Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies
Page 108
I walked out into the living room. Jed had changed into a black suit, a white shirt, and a black tie. Trying to make light of the situation, I walked over and straightened his tie. “You look very debonair. I feel like I’m going to Homecoming.”
Skeeter laughed, but it sounded strained. “We’ll save the homecoming for after.”
My smile fell, and I looked him in the eye. “Agreed.”
“I want you to wear a gun again.” He dropped to one knee in front of me, holding the elastic band Jed had given me. He looked up and winked. “Don’t be gettin’ any ideas about me proposin’.”
“I’d never suspected such a thing,” I forced out, my heart aching with my new knowledge. How had I been so stupid about that too? “You told me you feared what would happen to your family jewels if you married me.”
“That was only if I cheated,” he said, holding it open so I could step into it. “And any man who cheated on you would be a fool.” He looked up at me and grinned. “Besides, we both know you wouldn’t stop with the jewels.” He winked and slid the band up to my upper thigh.
Jed handed him a small gun, and Skeeter secured it into the band.
“I can do that myself, Skeeter.”
His expression was ornery when he looked up at me. “Can’t blame a man for coppin’ a feel.”
I pushed his hands off my leg. “Enough of that.”
“How’s it feel?”
I walked around the room. “It still feels strange, but it’s secure.”
“That’s what we’re going for.” He stood, his seriousness returning. “Ready to go?”
No, but this was happening at my insistence, so I didn’t exactly have room to complain. I started for the door. “Let’s do it.”
Skeeter opened the door for me, and I shivered as I stepped into the cold night air.
“You need a coat,” he said in a low voice.
“Too late for that now,” I said, walking past two men on the front porch toward the car that was parked parallel to the house. Another man stood next to the already running car, giving me a grim smile.
Skeeter opened the back door, and I slid into the car. Skeeter shut the door and walked around to the other side as Jed got into the driver’s seat.
“Have another vision,” Skeeter said as soon as he shut the door.
I nodded and put my hand on Jed’s shoulder, forcing a vision of what would happen at the end of the meeting. A room came into view, but it was hazy, and the vision appeared to be unfolding in slow motion. I heard gunshots and shouting, and there were multiple people in the room—far more than the four who were supposed to be present—but I was fine and so was Vision Rose. We were hiding together behind an overturned table.
“There’s a gunfight,” I said, opening my eyes.
“Were you or Jed injured?”
“No, I don’t think so.” But my heart was racing as I told them what I saw.
“So you have no idea if you got any usable information from him?” Skeeter asked.
“No, but I can only assume I did.”
Skeeter didn’t look so certain. “Jed. Your call.”
Jed looked back at me. “How are you feelin’ about it, Lady?”
“The prospect of a gunfight scares me, but if we know it’s comin’, at least we’ll be prepared.” Still, something stank about the whole situation.
Jed nodded. “Let’s do it.”
“We didn’t text J.R. the location,” I said, worried anew.
Skeeter pulled out the burner phone. “I already took care of it about an hour ago.
They’re on their way to the Days Inn, and we have the room under video surveillance, like we discussed.”
“We’re gonna drive around a bit,” Jed explained as he turned a corner. “Then we’re gonna head to Gentry’s house. We’ve got men watching it, and the house has been bugged. We’ve got it covered.”
“Okay.”
After we drove around for about fifteen minutes, Skeeter pulled out his phone. “Bobby says they’ve pulled up to the Days Inn.”
“They’re running ten minutes early,” Jed murmured.
“We’d best beat it to the house.”
“Agreed.”
“Is this a problem?” I asked, starting to worry.
“No,” Skeeter said, patting my leg. “Not necessarily. But we need to make a beeline to the house so we’re not feelin’ rushed.”
“He’s trying to throw us off,” I said.
“Good thing it’s not gonna work. Now get a text ready about the change in the meetin’ spot.”
I did as he asked as Jed handed his phone to Skeeter. It was linked to the camera planted in the hotel room. It was empty, but then the door burst open and several men entered the room, Mick Gentry and J.R. Simmons trailing behind them.
“Where are they?” Gentry asked.
Simmons grinned and pulled out his phone. “She’s a sly little fox.”
“Send the text,” Skeeter said.
Simmons looked around, then pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Change of plans,” he said with a grin. “We’re headed someplace else.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Mick Gentry asked.
“I’m curious as hell to meet the infamous Lady in Black.” He looked up into the hidden camera and grinned.
Skeeter laughed, but it sounded strained. “We’ll save the homecoming for after.”
My smile fell, and I looked him in the eye. “Agreed.”
“I want you to wear a gun again.” He dropped to one knee in front of me, holding the elastic band Jed had given me. He looked up and winked. “Don’t be gettin’ any ideas about me proposin’.”
“I’d never suspected such a thing,” I forced out, my heart aching with my new knowledge. How had I been so stupid about that too? “You told me you feared what would happen to your family jewels if you married me.”
“That was only if I cheated,” he said, holding it open so I could step into it. “And any man who cheated on you would be a fool.” He looked up at me and grinned. “Besides, we both know you wouldn’t stop with the jewels.” He winked and slid the band up to my upper thigh.
Jed handed him a small gun, and Skeeter secured it into the band.
“I can do that myself, Skeeter.”
His expression was ornery when he looked up at me. “Can’t blame a man for coppin’ a feel.”
I pushed his hands off my leg. “Enough of that.”
“How’s it feel?”
I walked around the room. “It still feels strange, but it’s secure.”
“That’s what we’re going for.” He stood, his seriousness returning. “Ready to go?”
No, but this was happening at my insistence, so I didn’t exactly have room to complain. I started for the door. “Let’s do it.”
Skeeter opened the door for me, and I shivered as I stepped into the cold night air.
“You need a coat,” he said in a low voice.
“Too late for that now,” I said, walking past two men on the front porch toward the car that was parked parallel to the house. Another man stood next to the already running car, giving me a grim smile.
Skeeter opened the back door, and I slid into the car. Skeeter shut the door and walked around to the other side as Jed got into the driver’s seat.
“Have another vision,” Skeeter said as soon as he shut the door.
I nodded and put my hand on Jed’s shoulder, forcing a vision of what would happen at the end of the meeting. A room came into view, but it was hazy, and the vision appeared to be unfolding in slow motion. I heard gunshots and shouting, and there were multiple people in the room—far more than the four who were supposed to be present—but I was fine and so was Vision Rose. We were hiding together behind an overturned table.
“There’s a gunfight,” I said, opening my eyes.
“Were you or Jed injured?”
“No, I don’t think so.” But my heart was racing as I told them what I saw.
“So you have no idea if you got any usable information from him?” Skeeter asked.
“No, but I can only assume I did.”
Skeeter didn’t look so certain. “Jed. Your call.”
Jed looked back at me. “How are you feelin’ about it, Lady?”
“The prospect of a gunfight scares me, but if we know it’s comin’, at least we’ll be prepared.” Still, something stank about the whole situation.
Jed nodded. “Let’s do it.”
“We didn’t text J.R. the location,” I said, worried anew.
Skeeter pulled out the burner phone. “I already took care of it about an hour ago.
They’re on their way to the Days Inn, and we have the room under video surveillance, like we discussed.”
“We’re gonna drive around a bit,” Jed explained as he turned a corner. “Then we’re gonna head to Gentry’s house. We’ve got men watching it, and the house has been bugged. We’ve got it covered.”
“Okay.”
After we drove around for about fifteen minutes, Skeeter pulled out his phone. “Bobby says they’ve pulled up to the Days Inn.”
“They’re running ten minutes early,” Jed murmured.
“We’d best beat it to the house.”
“Agreed.”
“Is this a problem?” I asked, starting to worry.
“No,” Skeeter said, patting my leg. “Not necessarily. But we need to make a beeline to the house so we’re not feelin’ rushed.”
“He’s trying to throw us off,” I said.
“Good thing it’s not gonna work. Now get a text ready about the change in the meetin’ spot.”
I did as he asked as Jed handed his phone to Skeeter. It was linked to the camera planted in the hotel room. It was empty, but then the door burst open and several men entered the room, Mick Gentry and J.R. Simmons trailing behind them.
“Where are they?” Gentry asked.
Simmons grinned and pulled out his phone. “She’s a sly little fox.”
“Send the text,” Skeeter said.
Simmons looked around, then pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Change of plans,” he said with a grin. “We’re headed someplace else.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Mick Gentry asked.
“I’m curious as hell to meet the infamous Lady in Black.” He looked up into the hidden camera and grinned.
