Page 119 of Guarding Grace

“Zane said?—”

“Screw what Zane said. He’s new. Lucas and I are clear on this.”

I let out a long, relieved breath. “Elliot called me.”

“What did he say?”

“He wants money to get out of town.”

“Of course he does.”

I recounted the entire conversation for him.

“Then we pick him up when you meet,” Terry suggested, as I’d known he would.

“That won’t work. I told him I wouldn’t give him money unless he told me everything. I’m the only one he’ll open up to. You need to give me five minutes alone with him to get the story. He won’t tell you.”

“Okay. I’ll get you the time alone with him. Find Zane. I’ll call back in three minutes with a plan.”

Opening my door, I waved Zane over.

Peyton looked at me quizzically, but I didn’t entertain the question.

I closed the door to my office and told him Elliot had called, as well as the gist of the conversation. Then we waited for Terry to call back.

Zane angled his chair so that he could look toward the offices and my pretty assistant instead of out the window.

I laughed. “Why don’t you just ask her?”

“Huh?” he asked just as my phone rang.Saved by the bell.

I put it on speaker as I answered. “I have Zane with me.”

“The plan is simple,” Terry said. “Keep your phone with you so we can track you. Zane will escort you to the bank. From there, take an Uber to the meet. Duke and I will tail you from the bank and give you the five minutes before we close on Elliot. Zane, after the bank, the boss wants you back here.”

Zane spoke up. “Copy that, but I have a suggestion. If this Elliot twit is as paranoid as it sounds, he could be watching the building to see if she leaves alone or with one of us.”

“Good idea,” Terry commented. “Then Grace takes an Uber from the building as well, and you tail her to the bank. We still need to be aware that Marku is out there somewhere.”

After agreeing on the plan, I noticed that my hand wasn’t shaking this time—progress.

Down on the street, I climbed into the Uber I’d called.

“You all right?” the woman driving asked after the third time I craned my neck around to see if Zane was following.

“My ex,” I croaked, figuring it was a believable cover story.

“Mine is a piece of shit too. I’ll keep an eye out,” she said as she sped up.

I typed a message to Elliot.

ME: On the way to the bank. Where do we meet?

UNKNOWN: Behind the dentinator.

CHAPTER 27

Grace