Read Online Redemption Key (A Dani Britton Thriller) by S.G. Redling - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S.G. Redling
Ads: Link
deal.”
Tucker leaned back from the conversation but Dani knew he still listened. She didn’t want to give too many details about Angel’s business but she didn’t want to miss this chance. Of all the places she’d seen the Charbaneauxs mentioned, Martha’s Vineyard was the most likely place to find Choo-Choo. He’d told her he’d probably wind up there. If she flew there commercially, she had no doubt her name would ping security. It would take forever to drive there, and even ifshe did, the tracker in her car would let whoever watched her know where she was headed. With a private jet, she could get in and get out with nobody knowing she was trying to reach her friend.
Dani put a lot of faith in her paranoia.
She also knew just how pissed the pilot had been when that kid from Ohio tried to rip him off. Angel Jackson was nobody to screw with. He stared at her with hard eyes as black as the braid that ran down his back, but she didn’t blink.
“You know it’s like seven hours each way. Gotta stop to refuel.”
“I can give you money for gas.”
He snickered. “That’s all been taken care of by my client. That’s not the point.”
“What is the point?”
He seemed to think about that. “It’s out of my way.”
“Not by much. I’ve looked at maps.”
“It’s an up-and-back. You’d only have about two hours; three, tops.”
“Okay.” She did some quick math. She’d be lucky to have until midnight to find her friend. Still, it was better than her odds of him strolling into the bar to find her. She saw the moment Angel relented, his shoulders settling.
“Okay then. I’ll take you on one condition. Tell me how you knew those bundles of cash were fake.”
Dani smiled. “The kid kept scratching his hand where the ink stains were. A lot of people are allergic to newspaper ink. Plus he had three rubber bands around his wrist.”
Angel stared at her. “You’re shitting me. You called out some dude based on rubber bands and an itchy hand?”
She kept smiling. Of course it had been more than that. Years of watching surveillance tapes of people engaging in corporate espionage, to say nothing of a childhood spent roaming the country with her trucker father, had given Dani an eye for tells. The Ohioan had allbut hung a sign around his neck saying, “Don’t look at the money!” Still, Dani didn’t see any reason to spill all her secrets. A little mystery was a powerful thing.
It was getting her to Martha’s Vineyard.
She hopped off the bar to tell Mr. Randolph she’d be leaving. He said fine, so long as she was back to work his meeting in the morning. Plus she wanted to put sneakers on. It might sound dumb, but Dani didn’t want to find herself somewhere she didn’t know without at least having the ability to run with ease. She debated packing a weapon, maybe just the small shank she’d honed. It was Martha’s Vineyard after all, not Detroit. Still, DC had been a pretty civilized city and she sure wished she’d had a blade there. In a private plane there wouldn’t be any airport security, right?
A large hand on her arm jolted her from her thoughts. Tucker tilted his head at her, his eyes wide, his confusion showing in his smile.
“You’re leaving?”
“Oh. Yeah. I have to . . .” It occurred to her then that her habit of shuttling off thoughts when a more important one came along probably didn’t make her the most socially adept person. In one conversation she had completely dismissed Tucker from her thoughts. That probably wasn’t normal. Of course, it also wasn’t normal—her normal, at least—for anyone to question her comings and goings. Especially her goings. And especially guys who looked like Tucker.
“Let me guess.” He studied her with mock seriousness, those damn dimples drawing her in. “This isn’t the only place you’re indispensible. Bars everywhere call to you when lonely tourists can’t get their drinks.”
She nodded. “It’s kind of my
Tucker leaned back from the conversation but Dani knew he still listened. She didn’t want to give too many details about Angel’s business but she didn’t want to miss this chance. Of all the places she’d seen the Charbaneauxs mentioned, Martha’s Vineyard was the most likely place to find Choo-Choo. He’d told her he’d probably wind up there. If she flew there commercially, she had no doubt her name would ping security. It would take forever to drive there, and even ifshe did, the tracker in her car would let whoever watched her know where she was headed. With a private jet, she could get in and get out with nobody knowing she was trying to reach her friend.
Dani put a lot of faith in her paranoia.
She also knew just how pissed the pilot had been when that kid from Ohio tried to rip him off. Angel Jackson was nobody to screw with. He stared at her with hard eyes as black as the braid that ran down his back, but she didn’t blink.
“You know it’s like seven hours each way. Gotta stop to refuel.”
“I can give you money for gas.”
He snickered. “That’s all been taken care of by my client. That’s not the point.”
“What is the point?”
He seemed to think about that. “It’s out of my way.”
“Not by much. I’ve looked at maps.”
“It’s an up-and-back. You’d only have about two hours; three, tops.”
“Okay.” She did some quick math. She’d be lucky to have until midnight to find her friend. Still, it was better than her odds of him strolling into the bar to find her. She saw the moment Angel relented, his shoulders settling.
“Okay then. I’ll take you on one condition. Tell me how you knew those bundles of cash were fake.”
Dani smiled. “The kid kept scratching his hand where the ink stains were. A lot of people are allergic to newspaper ink. Plus he had three rubber bands around his wrist.”
Angel stared at her. “You’re shitting me. You called out some dude based on rubber bands and an itchy hand?”
She kept smiling. Of course it had been more than that. Years of watching surveillance tapes of people engaging in corporate espionage, to say nothing of a childhood spent roaming the country with her trucker father, had given Dani an eye for tells. The Ohioan had allbut hung a sign around his neck saying, “Don’t look at the money!” Still, Dani didn’t see any reason to spill all her secrets. A little mystery was a powerful thing.
It was getting her to Martha’s Vineyard.
She hopped off the bar to tell Mr. Randolph she’d be leaving. He said fine, so long as she was back to work his meeting in the morning. Plus she wanted to put sneakers on. It might sound dumb, but Dani didn’t want to find herself somewhere she didn’t know without at least having the ability to run with ease. She debated packing a weapon, maybe just the small shank she’d honed. It was Martha’s Vineyard after all, not Detroit. Still, DC had been a pretty civilized city and she sure wished she’d had a blade there. In a private plane there wouldn’t be any airport security, right?
A large hand on her arm jolted her from her thoughts. Tucker tilted his head at her, his eyes wide, his confusion showing in his smile.
“You’re leaving?”
“Oh. Yeah. I have to . . .” It occurred to her then that her habit of shuttling off thoughts when a more important one came along probably didn’t make her the most socially adept person. In one conversation she had completely dismissed Tucker from her thoughts. That probably wasn’t normal. Of course, it also wasn’t normal—her normal, at least—for anyone to question her comings and goings. Especially her goings. And especially guys who looked like Tucker.
“Let me guess.” He studied her with mock seriousness, those damn dimples drawing her in. “This isn’t the only place you’re indispensible. Bars everywhere call to you when lonely tourists can’t get their drinks.”
She nodded. “It’s kind of my
Similar Books
