Page 11 of Elliot

“Ross, you son of a bitch. It’s been too fucking long.”

“Sawyer, you asshole, you still look like shit.” Ross smiled as the men clasped hands and gave each other a quick clench and a slap on the back. “How have you been?” Ross asked.

He sobered immediately. Ross had been friends with a couple of his team. The man knew what he’d gone through at those funerals. He shrugged. “Hanging in there. Better now that I have an assignment.” Elliot lifted the bags he held in his left hand. “I need you to process these for me. The jacket has something on it I believe may have been intentionally placed to cause an accident. The others are self-explanatory.”

“I’ll make sure it has top priority.”

Elliot nodded. “Thank you.”

“Excuse me, sir. I don’t believe I’ve met you. My name is Dan Finely. I’m a retired NYPD officer, and I work here in the evenings. I had to do something to get away from the television news channels.”

Ross laughed. “Dan and I have worked together on too many cases to count. He’s a damn good cop.”

“Good to meet you.” Elliot shook his hand. “Were you here last night?”

“Yeah, I was. Me and Junior over there.” The man jerked his thumb in the direction of a younger man.

“Junior isn’t my name. I’m Tony Martell. I’m not ex-NYPD, but I’m marine trained.”

“Good to meet you, and thank you for your service.” Elliot shook the man’s hand.

“Short-lived as it was. Got me a fancy metal fake foot, a lifetime of a damn toe I can’t itch, and nice desk jobs like this.” Both Tony and Dan laughed.

“Nice is right, and the pay ain’t nothing to spit at either,” Dan said. “Rich people pay pretty darn good to have their access controlled.”

“Speaking of which, can you tell me what happened last night regarding the delivery for Ms. Callahan?”

Tony cocked his head. “Something wrong?”

“Just a question or two about who sent it,” Ross said. “Elliot here is taking over Ms. Callahan’s security until some business things get sorted out.”

“Right.” Elliot chuckled. “My month to babysit and play door guard.” He used the words Jade had used earlier.

Dan looked between the two men, and Elliot knew the older gent wasn’t thrown by his and Ross’s bullshit. Tony, however, bought it hook, line, and sinker. He pulled up a large book and flipped the page back. “Yeah, here it is. A guy walks in and has creds for South Allegiant Courier service. He signed in. Ben Henderson. I checked his badge and signed for the package. The guy was in and out in under a minute. Wimpy ass thing, too. You know one of those people no bigger than your finger?” He scratched his chin. “I took the package up after I called Ms. Callahan. I don’t think she was expecting anything based on how she acted.”

“She wasn’t.” Elliot nodded. “That’s why we’re asking the questions now. It was a surprise, and she isn’t sure who she should thank.”

The door opened again, and a young man with a purple mohawk, striped black and white socks, and a grumpy kitty T-shirt entered the lobby. “Grub delivery for Mr. Sawyer.”

“That’s me.” Elliot took the bags from the man and gave him a twenty-dollar tip.

“Thanks.” The man slid his helmet back on and left just as quickly as he’d entered.

“That’s my sign to get out of here. Elliot, you need to come over for dinner. Driscol will be upset if he doesn’t get to see you.”

“Depends on my schedule, but I’d like that.” He shook Ross’s hand, then turned to the security team. “Guys, good to meet you.”

“You let us know if you need anything,” Dan said. “Ross can vouch; I’ll be in your corner.”

“We’ll be in your corner,” Tony countered and rolled his eyes. “I might not be out in the ring, but I can be Mick to your Rocky.”

“More like the kid who holds the spit bucket,” Dan replied dryly.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a dick?” Tony shot back, and both men smiled.

“Yeah, you, every day.”

“Thanks.” Elliot smiled at the two of them before making his way back to the elevator. The smell of the food reminded him just how hungry he was.

---