Love Beyond Words (City Lights, #1)(82)

Marshall faced the entrance while Liberty sat with her back to it. She peeked over her shoulder and then gripped Marshall’s hand as two men who walked out of the sky rise to a waiting sedan at the curb.

“Finally,” Marshall said. “I’ve missed a shit-ton of work playing I Spy…”

“The dark one’s got to be Julian,” Liberty said. “The oily-looking prick in the rumpled suit must be David.”

“They’re not leaving together.”

They both looked around as Julian took off in the sedan, leaving David on the curb. He spoke to the doorman and the doorman stepped off to hail a cab. David made a phone call and by the time he was done, a taxi idled at the curb. He climbed in.

“This is perfect. I’m going to follow the weasel. You call Natalie.”

Liberty gripped Marshall’s arm in a vise. “Be careful, I mean it.”

“If you don’t let go, I’m going to miss my chance to say, ‘Follow that taxi!’” He pecked her cheek. “I’ll be careful, I promise.”

He slipped out of her grip and whistled shrilly between his teeth. Liberty peeked over her shoulder. Another yellow and black slipped up to the curb and Marshall got in it just as David’s cab left the drive. She watched, gnawing her lower lip, as Marshall’s cab flipped an illegal U and followed David’s taxi. She rolled her eyes. He probably showed the driver a c-note.

After both cars were gone, Liberty trotted up to the doorman. The forest of towers that rose around her thwarted the sun’s warmth and she shivered inside her ratty old-man golf sweater. Or maybe I’m just scared shitless.

The doorman smiled at her. She smiled back. His nametag said Angelo and he was young—perhaps early thirties at most—and had rather nice brown eyes that were the exact warm shade as his skin.

“Hi, Angelo.”

“Hello, ma’am.”

“Have a light?”

“Of course, ma’am.”

“You can stop calling me ‘ma’am’ if you don’t mind. It adds ten years to my age every time you do it.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He flicked a lighter and she cupped its flame around her cigarette, protecting it from the wind that had picked up. She rocked back on the heels of her ankle boots and affected what she hoped was a casual air.

“You must get cold standing out here.”

“That’s why they give us the coat and gloves, ma’am.”

“That’s the least they can do, right?” She chuckled nervously. “So listen, I came here to visit my very good friend, Julian Kovanch, and it looks like I just missed him. Any idea where he went?”

The doorman smiled. “Yes, ma’am.” He watched her, amused, then said, “Mr. Kova? went to the airport. After that…?” He held up his white-gloved hands.

“The airport? You’re sure?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“But you don’t know where he went? Or for how long?”

“Even if I did, ma’am, I’m not at liberty to say.”

“I am! My name is Liberty.” She chucked him on the arm. “Ha, sorry, bad joke. But seriously, my name is Liberty.”

“Is it?” Angelo asked. “I like it. I like your whole vibe, if you don’t mind me saying. Ma’am.”

“Oh, sure why not? What’s a little flirting in the middle of a life and death situation?” Liberty laughed dryly. “So anyway, do you happen to know where that guy, David, went? Not the airport too, right?”

Angelo grinned. “I don’t think so, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” Liberty said. “You’ve been a big help. I’d tip you if I had any money whatsoever.”

“What about dinner?” he called as she skipped down the stairs.

“I don’t have any of that either.”

Around the corner, Liberty whipped out her cell phone to call Natalie. The phone rang and went to the machine. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.” She dutifully waited for the beep. “Nat, it’s Lib. The coast is clear, you can call Julian. But why aren’t you picking up? I’m on my way.”

She hung up and kept trying as she hurried to the nearest Muni station. There was no answer on Natalie’s end. Underground, Liberty’s reception was spotty. She managed one more call that went to Natalie’s machine, and then her phone lost all service.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

She shouldered her way to the door, intending to get off at the next stop, get aboveground, and try again. When the Muni train broke down, trapping her under the city, she gave the doors a hard kick.

“You have got to be f*cking kidding me!”

#

The car service was efficient; Julian made it to SFO with plenty of time, even for an international flight. He sat in one of the sleek leather chairs in the Lufthansa business class lounge, his foot tapping and his fingers drumming the armrests. Someone had brought him a glass of champagne and it sat untouched on a table beside him. She should be coming with me.

He took up his cell phone, put it down, picked it up again. The stewards were milling about the desk at the gate; they’d start boarding at any minute. He ran his thumb over Natalie’s name on his contact list. And tell her what? He hadn’t a clue. Only that it didn’t feel right to leave and yet he didn’t know what he could do to get her back if he stayed.