After several hours of sweeps, Leopold had found almost a dozen potential kill zones. The auditorium would force Melendez to stand out in the open, inviting attack. The hotel was large, sprawling, impossible to search every corner. Traffic routes were mapped out, but largely accessible by anyone, and nobody would notice a rifle or grenade launcher until it was too late.
Leopold checked out the crowd as he passed through the lobby. A mix of white, black, brown, Asian, Hispanic guests. Nobody stood out. Some dressed in suits, some in casual clothes. Some carried luggage, suitcases, some were empty-handed. Rental cars parked outside the doors, taxis coming and going. No way to single anyone out, nothing to catch his attention.
If someone were planning an attack he would already be here. Lost in the crowds perhaps, or hiding inside the hotel. Maybe even scoping out a vantage point somewhere outside. It would be impossible to cover all the bases, even with the Secret Service on standby. All Leopold could do was keep Melendez from taking any stupid risks, make sure he took all the necessary precautions.
The rest, Leopold knew, was up to fate.
Chapter 19
JACK MELENDEZ ARRIVED at the hotel in a black Lincoln Town Car. The driver waited by the curb, engine running, while Jack finished up a telephone call. Leopold spotted him from the lobby and headed out to greet him.
The driver unloaded Jack’s luggage and Jack tipped him. Leopold thought he saw a fifty change hands. Figured the guy was either feeling generous, or wanted to look like a big shot. Neither would be a surprise. The driver thanked him and drove off, leaving the two of them alone.
“Leopold,” Jack called, striding forward. “So good to see you again.” He held out a hand and Leopold shook it.
“Likewise.”
Jack looked around. “Nice place. Better than the joint they had me in over in Spokane.”
“Your room’s ready for you. Ms. Kato is on her way, shouldn’t be long. We’ve arranged a private dinner for you later.”
“I knew I’d made the right choice asking for your help.”
Leopold frowned. “About that. Listen, this isn’t exactly my area of expertise.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” Jack beamed his trademark smile, plenty of white teeth on show. “And I already know Jerome is more than capable. He’s got quite the record.”
“I only hire the best.”
Jack leveled his gaze. “Me too.”
Leopold headed back inside. Jack followed.
“Listen,” Leopold said, “be truthful with me here. What the hell am I doing out in Seattle? And just the two of us keeping you alive? You need a much bigger team.”
“Nonsense. I’m small potatoes. Maybe when the election campaign heats up a little, sure. But right now? I bet you nobody would recognize me on the street.”
“You’d be surprised,” Leopold said, aiming for the elevators.
Jack exhaled, letting some of the politician in him fade to the background. “In all seriousness, I’ve had plenty of experience with a large security team. I know it’s inevitable, but, for now, I like my privacy. And I like to think you, of all people, would understand that.”
“How’s that?”
“Your life is hardly simple,” Jack said, smiling again. “And you get by just fine. For once, I want the chance to have a personal life. Even if it’s just for a couple of days.”
“I guess this is where Dr. Kato comes in.”
They reached the elevators and Jack hit the call button. “She’s a great partner. The best. I owe her some alone time, and calling in the Secret Service is hardly going to help that happen. They’d be all over us like a bad rash.”
The elevator arrived and they stepped inside.
“Speaking of which,” Leopold said, “they’ll be camped out next door for the next few days. If we need any backup, I’m sure they can spare a few men.”
“I should hope it won’t be necessary,” said Jack.
“It’s their job,” said Leopold, hitting the button for the seventh floor. “And, apparently, it’s my job now too.”
“And I can’t thank you enough.”
Leopold grinned. “I’m sure you can try.”
“Anything you need.”
“Really?”
Jack grinned wryly. “Within reason.”
“You’ve got contacts at the DOJ.”
He laughed. “You’ve not got yourself into trouble again?”
“Sort of,” Leopold said. “It’s a long story. I’ll owe you.”
“You already owe me.”
“Not after this weekend.”
Jack paused. “I might know a few people. What do you need?”
“I have a contact at the NYPD. Detective Mary Jordan. She’s looking into something for me. I can’t give you any more than that, except to say she needs some help digging up some dirt on a corporate merger in Europe.” The elevator slowed. “Can you send a list of names?”
“Europe’s a little out of our jurisdiction,” Jack said, as the elevator doors slid open. “But I’m sure there’s a way in. Maybe we’ll find something. Maybe not.”
“So you’ll help.”
He nodded and stepped out into the hallway. “I’ll get you a list. But keep me out of it.”
Leopold followed behind. “With pleasure.”
Chapter 20
THE TOWN CAR pulled to the curb at the hotel lobby entrance. A large man walked to the door, opening it for June. She recognized him from the pictures Jack had sent over, one of the security team for the weekend. His name was Jerome. He stood maybe six-feet-seven-inches tall, pushing three hundred pounds, none of it fat. Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, black skin. Cropped hair, flecks of silver. Maybe early-to-mid forties. He opened the passenger door for her, and the driver got her bags from the trunk.
“Is Jack here yet?” she asked, after the greetings were taken care of.
“Already upstairs with Leopold,” Jerome said. “You’ll have dinner with him shortly. But we have a laundry list of things to do first.”
“Oh?”
The driver climbed back in the car, engine still running. He pulled away.
“This is the way it works, Doctor,” said Jerome, after the Town Car had gone. “You’ll wait in the lobby while I take your bags upstairs. Leopold will check those and I’ll come back down here. Then we go to the ladies’ restroom to search you and your purse. Then we’ll go directly to the restaurant where a table is waiting for an early dinner.”
“You don’t seriously think you’re coming in the restroom.”
“Yes, I do.”
June glared at him. There had usually been a female Secret Service or security agent on staff to frisk her in the past. “I have things in my suitcase I’d like to keep private.”
Jerome ignored her. “You’ll ascertain that the restroom is empty, and when it is, I’ll enter and check your person for contraband. It’s the only way anyone’s getting near Mr. Melendez while he’s under our protection.” He paused. “The alternative is that I frisk you and search your purse in the lobby.”
June gripped her purse a little tighter. “The restroom will be fine. But I’ll need to check in.”
“You’ve already been checked in.”
They went to the lobby restroom, and Jerome waited while she made sure the stalls were empty. Following her through, he locked the door and asked for her purse. That routine she was already familiar with. Every time she had gone to visit Jack at his home, she had to submit to being searched and frisked by strangers.
She handed the purse over and he quickly checked it for anything that could be used as a weapon. It was small, so mostly cosmetics and a wallet inside. He was curious about the empty jewelry box, but she pointed out her pendant.
The article searches were never too bad. It was the pat-downs that got to her. As a fashion model, she had been touched, air brushed, made up, hair dressed, spray tanned while nude, and positioned uncountable times, and it never bothered her much. But this was
different.
It’s worth it to spend time with Jack, she told herself. Just a formality. These guys are pros.
Undoubtedly, June would also have to put up with someone going through her suitcase. On previous visits with Jack, she had learned what was acceptable and what wasn’t. It had become easier to leave behind the unnecessary things she could live without, and only take the bare minimum. This weekend was a little different; there was the chance for more time together than usual. Hopefully, involving some extended periods of intimacy. And intimacy meant the chance to show off some new lingerie.
Jerome handed her purse back to her. He asked her to turn around so he could start the pat-down. “This should take only a moment, Ma’am.”
“Please don’t call me ‘ma’am’. I hate that.” June felt a shudder pass through her as his large hand slid over the contours of her body. She needed to distract her mind from what he was doing if she was going to keep any appetite at all.
He finished his search and looked away. “Doctor Kato, then?”
“June would be best.”
“Doctor Kato is best.”
June collected her purse and nervously poked through it. “Whatever.”
Jerome acted the diplomat. “Well, we have a saying, that it really doesn’t matter what we call you, as long as we don’t call ‘Look out!’”
It took a moment to sink in, but June gave the idea a smile. “So, you guys are security for Jack Melendez now?” she asked.
“Let’s just call it a one-off,” Jerome said. “I’m sure you understand the need for fresh blood after the fiasco from earlier this year.”
“Intimately,” June said back. She looked at her face in the mirror, wondering how much longer the bodyguard was going to remain in the restroom with her. She still had things to do, preferably without a three-hundred-pound giant watching over her shoulder. She sighed. “I was told we’d have some privacy this weekend.”
“You will,” said Jerome. “As much as we can provide. But there will be times when that just won’t be possible.”
“Yeah, as in from the time I met you until the time I go home again,” June said. A weekend that was supposed to include some romance was turning out to be just another expensive trip to see a guy that just didn’t have time for her.
“We’re able to work out those details, Doctor, if we have some advanced notice,” Jerome said. “That’s a problem Mister Melendez wants us to resolve.”
“I talked to someone in Jack’s office yesterday and was assured it would be taken care of already.”
“I’m sorry, but we didn’t get that notification.”
“Well, consider yourselves notified.” June’s face turned red. She was beyond modesty. “I have plans for after dinner, and it includes more than coffee and a handshake.” She looked at him wondering if there was more. Jerome didn’t reply. She put her hands on her hips. “Do you mind? I’d like to do a touch up.”
With a smile, Jerome excused himself. Once he was gone, June looked closely at her face in the mirror, and didn’t like what she saw. She washed her hands, splashed some cold water on her face. Patted it dry with a paper towel. Two other women came in and went into stalls, still chatting. Something about a boyfriend, but June didn’t care enough to eavesdrop.
Carefully, she applied eyeliner and lipstick, and fluffed her hair. She adjusted her bra one last time and laid the pearl pendant on the outside of her blouse. The two women finished in the stalls and approached the sink.
“I wonder if he likes perfume?” June said out loud.
“Can’t hurt, right?” one of the women said.
June looked over.
“Big weekend?” the other woman said, running the faucet.
June nodded. “That was the plan.” She took a tiny bottle of perfume from her purse and dabbed a speck of it on her chest, before dropping the bottle back. It was a gardenia aroma, her favorite any time of the year. The scent of it reminded her of the cheerful white blossoms she had in old Mexican crockery pots on her patio at home.
“We sure go to a lot of trouble to make a good impression, don’t we, honey?” the first woman said to June with a smile.
“Yeah, and how long are we expected to keep it up until they notice?” June said back.
“And how long until they actually do something about it? We’re with you on this one.” The two women finished up and left. June finished up with her final adjustments, a little happier with her appearance. She found Jerome waiting patiently in the lobby. He was alone.
“Are we sitting together for dinner?” June asked. “All four of us?”
“The two of you will dine alone. We’ll be at a nearby table. Your meal selections have already been decided, along with your wine. Please don’t request something different, not this time around anyway.”
June opened her mouth to speak but Jerome cut her off.
“Don’t worry. You’re having a meatless chef’s salad, along with a central coast wine,” he said.
They’ve done their research, June thought. “Thanks,” she said, “but maybe you should update my profile. I don’t drink wine anymore.”
“About that matter that you brought up earlier.”
“About after dinner?”
“Right. I talked to Leopold.”
“Let me guess,” June said. “A warm handshake and a deep longing look in the eyes?”
Jerome smiled. “No. After dinner, you’ll return to your room first, and then I’ll collect you a few minutes later and take you through to Mr. Melendez’s suite. Whatever happens behind closed doors is up to you. But it needs to stay there, and only there. Understood?”
“And you’ll leave us alone?”
“One of us has to be in the suite at all times, but at least in another room. That’s the best we can do.”
June leaned her back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. She had a view of the hotel’s restaurant door and hoped she would be eating soon.
“Really, Doctor, it’s the best we can do.” Jerome pressed an earpiece into his ear and listened for a moment. June hadn’t noticed one on him earlier. “Game time, Doctor. Shall we?”
She nodded. It was game time all right. But June had an entirely different game in mind.
***
A few minutes later, a man June recognized as Leopold Blake arrived. Just like in the photographs, he was dressed in a suit, slightly scruffy, top button of his shirt undone. His hair was a little over-long and unkempt, but the look suited him. Not short, not tall, he didn’t look particularly young or old, but was clearly younger than Jerome. His eyes settled on June, looking her up and down.
“I hope you’re hungry, Doctor,” he said. “Your table is ready.” He led June to a private room inside the restaurant, to the table in the back corner. Light music played from hidden speakers and the décor was dark and warm. The setting was perfect. A small table only big enough for two, a candle in a lamp, complete place settings, and a crisp white tablecloth. An open bottle of wine already breathing on the table. She took a seat and Leopold stepped away to leave her alone.
There were only three other tables in the room, arranged almost like a wall between the table for two and the only entrance. Examining the arrangement, June could see how it was their attempt at a barrier to intrusion.
Just as June became fully engaged in a fantasy about the bottle of wine, there was a bit of a commotion outside the room. A moment later, the door opened.
Jack Melendez, with his tall swimmer’s build and dark suit, walked in. He went to June’s table, a little hurried. She stood as soon as she saw him. Leopold and Jerome lingered by the door. When he got to her, he reached his arms out as if to hug and not shake, something new for them. In his light embrace, she caught a glimpse of Leopold in the background, a hint of a smile on his face. Evidently, June wasn’t breaking any rules. She gave Jack a tighter squeeze and a quick peck on the cheek.
“I’ve missed you,” she said, sitting again.
&n
bsp; Jack smiled. “Me too. Sorry I’ve been so busy lately. I was sure I’d be able to get some time this spring. I think you’d like the ranch out in Desert Springs. Peaceful and quiet.” He poured two glasses of wine.
“I really should do a six-month neuro exam,” June said. “Has the Navy done a CT scan lately?”
“Um, no. Like I said, busy.”
They clinked wine glasses and each took a sip, June barely wetting her lips.
“That really does need to be done,” she said. “I have to be sure everything is healing properly, and no abnormalities are developing. The third ventricle is important, and too much fluid could collect, causing some pretty severe problems. A leak isn’t much better. If there is something, it is much easier to deal with now than waiting.”
“Are we here for my annual physical, or for dinner?” he said with a grin.
“Both, if I can manage it.” She set aside the health lecture and smiled back. It wasn’t difficult at all to find her dimple. “Where did you just come from?”
“Conferences in Spokane, Portland, and San Francisco. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m giving the same keynote speech here tomorrow as I did today in Spokane.”
“I suppose it would be easy enough to do. Just adjust the language for the place.”
They chatted about her upcoming talk. She showed him the notes from her purse, and talked about the PowerPoint slides she had prepared. He gave her a few pointers on how to conduct a formal talk. If anybody was prepared to do that, a politician would be. Something came to her mind, something Jerome had said earlier in the lobby.
“So, Jack. Do you ever get the chance for a home cooked meal?” June said. “Or is it one hotel restaurant after another?”
“And you’re wondering because…”
“This is all quite difficult, you know? I have to be searched and herded around in cars with tinted windows before we meet. We never get to be alone.”
He nodded his head. “I know this is difficult. Thank you for putting up with me.”
Ratio: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers) Page 9