in it. I handed them to Miller without
letting on that I needed them as badly as he did. He swallowed them, and then
packed up the few lousy scraps of paper he was taking with him. The bulk of it
would remain with lucky me.
“Everything okay with the system so far?” he asked.
“I guess so; it hasn’t really been tested. But I feel a
lot safer since you wired me up. I’m thinking about parking lot lights now.”
“Just give me the word,” he smiled.
Once he’d gone, I went back to my desk and called Harley.
After I told her what Jack had said, she seemed a little relieved, but still
nervous in general. “I just hope I don’t get into a load of trouble over it,”
she said. “As for pressing charges against Carl – the answer is no; it’s just
too dangerous.”
“That’s entirely up to you,” I said. “I’m in your corner,
whatever you decide. Will you be back sometime today?”
“Not a chance. I’ve already made reservations at a hotel.
I’ll work the rest of today and hopefully finish up tomorrow. One way or the
other, I’ll see you by dinnertime.”
I thought there was a chance that Carrie would try and
hire Harley away from me, while she had her there. And it would make sense for
Harley. A good move for her, really. A great job with a raise (anyone could pay
her more than I could), the chance to use her skills with equipment and
software I’d never have, and a place Carl would most likely never think to look
for her.
I almost felt it was my duty to call Carrie and suggest
that she hire Harley. Who knew how much longer my agency would even be viable?
Jobs were not easy to come by. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed
to be the perfect way out for a really nice woman who needed a serious break.
It was positively ludicrous to expect her to live here at my office, even if it
was temporary. I picked up the phone and punched in Carrie’s number.
Chapter 11
When Harley got back to the office the next day, she was
livid. “You told Carrie to hire me? You really want me to leave you and go work
for her? Seriously? How could you do that?”
“The question is, Harley, how could I not do it? Asking you to stay here is
selfish. The way things are going, I won’t even be able to pay you before long.
You’re a talented techie – Carrie would be thrilled to have you full time.”
“She made that clear. But after everything you’ve done
for me – and how I lied to you – I
can’t leave you here all alone.”
“Two heads are usually better than one,” I said, “but not
in this case. We each have our own ass to cover and it would be too distracting
to try and watch each other’s as well. Besides, I think you’re safer living
away from me, and way better off financially working for Carrie. It’s a
no-brainer. Now call her and tell her you accept.”
“What about Jack? What about the lie I told about Carl?”
“If the police need to talk to you, I’ll tell them where
you are. Jack said he was going to speak to some people and explain that you
lied because you were afraid for your life. Harley, women get off of murder charges for that reason.”
“Maybe I should go,” she said with tears rolling down her face. “But I feel so guilty leaving
you.”
“Don’t. Take Nelly. I’ll get your car out of the garage
and drive it to Carrie’s. Then, on the strength of your new salary, you can
take it straight to a dealership and trade it in on a new car. Get vanity
plates that Carl wouldn’t recognize in a million years. Keep your new location
off the Internet and you’ve eliminated the only ways he could find you.”
“But my stuff is still at the house,” she said.
“Like what? Is there really anything there you can’t
replace? Remember, you’ll actually be making some money now – get new clothes!
I’m sure you can find some of that radical hippie shit you love so much in
Oswego. Treat yourself! You’re free!”
She laughed and gave me a hug, then called Carrie
letting on that I needed them as badly as he did. He swallowed them, and then
packed up the few lousy scraps of paper he was taking with him. The bulk of it
would remain with lucky me.
“Everything okay with the system so far?” he asked.
“I guess so; it hasn’t really been tested. But I feel a
lot safer since you wired me up. I’m thinking about parking lot lights now.”
“Just give me the word,” he smiled.
Once he’d gone, I went back to my desk and called Harley.
After I told her what Jack had said, she seemed a little relieved, but still
nervous in general. “I just hope I don’t get into a load of trouble over it,”
she said. “As for pressing charges against Carl – the answer is no; it’s just
too dangerous.”
“That’s entirely up to you,” I said. “I’m in your corner,
whatever you decide. Will you be back sometime today?”
“Not a chance. I’ve already made reservations at a hotel.
I’ll work the rest of today and hopefully finish up tomorrow. One way or the
other, I’ll see you by dinnertime.”
I thought there was a chance that Carrie would try and
hire Harley away from me, while she had her there. And it would make sense for
Harley. A good move for her, really. A great job with a raise (anyone could pay
her more than I could), the chance to use her skills with equipment and
software I’d never have, and a place Carl would most likely never think to look
for her.
I almost felt it was my duty to call Carrie and suggest
that she hire Harley. Who knew how much longer my agency would even be viable?
Jobs were not easy to come by. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed
to be the perfect way out for a really nice woman who needed a serious break.
It was positively ludicrous to expect her to live here at my office, even if it
was temporary. I picked up the phone and punched in Carrie’s number.
Chapter 11
When Harley got back to the office the next day, she was
livid. “You told Carrie to hire me? You really want me to leave you and go work
for her? Seriously? How could you do that?”
“The question is, Harley, how could I not do it? Asking you to stay here is
selfish. The way things are going, I won’t even be able to pay you before long.
You’re a talented techie – Carrie would be thrilled to have you full time.”
“She made that clear. But after everything you’ve done
for me – and how I lied to you – I
can’t leave you here all alone.”
“Two heads are usually better than one,” I said, “but not
in this case. We each have our own ass to cover and it would be too distracting
to try and watch each other’s as well. Besides, I think you’re safer living
away from me, and way better off financially working for Carrie. It’s a
no-brainer. Now call her and tell her you accept.”
“What about Jack? What about the lie I told about Carl?”
“If the police need to talk to you, I’ll tell them where
you are. Jack said he was going to speak to some people and explain that you
lied because you were afraid for your life. Harley, women get off of murder charges for that reason.”
“Maybe I should go,” she said with tears rolling down her face. “But I feel so guilty leaving
you.”
“Don’t. Take Nelly. I’ll get your car out of the garage
and drive it to Carrie’s. Then, on the strength of your new salary, you can
take it straight to a dealership and trade it in on a new car. Get vanity
plates that Carl wouldn’t recognize in a million years. Keep your new location
off the Internet and you’ve eliminated the only ways he could find you.”
“But my stuff is still at the house,” she said.
“Like what? Is there really anything there you can’t
replace? Remember, you’ll actually be making some money now – get new clothes!
I’m sure you can find some of that radical hippie shit you love so much in
Oswego. Treat yourself! You’re free!”
She laughed and gave me a hug, then called Carrie
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