“Where’s Stan?” she asked.
“He ran off right after he called you. There’s been nothing to report since one in the morning. Tim moved from the coach house to the main house, where our man in the car out front was on watch.”
“Who did we have in the car?” Josie said.
“That would be Nigel,” Tommy said.
“Nigel? What, is he with MI5?” Josie moved over to the window and picked up the binoculars from the table placed next to the chair. “Is he English?”
“No,” Tommy said. “Well, English-American, I guess. He has passports for both. He talks like an American, though.”
“Where’d Stan find him?” She turned briefly to Tommy, who was yawning and putting on his jacket. He stuffed his iPhone and headphones in his pocket.
“I think Nigel was a sheriff’s detective. He got demoted from detective to patrol, so he quit.”
“We’re like a team of misfit cops,” Josie said. She liked the idea.
“True. Anyway, Nigel relieves you at 1800. Stan’s set up some ten-hour rotations as he recruits a few more guys.” Josie looked up. “Or girls. Women.” Tommy winced.
“So no movement in the coach house or the garage since you’ve been here?”
“He took the garbage into the alley at one, after he locked up the coach house. It’s in the log.”
“Why don’t you walk by his garbage can on your way out and take the top bag out. Maybe we’ll find something useful.”
Tommy looked doubtful. “Don’t you think it’s possible he might see me and we’ll blow the whole thing?”
Josie was already calling Stan. He was parked on Cleveland in a panel van for a basement sealing company. “Anything going on?” he answered.
“Nothing. I had an idea.”
“God save us all,” Stan said.
“Shut up, Stan,” Josie said firmly. “You sound like my dad.”
Stan paused and then said, “You’re right. Sorry. What’s the idea?”
“Tommy says Tim took his garbage out at 0100 and the lights in the back of the house went out shortly after. When did the lights go out in front?”
“Let me look.” Josie could hear Stan rummaging around for something. “Nigel’s log says at about three in the morning. The guy’s a night owl.”
“Right,” Josie said excitedly. “I thought it’d be a good idea for Tommy to grab the top bag in Tim’s garbage can. It’s early yet for someone up that late, and I don’t see any lights in the kitchen. He’s asleep for sure.”
“Do it. I’ll drive to the end of the alley and take it from him.”
“Cool,” Josie said and disconnected. She turned to Tommy. “Get going, Dumpster Dan. Grab the top bag and deliver it to Stan. He’s coming around to the end of the alley to pick it up from you.”
Tommy didn’t look happy, but he did as told and soon had the white garbage bag in hand, walking casually toward the panel truck that appeared at the T of the alley. He tossed it in the back of the truck and then walked the other way. You’d think they were on a CIA mission.
Josie set herself up to watch the coach house. She had a clear view of the gangway and the stairs leading up to the second floor. She could also see most of the back of the house and all of the yard. With her binoculars she could see more detail in the kitchen and family room, but unfortunately they did not penetrate the dark covering on the coach house windows. Still, they had good coverage of Tim’s property. The problem was Tim didn’t seem to go out much.
Having nothing active to do was dangerous in her increasingly ramped-up state. She couldn’t think of anything to take the edge off. Alcohol, certainly, but that had miraculously lost its appeal. Her body craved to move, to siphon off the great amount of energy she had. There was no correlation between how little sleep she got and how buzzed she felt. She’d made sure she took all her medication that morning, but missing those few days seemed to have fucked her up.
She shot up from the chair and started pacing and daydreaming, mostly about the incredible sex of the night before. And Lauren. She hadn’t been able to focus on the experience with Lucy, who had the unenviable task of satisfying someone who wasn’t fully present. Her gentleness fed Josie’s impatience. Lauren, though, wasn’t particularly nice in bed. She was aggressive and demanded satisfaction in a way that had Josie jumping to pleasure her. She’d been so excited Lauren barely touched her before she’d exploded. She didn’t think her therapist would choose Lauren as the person to teach Josie what love was. But what did Greta know? If the sex was that good, it had to be love.
All of this was flying through her head as she returned to her post. She’d been gone for less than a minute. She saw Tim’s garage door closing and the Jeep nearly to the end of the alley. “Fuck!” Josie yelled and dived for her phone. Stan picked up at first ring.
“Subject’s on the move,” Josie said. “He turned right toward Hudson.”
“Turned? You mean he’s already on his way?”
“Yeah. He’s in the Jeep, probably headed toward the Drive.”
“Goddammit, Josie.” She could hear him take a big breath. “We’ll be lucky to pick him up.” Josie could hear him put the old van in gear as he pursued. “Nigel and Tommy might still be in the area. I’ll let them know my position.” He disconnected.
Josie let the phone dangle from her hand, her head dropped. This was not like a reprimand from her father, which she’d learned to ignore because it was usually bullshit. This was like being dressed down by your favorite uncle, the one who was always nice and made you feel special and taught you to do unusual things, like shoot a bow and arrow or fly a radio-controlled airplane. She didn’t have an uncle like that, but Stan was as close to one as you could get. They’d lost touch over the years as Josie grew up and her relationship with her father became more strained. When she was young, she always wanted to impress him, to feel favored by him. And now she looked like a complete fuckup in his eyes. Tommy must look like Sam Spade in comparison. Well, hell. She’d only been away from the window for a minute. What if she’d gone to the bathroom and missed something? Should she feel guilty then? You can’t expect eyes on the subject at all times.
She picked up when Stan called ten minutes later.
“I have him,” Stan said. “It looks like he’s headed into the Loop, so I don’t think we need to call in the troops. Not yet, anyway.”
“Is he headed toward Lauren’s building?”
“Hold on,” he said. A couple of minutes went by. “Looks like he’s going into a garage a block away from her building. I’m going to find a place to perch and keep watch. Maybe I can follow him on foot. Goddamned parking in the Loop. If I were still a cop I could pull up in front of the mayor’s office and no one would say a word. I’ll report back.”
Josie caught him before he could hang up. “Stan, I’m sorry I messed up. He left just as I turned my head for something. That’s all I can figure.” She wasn’t ready to be honest enough to say she was pacing and thinking of sex. It scared her too much. “I’m really sorry,” she said contritely.
Stan sighed. “Don’t worry about it, kid. This is why most surveillance teams have two sets of eyes from every position. We’re not robots. Keep watch for him coming back in case I lose him. If I do lose him, I’m going to go into the garage and put a tracker on his Jeep.”
He rang off and Josie sank into a chair with relief. She reached for a Klonopin, hoping that calming her hyper state would keep her more vigilant. She wanted to be perfect.
Stan called twenty minutes later. “He went in to the garage, but he hasn’t come out.”
“Does the garage have a couple of exits?”
“No, only the one onto Madison,” he said. “And Tim Wade has not walked out of it. I’m kind of hovering across the street in a tow zone. Unless he’s dressed in costume, I haven’t seen the man walk out of there.”
“A costume is not out of the question with him,” Josie said.
“I’ll stay here awhile
longer, but keep your eyes peeled for him coming back.”
“Copy that,” Josie said, feeling strangely like she was in a cop movie and not, in fact, dealing with a real lunatic. She dialed Lauren at her office and was eventually put through by Eva.
“I thought you were on guard duty, or whatever you call it,” Lauren said with a teasing tone. “Are you allowed to talk?”
“Only if it’s about sex,” Josie said.
Lauren laughed. “Then we’re in good shape. That’s all that’s on my mind.”
Josie paused. She was ready to have phone sex. The sound of Lauren’s low voice got her going. But she shook it off and got serious. “Tim’s on the move. I want you to get some of your security guards posted close to your office and on the lookout for him.”
“Where’s Tim now?”
“He’s somewhere near your office. He went into a parking garage on Madison and we haven’t seen him exit. Stay alert, okay?” Josie said. “I think he’s crazy and I think he’s after you.”
“It won’t be the first time. He’s been coming after me since I was a kid,” Lauren said.
“You know what I mean. This is serious. I think he’s certifiable.”
Lauren put her on hold for a minute. “There, I’ve put two gigantic security men in my outer office. Eva will love it. Now can we talk about last night?”
“Is your door closed?” Josie asked.
“Closed and locked.”
Josie made herself comfortable in front of the window and kept her eyes on Tim’s garage, the coach house, the alley. “By all means,” she said. “Let’s talk about last night.”
Chapter Thirty-one
Tim didn’t show up at the office. Lauren was mildly distracted wondering what he was up to, and thoroughly distracted thinking of her night with Josie. She decided to take the unusually spontaneous step of surprising Josie during her shift at the observation post. It was late in the afternoon and Josie would be getting off work soon. She found the address Stan had given her when he rented the apartment and she set off on foot down the alley to the entrance. She drew up the hood of her jacket as she neared Tim’s coach house and trotted up the stairs to the garage flat across the alley. The look on Josie’s face when she opened the door to her knock was almost amusing. She flashed surprise, happiness, and suspicion, one after another, like a fast-moving slide show.
“I don’t know what you’re planning,” Josie said, waving Lauren in, “but we’re not doing it here.”
Josie went back to the window overlooking Tim’s and peered out. She seemed satisfied with what she saw and glanced over her shoulder at Lauren. “What are you doing here? This isn’t a good idea.” Josie seemed stern. Her hair was held back by a red bandana to keep it out of her eyes. She looked like she worked in a food co-op.
“Since you called me every half hour, you know Tim didn’t come to my office,” Lauren said. “Any idea what he was doing?” Her tone was businesslike, but a smile twitched at the side of her mouth.
“None,” Josie said. “Stan couldn’t find Tim to follow him, not until he pulled out of a parking garage a couple of hours after he entered it.” Josie looked at Lauren. “So what are you doing here?”
Lauren looked around the darkened room. “What do you think?” she said. “All I can think about is last night.” She moved closer to Josie, backing her toward the window.
Josie reached out and took her hand. “You look beautiful. Lighter somehow.”
“I’ll attribute that to the amazing sex. It took my mind off everything. Maybe it erased a wrinkle or two.” Lauren grinned. They sat on the folding chairs in front of the window.
“Don’t get anything in mind,” Josie said. “I’m working here and it’s important.”
“Of course,” Lauren said, smiling.
An orange crate sat between them. It was littered with binoculars, empty coffee cups, and fast food wrappers. “I refuse to pick up after these boys,” Josie said. “Though I may cave in any time. It’s a health hazard here.”
Lauren turned to face Josie. She had ideas on how to fill the time before the end of the shift, despite Josie’s warning.
“I can’t look at you.” Josie said. She picked up the binoculars and stared at the coach house.
“Hmm. More opportunity to study you.” Lauren took Josie’s left hand and cradled it.
Josie held on to the binoculars with her right hand and threaded the fingers of her left through Lauren’s. “You should probably know something if we’re going to see more of each other.”
Lauren looked at her sharply. “Is there someone else? Of course there probably is. How foolish of me.” She sat up and pulled her hand from Josie’s. She stared straight ahead, trying to calm her whirling brain. She and Josie had been together one day. One night of sex, which could easily mean nothing, but she’d hoped Josie felt there was something. It had been so long since she’d felt so fine.
Josie reached for her arm. “Hold on. You’re going down the wrong road here. I was seeing someone recently, but that’s ended.”
Lauren relaxed a little. “What could you need to tell me, then?”
Josie turned back to the window. “I have an illness,” she said. She was nearly whispering. “My doctor says it’s something I’ll have to deal with the rest of my life. I think it’s a good idea to tell you in case it changes your mind about seeing me.”
“I can’t imagine you have anything that would keep me from wanting to see you, with the possible exception of leprosy.” She gently turned Josie’s head to look at her and tried out a grin.
“It may be worse than leprosy. I’m bipolar. I went off the rails with it last year and had to be hospitalized.” She took a deep breath. “Now you know the worst thing about me.”
“If that’s the worst thing about you, you’re a saint compared to most of the people I know,” Lauren said.
“I’m no saint, that’s for sure. I’m afraid I racked up quite a reputation while I was at my most manic. You should know if we’re going to be seen together. People have long memories.”
Lauren reached into her large tote bag and pulled out a bottle of wine and two plastic glasses. She took a corkscrew to the bottle and had it opened in a moment. “Let’s drink to the fact you’re not seeing someone else. Your illness doesn’t worry me.”
“I’m not drinking,” Josie said, as Lauren tried to hand her a glass. “One beer a day, that’s the limit. I’m also supposed to sleep the same hours every night, eat meals at the same time every day, exercise like I’m training for a marathon, and generally do everything I’ve never done.”
Lauren brought the glass to her lips. “Are you saying this to scare me off?”
Josie smiled. “No. For that I save the big guns. Like the fact I make my condition worse each time I have a manic episode. Or how the depressions that follow the mania are even worse. I can’t function at all. Then there’s how I act when I’m manic—sleeping around, buying shit I don’t need, talking your ear off. The list goes on.” Josie met Lauren’s eyes. “How am I doing scaring you off?”
“You’re failing miserably.” She put her glass down and kissed Josie slowly, not with the passion of the night before, but reassuringly, lovingly. She kissed her again and heard Josie’s breath catch. The sweet kiss quickly became heated until Josie moaned and broke away, her eyes returning to the view on Tim’s coach house.
“I can’t do this. I’m on the job, remember? Tim, your parents?”
Lauren sat up straight. “Of course,” she said, straightening her jacket. “You make my thinking fuzzy.” She saw Josie grin as she put the binoculars to her eyes.
“It’s okay if you stay,” Josie said. “But I have to stay alert.”
Lauren hesitated only a moment before sliding gracefully to the floor and between Josie’s legs. Josie lowered the binoculars.
“Keep your eyes forward,” Lauren said. “I wouldn’t want you to miss anything.” Her hand reached for Josie’s belt.
“You c
an’t.” Josie grabbed Lauren’s hand, which was busy unzipping her fly. Lauren looked up at her and saw only desire. Her resistance was purely for show. She moved Josie’s hand away and yanked at the top of her jeans.
“Lift up your butt.” Josie complied, her eyes on Lauren. “And keep your eyes on the target.” Lauren drew the pants down until they pooled around Josie’s ankles. She pulled off a tennis shoe and freed one leg from constraint, spreading her thighs.
Josie moaned again as Lauren’s tongue traced one thigh and then the other, skipping right over where she wanted it most. She peeked and saw Josie with her head back, her eyes closed. She smiled and brought her mouth to Josie, who cried out and bucked against the flimsy chair.
“Oh, God,” Josie gasped. Lauren dispensed with any lingering exploration and quickly brought Josie to the brink. She could see her straining against the back of the chair, her eyes squeezed shut.
“Josie, look out the window.”
Josie said something incomprehensibly guttural and opened her eyes. Looking dazed, she tried to lean forward and peer out the window and have an orgasm all at the same time.
“Fuck!” Josie shot to her feet and reached for her pants.
“What is it?” Lauren said. She was sprawled on the floor.
“Tim’s on the move.”
Chapter Thirty-two
Josie scrambled to pull up her pants and grab her jacket and bag. She’d installed an app on her iPad to track Tim’s car after Stan got a tracker placed. She threw it into her bag, all traces of arousal gone. This was what she’d been waiting for; the action, the chance to prove herself. She felt focused and on fire.
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