Beautiful Bounty(85)

“Please, Nikko. It won’t mean anything. I won’t let him take it farther than that. I promise.”

Pain flashed in his eyes, but he nodded bringing his hand up to his face to rub at the throbbing in his temples that started when Andreas described the new plan.

When they turned, Blaze and Andreas had the table all set and the platters of food all out within reach. They had given the two of them a little privacy for which they were both grateful.

Andreas gave her a nod, and a smile. “Let’s eat. And finish discussing the plan. Okay?” He asked this time. Maybe she had finally made an impression. His tone was softer and had a hint of grudging respect in it.

She returned his smile. “Okay. I’m starved actually,” she added as an afterthought. Then as if on cue, her stomach growled. Andreas’s eyes widened. Nikko smiled for the first time, and Blaze after an initial look of surprise burst out laughing just as Gio came in the door.

“What did I miss?” he asked when he found them all laughing. Even Andreas was smiling. They filled him in as they ate. And they finalized the plan.



***



Ronnie was nervous. The men made her walk to the abandoned warehouse alone after they outfitted her. A little clip in her hair replaced her bulkier recording device. It had been one of many things Andreas had in his little bag of tricks. It was a simple unadorned barrette. She changed clothes, back in the ones she wore yesterday so Gary would assume she escaped sometime in the night and actually hid in the warehouse.

It was not quite ten, and cars were on the road. So she kept her face averted from the traffic just as she’d been told to in case she was recognized. Her cell phone in her pocket, and in her left boot, a small gun Andreas insisted she carry. She had been reluctant, but when Nikko chimed in saying he’d feel better if she had it, she agreed. It’s not like she’d never used a gun. She’d been hunting with her grandfather more times than she could count, but the thought that she’d need it with Gary was just something she didn’t think was necessary. But it made Nikko feel better, so she’d agreed. He and Gio had gone on ahead on point, twenty minutes earlier, to settle in and scout a good hiding place on the inside.

She stayed behind with Andreas and Blaze and they coached her on the call she would make as soon as she got to the abandoned warehouse a quarter mile from the hotel.

She heard a crackle in her ear. “Babe,” Nikko said.

“Mmm-hmm,” she responded to the question indicated by his tone. She didn’t want people to see her talking to herself, although she passed the intersection and there was no one on the road at the moment. Still, she wanted to be careful. The massive structure with the words, Buddy’s Inc. Storage in faded blue letters on the front was looming larger as she walked.

“We are in. The door on the left side is open. We’re up in the rafters. Great view. There is an office, across the expanse. A desk, chair, filing cabinets, and an old sofa. Good spot. We have a bird’s eye view.” He wanted to reassure her she had plenty of back up. She wasn’t in this alone.

“Okay,” she murmured softly. She could say she slept there, Ronnie thought.

She was getting closer. Another hundred yards. The length of a football field. She knew Andreas and Blaze would be behind her in the rental. They told her they would park in the rear where there were some old large, storage containers, and dumpsters near the wooded area off the side that didn’t face the road.

If Gary toured the parking lot first, he wouldn’t see the car unless he pulled up to the dumpsters and actually got out of his vehicle to peer behind them. They wanted to watch Gary enter, be sure he was alone, and then would approach the building once Gary was inside. And once she had the information she needed they would storm in. Nikko and Gio would also make their presence known at the same time.

The plan was good as far as she could tell. She was grateful to all of them for getting on board and helping her out, for believing in her. She’d thanked them all before they split up. Nikko briefly pulled her in for a quick hug, whispering he loved her and to be careful before he had to leave.

“Anything for family,” Blaze, expressionless, murmured. Gio smiled and patted Nikko on the back, while Andreas just curled his lip like he often did, and narrowed his eyes.

Once past the chain link fence that surrounded three-quarters of the property, she went to the left, and turned the corner. She saw the door Nikko mentioned and noticed it was slightly ajar. She quickly made her way to it, and slipped inside, shutting the door behind her. Then she was plunged into darkness. It was all up to her now.





Ronnie took two steps and stopped. Total darkness overwhelmed her as the door behind her closed completely. Her heart raced indicating her fear.