Back at the hotel Josh connected to the company network and looked up Kenny’s home address. It was close by, in a residential neighborhood Josh had driven through a couple of times. It was only 11:00 a.m. and he needed a look in the daylight to get ready for the night’s event. It took fifteen minutes to get there and he cruised the street, feeling like a second-rate criminal casing the joint. Kenny lived in a two-story ranch house that looked like it was probably a three-bedroom. That meant the master bedroom was upstairs and the den downstairs. Josh had to hope this was true. Parking across the street, he could see in the dining room. It didn’t look frequently used, so they probably spent most of their time in the kitchen or family room. That would make it harder to see where they were at night. He would just have to chance it. Looking at the yards of all the neighbors in sight, there was only one house with a sign on a small metal post telling the world this home was protected by A-1 Security: Armed Response. This wasn’t L.A. where those signs were as ubiquitous as mailboxes. Instead, there were larger signs at the corner of every street saying Neighborhood Watch! No armed security, but everyone kept an eye out for each other. Small comfort if you were the victim of a home invasion and your neighbors were all locked up in their living rooms watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire! instead of looking out for you. But it might give Josh an advantage. He pulled away, heading back to the hotel to plan exactly what he would need for tonight.
His cell phone rang. The caller ID said the number was blocked. He answered. “This is Josh.”
“Sweetie, I was so disappointed to get your email.”
It felt like she was in the car with him. “Please, I’m telling you, I can get it. It’s all worked out. I have to wait until tonight, late. I swear to you, you’ll have it first thing in the morning.” There was silence on the line. Josh didn’t know if she was thinking it over, making him sweat, or plotting to ruin his life. Finally, she answered.
“Very disappointed, Josh. I expect to see it at five in the morning.”
The line went dead. Josh held the phone, willing her back on. She must have accepted it, knowing he wouldn’t risk his sister’s life. He would stick with the plan and everything would work out, he told himself. He’d be on a plane at 6:30 the next morning, the design delivered and life would go back to normal. But he knew it would never be the same. His thoughts focused on what he would do that night.
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Helen flicked off her phone. She’d gotten Josh’s email on her Blackberry and was very disappointed. Twice now in one week clients had failed to produce on time. She looked over at Roddy Kleeg, ashen-faced and unconscious on the cheap hotel bed, the third finger of his left hand now a bloody stump to match the pinkie. Crawford was gently tracing a line across Roddy’s carotid artery, the throbbing in his neck an easy target. Helen shook her head and told him no, they still wanted the XL blueprint. Roddy was worth more alive than dead. He had pleaded with them, claiming he was close to getting it and was at the hotel just to keep a clear head, not to avoid them. Helen believed the first part, but she was angry anyway. She sighed thinking about Josh. She also believed him. But that wouldn’t buy her anything from her boss. A small shudder passed through her.
“Do the sister tonight. I don’t like people thinking they can pick the schedule.”
Crawford smiled. Roddy had been a warm-up. Now Helen was offering the main event. Already he was planning on using a garrote on the woman whose picture he had taken at that fancy grocery store a few days earlier.