Page 30 of Blind Luck

“Kind of. It’s three shelves of books and a bunch of pamphlets in an alcove off the lobby.”

“I meant the Library bar.”

“There’s one camera, but the resolution leaves a lot to be desired.”

“So, I exchanged Erin’s surveillance skills for— Don’t laugh, she isn’t that bad.”

“I said nothing.”

“Her quick thinking saved Zach. A computer couldn’t have done that.”

“What’s the favour?”

Alexa didn’t much like being challenged; I’d worked out that much during the time I’d known her. Whether that was due to a touch of arrogance or because she genuinely preferred computers to people, I hadn’t yet decided.

“In exchange for Erin’s time, we have access to a property directly behind Cole Gallagher’s home. I can stay there in case he gets any more unwanted visitors.”

“Oh yeah? And what will you do if he does?”

“I’m planning to set up motion sensors in the yard, and if one gets triggered, I can warn Jerry and then follow the suspect.”

Alexa snorted. “One of the other girls can stay with you. They’ll be more useful in the event that a wannabe hitman shows up.”

I was about to retort, to ask if she hadanyconfidence in my ability to do my job, but then I hesitated. Jerry said four men had shown up. I did own a gun, but it lived at home in the safe, and if things went far enough south that I had to start carrying it, I’d probably be dead already.

“It isn’t my house. I can’t just invite strangers in.”

“So tell the guy you have a colleague. Are you ever going to get to the point of this call?”

Sometimes, Alexa was impossible. Scratch that. Most of the time, Alexa was impossible. But Rusty seemed like the easygoing type, and I was hopeful I could talk him around if we stayed in the one room we’d agreed upon.

“The gentleman whose spare room we’re borrowing is in Vegas to check whether his friend’s girlfriend is cheating.”

“And?”

“She was in the Library to meet someone last night, but he had to leave with Erin as the woman arrived.”

“The hospital thing?”

“Yes, the hospital thing. So we don’t know who KelseyDorrias ate dinner with, and we need to find out. Can you send the camera footage?”

“Sure. How are Erin’s eyes?”

“The doctor said there’s no lasting damage.” Wait a second… “Did you read her medical records?”

“Only a little bit. They were right there when I added the discount to the bill.”

So itwasher. “Thanks, I think. Is there any system you can’t— Hold on, Erin’s sent a message.”

I scanned the text, relieved that she hadn’t gotten into any more altercations. I knew why she acted first and thought later—it was a survival mechanism. After she escaped the cult she’d grown up in, she’d spent her life moving from shituation to shituation, and until now, nobody had ever had her back.

Okay, Kelsey Dorrias was on board a sightseeing helicopter with six others. Erin had snuck a look at the manifest, and now we had three names for Kelsey’s possible sidepiece. Erin was tracking the helicopter on a flight radar app, and she’d pick up the surveillance when the pair returned.

I relayed that to Alexa, hoping she’d learn to see Erin the way I did.

“Guess I’d better start running background,” I said.

“From your phone in a parking lot?”

---