Rundown (Curveball Book 2) (42 page)

Why
do I feel like I’m forgetting something?  

Glancing
around the room I spot my camera.  I change the setting to
‘timer’ and get in position to take the shot I want.  Then I
remove the SD card and stuff it in my pants pocket.  

The
kids are all fast asleep, but I can’t resist giving them a kiss on
my way downstairs.  When I enter the kitchen I do my best not to
make eye contact with Corinne, who I’m convinced is a human
polygraph.  I walk to the storage closet that has a few leftover
boxes and garbage bags, and for effect grab the sound doc.  

“
Is
this what nesting looks like?” she asks.

“
Yes,
and it’s not pretty,” I grumble.  “I’m going to go in
the basement and purge some more things.”

“
Shouldn’t
you be resting?”

“
You
think I could sit still right now?  No way.  I’m fine; I
just need something to do.  Busy is better,” I insist and make
my way to the basement door.

“
Did
you tell Drew?”

“
No. 
He’s got enough on his mind now.  I’ll talk to him about it
later.”

“
Need
help?” she offers.

“
No
thanks.  Could you listen for the kids though and let me know if
they wake up?  I’ll be jamming out.”

“
You
got it.”  Corinne goes back to reading her magazine and I
prepare for phase two of my plan.

Stepping
into the basement, I locate an outlet and plug in the sound doc and
select a song from my playlist.  For effect, I throw a box on
the ground and push a few storage containers around to make my story
plausible.  Then, I grab my phone and head into the farthest
corner, right next to the oil tank.  Taking my phone, I call the
last person on Earth I want to speak with.  

Vivian.

By
the third ring I’m getting nervous this will all backfire and Drew
will end up going through with the intended strategy.  When she
answers on the fourth ring, I’m relieved.

“
Breanne. 
Two calls within twenty-four hours.  To what do I owe this
pleasure?”

“
Can
you talk?”

“
Now’s
not the best time.  I’m on my way to meet someone.  Could
we catch up tomorrow?”  

Crap,
she must already be on her way to the bar to meet Drew.

“
Actually,
it can’t wait.  I really need you.” 

“
You
don’t sound like yourself.  What’s wrong?”

“
Remember
what I told you at the gala?  That there was evidence linking
Drew’s sister Alexis to Mark’s death?”

“
Yes,”
she says, drawing out the word slowly.

“
Well,
I think I found something.  It’s a disk of some sort that I
found in a piece of luggage of Alexis’s that had been released to
Drew when he identified her body.  Anyway, when I stuck the card
into the computer, I found a list of names and then a folder that
seems to contain coding of some kind.”

Silence
.

“
You’re
the only person I can talk to about this.  I’m hoping you can
put me in touch with someone who can figure out what’s on the card
before giving it over to the FBI.”

“
So
the FBI doesn’t know?”

“
No
one does.  Not even Drew.  He wasn’t here when I found
it, but based on what I’ve overheard the FBI talking about, I’m
guessing it has really important information stored on it.”

“
I
do know someone,” she informs me.  “They’re very discreet.
 I can’t take you to them with an FBI escort.”

“
Don’t
worry.  I can lose her.  How soon can you pick me up?”

“
I’ll
meet you on the corner near the entrance to your neighborhood in ten
minutes.

“
See
you then.”

My
heartbeat is racing and I’m feeling a little sick.  
That
was almost too easy.
 I check my pockets to be sure I have
my cell phone.  
Ok, this is it
.  Pushing a box under
the nearest window, I quietly make my escape through the narrow
opening, and when I’m confident that Corinne hasn’t heard me, I
set out jogging to my meeting point with Vivian.  I get there
with a few minutes to spare and text Drew.  

Breanne:
I left something in your pocket.  Plug it in as soon as
possible.  Plans have changed.  Don’t be mad...I’m
doing this for us.  I love you.

I
hit send and then turn my phone off.

Change
of Plans

“
Long
time no see,” Al smirks as I slide onto the only vacant barstool. 
It’s not even ten o’clock at night and The Corner is completely
packed with a mix of locals and hipsters.

“
Good
to see you, Al.”  We clasp hands over the bar and slap each
other on the shoulder.  “How’ve you been?”

“
Not
too bad.  My life’s not as interesting as yours has been,
that’s for sure.”  He looks me over, slightly frowning. 
“You holding up alright?”

It’s
crazy how drastically different your world can change over the course
of a few months.  Even with the bullshit that’s been consuming
Breanne and I, I’m a much happier man now than I was the last time
I was sitting here with Al.

“
I’m
good.  Getting ready for spring training…keeping busy.”

“
And
that woman who wouldn’t admit she loved you?” he asks.

I
narrow my gaze at Al and tilt my head to the side, smiling. “What?”

My
question comes out as a laugh as I riffle through the very vague
memories of the last time I was sitting at this bar.  If there
hadn’t been pictures to the contrary, I’d swear on all that was
holy that I didn’t almost do the unthinkable with some random broad
in the bathroom.  Of the memories I do have, being very hungover
the next day and O’Conner chewing me a new one for basically crying
like a baby, is front and center.  Man, I seriously hope that
didn’t happen here, because if it did, I’ll never hear the end of
it from Al…translated, I’ll never come back.

“
Last
time I saw you, you were piss drunk and heartbroken.  Them guys
you were with carried you outta here.” 

His
eyes trail behind me toward some point at the back of the bar. 
“Ain’t that one of ‘em?”

Without
looking back I know he’s picked out Everett from the crowd, and for
a moment my chest tightens at the acknowledgement of O’Conner not
being here.  He’d have hated this plan more than Breanne.

“
The
‘woman’ and I are engaged,” I tell him proudly.  “So I
won’t be making a scene tonight.  Just meeting some of the
guys here for a few rounds.”

Al
shoots me a crooked grin, clearly doubting my claim.  “You’re
pulling my leg.”

The
corners of my mouth pull up.  “Honest to God,” I pledge,
placing my hand over my heart.

“
Well,
I’ll be…”

Al
shakes his head, watching me like I’ve just shown him the eighth
wonder of the world, and then abruptly claps his hands, gaining
everyone’s attention. 

“
Next
rounds on me!” he bellows, earning him whistles and cheers from the
crowd.  I attempt to pass him my card, only to have it denied. 

Hordes
of people pack in like sardines at the bar, trying to get as close as
possible in order to claim their free drink.  Al must have
divulged his reasons for buying drinks because out of nowhere a group
of Red Sox fans stagger over to me.  Two of them drape their
arms over my shoulders and start singing ‘Sweet Caroline’. 
They’re not even through the first verse when the tune catches like
a stadium wave, consuming the entire bar.  For a moment, I get
caught up in the celebrating.  The only thing that gives me
pause is that Breanne isn’t here with me. 

When
the song’s over and the crowd settles down, I take my phone out to
check the time.  I wonder how long I’ll have to wait for
Vivian.  I hit the thumb pad to illuminate my phone, but it’s
a text from Breanne, not the time, that catches my attention. 
In the mayhem, I didn’t feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. 

Breanne:
I left something in your coat pocket.  Plug it in as soon as
possible.  Plans have changed.  Don’t be mad...I’m
doing this for us.  I love you.

Something
in my pocket?
 

I
stuff my hand in each pocket, fishing around until I feel something
smooth and small.  Curious I pull it out and immediately
recognize it.
 Why the hell did she put that in here? 
I
read her text again.  Oh, hell no. 

I
run my shaking hand through my hair.  No wonder Vivian hasn’t
shown up.  Breanne’s the bait and she wants us to trail her. 

Fuck.

“
Goddamn
it,” I mutter, slamming my fist on the bar. 

Why
the hell would she do something so stupid?

I
jump off the stool and make my way to Everett, who’s already
noticed me moving and meets me halfway.  I’m too livid to
speak, so I toss my phone into his hands.  He reads the text and
groans.  His shoulders sag as he takes out his own phone and
hands me back mine. 

Immediately,
I dial Breanne’s number only to have it go straight to voicemail. 
I try again and get the same response.  All of my anger morphs
into panic.  Let’s face it, I’m mad as hell that she’d put
herself in a situation like this.  The thought of losing her for
good when we just started our forever guts me.  I can’t
do this without her.  

 “
I
got ahold of Mark,” Everett says in my ear.  “Let’s go.”

We
sprint to the car, bracing ourselves against the frigid wind. 
We don’t have far to go and yet it feels like an eternity. 
Replaying the night, I should have known something was off.  She
was anxious as hell before I left and I wrongly assumed it was
because she was worried about me.  I should have known…she
thought this was the wrong approach from the beginning.  Now
she’s inserted herself into a situation she has no business being
in.  Worst of all, I know she’s doing this
for
me.

“
I’ll
never do anything to make you doubt my love for you again.” 

At
the time she said those words, they were reassuring…the most
meaningful declaration I could imagine someone making.  Now,
it’s as if she’s redefined her true intentions.  It’s no
longer that she won’t make me doubt her love; it’s that she’ll
do anything to prove it. 

Anything
.

“
We’re
almost to Mark’s location,” Everett assures me.