Shattered Lies (Web of Lies #3)(54)

“You waited for me to get home.” Lizzy was struck with the acute reminder that her father was gone, but she had two adopted grandfathers looking after her. She had a larger family than ever, even while all alone.

“Of course we did. When you didn’t come right back, we thought something might be wrong, so we were staking out your place to see if anyone came by,” Buzz began to explain.

“But sitting in the car that long really hurt our backs, and we were afraid of falling asleep so we just moved our little operation in here,” Snip finished explaining.

“I’m glad you did. I have a favor to ask, again.”

“We’re ready to go,” Buzz said, pulling out a gun from WWII from under the couch.

“Can you continue the stakeout a little longer? We have to go somewhere to check something out.”

Snip snorted. Buzz chuckled.

“Okay, that was a little vague, but it needs to be. I really appreciate you both so very much, and I’m sorry I’m putting you into this position.”

“Sorry? This is the most fun we’ve had in ages,” Buzz told her as he stood up, his back cracking as he stood upright with his massive antique gun.

“Yeah, it’s good to feel useful again. We’ll stay right here and take care of the bar and the rat for you.”

Lizzy scooped up her dog and hugged him to her chest. “He’s not a rat!”

Buzz and Snip shared a look that told her they thought otherwise.

“Now, you go do what you need to do. Stay safe and take care of my grandson who is suddenly back on duty when he should be off.” Buzz wiggled his bushy eyebrows, and Lizzy thought she might have underestimated their observations of the group.

Lizzy went and hugged each man. “Thank you.” Lizzy kissed each of their wrinkled cheeks and hurried upstairs with Dave still clenched in her arms. She’d be gone again soon. But right now, right this minute, wasn’t too soon to tell those you love that they matter to you and that you appreciate them. Especially since she had a bad feeling about this mission.





22





New York City



* * *



Grant stood on the steps of the hotel, talking with Dalton. Or at least that’s what it would look like to anyone else. Instead, he was keeping an eye on the front door to the building that housed CBL Services Group. They’d been watching for fifteen minutes as they talked.

Grant scanned the area and made note of where Jason sat eating his morning bagel. The morning had been all about surveillance. They’d done what they could from their hotel room. Valeria had driven the area, and Lizzy had scoped out the line of sight from the roof. Now they were on their way to attempt a meeting with Bertie Geofferies. Today was going to be an exercise in patience and restraint.

“How’s Jason?”

Grant looked at Dalton whose back was toward Jason’s location. “Seems calm. He’s not staring, bouncing a nervous knee, or anything to draw attention. He’s eating a bagel and just picked up a paper.”

“I’m worried he’ll make stupid and dangerous decisions if this goes south.”

Grant nodded in agreement. He didn’t know Jason as well as Dalton, but even he could see the man was hurting. “We’ll take care of him.”

“Let’s walk the block to the coffee shop.”

Grant and Dalton walked off as they caught sight of Jason sipping his coffee. That morning each team member was doing his or her part of the puzzle, then they’d meet again to put those pieces together. Patience. It required a ton of patience.



* * *



Alex stood nervously outside baggage claim. He tried to lean against the hood of the car and look cool like he’d seen Dalton do, but he just slid off instead. So now he was standing like an idiot, looking anxiously around for Rock Star—Roxie. He should call her that. It was a pretty name for a beautiful woman.

He’d done his own background check on her but had never pulled up a picture. He’d been afraid to look. In his mind, she was the girl next door who would instantly fall for a guy like him. Instead, he’d been blown away by her beauty. Roxie would never be interested in a geek like him.

Alex rolled up the sleeves to his dress shirt and wondered again if he should tuck the shirt into his jeans. Tate had sent him the outfit. It had been waiting at the front desk when they’d checked in. The jeans were relaxed fit, but still felt strange since he was used to them being baggier. He had to admit he did feel more confident in the outfit. And then there was his hair. Crew had taken clippers to it before they’d left. Gone was the long hair that fell wherever it dried. Now he looked clean-cut with hair still longer than Dalton’s, but much more mature looking—like, twenty-five.

The sliding doors opened and there she was. He could tell she would come up to his shoulders as he watched her look around. Her brunette hair fell in long waves around her shoulders and over the tops of her full breasts. Her jeans were tight, her sneakers pink, and her black T-shirt had a picture of a power button with “Have you tried turning me on?” written in white underneath it.

She shoved a pair of black plastic-rimmed glasses up onto the top of her head, pushed her hair back from her face, and showed multiple piercings up her ear. Her long lashes batted as she turned big brown eyes in his direction.