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  Instead of wasting time trying to figure it out, Will called James’s cell phone.

  “Where the hell are you?” James growled. “You’re supposed to be down here helping me.”

  “Dude, you know I suck at this job. I need to find another one. I need your computer password so I can go online and look for a new shiny career.”

  James hesitated. “What are you going to look for?”

  “I dunno… maybe security.”

  James hesitated again. “What kind?”

  “Seeing how I don’t have any job at all, beggars can’t be choosers. Whatever I can get.” Will decided to take it a step farther. “You said you’d done some work while you built up your fishing business. You said you used your skills from the Marines. Maybe I could do something like that.”

  “You sure as shit don’t want to get mixed up in that.”

  Dread tickled the hair on Will’s arms. “What did you used to do?”

  James paused so long that Will wondered if he’d hung up. “Shit I regret. We’ll leave it at that.”

  If James regretted it, then it had to be bad. Still it was one thousand bucks and Will needed the money. He didn’t even have a car. Besides, it wasn’t like it was going to stain his impeccably clean character, Maybe a few years ago he would have worried about that, but he didn’t how you could get much lower in the gutter than child killer. “I still need your password.”

  James sighed. “Fine.” Then he rattled off a string of letters and numbers that he had to repeat twice for Will to get.

  “What the hell does that stand for?”

  “What does it matter? I’m going to have to change it when I get back anyway.”

  That was fine with Will. He only needed it to access James’s e-mail right now. The problem, he quickly realized, was that he didn’t know what e-mail address James would have such information sent to. And he was sure James was smart enough to clean it off his internet history.

  Just when he was about to give up, the phone rang again. “Your e-mail isn’t going through.”

  Will heard the irritation in his voice and he didn’t sound like a man you wanted irritated. Nevertheless, Will couldn’t believe his luck. Perhaps fate or the stars or some kind of cosmic collision was intervening to make this happen. “Yeah, that one got compromised. I had to open a new one.”

  “And it is…?”

  Will gave him his personal e-mail, thankful it didn’t give away his identity. Then the line went dead.

  He logged onto his account, ignoring the three e-mails from his sister. She was better off not knowing the drunken details of his life and he was too apathetic to lie to her. He realized he’d promised to call her, but he’d never said when. Still, his conscience nagged at him, telling him he wasn’t being fair to her and worrying her unnecessarily. But the old Will would care about that. The sooner Megan realized that he wasn’t the person she used to know, the better off she’d be. He’d call her, but he’d wait until he could tell her he had a job. Even if he couldn’t share the details.

  While he studied his unread messages, a new e-mail popped up, one from an address consisting of random letters and numbers. Taking a deep breath, he clicked the file. Several photos of a man opened. One in a business suit. Another of him walking on a sidewalk next to a woman. A photo of the man sitting in a car. He looked middle-aged, upper-middle-income from his attire and his car. Underneath the photos was a message:

  Bring the package to the warehouse at 5600 East Cumberton Drive.

  What the hell was the package? Was this man supposed to hand it over to him? If so, he’d be looking for James, which meant that James had to come with Will. Shit. James would never agree.

  Maybe he would if Will handled it right.

  Will searched for the Pine Knot Motel and discovered it was in St. Cloud. Will could convince James to go into St. Cloud, and then suggest they stop at the bar next to the motel. It was a longshot, but worth the risk. If for no other reason that James was a dead man if Will didn’t follow through. Shit. Will should have thought of that before accepting this job. But it was too late to back out now. Besides, James had dealt with these people before. It wasn’t like he was innocent.

  Packing up a basket of cookies James bought from the local bakery for his clients, Will took it to the icehouse as a peace offering. James narrowed his eyes in suspicion while the client glared. But Will played nice, being extra attentive to the nasty client and his slightly more amicable friend. Will bided his time, knowing the clients were booked until six. That left plenty of time for Will and James to get to St. Cloud.

  When James was wrapping things up, Will offered to finish straightening up and even make dinner while James drove the client back to the motel down the road. But when James got back, Will sat in the living room watching television, stretched out on the sofa.

  “Where the hell’s dinner?” James grunted, looking into the kitchen.

  “I decided we need to celebrate. We should go into St. Cloud to eat out.”

  “What the hell are we celebrating?”

  “My decision to get a job.”

  James narrowed his eyes. “I don’t want to drive nearly an hour to go eat. We can eat here.”

  “When did you become such a grumpy old man, James? Next thing you know, we’ll be heading into town for the early bird special.” Will jumped up and pushed James down the hall. “Come on. It’s only a forty-five minute drive. And when we’re done, we can go hang out in a bar and pick up women.”

  “You don’t believe in picking up women at bars.”

  “That was the old me. I’ve decided turn kiss that good-boy shit goodbye. I already have. Now get ready. I need to get laid. It’s been months.”

  James titled his head, searching Will’s face. After several seconds, he scowled. “Fine, but you’re buying drinks tonight.”

  “Deal, now go get ready.”

  After James took a quick shower, they were in the car heading to St. Cloud, driving mostly in silence. Will knew he had to find out what he was supposed to do but worried that James wouldn’t tell him, or worse, kick him out of the car onto the snowy roadside.

  For a brief moment, Will almost regretted his rash decision to take this job. Almost.

  “So you said the things you used to do helped you keep eyes on me in Iraq. How did that work?”

  “Why can’t you leave this shit alone?”

  “Because you know I’m naturally curious. And you know I’ll just wear you down until you spill it.”

  “Fuck you.”

  Will laughed. “You wish. What’s the big secret? I bet you were a nanny.”

  “Good God. Can you picture me with kids? Hell no.”

  “Then what?”

  “When things were tight, I worked for an organization. They had me do things for them. Things that usually paid well. But what I did often kept me awake at night. Still, the money was good so it was hard to walk away from. Most of the time it seemed harmless enough, but other times…”

  “You said you used your skills. What did you do?”

  “What does it matter?”

  “It matters to me.”

  James sighed loudly and shifted in his seat. “Usually, I took items from people and handed them to someone else. The items varied from job to job. Sometimes they parted with them willingly. Sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes they were objects. Sometimes they were people.”

  Will sat up. “People?”

  “This group has their hands in a lot of pies. Sometimes people upset them.”

  “Sounds like the mob.”

  “Not exactly, but close.”

  “Out here in nowhere?”

  “You’d be surprised. Plus sometimes I traveled. Minneapolis. Chicago once.”

  Holy shit. “How did you get involved with them?”

  “They contacted me. I have no idea how they found me.”

  “So how’d you get out?”

  “It wasn’t easy, but I finally managed it.”
r />   Will had singlehandedly put James back into the mess he’d dug himself out of. Shit. “It sounds kind of like a mercenary job.”

  “To some extent, it was.”

  His nerves on edge, Will swallowed. “Did you ever kill anyone?”

  James turned to look at him before returning his gaze to the road. “I can’t believe you asked me that.”

  With anyone else, that would have meant no. With James, Will wasn’t so sure. “So did you?”

  James smirked. “No, but a few guys didn’t want to go, so they took some convincing to cooperate.”

  “Why did the organization want them?”

  “It wasn’t my place to ask. Why all the questions?”

  “I’m looking for a job. Maybe it’s something I’m qualified for.”

  “You’re more than qualified.” James shook his head. “But trust me. You don’t want to get mixed up with these people.”

  “So you were kind of like a bounty hunter.”

  “Yeah, I guess. But not always. Sometimes it was packages. Or taking things.”

  “How often did you work for them?”

  James narrowed his gaze. “What’s going on, Will?”

  “You say these people are bad, but you also said they paid well. It just so happens that I’m currently looking for a well-paying position. If you think I shouldn’t apply, then now’s your chance to persuade me otherwise.”

  “You don’t even know how to contact them.” But James didn’t look convinced by his own statement.

  If James hadn’t worked for these people in awhile and they were calling him now, Will suspected that eliminated a simple package run. Will needed to take the man in the photos to the warehouse. But he’d need James’s car to do it. And it would have helped if he had a weapon. James was going to have to become involved at some point, but the longer Will waited to tell him, the better. He only hoped James would still be speaking to him after it was all done. But then again, the way Will was fucking up lives left and right, maybe it would be better for James if he didn’t.

  Chapter Six

  They stopped at a steak house for dinner, one that Will had found close to the rendezvous point. James watched Will all through the meal, sneaking glances when he thought Will wasn’t looking. Will was sure his fake good mood had to be a sign that something was off, but he hoped to be on James’s good side when the shit hit the fan.

  When they left, James drove about a half mile before he passed the motel and bar.

  Will pointed out the window. “That place looks good.”

  James craned his neck back to check it out. “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “No, go back.”

  James turned the car around and parked in the lot. The motel sign flashed on and off, the N burnt out on the Pine, making the sign read Pie Knots. James eyed Will as they got out of the car and walked inside. The place was nearly deserted on a weeknight, and the ones inside the bar looked down on their luck.

  “You must not want to get laid tonight if you want to go here. First of all, the pickings are going to be slim, and second, I’m not sure you want to screw anything you find in this place.”

  “Humor me.”

  James mumbled obscene ideas of what he’d like to do to Will as he sat at the counter and ordered two beers. When the bartender set the beers in front of them, James pointed his thumb at Will. “He’s paying.”

  The bartender’s eyes drooped, and he looked like he was about to pass out any second. He gave a half shrug and walked away.

  Will placed a twenty on the counter and checked his watch. 8:50. They were early, but not too early. That was good. Sipping his beer, he scanned the room and found the woman from the photos sitting at table by herself in the corner, a half-finished drink in front of her. There weren’t any other drinks, which meant his guy hadn’t shown up yet.

  He had to take this guy to the warehouse, but what had the guy done? And what would happen to him at the warehouse? Maybe he’d cheated on his wife with the woman in the corner, and he’d been busted. Maybe he owed these people money.

  Will turned to James. “And you never knew why you had to take those people?”

  James pursed his mouth. “It wasn’t my place to ask, but I admit, it ate at me sometimes. What had they done? In the end, I couldn’t deal with the guilt, so I quit.”

  The door opened and a cold wind blew in. The man from the photos stood in the doorway, his eyes darting around the room. What was he nervous about? Will’s gaze followed him from the corner of his eye as he walked across the room and took a seat across from the woman.

  “Fuck,” James growled, glancing over his shoulder. “He’s your job.”

  Will’s breath froze.

  “At least show me enough respect to tell me the truth in this.”

  “James….”

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” James leaned his elbows on the bar and rested his palm into his hands. “You don’t know what you’re supposed to do, do you? Hence all the questions.”

  “James.”

  “Son of a bitch.” James chugged his beer and signaled the bartender for another. “What do you know?”

  “They sent me pictures of that guy, one of them with that woman, and the message to deliver the package to a warehouse on Cumberton.”

  The bartender brought James’s beer and James waited until he walked away. “Did they say package or packages? Was it plural?”

  “No.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You need to deliver the guy to the warehouse. You’ll have to get him outside and into a car. You should use his.” James took another long drink. “Damn it. I can’t believe I’m helping you with this.”

  “And after I get him to the warehouse?”

  “You take him inside and they’ll deposit your money into your account.”

  Will looked down at his barely touched beer. “That there’s the problem.”

  “They don’t have your bank account number?”

  “No, I suspect they have yours.”

  James lowered his head and grunted. “What the fuck are you talking about Will?”

  “They called you, James, and I took the job. But they thought it was you.”

  Closing his eyes, James leaned his head back and exhaled in a whoosh of air. “Gee, thanks.”

  “I’m sorry.” Will felt some guilt over it, but James had gotten mixed up with them long before Will ever came into the picture.

  “Too late for that shit now. They’re going to be pissed when you show up and not me. I’m going to have to go with you and explain.”

  Will did feel badly about that. Especially if they didn’t like the outside help. “James…”

  “Save it. We need a plan to get him out. Usually I hire a girl to string them along and get them in the back and then when their pants are down, I zip-tie them and take them away. It’s hard to fight back with your pants at your ankles.”

  That was brilliant. “Yeah, I can see that.”

  “The key is not to draw attention. But he’s with that woman and even if he could be persuaded to leave her, there’s no other woman here that could get him to drop his drawers. We need to hope he has to go to the bathroom, then get him out the back door.”

  “That might not ever happen.”

  “He’s already on his second drink. It’ll happen before you know it. When we get him out back, we’ll get his keys, I get his car and we’ll stick him in the trunk. You drive his car and I’ll follow you.”

  “You’ve got this down.”

  James scowled. “I’ve rode in this rodeo a time or two.”

  As James predicted, the man stood and headed for the back.

  “Don’t let him take a piss. It’ll make him more antsy and easier to manage if he’s anxious about peeing.” James said. “Go get him out back, and I’ll meet you in a minute.”

  Will nodded and moved down the hall, grateful it was dark. The man started to open the door and Will blocked t
he entrance. “Sir, I need you step out back.”

  The guy’s eyes widened. “What’s this about?”

  “Your car has been involved in a fender-bender in the parking lot. I’m a detective with the St. Cloud police, and we need you to identify your car.” Will was surprised how easily the lie came to him, but he’d heard that victims were more willing to cooperate if their captor wore a uniform or impersonated a person in authority. Will’s breath caught. Victim. No, this man was probably some sleazeball that cheated on his wife and she’d hired some people to scare some shit into him.

  “But my car is parked out front.” He looked worried, the lines on his forehead crinkling. He glanced down the hall toward his girlfriend.

  Will nudged him toward the back door and the man took a step backward. “Sir, if you could just cooperate, this will go a lot faster.”

  “But I need to pee.” He looked scared now, and tried to duck under Will’s arm.

  Will stepped in front of him, ignoring the protest his conscience waged. “This will only take a moment.” Will shoved his hands into his gloves.

  The man grumbled, but Will could tell it was for show. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he glanced down at Will’s hands.

  “It’s cold outside.”

  Fear filled the man’s eyes. “I should grab my coat.”

  “Again, this will just take a second. If you could hand me your keys, we can check it out sooner and get you back inside.”

  He handed Will his keys, but his hands shook. If the guy suspected Will was up to something, why wasn’t he protesting? Further proof he’d done something he felt guilty about. Further proof that Will wasn’t turning over an innocent man.

  When he opened the back door, the cold hit Will in the face and stole his breath. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to it.

  “There’s nothing back here but a dumpster.”

  “We’re waiting on the other officer.” As if on cue, James walked around the corner.

  Will waved. “Officer Fife, could you be so kind to bring this good man’s car around so we can show him the damage from the accident?” Will tossed the keys to James.

  James stared at Will for a second before answering. “Why sure, Officer Taylor. I’ll be right back.” He disappeared around the side.