Besides, it was for the good of the case.
If Mitch could blow this case wide open, a little omission would surely be forgiven.
But would it destroy Dak’s trust in her?
₪ ₪ ₪
A cell phone clattered on the desk in front of him.
Mitch started.
He’d been so focused on the manifest that he hadn’t even heard Tio enter his office.
Not good. Especially these days. Staying alert and aware could save his life.
He glanced up at Tio, whose lips pressed into a firm line. “What’s this? You think I need a new phone?”
“Look at it.” Tio’s words contained a bite more deadly than a shark’s.
Mitch turned his attention to the phone.
A picture stared at him. The coffee shop. Kevyn. With her back to the wall, her face was in full view of the camera.
He wanted to curse. Going there himself had been a mistake. He should have used the PI as an intermediary. Had him set up the meet.
Too late now.
“What of it? I can’t have coffee with a friend?”
“Who is she?”
“A new lady friend. Hooked a hot one this time, if I do say so myself.” He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.
“You’re gonna have to do better than that. She’s what? Twenty or thirty years younger?” Tio jabbed his finger at the image. “You really expect me to believe she’d go out with you?”
“There a problem with me dating a younger woman?”
Tio planted his hands on the desk and leaned in, his face hovering above Mitch’s head. “You think I don’t know a snow job when I hear it? I know you too well, Mitch. The truth.”
Enough of this! Time to put Tio in his place.
Mitch launched to his feet and stopped inches from Tio’s face. “I don’t answer to you. We’re partners. Means that I have as much right to my life as you do yours.”
The pause lengthened.
“We used to be partners. These days I believe you’re more of a liability.” Tio crossed his toned, tattooed arms over his solid chest. “See, Mitch, it’s like this. One of Zane’s guys saw you nosing around the dock.”
Mitch forced himself to breathe normally. The coffee he’d picked up earlier soured in his gut. “We have shipments coming and going all the time. Of course I was on the dock.”
But he knew that wasn’t what Tio was talking about. Tio was talking about a very specific part of the dock, with a very specific warehouse, holding a very different kind of cargo.
“Well, if you’re so curious, maybe we should give you a tour.” Tio didn’t remove his arctic eyes from Mitch. “Zane!”
Zane materialized in the doorway. Clearly he’d been waiting right outside, which meant there probably wasn’t much Mitch could have said to keep this thing from going south.
“Take Mitch to our guest quarters. Make sure he’s comfortable.” Tio’s eyes narrowed on him. “He’s not going anywhere for quite a while.”
₪ ₪ ₪
The hands on her antique wall clock scraped from 7:59 to 8:00.
Kevyn tried to still the nerves firing like pinballs through her body. If Mitch was going to come, he should be here any minute.
She re-read the short text on her phone. As soon as Mitch arrived, she’d hit send. That would give her about fifteen minutes with Mitch before Dak arrived.
Mitch is here.
Short and straight to the point, guaranteed to get an immediate response and hopefully keep her out of trouble. No need to mention that she’d arranged for him to be here… was there?
No. The less she said, the better.
And Mitch better keep his mouth shut, too. This whole mess was already his fault.
She wandered to the large picture window overlooking her weed-strewn front yard.
No sign of a red sports car, at least not that she could see.
But Mitch had been pretty paranoid. Maybe he was parking some distance away and coming in on foot.
Or maybe he’d come to the back door. That alley running behind her house would be the perfect means of approach.
She crossed her living room, walked through her kitchen, and opened the back door.
The distant hum of traffic filtered on the evening air, mingling with the laughter of children playing somewhere in the neighborhood.
No sign of Mitch.
Locking the door behind her, she went into the kitchen and leaned against the island.
8:05.
She’d been so clear. Be here by 8 or the whole thing was off.
How hard was that to understand?
Maybe he’d gotten stuck in traffic. Or been pulled over for speeding. Or witnessed an accident and had to wait for the authorities to show up.
Yeah. And maybe he’d been in witness protection her whole life and that was the reason for his absence.
Wandering back into the living room, she looked out the front window again.
Still nothing but her ugly front yard.
She should do something productive. Boot up her computer and work on the case. Or at least go outside and pull up some of those ugly weeds.
Her legs didn’t move. Except to take her to the back door every few minutes to make sure he wasn’t hanging out on her weathered porch.
At 8:30, she turned off the porch light. If he came now, he could stand outside all night for all she cared. He’d lost his chance.
Was she really worth so little to him?
Pressure built behind her eyes.
Why did she care, anyway? The things she’d told him were true. She didn’t need him. Not now, or ever.
Still, he was her father and he’d let her down. Again.
At least she hadn’t told Dak. How humiliating that would be! Her own father, rejecting her yet again.
And she’d been stupid enough to believe this time might be different.
Funny how the same man who’d been MIA for her entire
