Page 27 of Saving Salem
At that, Bubba’s eyes got so big Jack could see the whites all the way around them. He wondered who Big Shirley was and why she scared Bubba.
“I was at Lucky’s, having a drink with Jo-Jo and Muskrat. Shooting the breeze and catching up with ’em. Hadn’t talked with ’em since I got out. Muskrat said he’d heard about a job, paid fifty large, but he couldn’t do it, because he didn’t know enough about computers and cameras and stuff. Real unhappy because he wanted that fifty grand. Jo-Jo laughed, didn’t think the job was real, because nobody was gonna pay that kind of money to low-level types like us. Tech jobs like cameras and computer stuff always goes to the Brainiac losers from Tulane. Nerd squad. But Muskrat swore the job was legit. He knew I had some experience with tech stuff, learned it during a study program last time I was in Angola.” He shrugged. “Gotta have something to do when you’re in there, otherwise you get yourself in trouble.”
“That’s true, Bubba. Keep going. Muskrat told you about the job.”
“Yeah. Said he could get me the info, who to contact, all that stuff. And he did. I kinda didn’t believe it was legal, or even a real job, but I called the number and talked to this lady. Real fancy voice, sounded all hoity-toity. She says she needs me to install some surveillance cameras inside an apartment. To put them in places where they can’t be found or seen. She laughed and called them nanny cameras.”
“How did you get the cameras?”
“The lady arranged everything. Gave me an address I was supposed to go to, to pick up the equipment. Gave me a laptop with the software already loaded. Programs on there are sweet, too. Stuff I could never afford. Gave me the address of where I was supposed to install the cameras, and a key to the place along with the date and time I was to go there.”
Gator looked at Bubba without saying a word. He simply watched the other man, as though gauging every word he spoke. Probably was. Gator seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to the people they’d dealt with that afternoon.
“After you installed the cameras, what were you supposed to do then, Bubba? Did you watch the people in the apartment?”
“No! No, I swear. I was told not to by the lady. Said she’d know if I turned on the program, accessed the cameras. She didn’t care if I used the computer for other stuff. It was part of my payment for installing the cameras. I thought my job was over, then she called me again this morning.”
Now they were getting to the meat of the problem, Jack thought. Obviously, Bubba had taken the pictures, and gotten them developed, on somebody’s orders. Who?
“What did she tell you to do?”
“She said she’d emailed me pictures, six of them. Wanted me to get them printed, but not to print them from my computer. Wanted them put on a flash drive and taken to a copy place. Print ’em on photo paper, nice and thick. Then I was to put ’em in an envelope and drop them in front of the apartment where I installed the cameras. Paid me an extra five grand to do that job.” Bubba’s lips started quivering. “Gator, I didn’t hurt anybody, I swear. Look in my duffle, the laptop’s in there. You’ll see I’m telling the truth.”
Jack opened the duffle and pulled out the laptop. Bubba hadn’t lied about it being state of the art. Definitely better than the one he used. Opening it, he pulled up a list of the software, recognizing most of the program names, though there were one or two unfamiliar ones. He bet if they took it to Stefan over at C.S.S., he’d know them. Maybe even be able to trace them back to the source.
“We believe you. Bubba, I’m going to have to take that laptop.”
“Take it! I don’t care. Don’t want it anymore!”
One last thing. Bubba, when the lady contacted you, did she call you on your cellphone?”
“Yeah. You want it? Here, take it. I’ll get another one. I knew taking this job was a mistake. Never meant no harm to anybody, Gator, you know that. I might be a criminal, do a lot of bad stuff, but I have never knowingly hurt anybody.”
“I know. I think it might be a good idea for you to get out of New Orleans for a while. Maybe go to Mississippi and see your sister. Lay low for a few weeks. And last thing, if you hear from anybody asking questions about the cameras or the pictures, you call me immediately. Especially if you hear from the lady again.”
“Will do. Can I go now?”
Gator stood and opened the front door. “Go ahead, Bubba. Don’t forget, keep your head down and stay out of trouble. I don’t want to see you end up back in Angola with your brother.”
Bubba shot out the door like the devil was nipping at his heels. Probably thought Gator might change his mind.
“Looks like the person who wanted the cameras placed was a woman. That’s interesting. I figured it was Abdullah or somebody working for him.”
“Wonder if it’s Sayifa Amir. Bubba said the woman had a hoity-toity speaking voice. Could be Mrs. Amir. Most of the wealthy families either go to England for their education or have English tutors. Bubba might have confused English-accented speech patterns for high class. I’m going to take the computer and the phone to Stefan. See if he can get us any useful information. Why don’t you go home to your wife? We’ll meet up once we’ve got more information.”
“Good idea. Thank you for your help. Glad you’re on our side.”
“Salem’s a good kid. She doesn’t deserve to have people like the Amirs breathing down her neck, threatening to take away her daughter. We’ll stop them. It’ll just take time.”
“Unfortunately, time might be the one thing we don’t have.”
Salem peeked intothe oven, checking on the roast chicken she’d put in there after the ladies left. Chloe was down for a late nap, having spent the afternoon being coddled and spoiled by her friends. She’d been wiped out and was asleep the second her head hit the bedding, which gave Salem time to start dinner. The roast chicken was something simple, but it would hold in case Jack was late coming back.
Grabbing a pot, she measured chicken stock and a little butter, putting it on to boil. She really wished she had time to make biscuits, but since she didn’t know what time Jack would be back, she decided she’d get up a little early and fix some sausage and gravy with homemade biscuits for breakfast.
She stirred the rice into the stock, lowering the heat and putting on a lid. Pulling the bag of lettuce she’d bought earlier from the fridge, along with the heirloom tomato, she began slicing it, deciding on a small side salad to go with the roast chicken. It wasn’t a fancy meal, but she wanted to fix Jack something home cooked, since they’d eaten too much fast food the past two days. She missed Ms. Patti’s dinners. The woman definitely knew how to cook.
The sound of the front door opening had her spinning around, spotting Jack. She smoothed her hands down the front of her apron, feeling her palms begin to sweat. After the conversation earlier with the ladies, heat flooded her cheeks, remembering how they’d talked about Jack, how good looking he was, and what a catch she’d gotten in marrying him.
