Page 68 of Duplicity

He muted his speaker. “Sorry, I can’t turn the earpiece off. The computer doesn’t have speakers, so the only way to hear what’s going on is to wear the headset.”

She smiled. “It’s fine. You could update me if something happens.”

“I can do that.” He reached over and squeezed her knee. “Have you heard from your parents since your dad got home?”

Cat slid out her phone. “He arrived home—I get alerts, and I can look up where he is. He also sent a message that they’re both good and he’s locking up. Setting the alarm.”

“Good.” Simon paused to listen. The FBI agent in charge of their team for this mission had found a staff member, a security guard.

“What did Peter and Romeo do last night?” she asked.

“When they didn’t need to look for Hayden, the two of them kicked some doors in during the night. I don’t even know who all they dragged out of bed to answer questions.”

Cat shook her head. “That boy.”

Simon chuckled. “A little more suited to Vanguard than most cops?”

“Geez, don’t tell him that. I don’t think he even realizes it. He’ll swear up and down he’s true blue to the core.”

“I think maybe you are…more than him. If we’re comparing.” Simon said it carefully, not sure how she would respond to the statement. His attention shifted to the comms channel for a second. They hadn’t gained any information from the security guard, who refused to talk.

She asked, “You really think so?”

Simon glanced at her and nodded, all he had time for before he said, “Copy that.” To Cat, he said, “They’re still working through the rooms, but the back side of the spa has several cars in the parking lot. More than should be there overnight. They’re taking a look at the last few hallways.”

Cat bit her lip. “I’m praying they find those girls.”

“I’d have thought they would encounter a lot more resistance than they have. But maybe that’s a good thing.”

“They might purposely keep it low-key. All the girls are drugged, and it’s invite only.”

Simon winced.

“Yeah.”

“I’m praying they’re all here. Otherwise, we’ll have more work to do to shut them down.”

“Anything on Lance North? Do you think he’s here?”

Good question. Jasper had asked Russ to work out a search warrant, but the judge hadn’t signed off on that one. Perhaps all they’d done was tip off North that they were looking at him. “He doesn’t have a normal cell phone that I can find. He might use one that’s on my network, or he might have a business one I can’t get the information for. While you were asleep, I tried to get into the company network. His email responses come from his assistant, not actually him.”

“He doesn’t stoop low enough to send his own emails.” Cat made a face.

Her expression was adorable. “I don’t even want to be the head of a department.”

“What about teaching? You haven’t done it for long, but you seem good at it.”

Simon had been thinking about that as well. “I’m going to finish what I started and get the Algebra 2 kids through their summer semester. All in all, we’ve only missed a day and a half with the bomb threat. We should be able to finish it out.”

Cat smiled at him. “I think that’s great. Younger teachers always seem to connect better with the students, and everyone needs a solid male role model.”

“I only know that’s true because I never had one.” Simon tracked the red dots as they closed in on the rear section of the building. He pulled up the schematics. There was a lower level back there, probably storage rooms. Simon flipped his earpiece mic back on. “One-One, this is Zero-One. Come in.”

“Go ahead.” Jasper sounded breathy.

“There’s a lower level where you are, a floor below ground.”

“Copy that. But where’s the door? I don’t see anything with stairs.”

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