Tick tock, p.8
Tick Tock, page 8
This time, it was Libby who stopped short and was silent for a moment. “Wow.” Another pause. “You know, I was in a coma year before last. Six weeks. When I regained consciousness, I had memory loss. Only partial. Just the few hours leading up to the incident.”
“That’s terrible. How are you feeling now?” Charles was looking for any silver lining he could grasp.
“I’m right as rain.”
Charles paused before saying, “Do you believe in coincidences?”
“Like synchronicity?” Libby asked.
“Precisely!” Charles chimed back. “A remarkable concurrence of events. Something that cannot be explained.”
“Inexplicable is the word I use,” Libby added. “Why do you ask?”
“Because, not an hour ago, I told Myra that Nikki would be ‘right as rain’.”
“Holy guacamole!” Libby exclaimed. “That is too bizarre.”
“Don’t use the word ‘bizarre’ around Myra. She has deep feelings about such things. Feelings. Premonitions. Telepathy. We even have a psychic dog working with us!” Charles was amused at the turn of the conversation. Again, he realized he was taking too long. “I better log off. Keep me posted. I’ll be in Philadelphia for an undetermined amount of time, but I can have one of my colleagues work with you if I’m out of reach or if you need to come to our headquarters, so to speak.”
“Sounds good. I shall be in touch. And stay positive.”
Charles chuckled. “That’s exactly what I was saying to Myra.”
Libby laughed. “Of course you were. Bye now.” She clicked off the line.
Charles stared at the phone for a few seconds. Did she just say, “of course you were?” It was a little spooky. But in a good way. He was relieved to hear Libby talk about her experience and that she was now back to normal. And considering the type of brainpower she had to use, well . . . miracles did happen.
Charles scurried back to the bedroom, where Myra was closing her suitcase. “Did you find what Harry was looking for?” she asked.
“Hmm?” For a moment, Charles forgot his white lie to Myra. It was something he was not accustomed to. “Yes. He needed me to send him an old document.” He quickly changed the subject, for fear the conversation would get out of control and he’d have to make up more lies. “Is Cooper packed?”
“Yes. I hope Lady and her kids are okay. They’re worried. They can sense trouble.”
“They’ll be fine. Everyone will be fine and dandy. Right as rain.” He smiled, thinking about his conversation with Libby. He felt it was some kind of omen. He wanted to share it with Myra, but that, too, would have to wait.
Charles grabbed their suitcases and loaded them in their new Range Rover. It was the same model Jack and Nikki drove. Was. Charles ran his overall “to-do list” in his head. Get Nikki sorted. Get the computer thing sorted. Get the maggot who did this . . . get him sorted for good.
Myra, Cooper, and Charles piled into the SUV. Charles punched the address of the hotel into the GPS. “Should be there in about two and a half hours.” Before they pulled out, he reached in the back, pulled out a picnic basket, and handed it to Myra. “I know you didn’t have much of an appetite, so I packed some things to nosh on.”
“Oh, Charles, I don’t know what I would do without you—except to eat all of these luscious-looking sandwiches by myself.” She dug into the basket. Brie and roast beef; tomato and mozzarella with basil; avocado salad; water bottles with fresh cucumber. “This is wonderful. And you made my favorite—caprese!” She was referring to the tomato and mozzarella on a ciabatta roll. “You are such a love.” She took a whiff of the sandwich. “I love the smell of basil. Divine.” She began to unwrap it.
Charles laughed. “We’ve barely left the driveway.”
Myra wiggled her shoulders and took a huge bite. She began making sounds of delight. “Mmm . . . mmm . . . mmm . . .”
“I don’t suppose I should expect you will save any of it for me,” Charles teased.
“Too bad, buster.” Myra elbowed him. “For some reason I’m feeling very positive right now. It’s as if a cloud was lifted.”
Charles reached over and patted her on the hand. “Good. That’s what we want.”
Myra slapped his hand away. “Don’t even think about stealing this from me.” She turned her back from him as much as she could, bent over, and continued to eat.
Charles laughed again. He had to agree. Something had shifted. He didn’t know what, but he knew they would soon find out.
Chapter Sixteen
Darius and Leroy
Leroy stepped out of the barber shop looking like a different person. His hair was clipped short, the unibrow under control, ear hair removed, and he’d had a really clean, close shave.
“Not bad, Leroy. You clean up real good,” Darius noted.
Leroy strutted down the street. “I’m feeling real good.” He thought he might spend some of his money on more clothes. It had been a very long time since he looked or felt spiffy. Yep. He’d set some money aside so he could look good in his Winnebago.
They walked over to a burger joint on the way back to the motel. An older stocky woman wearing a pastel pink uniform greeted them. “How y’all doin’? Come for a bite to eat?”
“Sure did.” Leroy was inhaling the smell of the fried food. Then he remembered the last time he overdosed on fried chicken.
She showed them to a booth. “Can I get y’all something to drink?”
“You got any Dr Pepper?” Leroy asked.
“Nope. Pepsi and ginger ale.” She pulled a pencil from behind her ear and perched it on her pad.
“I’ll take a Pepsi,” Darius said.
“Me, too. And a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich,” Leroy said.
“I’ll have the barbecue chicken,” Darius added. As the waitress walked away, Darius mumbled. “I don’t know why I ever order barbecue when I’m not in Texas.”
“We got some decent barbecue around these parts.” Leroy defended the area’s culinary arts.
“I doubt in these parts.” Darius pressed his thumb on the old Formica table, emphasizing where they were.
“You never know. Some places can surprise you.” Leroy was fidgeting with the salt-and-pepper shakers.
“Can you sit still for more than a nanosecond?”
“I’m just kinda excited. I never done nothing like this before. Last time I went on a trip, I almost got clobbered with a fire extinguisher. That was after I puked my guts out from eating a bucket of fried chicken.”
“A whole bucket? Serves you right.” Darius shook his head.
“It was a long ride, and I was hungry.” Leroy stopped fiddling with the condiments and turned his attention to the kitchen area. “I should have asked for American cheese.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s all they have here.”
A few minutes later, the waitress returned with their food. Much to Darius’s surprise, the barbecue wasn’t bad.
“See, I told ya.” Leroy had cheese grease on his finely shaven chin.
“Oh, geez. Do you know how to use a napkin?”
Leroy quickly wiped his face. “Like I said—I’m excited.”
“If you do eat in public while you’re on this trip, please mind your manners, okay?”
“Okay, boss!” Leroy polished off the gooey bread and cheese combination. He diligently wiped his face and his hands. He held them up. “See? All clean.”
He’s like a five-year-old, Darius thought to himself.
Chapter Seventeen
Philadelphia
Traffic started to get heavy as Charles, Myra, and Cooper got closer to Philadelphia. Myra looked at the slow-moving cars ahead. “I don’t remember this many people commuting. I cannot imagine sitting in a vehicle for hours each day.”
“Nor can I.” Charles got off the main highway that was going nowhere. His GPS recalibrated, and they moved slightly faster on the side streets. “It’s odd. But if I am going to be in traffic, I’d rather be moving slowly than just sitting in one place. It may take just as long, but I feel like I’m getting somewhere.”
Myra gave him a wry smile. “I agree, even if it sounds silly. I suppose being in motion gives you the sense of being in control.”
“I believe you are onto something. For example, we are doing something right now to help Nikki recover. Even though so much is out of our control, we can still have some influence on the outcome.”
“So true. Look how many missions we’ve completed. Going in, we had little idea where it would go, how long it would take, and if we would succeed. But each and every time, no matter what, we kept to our ‘whatever it takes’ motto.” Myra let out a huff of air. “Of course, having the resources we have certainly doesn’t hurt. We could never do what we do without them.”
“Correct, but there is still never a guarantee.”
Myra sighed.
Charles didn’t want her to go down the dark road again. “But in the case of Nikki, I believe we’ll get the results we want.” He reached over and patted her hand. “Anything left in that basket, or did you wolf down all of it?” He chuckled.
Myra lifted the basket from between her feet and peeked inside. “There’s the roast beef sandwich.”
“Can you hand me half? I just need a smidge.”
Myra wrapped a napkin around half the sandwich and handed it to him. She placed another napkin on his lap.
“You are the best chum.” Charles grinned.
“And you are the best pal.” Myra pinched his cheek.
“You are going to make me blush.”
“I’ll pinch the other side to make it even,” Myra joked.
“That’s not what I meant.” He chuckled. Charles peered closely through the windshield and turned at the next corner. “And here we are.” They pulled in front of the reimagined historical Lafayette Building with its whimsical and bold décor. It was a beautiful combination of globally inspired treasures in a majestic setting.
“Good afternoon,” the doorman said as he pushed the revolving door ahead of Myra and Cooper.
“Thank you.” Myra entered the building first, followed by Charles. “Such a lovely place,” she stated as they entered the chic lobby filled with antique replicas from around the world, highlighted by unusual wallpaper designs. They strolled over to the front desk.
“Reservations under the name of Ryland de Silva, please,” Charles spoke to the wispy gentleman at the counter. The desk clerk stood at attention immediately.
“Of course. I have two adjoining suites. Is that correct?” The guy was starting to break out in a sweat.
“You all right, mate?” Charles furrowed his brow.
“Oh, yes, sir.” He leaned in and whispered. “It’s just that Ms. de Silva is, well, let’s say a ‘legend’ here.”
Myra bit her lip and rolled her eyes. She could only imagine what kind of shenanigans her friend had been up to. “Was she wearing her tiara?” Myra asked with a straight face.
The hotel associate blinked several times. “Tiara? Not that I recall.”
Myra chuckled. “Just kidding. It’s a private joke between us. Right, Charles?”
“Right-o.” He addressed the clerk. “They have several private jokes. Most are not shared with me or Annie’s partner.” Charles signed the electronic guest registry.
The young man giggled. “I don’t suppose they would. So who do we have here?” He looked at Cooper, standing at attention.
“This is Cooper. Dog extraordinaire. I’m sure everyone says that about their dogs, but he is rather special.” Myra reached down to scratch Cooper’s ears. Then she leaned into the counter. “Don’t you dare tell my dogs at home what I just said.”
The young man was clearly trying not to be flustered by the interesting trio. “Okay. Now, the bellman will bring your bags to the room.” He tapped an old-fashioned bell sitting on the counter and handed two key cards to Charles. “If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask. My name is Kurt. Enjoy your stay.”
“Thank you, Kurt.” Charles turned and took Myra by the elbow.
Myra looked back at the desk clerk. “You’re going to have to share the details of how my best friend became a legend, Kurt.” She gave him a quick wink.
They took the elevator to the penthouse floor, where two adjoining suites awaited them. A beautiful arrangement of peonies was positioned on the cocktail table in the living room area. It had a note from Annie: See you soon, my friend. Keep your chin up. Much love, ADS.
Myra’s eyes welled up with tears. She had been fixated on the travel plans and the drive from the farm. Now, in their hotel, the exact reason why they were in Philadelphia hit her once more. Her shoulders began to tremble.
Charles pulled her close. “It’s okay.”
“I don’t want to be a slobbering ninny,” Myra protested.
“You can still be emotional without being weak. You’re human, my dear.” He pulled out his handkerchief and dabbed Myra’s face.
She took a gulp. Breathed in and out. “I’m okay. I just wasn’t expecting this.” She placed the note on the table.
“It’s Annie. Would you expect any less?”
“Not really.”
The bellman showed them where the thermostat was and pointed out the amenities, which were aplenty. Annie always knew how to travel well. Charles handed him a twenty-dollar bill. “Thanks, mate.”
“Thank you, sir. Enjoy your stay.” He backed out of the room.
“Come, let’s unpack and unwind. I’m a bit stiff from all that driving.” Charles took Myra’s hand, and they moved into the luxurious bedroom with a view of the park.
“Should we call the hospital?” Myra asked absently as she moved her clothes from the suitcase to the closet and the dresser. More often than not, she just lived out of her suitcase, but she knew it could be weeks before they could go home.
“Jack said he would phone when she was settled in. I’m going to take a shower and wash the road off of me.”
“Okay, dear. I’ll finish unpacking.” A few minutes later, Charles’s phone chimed. Myra looked at the caller ID and did not recognize the number. She hesitated to answer, so she brought it into the bathroom. “Charles? Your phone is ringing, and I don’t recognize the number. Shall I answer it?”
Charles froze for a minute. “Let it ring. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.”
Myra set the phone on the vanity. She gave it a dubious look. No one except the Sisters and the guys had that number, and it was blocked for any kind of spam. She shrugged and went back to hanging up her clothes. Several minutes later, Charles exited the spa-like bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Myra took a long look at her husband. Still handsome and fit. She counted her lucky stars she’d hired him years ago to be head of her company’s security. Even though his resume had been a bit vague.
The light on Charles’s phone indicated there was a message waiting for him. Myra pointed. “You have a message.”
“Oh, yes. I’ll get it in a bit.” He donned one of the hotel robes and slipped the phone in the pocket. He hoped Myra hadn’t noticed. It was difficult to hide anything from her. He was already anticipating the thrashing he would get when he finally had to tell her. That is, if there even was a problem. But his sixth sense told him there was.
While Charles was in the shower, Myra freshened up and donned a pair of wide-legged pants and a crisp white cropped shirt, along with sensible shoes. She ran a brush through her hair. She peered closely in the mirror. She’d need a touch-up soon. She realized she was fidgeting. “Charles, should we just head over to the hospital? I’m getting anxious waiting around to hear from Jack.”
“I would think this is a much nicer waiting area than the hospital, but if it will make you feel better, we can leave in a few minutes.” Charles returned to the bathroom and sent off a text to Libby:
Can’t talk now. Will call later.
He got an instantaneous response:
OK. FYI malware link on J. Emery system.
Charles froze. A breach on Jack’s system? That was almost impossible.
He texted back:
Got it. Will call ASAP. Crack on.
Now he was positive he had to share this news with Myra. Someone had been able to break through Jack’s security wall. Charles thought about what he’d said in an earlier conversation with Myra. Technology advancement was in a state of perpetual motion. It was constantly changing and often not in a good way. The idea that many government institutions were breached was unnerving. The hackers were stealthy, and you didn’t see it coming. You could only hope you had the best weapons to protect your data. It was difficult to fight an invisible army. If not impossible.
Charles decided it was best if he discussed this with Myra before they went to the hospital. Having it hanging over his head would be too much of a distraction. He would have to handle it tout de suite, which meant getting everyone involved. It was quite a dodgy situation. He walked into the living area, where Myra was pacing.
“Love, please sit for a moment.”
Myra gave Charles a worried look. “Is it Nikki? Is she all right?” Her voice was quivering.
“No. It’s not about Nikki.” Charles walked closer. “Please.” He motioned to the sofa and took her hand. “Last night, I mentioned I thought something was a little wonky with the system?”
“You said your laptop. You didn’t mention the system.” Myra winced.
“Yes, well, it turns out it is the system.” He paused.
“Does Abner know? What about Isabelle?” Myra’s voice was rising.
“Abner is away, but he recommended a woman he went to school with. Her name is Libby Gannon. She works for the DOD, and her job is cybersecurity.”
“With all the breaches they’ve had, how good could she possibly be?”
“That’s the point. They need someone to constantly test their systems. It’s her job to find the back door.”
“Huh. I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
“I suppose you could call it quality control, or some such. The point is, I had her check the system.”
