Page 50 of Once a Killer

His lips pressed together. “Nope. Have to take my word for that.”

And why would she believe a guy who’d lied repeatedly? “When did the guy who hired you forthisjob first contact you?” she asked.

He pulled his phone out again. Studied it. “June 28.”

He looked up at Bree. “I can give you the contact info for where I was staying. It was a legit job. Escorting someone from one location to another.”

“Yeah, give me a phone number. And the name you used on that job.”

He frowned. “How do you know it wasn’t John Smith?”

“Because I saw your credit cards. Three names that weren’t John Smith.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the credit cards, his driver’s license and insurance card. Fanned them out on the coffee table in front of her. “Which name was it?”

He stared at the array of identification, as if he hadn’t realized they were missing. Finally he looked up at her. “You’re a pretty slick operator. I didn’t even realize you’d taken that shit.”

“I’m damn good at what I do, Mr. Smith.” She held his gaze until he looked down at her gun, her hand resting on the grip. Then he looked away.

She held her phone in her hand, waiting for him to speak. Finally he muttered, “Richard Stillman. Phone number 555-302-7740.”

“Thank you. I’ll check that name and number. If they pan out, I’ll accept that you weren’t behind the first attempt at my guy’s life.” She was pretty sure they wouldn’t pan out.

“I won’t be behind any other attempts,” he told her, scowling. “I don’t like it when people show up at my door, asking questions about my jobs. It makes me nervous. Jumpy, if you know what I mean. I won’t be doing any more business with the guy who hired me for the accident.”

“I hope you’re telling the truth, Mr. Smith,” Bree said as she stood up, still resting her hand on the grip of her gun. “I don’t want to get the police involved in this. But I will, if I see you watching Mr. Ford’s apartment again. Or see your car following his.”

He jerked back, looking shocked. “How the hell did you know I watched his apartment? And followed his car?”

“I saw you,” she said, edging toward the door. “I also saw you running away from his building a few nights ago after someone tried to break into his place. Saw you driving off in your black SUV.”

She stood at his front door, and she reached out to open it. “I want you to disappear from his life. I don’t see you again? I won’t go to the police. If I do see you again?” She smiled. “I will destroy you. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.”

She kept her eyes on him as she opened the door wide enough to step outside. Pulled it closed and ran down the steps. Slipped into the walkway between his house and the one next to it. Waited to see if he opened the door.

After fifteen minutes, she moved down the walkway and opened the gate into the neighbor’s yard. Stepped onto the grass and crossed to the next house. She repeated that until she was at the end of the block, where she’d parked her car on the cross street.

She looked over her shoulder and didn’t see anyone in Smith’s backyard. Then she stepped onto the sidewalk of the cross street. Looked both ways. Listened. Didn’t see or hear anything. So she hurried to her car, slid inside and finally took her hand off her gun. Started the car and drove away. She kept an eye on the rear-view mirror, but no one followed her.

By the time she reached a busier street, she was certain he wasn’t following her, looking for a place to ambush her. But she took a roundabout way back to Jameson’s place. Parked on the street, then hurried into his back yard. Climbed the stairs to his back door, then sat on the porch.

She really wanted to go to Jameson’s lab. Make sure everything was good there. But she was pretty sure that if Smith wanted to find her, that’s where he’d go first. And she trusted Diego to protect Jameson.

Chapter 18

Half an hour later, as he and Diego walked out of the garage, Jameson spotted Bree sitting on his porch. She stood up when she saw them and hurried down the stairs.

Her eyes shifting between Jameson and Diego, she asked, “How did it go today?”

Diego shrugged one shoulder. “Went just fine. I played boss man and grilled Jameson for an hour or so. All four of the people in the lab watched, even Stu. It was like they were at a play or something. I felt like I should have passed out popcorn first.”

Jameson’s lips quivered. “Yeah, Diego put on a good performance. He frowned, scowled and paced. Shot questions at me as if he had me tied to a chair and was shining a light down on me. All four of the people in the lab were enthralled. I doubt if any of them got work done today.”

Jameson led the way up to his apartment. Diego followed him, as if conceding that she was in charge now and he could stand down.

Bree watched the alley but saw nothing and nobody as they climbed the stairs. Once they were inside, all three of them wandered toward the living area. Jameson sprawled on the couch, Diego took the chair, and Bree perched on the couch at the other end from Jameson.

“Any thoughts on the guys in the lab?” she asked Diego.

He nodded slowly. “Stu is definitely depressed. I hope he goes to see someone soon, because I bet he’s not getting any work done. Don’t know how he could when he basically plays with that tangle of wire all day. Hayley?” He shrugged one shoulder. “She’s a piece of work. Introduced herself to me and asked if I wanted to get an exclusive interview with her.”

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