shied away from the memory of Alexandra Sugimori. He’dmade his share of enemies through the years, and his experience wasthat enemies had long memories.
“You think Gretchen sent someone afterus?”
“Not very likely, is it?”
“No.” Will added, “But maybe we should do alittle checking up on Gretchen when we get back to L.A.”
“That’s my thought.”
“While we’re at it, maybe we should find outif Bashnakov is still in prison.”
Taylor’s gaze met Will’s grim one.
Will glanced over his shoulder and studiedthe road for a long moment. “If someone was back there, I thinkwe’ve lost them.”
“Yeah.”
Will reached over and squeezed Taylor’sshoulder. “Don’t you worry, sweetheart, I’ll find you someone elseyou can shoot.”
Surveillance Report
Case #3433BR
Subjects: Brandt, William andMacAllister, Taylor
Investigator: Schwierskott
November 13, 2013 (Wednesday)
7:00 a.m.:
Investigator arrives at the residence of TaylorMacAllister and William Brandt located at 1041 Cornwall Lane inVentura, CA 93001. Investigator observes no vehicles are present atthe residence and establishes stationary vehicle surveillance witha view of the driveway of the residence.
8:00 a.m.:
NO ACTIVITY
9:00 a.m.:
NO ACTIVITY
10:00 a.m.:
NO ACTIVITY
11:00 a.m.:
NO ACTIVITY
11:28 a.m.:
Investigator observes the side security gate of theMacAllister residence open. Investigator observes a blue 2010Toyota Land Cruiser (California License Plate 2GNH635: currentlyregistered to
