Edge of Tomorrow (13 page)

A uniformed policeman approached the table
and said, “The lieutenant needs to know how to get in touch with
you two later. I hate to bother you, but it’s necessary
procedure.”

“No problem, Officer,” smiled Hatch. “Here’s
my local business card. It has my office and home phone numbers on
it—also, addresses if he needs them. Even fax numbers.”

Syd rattled off her numbers to him, and he
wrote them in his notebook. He copied the information off of
Hatch’s card, then pocketed it.

“
Thank you, folks,” he mumbled, then
left.

“
So you live over in the Caxambas
area. That’s a nice neighborhood,” commented Hatch.

“
Yes, and I had better get home. I
need a shower and a change of clothes!” Syd answered.

He thought,
I
would really like to watch that! Maybe scrub her back! Among other
things!

She looked down at her bloody shirt. This
allowed Hatch to glace at her breasts straining against her shirt
without being too obvious. He liked what he saw.

“
I don’t think that would be too wise
right now, Syd.”

“
Why not?”

“Think about it, Syd. Those two bastards were
not just a coincidence—two guys trying to grab a broad for later
fun? No, I don’t think so. They were stalking you. Do you have any
idea why?” Hatch queried with a raised eyebrow.

“
Shit! Excuse my language, but they
were what? Stalking me? How do you know?” Syd exclaimed, getting
very upset.

Hatch took the opportunity to reach over and
put his hand over hers. She did not pull it away.

“
They were sitting over there at that
far table. They watched you all through lunch, and then followed
you when you went to the Ladies’ Room. Luckily, I followed
them.”

“
My God! How did you pick up on them
watching me?”

“
Well, I’m a people watcher. I was, if
you will excuse my crass behavior, watching you. I thought you
looked stunning and I enjoyed what I saw. Do you forgive me?” Hatch
said, patting her hand.

“
Of course. A girl loves being ogled!”
she answered, batting her eyelashes in an exaggerated
fashion.

“
Well, I spotted them
ogling
you, too. At first, I thought
it was just that. But the way they were dressed, plus their nervous
actions, raised my suspicions.”

“
I sure am glad you were crassly
ogling me, or I might be dead now! And I am flattered! If you
hadn’t followed me …” she said as she ran her hand across her
throat in the familiar gesture for throat-cutting.

“
I still don’t see why I can’t go home
and get cleaned up. Those two will not be bothering anybody any
more,” Syd continued with a frown.

“
I may be reading too much into this,
but we don’t know that they are the only ones watching you. They
followed you from somewhere. Your house is the most likely place.
Others may be waiting there still, in case you return,” opined
Hatch.

She looked worried all of a sudden, then
scanned the patio.

“
There will not be any more around
here. Too many cops. Your house is suspect, though,” Hatch told
her.

The silent pager on his belt began
vibrating. He looked at it and determined that Sara was calling
him.

“
Excuse me, Syd, but I had better
return this call,” he smiled.

“
Please, go ahead, Hatch,” she said,
taking another slug of her gin, feeling it warm her.

Hatch pulled out his satellite phone and
dialed Sara’s ID Number. The system would find her wherever she was
logged in. She answered on the first ring.

“
Hatch? Sara. Thanks for getting back
to me so quickly. The guys in Virginia just got back to me. They
show four people coming into New York from London. They had Iranian
passports. Our guys are still trying to find out more, but it will
take time. Did Danny get there and get his pictures? That may
help,” Sara informed him.

“
Yes. Yes, they should help,” he
murmured.

“
Are you with someone?”

“
You’re right about that.”

“
Her?”

“
Yes, how did you guess?”

“
Where are the two dark suits now?”
Sara went on.

“
Thanks for tracking me down, Sara.
Yes, I would appreciate it if you sent a car for me here at
The Blue Grotto
. And when Danny
shows up, please expedite things for him,” Hatch answered
enigmatically.

“
You can’t talk and you want to be
picked up?”

“
You’re correct on both points. Where
are you now?” he asked.

“
At the office. Do you want me
somewhere else?” she asked.

“
Yes. I’ll have a guest and I will
have the driver take us to the house. You can meet me there,
OK?”

“
Sure thing, Hatch. Are you all
right?”

“
You know me, Sara. I couldn’t be
better,” he shrugged.

“
You got yourself into trouble, didn’t
you! I knew I should have insisted on a baby sitter for you!” she
exploded. “I suppose the guest is the girl you were hitting on?
Stay out of her pants until I check her out! By the way, the quick
checks on her came back normal. She lives in the area—has for three
months. Not all of my inquiries have come back yet.”

“
I’ll see you at the house,” he
replied, hanging up.

She’s worse than a mother
hen!
he mused.

Syd was having her own thoughts while he was
on the phone.

That must be his secretary. He sure is curt
with her. What is this about a house and a guest? Could the guest
be me? Lord, are you answering my prayers? It looks like I will get
to spend some more time with him! There are several questions I
want to ask him.

“
Well, Syd, I have a car coming for
us. We’ll go to the house I use when I’m in this part of the world.
You can get cleaned up there. Then I’ll send someone to check out
your house and get you some of your things.”

“
Some of my things? Are you saying
I’ll not be going home for awhile? Just who are you,
Mr. Van Lincoln?
” She emphasized his
name as she said it. “You’re telling me where I can go, and where I
can’t? That Detective Jackson—even the uniformed cops—seemed to
know you. You have an office and house here—for
when
you are here. You know how to handle
yourself in a fight, way beyond the ability of a
housewife’s spouse
. Are you a cop,
or what?”

“
No, I’m not a cop. We’ll discuss the
rest of this later—have a long talk. I really don’t want that
discussion in an unsecured place. It shouldn’t be much longer. Ah,
there’s our ride now!”

When he used the word
unsecured
, Syd’s defenses ratcheted
up a notch. Ordinary people did not use that word often.

Syd expected to see a man in chauffeur’s
livery, but instead she saw a dark-haired man who looked to be in
his mid-thirties, dressed in a tan linen suit and a brown golf
shirt. She could tell he was wearing a gun under his left arm. He
was about five feet eleven inches tall and really solid looking. He
did not look like your typical driver. He looked more like a Secret
Service agent behind his dark glasses. In fact, she would find out
later that he had been one in a previous life. His name was Bruno
Finelli and he was devoted completely to Hatch Lincoln. His main
job with Triple Eye was Security Coordinator for the Florida area.
He waved at Hatch and made his way to the table. Hatch stood and
shook his hand.

“
Thanks for getting here so quickly,
Bruno. You didn’t have to come yourself. Ms. Steppe, this is Bruno
Finelli. Bruno, this is Sydney Steppe.”

Bruno looked her over. He noticed that she
was a tall, beautiful woman with a bloody shirt and leg. She
appeared to have been in a fight of some sort. He shook her hand,
enjoying her firm grip.

He said, “Very pleased to meet you, Ms.
Steppe.”

“
Nice to meet you, too,” she
responded.

“
I came myself, Hatch, because Sara
was having a cow. You know how she can get,” stated Bruno. He did
not mention Syd’s disarray.

“
You must not let Sara browbeat you,
Bruno. You know I can take care of myself,” shrugged
Hatch.

“
So does Sara, but that doesn’t stop
her from worrying about you,” smiled Bruno.

Hatch drained his glass and motioned for
Carlos, who appeared at their table immediately.

“
Yes, Mr. Lincoln?” he
asked.

“
Carlos, put everything on my tab,
including whatever Ms. Steppe owes.”

He pulled out a money clip, peeled off two
fifty-dollar bills, and put them in Carlos’ hand. He winked at
Carlos, who nodded. Hatch did not want Carlos telling the police
that he had asked about Ms. Steppe earlier. No reason to give them
grist for their mill that would just waste everyone’s time.

Syd finished her drink and stood up.

“
I hope I don’t mess up your
upholstery. I’m a mess!” she said to Bruno.

“
Not to worry, Ms. Steppe. The seats
are leather. They clean up quite easily,” Bruno smiled at
her.

How do you know? Is carrying bloody people
around an everyday occurrence for you?

Hatch and Syd followed Bruno, who took them
in the opposite direction from the police activity; he led them
into a small park. There was a silver, four-door Cadillac sedan
parked at the curb of the street that circled the park.

“
Couldn’t get in the front way. Too
many cops,” he explained.

He opened the back door and Syd got in and
slid over to make room for Hatch. When they were all buckled up,
Bruno drove the car smoothly away.

• • •

As the Cadillac sped along palm-lined
streets, Syd thought,
I wonder what a
driver is doing packing a gun? He didn’t seem upset when he saw
what a bloody mess I was. What kind of people have I stumbled upon?
Curiouser and curiouser!

After a twenty minute drive, Bruno guided
the car into a wide driveway and pushed a button on a device like a
garage door opener; it was mounted above the center of the
windshield. A large iron gate, painted white, moved smoothly out of
their way, permitting Bruno to enter a long, curving road. He
followed it to the top of a small hill and a large house came into
view. It was a two-story, plantation-style mansion—painted white
with blue trim. It had a blue, double front door that was at least
eight feet tall. A fancy wooden sign over the door had “Klaus Haus”
carved in it.

This is his house? This is no house, it’s a
friggin’ mansion! It must be at least 30,000 square feet, and
that’s just what I can see! Could be Tara. I wonder if Scarlett
will greet us at the door.

Bruno stopped the car in front of the steps
that led to the huge blue door. The three of them got out and Bruno
rushed up the steps and opened the right side of the door. Syd
entered first, followed by the other two.

A tall, good-looking woman with short blonde
hair approached them quickly, a frown on her face. She wore a
tight, red tee shirt, which stretched across large breasts, and a
tan skirt that reached to mid-thigh. She wore low-heel, brown
shoes, probably because of her height.

Definitely not
Scarlett!
thought Syd.

The scowl on her face became a beaming smile
as she spotted Hatch, and then her face was transformed into a
question mark as she spotted Syd.

“
Well, Bruno, I see you retrieved his
sorry ass. You had me worried, Hatch! I assume this is the guest,”
she said.

“
Be polite, Sara! This young lady and
I have just had a very stressful lunch. Sara, meet Ms. Sydney
Steppe. Syd, this impolite woman is Ms. Sara Smith,” said
Hatch.

“
Charmed, I’m sure,” Sara said with
sarcasm.

“
Pleased to meet you, too, Ms. Smith,”
replied Syd with a mock curtsey.

“
All right, Hatch, what’s been going
on? How much damage control do Bruno and I have to do?” Sara
exclaimed, ignoring Syd.

“
Calm down, Sara! The first order of
business is to get Syd cleaned up and into some clean clothes. Then
I’ll tell you everything I know, and we’ll set a course of action.
Find a room for Syd so she can take a shower, and rustle her up
something to wear. Have Mrs. C. get her some clothes, since we
can’t go get hers right now. Then, come back down here and meet
Bruno and I in the library,” said Hatch like a man used to giving
orders.

“Yes, Your Imminence,” Sara replied
sarcastically, but in a calmer voice. Syd could tell that she was
starting to relax some now that she knew Hatch was all right.

“Come with me, Syd. The Oracle has spoken.
Let’s go get you cleaned up. And then maybe someone will fucking
tell me how you got this way.”

She doesn’t act like a secretary. I wonder
what her relationship with Hatch is.

Sara led Syd to a door just to the
left of the large front door. It had a brass sign mounted on it
that read
Mrs.
Chamberlain
.

“This is Mrs. Chamberlain’s office. I’ll
introduce you to her and let her know that you have VIP status.
She’s the House Administrator—much more than a Head Housekeeper, as
you will learn. She can make sure all of your needs are taken care
of.”