Page 42 of Stage Smart

He waves me off. “Anywho, the point is, if Larinda and Brighthouse are planning to exact their revenge on Sandeke and Jarvis for the ransomware thing, I’m here to stop it.”

I have zero faith he’d be able to do that, but since there’s also zero chance of that happening, I guess the math works.

“Okay, well, I can assure you that Larinda does not represent Brighthouse anymore and therefore has no intention of exacting revenge on anyone.”

“Right.”

Now he winks?

My response is cut off by scraping at the door, but any relief fades when it opens to what appears to be an entire contingent of security personnel. Fantastic…

Accompanying the three guards who “arrested” us is a woman who could be their boss, two people who look like actual police officers—and Jarvis. It’s the last one that scares me the most, especially when he settles a vicious look on me.

Yeah, I’m guessing he’s not here to return my badge.

“These guys with you?” the woman who’s probably the security boss asks.

“He is, not him.”

I don’t need to see Jarvis’ emphatic finger point to know which of us got which label.

“You, out,” the woman says to Chad. Her gaze drifts to the lanyard that’s now around his neck, and I see the confusion on her face before she pats herself on the back for resolving this crisis.

“You can go back to work. You, come with us,” she says to me.

“But I?—”

“Didn’t we discuss this already? Do we have to put you in real jail?” one of the guards says. Jarvis’ smug look might be worse than the prospect of real jail.

“No, of course not,” I rush out when someone grabs my arm. “He’s right. I don’t work for him. I’m with Larinda. Like I said from the beginning!”

“Right. You’re with Larinda but your pass is with Jarvis,” another guard says. “You holding on to his pass for him?” he asks Jarvis.

Well, I know what that response will be.

“Not that I know of,” Jarvis replies with a sneer. “We done here? I was in the middle of having my belt loops redone.”

“Of course, Mr. McKinnley. We apologize for the disruption.”

“He hates me!” I cry. “Of course he’s going to?—”

“You need to shut your mouth,” the head guard snaps at me. “You’re in enough trouble.”

I clench my fist in frustration and turn to my last hope. Chad and I were besties a minute ago. “The code” and all that? But his apologetic look doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence. Nor does the long string of words he mouths that I can’t interpret.

He’s still talking silently when the crowd of security personnel drag me down the hall in the other direction. How many resources are being wasted to bust a guy for dropping a lanyard?

“Leave no man behind, right?” I call out, twisting back for a targeted look at Chad.

He nods. Then winks.

10—DALLAS (SIDE LOT)

LARINDA

I spot him immediately. It’s not hard when your heart and mind are wired to find someone… or when there’s only one person in a parking lot.

Val is slumped against the side of the building, his head resting on his knees. I’m not sure how long he’s been there, but his SOS messages had been on my phone for over an hour before I saw them. After telling a few white lies to escape Steve, I rushed here as soon as I could.

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