Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
I close the folder after drinking the last of my coffee, wondering what I should do with all this information. I can stand here and try to convince myself that I'll just sit on it, but I've never been one to lie to myself.
I rinse out my coffee cup and put it in the dishwasher before heading back upstairs.
I did forget a few things on my grocery list, and there's no harm in running by the store to grab them. If I see Kaylee, maybe the subject of why she's creeping around such a place will come up in conversation.
I huff a humorless laugh as I climb the stairs, knowing the woman didn't want to speak to me at all the last time I was there. There's very little chance she'll want to today either, but it never hurts to try.
***
Her driveway is void of her car when I drive by there first, so I head to the store, making note of the other vehicles in the small parking lot. Her car isn't here either, so I don't waste a second and pull back out onto the street.
There are a lot of reasons why she isn't home or at work. People often frequent more than one place, but there's a hint of something inside of me that warns that something isn't right. I've learned to always listen to that voice. It hasn't steered me wrong yet, although as I make my way toward the industrial park, I pray that it's wrong this time.
Nothing seems out of place as I drive closer to the building she slowed by last night. The camera above the door isn't surprising. There isn't a keyhole to look through in the door, so the people inside would need some way to see who might be on the other side before opening it, but it does happen to be the only visible camera on the long expanse of the building.
I look around, high and low for others, but technology has gotten so advanced that the tiniest of cameras would be impossible to see even though I'm looking for them.
I park the SUV right next to a car covered with a tarp, immediately bending between the two vehicles as if I need to tie my shoes. My gut sinks when I see the faded gold paint of Kaylee's car.
"Damnit, woman," I mutter. "What have you gotten yourself into?"
I stand, taking another look around, the argument in my head loud and impossible to fully ignore.
I was told not to do anything right away, and going straight from the house to here is the exact opposite of that, but there's no telling what she could be suffering inside.
My head fills with only a fraction of what I've seen working jobs with Cerberus, and it's enough to get my feet moving toward the massive door with the camera angled toward it.
I step up, not bothering to knock, because I know without a doubt that they clocked me the second I got within range of the building.
I stand, a look of annoyance on my face, as I glance up at the camera.
I stand there for a full minute before there's the buzz and crackle of an intercom.
"What do you want?" a disembodied voice says with a very heavy accent.
"I'm looking for love."
"You go look some other place," the voice demands. "No love here."
"I'm told that Dima knows exactly where to find love," I challenge.
Silence swarms around me, and as uncomfortable as I am, I stand completely still, lowering my eyes to the door as if I know my words are enough to get them to open it up. Sure enough, a minute later, the door swings open. I gauged the depth of the door correctly, and I count my lucky stars it doesn't hit me in the face when it sweeps open mere inches from my nose.
"You look like a man who can find love all on his own," a man says when he steps out of the shadows.
"I need love that knows her place," I argue. "Think you can help me with that?"
"Probably not." He huffs.
"Maybe this will help," I say, noting the way his hand twitches toward his side when I reach for my wallet.
He's definitely armed, and I left my gun in the SUV because I was certain if I made it inside, they'd pat me down.
I give him a smile, telling him I know he's more than just a guy who organizes cleaning services, as I pull my credit card from my wallet.
The gold metal flashes in the sun, and Edmon's face transforms.
"That always helps. Please, sir, come in."
The big burly motherfucker steps to the side, sweeping his arm toward the mouth of the hallway.
The second he closes the door and steps in behind me, I lift my arms, credit card pinched between two fingers, and just as I suspected he would, he pats me down.