Sean stepped over to the cigar box on the counter and pried it open. As Jack said, there were folded twenty-dollar bills stacked inside. He took a hundred and closed the lid. "This should get me back," he said. "I'll return the money to you when I get all this worked out."
"It's no big deal. I have plenty of money. Just do what you have to do. A fella like you shouldn't have any problem getting a new debit card and cash from your bank."
"Yeah, that's just what I'm worried about," Sean said in a distant tone. "I think I've been burned."
Chapter 5
Tommy stared at the check for a moment and then looked up at the waiter.
"I'm sorry, sir," the waiter said. "This card was declined, too. Do you have another one you'd like to try?"
"No… I… those are the only ones I have."
June looked across the table at him with sympathetic eyes. "It's okay," she said, fishing a gold credit card out of her black leather clutch. "I got this one." She handed the waiter the card and the check. "Run it on this one."
Tommy ran his fingers through his hair. "I am so sorry. There must be some kind of mistake."
"Sweetie, it's okay," she said. "I don't mind paying. I have money, too, you know."
"I know, but it's embarrassing."
"It's fine. Like you said, the bank must have just made a mistake."
Three banks, he thought. It wasn't the first time something like that had happened with one of his cards. It was the first time, however, it had happened with multiple cards. That fact set off an alarm in his head.
"I appreciate you picking up the tab," he said, pushing the growing panic to the back of his mind. "I can pay you back."
"Honey, really, it's okay. You know I make decent money, right?"
Tommy knew.
June was a research scientist in Germany. During her time in the field, she'd worked for a pharmaceutical company for several years before switching employment to the university. They didn't pay as well as the previous job, but she'd made enough in pharmaceuticals to support her lifestyle for a long time. Plus, the university job paid pretty well, too.
"Thank you," he said.
"It's fine. Seriously, don't worry about it." She glanced at her watch, and her eyes widened. "Shoot, I have to go. Early flight back tomorrow. Need to get some rest."
Tommy sighed. He was glad to have been able to spend the last two weeks with her. He'd never met anyone quite like June. She was smart, successful, respected by her peers, and she was beautiful. On top of all that, she was secretly tough, trained in self-defense and able to hold her own in a fight.
She was the perfect woman for Tommy, which only served to ravage his anxiety with the constant barrage of Don't screw it up; don't screw it up on repeat in his mind.
He'd hired a personal trainer to help him get in better shape in spite of June telling him she loved him just the way he was. The results had been astounding and helped his self-confidence. He was stronger and fitter than ever before. Still, decades of insecurity caused him to worry about losing the woman of his dreams.
He pushed those thoughts aside and smiled at her. He reached across the table and took her soft hand in his. "I wish you didn't have to go. These last few weeks have been so good."
She returned the smile and tilted her head to the side. A strand of blonde hair broke loose from the tight ponytail and hung down by her ear. "I know. I wish I didn't have to leave, too. But we'll see each other again next month. You're still planning on coming over, right?"
His head rocked up and down. "Yeah. Already got my ticket."
"See? It won't be that bad. Time will fly by, and before you know it we'll be sitting on the Italian coast sipping espresso and eating pizza."
"That sounds amazing. Just the two of us, relaxing at a cafe overlooking the Mediterranean… that might be as close to heaven as I can get in this life."
The two stared at each other for another long moment before they got up and left the table. Outside, a winter rain shower had come through downtown, soaking the streets and sidewalks. By the time Tommy and June were outside, the rain was gone and a cold wind was blowing through the city.
"Rain followed by freezing wind," Tommy said. "Welcome to winter in the South."
"Yeah," she said, looking around at the downtown buildings. "It's a shame there's no snow. I bet the city is beautiful under a blanket of white powder."
"When we get it, it's rarely powder. More like slush. Although, we do get a good snow every now and then.”
The two walked down the sidewalk and made a right. They went two more blocks until they arrived at June's hotel. At the door, they stopped and faced each other again.
"So…" Tommy said.
"So…" June echoed.
"I guess this is goodbye for now."
"I guess so."
He wanted to walk her to her room, to ask to stay the night, but he didn't. Tommy had remained a gentleman during their relationship. He wasn't going to change course now.
"Call me when you get back to Germany, okay?" he said.
"Of course."
He leaned closer and wrapped his hand around her lower back, embracing her tight as their lips locked.
"Be careful."
Her face scrunched into a smile. "Careful? You're the one who runs all around the world getting shot at. I just sit in a lab."
He bit his lower lip. "Point taken."
"I'll see you in a few weeks," she said and walked through the automatic sliding glass doors.
He watched until she disappeared around the corner inside before turning to walk away. His car was just across the street, and he looked both ways to make sure there was no traffic before trotting over to his parking space.
June had spent the last few weeks in a guest room at Tommy's place in the Virginia Highlands area of Atlanta, but with her early flight the next day, she'd wanted to stay in a hotel on her last night so she could be a little closer to the airport.
He looked back at the hotel as he opened his car door, lingering for a moment to savor the feel of her lips, the smell of her perfume.
The sound of footsteps from nearby brought him back to the moment. He turned and saw a man walking alone in a black trench coat, typing something on his phone as he made his way down the sidewalk. He seemed oblivious to Tommy's presence.
Tommy swung his car door open farther and was about to get in when a voice stopped him.
"Mr. Schultz?"
Tommy spun around and saw a man in a dark green tactical jacket with black cargo pants.
"Yes. And you are?"
The man held up his wallet, displaying his government identification to Tommy.
"Kyle Sherman. I work for the federal government. We'd like to ask you some questions about your friend, Sean Wyatt."
Tommy's eyebrows cinched as he frowned. "Sean? What about him?"
Tommy sensed another man approaching from behind him and another one from his left. He was being hemmed in.
"Am I under arrest or something?"
"No," the man said, pushing out his bottom lip for a second. "We'd just like to ask you a few questions. That's all. You are free to go whenever you like."
Tommy's pulse quickened. He glanced to his left at a guy who'd stopped next to his car. He didn't have to turn around to know the other person had positioned himself a few feet behind him.
"What's this about?"
Kyle put his wallet back into one of his pockets and crossed his arms. "Mr. Schultz, we have reason to believe that your friend is engaging in treason. We think he might be working with the Russians on something big. We were hoping you could help us put together a better profile on him so we know what we're dealing with."