Gordy could see everything from the table he and Hiro shared outside Dunkin’ Donuts. Coop approached the bell tower on foot from the opposite direction—from the west. Cargo shorts. Sweatshirt. Backpack. Even he didn’t recognize Coop with the hood pulled so far forward. His entire face was lost in the shadows, even when he passed under a streetlight. The darkness made for a perfect cover.
Gordy kept his eyes on everything west of them. Hiro had everything to the east, which was tricky because of the McDonald’s and the size of the parking lot for the Jewel-Osco grocery and drug store.
Hiro also had the phone. If they saw anybody watching him, or heading his way, he’d get a call, and put into play one of the escape plans.
“He’s at the bell tower,” Gordy said. “Duct tape is out. Aaaaand he’s taping the note to the bell tower. Kaboom. Message delivered.”
“Cut the commentary and keep your eyes open,” Hiro whispered. “If anybody is watching, Coop’s in the danger zone now.”
Gordy grabbed a donut. “Just like a real stakeout, eh? Donuts and everything.” If he didn’t do something to try to keep things light he’d go nuts. He felt jumpy enough as it was already.
Coop stayed on the sidewalk and picked up the pace, walking directly past them without even glancing their way. Gordy watched to make sure nobody trailed him.
They’d hammered out the plan on The Getaway after dinner. Gordy still didn’t like the idea of Coop making the drop alone—or even leaving the note in the first place. Hiro gave it her vote, though. Felt they’d be doing something. Which really meant she wanted to play detective. At least they decided to wait until after dark.
Hiro even brought her pocket digital camera. Not exactly the high-tech surveillance equipment the police had, but hey, it had a 10-to–1 power zoom. Which is why Gordy figured this was all about Hiro wanting to find the robbers herself.
Gordy wished he’d been the one making the drop. Once he got on his bike, no way those guys would catch him. “You think those goons are watching?”
Hiro didn’t answer. She nibbled on a donut and kept her eyes on Coop and the parking lot.
The silence made him jumpy. “I can’t believe you really went to see Frank.”
“The real shocker is that you two didn’t.”
Gordy winced. He had a hard time with that too, but he wasn’t about to tell Hiro that. She’d be all over him to go see Frank. Time to change the topic.
“Okay. If the robbers do pick up the note, think they’ll buy the part about the hard drive being buried and that nobody will get it—not even the cops?”
Hiro didn’t answer, but kept focused on Coop. “He’s going around the McDonald’s now,” she said. “Let’s move.”
The plan called for a casual walk over to McDonald’s so they could keep an eye on Cooper from there. Hiro’s pace seemed anything but casual. Which was okay with Gordy. The moment Cooper dropped out of his line of vision, the more Gordy didn’t like this plan.
They went inside McDonald’s and hurried to the windows just in time to see Coop walk into the grocery store. About a hundred yards of parking lot separated them. Gordy checked his watch. He’d allow him thirty seconds to get to the washroom. Ninety seconds to change and stuff his shorts and hoodie in the backpack. Thirty seconds to get out.
Hiro stood at the window and watched. Gordy paced.
“Are you ready to order?” The uniformed order-taker lady smiled at him.
“Oh, uh, no.” Gordy checked the Jewel exit again. “Still trying to decide between one of those smiley meals with the cool prize and a jumbo hotdog.” Anything to get her out of his hair.
The lady cocked her head to the side. “We don’t serve hotdogs.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
He checked his watch. Five minutes. Too long. Hiro must have had the same thought. Without a word they headed for the doors.
Hiro had her phone out by the time they’d rounded the building.
“There he is,” Gordy said. Coop walked out the doors on the pharmacy side of the building. Jacket. Blue jeans. Baseball cap. Only the backpack looked the same.
Gordy slowed the pace and let out a deep breath. “Finally.”
Cooper’s bike stood waiting for him right where Gordy locked it up on his way to Dunkin’ Donuts. Hiro’s bike was locked next to it. She would follow Coop at a distance. Gordy would walk home. That was the plan. So far, so good.
If Coop felt nervous, he did a good job of hiding it. Within seconds he mounted the bike and casually pedaled due east toward Meadow Drive before disappearing around the far corner of the grocery store.
Gordy scanned the lot, all the way out to the cars backed into the stalls along Kirchoff Road. Almost there.
A dark SUV pulled out of it’s parking slot, turning on its headlights as it rolled forward. Headlight. “Hiro!”
“Got it.” She punched in Cooper’s number on her phone and raised it to her ear.
The SUV plowed through the lot—passed the easy exit onto Kirchoff and headed right for the side exit onto Meadow. Even with the overhead lights blazing in the parking lot, Gordy couldn’t make out the driver—but the goon had definitely seen through Cooper’s disguise. The bell tower wasn’t even visible from here. Elvis or the clown must have been positioned where they could see the bell tower—and they phoned their partner in the SUV. There was no other way this driver could have spotted Coop.
“Pick up, pick up, pick up!” Hiro shouted into the phone, running between parked cars for her bike.
Gordy sprinted for the corner of the building. This can’t be happening!