Page 77 of Warrior's Cross

Movement caught her eye, and she glanced up to idly watch Blake as the man walked slowly across the floor to the bar area, where a stranger in a black pea-coat sat hunched over on the end stool. Blake walked up to him and actually sat down beside him. They sat side by side for several minutes, neither man moving or speaking. Finally, Blake said something to him, stood back up, and gestured to the door.

Miri frowned. She’d never seen Blake tell someone to leave the restaurant before, and she wondered what in the world the man could have done or said. The man turned on his stool, staring at Blake for a long moment before he stood, picked up his heavy glass with a smirk, and walked out with it. Blake didn’t even try to stop him from taking the glass with him.

Miri’s brow furrowed as she caught sight of the man moving, almost prowling, out the door. It was a little creepy, truth be told, and after seeing that, she was happy Blake had asked the man to leave.

After a moment of watching the man in the pea-coat walk away, Blake moved and disappeared into the back. Concerned, Miri set her checks aside and followed Blake, intending to ask him if everything was okay. She followed him to his office; hehadn’t even bothered to close the door entirely before he picked up the phone and dialed.

Miri stopped short at the half-open door when she caught some of his words.

“Julian,” Blake greeted in a low voice. “I thought you might like to know I had a visitor tonight.”

Miri glanced around and took a slight step closer to the office door, straining her hearing.

After a moment Blake said, “Lancaster’s in town. No, he was just here... I don’t fucking know, but you need to watch your back, friend.”

Miri looked blankly at the door for a split second before backing away slowly, hoping he wouldn’t hear her. She needed to find Cameron.

He was in the service area, showing a new waitress how to properly prepare a full coffee service. He sent her off with instructions to keep smiling just as Miri entered the area. He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow at the look on her face.

“You know that Julian and Blake are friends, right?” she asked him without preamble.

Cameron’s shoulders stiffened, but his hands kept moving. “Yes,” he said, turning away from her.

“Blake’s on the phone with him,” Miri told him, an odd chill bothering her. “He told him to watch his back; that someone named Lancaster was in town. Watch his back, Cameron! That’s not something you say to an antiques dealer!”

Cameron showed an unusual fit of temper, throwing down his towel in frustration. “What’s your point, Miri?” he asked, refusing to look up at her.

“What do you mean?” Miri asked in confusion.

“Julian is no longer any of my business,” Cameron told her in a harsh whisper, turning back to wiping down the counters. His shoulders hunched, and he’d dropped his head.

Miri took another slight step back and watched Cameron, sadness written across her face. “I’m sorry, Cam,” she offered lamely, wanting to ask what had happened but knowing not to push. “But... aren’t you just a little... worried, though?”

“I was always worried, Miri,” Cameron said quietly. “That was the problem.” He left the counter, pushed past her, and disappeared into the kitchen.

“Are you sure it was him?” Julian demanded as he gripped the phone tight in his hand.

“I’m getting old, Jules, but I’m not senile,” Blake snapped in return.

“He came to the restaurant,” Julian murmured as his mind raced.

Blake hummed in affirmation, and Julian closed his eyes and shook his head. “That means he’s identified you as my handler,” he said with a wince. Unless Lancaster was there looking for someone else. Julian pushed that thought away.

“Or at least thinks he has,” Blake agreed.

“We have to move you,” Julian told him with a hint of shock in his voice. They’d planned for this contingency, but he’d never actually expected to need to use it. He’d always assumed that he would be the one found first.

“And just how do you propose we do that?” Blake asked with a disbelieving laugh.

“Very quickly,” Julian answered grimly.

“Fuck, Julian,” Blake muttered in disgust.

“We’ll start tomorrow.”

“Us and what army?” Blake asked incredulously. “Emily won’t let me leave all her shit behind, you know. We can’t hire a moving company; he’ll be able to trace it.”

“Be creative, Blake,” Julian told him impatiently. “Send Emily off to wherever, and tonight I’ll find somewhere to move you. I’ll be at your house at five in the morning to start. Don’t be sleeping, and make damn sure you have help, because Preston and I aren’t lifting your goddamned furniture alone,” he snapped before ending the call and stalking out onto the landing of the massive staircase. “Preston!” he bellowed into the darkened house. “We have problems!” he shouted as he started down the steps two at a time.

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