The Speed of Sound (Speed of Sound Thrillers #1)(48)

Skylar’s face went white. “They work at Harmony House. In security.”

Eddie looked confused. “How did they know we were here, Skylar?”

“I had a feeling we were being followed.”

“What kind of feeling?”

“I’ll explain it later. Eddie, just play the conversation you played for me earlier.”

He nodded and clicked “Play” on the laptop. Eddie had managed to clean up some of the harmonic distortion, which made the conversation sound clearer than it had previously: FENTON: Mr. Barnes, to what do I owe the pleasure?

BARNES: Your new doctor’s boyfriend has been looking into Eddie.

McHenry looked to Skylar. “By new doctor, is he referring to you?”

Skylar nodded.

“Who’s the guy talking to your boss?”

“We believe he’s head of Harmony House security.”

Eddie chimed in quickly. “His name is Mr. Barnes, but I call him the mystery man because he’s very mysterious.”

FENTON: What have you got?

Papers could be heard flipping.

BARNES: Either she’s got loose lips or he’s been sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.

Skylar grew increasingly nervous. “Eddie, skip forward a little.” He did so.

BARNES: Will you want to know the details?

FENTON: Nothing in his residence. Make it look like an accident.

BARNES: He takes the subway.

FENTON: All kinds of bad things happen in subways these days. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.

“Eddie, that’s enough.” Skylar’s hands were trembling as she turned to McHenry. “What do you think?”

The detective stared at the echo box in amazement. “I think it’s going to be a while before I get to enjoy any Rolling Rock.” He paused. “This is for real?”

She nodded. “I need your help.”

McHenry believed her. “First things first.” He typed a response to the text message: Get them out of here.

On the surveillance monitor, the detective who received the message looked directly into one of the security cameras and nodded.



In the bar, the detective made his way through the crowd of fellow officers, patting them on the shoulders. “Hey, Red, why don’t you give the fellas a couple on the house?” He might as well have said, “Lock and load, boys.”

Six off-duty officers and detectives joined him, surrounding the strangers.

Red answered the detective. “I did. Said they weren’t interested.”

“Then what are they doing here?”

“Looking for a Butler McHenry. Ever heard of him?”

“Can’t say that I have. Any of you?” He turned to the others, who all shook their heads. “Looks like you two are shit out of luck.”

It was a standoff. Hirsch and Lutz knew they weren’t going to get anything from these guys. Cops were a tight fraternity. Almost as tight as former intelligence operatives. Hirsch never broke eye contact as he and Lutz backed toward the door. “Luck changes.”

Outside the bar, they walked toward their vehicle. Lutz was not pleased. “You know they’re in there.”

“Of course they are.”

“Assholes thought they were cute.”

“We would have done the same thing.”

“How do you want to handle it?”

“We wait. They have to come out sometime.” They moved to the rear of the car.

“And if they don’t?”

“We go back in.” He opened the trunk, revealing a rather astonishing arsenal. Instead of weapons, they grabbed protein bars and energy drinks, preparing to wait as long as it took.





CHAPTER 38

Red’s Sports Bar, Queens, New York City, May 27, 1:01 p.m.

Eddie studied Skylar as she stared at the security monitors inside Red’s office. “Skylar, why are your hands shaking?”

“Because I’m a little nervous.”

“Why are you a little nervous?”

“There’s a lot going on, Eddie.”

“You mean, more than us standing with a New York City Police detective in a cramped and dusty office?”

“Yes.”

Butler turned to Skylar. “Does he always talk like that?”

She nodded. “Pretty much.”

Eddie was confused. “Talk like what?”

“The detective was commenting that you have a unique way of communicating, and I was agreeing with him.”

Eddie nodded, imitating her. “Pretty much.” He turned to the detective. “I am not very good at nonverbal forms of communication, but that is something Skylar has been trying to teach me. We walked to nowhere in particular.”

“How long did it take you to get there?”

Skylar stifled a smile as Eddie answered, “I don’t know. We didn’t time it.”

Butler waited for him to get the joke, which, of course, he didn’t. Skylar jumped in. “I think he was teasing you, Eddie.”

The detective corrected her. “No, I really want to know how long it took.”

Eddie made his BUZZER sound.

Skylar explained, “If you say something that isn’t true, he does that.”