"We need to talk," he bit out angrily.
Alastair held up a hand and then indicated to Manny. "We have a guest."
The senator blinked as he looked at Manny and went from furious to oily smooth in a nanosecond. Damn the guy was good.
"Vincenzio Altosinno," Manny offered his hand.
The senator shook it. His hand was hot and his skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Evidently the senator had been in a hurry to get here. As much as Manny wanted to stay and hear exactly what the senator was so riled up about it may be for the best to leave this alone and hope that the bug picked up what was discussed. Hope be damned. The surveillance Manny worked on was the best. It would pick up everything.
"I'll leave now," Manny said considerately. "If you are interested in discussing an exchange of services then you have my number." Really Manny wanted to be out of here now.
Alastair showed him to the door and opened it with an accompanying nod. "I would be very interested."
"Shall I pull together some information?"
"Do that."
"Alastair." The senator's tone brooked no argument and with a sigh Alastair closed the door on Manny.
Manny turned to face the two guards who separated
and allowed him through. He picked up his weapon turning it over in his hand and checking to see if either of these goons had touched it.
"Get out now," Josh insisted in his head. "You're done there."
The elevator doors opened immediately and Manny walked in with an awkward sideways motion. There was no way he was turning his back on the goons. Especially goon two, who he could swear was staring at his ass. He pressed ground floor. He didn't allow himself to relax even when the doors shut. He couldn't be the only good guy who'd seen a Bond film where the floor fell away from under the hero's feet. He must have muttered something out loud because Josh was chuckling and explaining how Manny should stand with his feet on either side of the elevator.
Manny wasn't going to admit he checked that out and realized even at six-foot Josh wouldn't be able to do that.
The elevator was office-sized.
Out into the lobby, passing security, and finally out into the air of an Albany day he was never more relieved to see Nik waiting by the car with his strong arms folded over his chest.
"Boss?" Nik said gruffly.
"Home," Manny replied quickly.
Just. Let's go home. Back to Morgan and his
awesome coffee. Back to the comms room with the silent code that Manny loved.
Back to Josh.
CHAPTER 12
Josh transcribed as quickly as he could even though the full conversation was being recorded in minute detail by the software Manny had synthesizing the words. He was summarizing directly to both field operatives as Nik drove them back here.
"Okay. After the initial 'you shouldn't visit me here diatribe' we have a very pissed senator. Says he's been questioned over a necklace. Thought it had been buried with the body. Alastair assures him it was dealt with. He didn't know that Greg's whore, sorry, that's what he said, not me, of a wife had removed the necklace from the body.
Senator is agitated. Shit. He says if his wife found out then he's finished. Okay. Did you get that. The wife?"
"We got it Josh—" Manny smiled at the exuberance in his lover's voice. Lover? Wow. When did Josh move from casual blow job guy to lover? Jeez. They'd only shared one ten-minute encounter. Oh yeah, and the snuggle in bed. Potential lover maybe? Well, for as long as Josh was with Sanctuary. At least until he got whisked away into witness protection with a new identity. The thought of that filled Manny with a great big ball of discontentment. He didn't like the feeling. Tuning back into Josh's voice he realized he was spending way too much time imagining Josh laid out under him naked and writhing with Manny buried deep inside him. Damn sure wasn't professional.
"Alastair is trying to change the subject. Talking about Vincenzio. About you, Manny. Said you are West Coast and have weapons for money. Senator is all up in his face about how they would have no money if Emily cut him off. Interesting. It's quiet. I can hear everything. Jeez, Manny, this is so cool, I could probably hear someone taking a piss in the next state with this."
Manny loved that Josh found the listening device so exciting. Yet another tick in the potential lover column.
"Okay. More. They're discussing the third quarter.
Guns would be good. Mentioning gang names? I don't know. I didn't get it clearly but it's recorded. Oh and we're back to burying bodies. Come on… come on… give us a location… talking about a tree and roots and loose soil down to a foot. Hell, no location. Wait. Alastair is laughing, saying if Emily ever put two and two together that it was so close to what she held dear. Okay. We could narrow it on that. Alastair promises he'll deal with the necklace. Senator is saying she is cleverer than Alastair thinks and that he shouldn't underestimate her. Alastair tells senator not to be stupid. Jeez, the senator is shouting at him, about money, and the fact that his, and I quote, ' damn fool brother couldn't even keep a lawyer under his control'.
This is good stuff, guys."
Manny looked at Nik who said one word, 'Austin'.
They were both thinking the same thing. Austin, the lawyer who was supposed to get any evidence Beckett Jamieson had and to turn it over to the Bullens.
"Ouch," Josh added, "I think one of them hit the other one. No guessing which way round that was. Okay, lots of fuck yous and anger here. Wait. The door opens and shuts. One of them left. I'll pick it up on cams when he exits. Jeez. I don't need to. Evidently Alastair likes cursing to himself in an empty
