Present Tense (A Parker & Coe, Love and Bullets Thriller Book 2) by Alana Matthews Page B
Authors: Alana Matthews
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Rider had a tracker on him to facilitate the move."
"That's about the size of it."
"But what about me?" I asked. "How do I fit in?"
Wilky looked uncomfortable, no longer the good old boy who had met me at the airport. "You were cover."
"Cover?"
"I've got a reputation to think about. People lose confidence in you real fast in this business, and if I sent Elmo with the prisoner, A-1 might figure something hinky was going on. Elmo's one of the best and he's never lost a prisoner. Besides, I wasn't about to ask him to take a dive."
Elmo grunted. "Thanks, boss."
I thought about this and suddenly understood. "So you contacted me because you'd met me at that barbecue last month and you knew I was enthusiastic but inexperienced. You take a hit with A-1 but it isn't fatal because your main man was sidelined and you've got me as your fall guy."
Wilky nodded. "I also knew Parker was up in Dallas 'cause he mentioned it to me a few days ago. But if I'd known you'd wind up where you did, I never would've gotten you involved. You've gotta believe that, darlin'."
"And what about L.A.?" Parker said. "How did you know she wouldn't get hurt during the intercept?"
"Scaffe promised me she wouldn't."
I set my cup down. "So he knew about me?"
"Just that you were a woman and you were green. Nothing more than that. Then the plane crash happened and everything went haywire and Scaffe and his men got on a private jet, headed out here, and started looking for Rider."
"With the help of your tracker," Parker said.
Wilky spread his hands. "They didn't know if Rider was alive, but the transmitter was putting off a signal and it was moving, so they had to assume he was."
"And what did you do?"
"Called Elmo and holed up here until you sicced the feds on me. Which, I might add, was not a very friendly thing to do. How long have we known each other?"
"Don't try to turn this around on me, Wilky."
He raised his hands. "You're right, you're right, I apologize."
"You're gonna do more than apologize," Parker said. "I want to know who Scaffe's client is."
Wilky's brows went up. "What makes you think I know that?"
"Because I'm guessing that private jet they flew out on belonged to her, and I'm pretty sure you're only telling us part of the story."
"Now, come on, Parker, I've invited you into my house. Why would I withhold—"
"I know you, Wilky. You never get involved in anything without full disclosure—no matter who's making the request—and I'm betting you've parlayed your involvement in this fiasco into a neat little payoff. Threats or no threats, if you're gonna risk even a sliver of your reputation it has to be worth your while. Scaffe offered you a cut of the diamonds, didn't he?"
Wilky stiffened. "What kind of man do you take me for?"
"Exactly the kind of man you are. You didn't build this house on bail bond business alone—no mid-level bondsman makes that kind of cash—so like any good businessman you've learned to diversify, and I'm betting some of that diversification isn't legal. Which is why Scaffe thought it was safe to approach you in the first place."
Wilky's gaze snapped toward his bodyguard. "Elmo, escort these two out of here. I'm going back to bed."
Elmo started forward but Parker rose to block him. "I like you, Mo, I always have, so please don't make me hurt a friend."
Elmo hesitated. "You think you can?"
"I can sure as hell try." Parker looked at Wilky. "You'd better call him off, because I'm not leaving here until you give me that information. A man is about to die because of you. And I won't hesitate to tell the feds about your involvement."
Wilky looked amused. "Like you could prove anything."
Parker turned to me. "Show it to him."
I reached into my shirt pocket and produced my cell phone, showing him the screen. The view featured a flashing red light and the words STREAMING IN PROGRESS .
Wilky frowned. "What the hell is that?"
"It's us," I told him. "Everything we say is being uploaded to an Internet
"That's about the size of it."
"But what about me?" I asked. "How do I fit in?"
Wilky looked uncomfortable, no longer the good old boy who had met me at the airport. "You were cover."
"Cover?"
"I've got a reputation to think about. People lose confidence in you real fast in this business, and if I sent Elmo with the prisoner, A-1 might figure something hinky was going on. Elmo's one of the best and he's never lost a prisoner. Besides, I wasn't about to ask him to take a dive."
Elmo grunted. "Thanks, boss."
I thought about this and suddenly understood. "So you contacted me because you'd met me at that barbecue last month and you knew I was enthusiastic but inexperienced. You take a hit with A-1 but it isn't fatal because your main man was sidelined and you've got me as your fall guy."
Wilky nodded. "I also knew Parker was up in Dallas 'cause he mentioned it to me a few days ago. But if I'd known you'd wind up where you did, I never would've gotten you involved. You've gotta believe that, darlin'."
"And what about L.A.?" Parker said. "How did you know she wouldn't get hurt during the intercept?"
"Scaffe promised me she wouldn't."
I set my cup down. "So he knew about me?"
"Just that you were a woman and you were green. Nothing more than that. Then the plane crash happened and everything went haywire and Scaffe and his men got on a private jet, headed out here, and started looking for Rider."
"With the help of your tracker," Parker said.
Wilky spread his hands. "They didn't know if Rider was alive, but the transmitter was putting off a signal and it was moving, so they had to assume he was."
"And what did you do?"
"Called Elmo and holed up here until you sicced the feds on me. Which, I might add, was not a very friendly thing to do. How long have we known each other?"
"Don't try to turn this around on me, Wilky."
He raised his hands. "You're right, you're right, I apologize."
"You're gonna do more than apologize," Parker said. "I want to know who Scaffe's client is."
Wilky's brows went up. "What makes you think I know that?"
"Because I'm guessing that private jet they flew out on belonged to her, and I'm pretty sure you're only telling us part of the story."
"Now, come on, Parker, I've invited you into my house. Why would I withhold—"
"I know you, Wilky. You never get involved in anything without full disclosure—no matter who's making the request—and I'm betting you've parlayed your involvement in this fiasco into a neat little payoff. Threats or no threats, if you're gonna risk even a sliver of your reputation it has to be worth your while. Scaffe offered you a cut of the diamonds, didn't he?"
Wilky stiffened. "What kind of man do you take me for?"
"Exactly the kind of man you are. You didn't build this house on bail bond business alone—no mid-level bondsman makes that kind of cash—so like any good businessman you've learned to diversify, and I'm betting some of that diversification isn't legal. Which is why Scaffe thought it was safe to approach you in the first place."
Wilky's gaze snapped toward his bodyguard. "Elmo, escort these two out of here. I'm going back to bed."
Elmo started forward but Parker rose to block him. "I like you, Mo, I always have, so please don't make me hurt a friend."
Elmo hesitated. "You think you can?"
"I can sure as hell try." Parker looked at Wilky. "You'd better call him off, because I'm not leaving here until you give me that information. A man is about to die because of you. And I won't hesitate to tell the feds about your involvement."
Wilky looked amused. "Like you could prove anything."
Parker turned to me. "Show it to him."
I reached into my shirt pocket and produced my cell phone, showing him the screen. The view featured a flashing red light and the words STREAMING IN PROGRESS .
Wilky frowned. "What the hell is that?"
"It's us," I told him. "Everything we say is being uploaded to an Internet
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