A few of his favorite T-shirts and a pair of jeans, in case he got out. Her good camera. The memory cards and backup drives. All those images she’d made.
At the last minute, she stashed another $3,000 in the Hadley Pro camera bag, under the padded insert. It’s still not a crazy amount of money to carry, she told herself. She could explain it if she had to.
Besides, if she got searched, it was the passports that would really fuck things up. There was no way she’d be able to explain those.
Might as well throw in another $10K, she thought.
By the time she’d finished, it was 11 p.m. With a 6 a.m. flight, she’d need to get up at 4 a.m. at the latest. Hardly worth sleeping. She was still pretty wired, anyway, even though she hadn’t really slept more than an hour or two the night before.
Finally, she decided to open a bottle of wine. She had some good bottles here. What were the odds she’d be back to drink them? She chose the 2001 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. In a perfect world, she’d cellar it a few more years.
“Obviously, this is not a perfect world,” she said aloud, as she popped the cork.
She poured the bottle into a decanter and got out a proper crystal cabernet glass. She wouldn’t be able to drink it all, and it would be a shame to waste it. But might as well do it right.
The wine poured out deep ruby red. The nose was an explosion of dark fruit, chocolate and earth. She sipped, and it was every bit as good as its bouquet had promised.
She stood in the kitchen for a while, savoring the glass. Turned off the alarm sensors on the sliding glass doors and the back of the house and went out onto the deck and stared at the redwoods. All this time, it had been a good life here with Danny, and she’d hardly appreciated it.
After a second glass, she thought she might be able to sleep for a few hours. You’d better, she told herself. You could only go so far on adrenaline before you started making stupid mistakes.
She rearmed the sliding glass doors and deck, double-checked the windows and doors. Made sure everything was locked down tight.
She put the rest of the cash in the office safe, where she’d stored her.38 while she was in Houston. Not tonight, though. She put the.38 under the pillow next to her so she could easily reach it.
Where Danny would normally sleep.
She put the ruck and the Cole Haan tote she’d traveled with next to the bed. She was wearing a nice pair of sweats and a J. Crew T-shirt, so if she didn’t have time to change, she could travel as is, her Toms espadrilles parked next to the ruck, ready to go.
She’d packed Taking Flight, because, who knew, she might need something to read. And even though she’d erased some of the pencil marks, it felt like something she shouldn’t leave behind.
She turned on a little lamp on the dresser. Normally she slept better in dark rooms, but tonight, she didn’t want to sleep too deeply. She just wanted to get enough rest to function tomorrow, until she could safely sleep on the flight from San Francisco to Houston.
Hell, maybe I’ll upgrade, she thought. She had the cash, after all.
She lay down on the bed, on top of the sheets, and covered herself with a down comforter.
After a minute or two, she got up and retrieved Danny’s logbook from the ruck. Even having it next to the bed was too far away. She tucked it under her pillow.
She lay there a long time before she drifted off to sleep.
x x x
Funny how she could see the room still, with her eyes closed. There was the dresser. There was the door. The door was open. The dark shape by her bed-
Someone was in the bedroom.
She flinched, choked back a scream. Get the gun, she thought. Get the gun.
“You’re not fooling me, Michelle.”
Fucking Gary.
She rolled over and sat up, her back against the headboard. He was lounging in a chair he’d pulled over close to the bed. How long had he been there, watching her?
“What are you doing here?” She couldn’t keep her voice from shaking. Of course, he’d love that. He got off on her fear.
“I was gonna ask you that. Missing work tomorrow, so soon in your employment-doesn’t make you look very reliable.”
“I cleared it with Caitlin,” she said. Thinking, gun. Her fingertips grazed the wood grip.
“You didn’t clear it with me.”
“I was afraid you’d say no. Besides… I knew you’d find out anyway.”
He chuckled. “Well, you were right about that.”
He stood up, looming over her, his body blocking much of the light from the lamp on the dresser.
“So what was so important you had to run out here on a weekend?”
Her mouth was so dry it was hard to speak. “We were having a problem at the restaurant.”
“And you couldn’t handle it over the phone?”
“Not if I wanted to make sure it was handled.” She sat up straighter. Body language. Try not to act scared. It’s what he wants. Don’t give it to him.
“I know you don’t give a shit, Gary. But the restaurant’s important to me.”
Get the gun. She was touching the grip. If she could pull it closer, just enough to get her finger on the trigger.
“You said I could go back to it when I’m done with Caitlin. I need to know I have something to go back to.”
Her index finger touched metal.
“You’re not going for a gun, are you, Michelle?” His voice was soft.
“No,” she said.
“Because if something happens to me, Danny’s never getting out. You can trust me on that.” He took a step closer. “You wouldn’t do too well with that, now, would you?”
She could feel a tremor in the mattress as his knees touched the side of the bed.
“I know what kind of woman you are,” he said. “You can’t stand being without a man.”
Her hand was wrapped around the grip now.
He smiled. “The things I could do to you. I bet you’d like it.”
Her finger tightened on the trigger.
“Don’t try it,” he said. “You won’t make it.”
If he moves, I’m trying.
He didn’t move. It was hard to see his face in the near dark, but she thought his eyes were fixed on hers.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said.
“Back up, then.” She said it slowly, forcing out each word, her voice hard and harsh to her own ears.
He hesitated. Then lifted his hands. “All right.” He took two steps back. “I just came here to make sure we’re on the same page, that’s all.”
Watch his hands, she thought. If he goes for a gun…
He sat back down in the chair. Put his hands behind his head and leaned back.
“I’m telling you, you really have an aptitude for this kind of thing, Michelle. A lot of women, a lot of men, for that matter, me showing up like this, they’d just fall apart. But you… you really hang tough.”
He suddenly straightened up. She flinched.
“Now, now,” he said. “Calm yourself down. You want a glass of that wine you poured out? I tasted some-I thought it was really good.”
She shook her head. He shrugged. “Your choice. So, tell me about Caitlin.”
Breathe, she told herself, her mind a blank.
“What about her?” she managed.
“How’s she doing? Where’s her head at?”
Was it over, then? Had he had enough fun for now?
Just answer the question.
“I think she’s doing better. We’ve been going to the gym. To yoga. She’s not drinking as much. That’s what you wanted, right?”
“I want you to keep her on a leash. Make sure she’s sober enough to do the events and to stay on message.”
Did he know about Caitlin’s doubts? About her meeting with Troy Stone?