Read Online Damned If You Don't by Linda J. Parisi - Free Book Online Page B

had better be what I want to hear.”
    “It is, boss. It is. We checked every taxi and limo service just like you said. He paid a guy on the sly. Said he was with a married woman. Cash.”
    Sam’s heart started to pound. He took a deep breath, then let the air out slowly. “Where?”
    “Virginia Beach.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes, sir. Very sure.”
    Sam didn’t respond right away. “Three hundred miles. All directions. Especially south.”
    “Sorry, sir. Why south?”
    “Because Jackson Kent is the best tracker I’ve ever known. And my first inclination is to double back and go north.”
    “But I don’t understand, sir. If you think he’s going to double back north, why don’t we concentrate our efforts to the north?”
    Sam smiled. “Because he’s also the most unpredictable son of a bitch on the face of the earth, that’s why. And you’d better hope that he doesn’t double back north, because that means he’s going to slip right past you.”
    “No he won’t, sir, you can count on me.”
    “Oh, I am, Mr. Anderson. I am. Because you know how I feel about failure.”
    “Yes, sir.” A thread of fear reverberated through the line, and Sam smiled.
    “Keep me posted.”
    “Will do.”
    Sam broke the connection. His next step would involve finding an ace in the hole. But for now, the information refreshed him. But he had another call to make. One that darkened his mood immediately.
    He punched in a number put the phone up to his ear with a frown. “Hello?”
    “We’re closing in.”
    “That’s what you told me yesterday. And the day before.” Sam heard the exasperation in his client’s tone and a slow burn began to simmer in his belly.
    “And I told you Jack Kent is the best there is,” he snapped back. “Now do you want to do this my way, or lose him altogether?”
    He listened to his benefactor sigh. “Good,” he continued. “Now what do you know about Dr. Mackenzie?”
    “Why?”
    “Because she’s going to run to a safety net, someone in her past. Someone you would know a whole lot easier than I would.”
    “Why would you assume that?”
    “Because she’s too clean and too boring not to.”
    Sam waited while his patron assessed the situation. “I’m not certain,” the voice on the other end of the line replied in a thoughtful tone. “But I’ll get back to you on it.”
    “The sooner the better,” Sam replied, his tone sour. “And you’d better make sure I see a deposit in my account by morning. This whole fiasco is costing me a fortune.”
    “Understood. As long as you do the same. I’m running out of patience.”
    The phone went dead, and Sam stared at it. His hand tightened around the plastic as the burn erupted. One of these days he was going to be able to stop taking orders.
    Until then he was going to have to settle.
    * * * *
    Morgan and Jack reached the hotel in Virginia Beach in the afternoon. As they approached the front desk, Morgan realized she was going to have to share a room with him. The thought must have occurred to them at the same time because he simply looked at her and smiled, daring her to request a second room. And while she wanted nothing more than a long hot soak, a seven, no eight, course meal, and a nine-hour nap, Jack, it seemed, had other ideas.
    “Do you want to rest?” he asked her, his tongue shoved deep into his cheek as he stared at the bed in the hotel room.
    Bastard. “No. I mean, yes.”
    He roared at her discomfort. “Well, I’m going to take a shower.” She didn’t answer. “You sure you don’t want to join me?” He grinned, pointing at the bathroom. “A nice hot shower would do wonders for that disposition of yours.”
    “Don’t get started on my disposition, Jack. My psyche would rather I hurt you again.”
    “I could make it worth your while,” he continued as if she hadn’t said a word. “A nice massage. Starting at your shoulders. Down your back.”
    Morgan shivered in spite of herself. “You certainly have a