Running Dark by Jamie Freveletti Page A

watched the car swerve back and forth in an attempt to pass. He took an abrupt right turn, accelerated through the first half of the street, then turned left onto another. He kept zigzagging, taking pains to keep within the speed limit. The last thing he needed was to be pulled over. At first he thought he’d lost the tail, but after a few minutes he saw it turn onto the street behind him. It was over a block away, but still in the game. Even more so after he hit a red light.
    “Alicia has a motorcycle,” Stromeyer said. “I’ll call her.”
    The light turned, and Banner concentrated on driving. Behind him he heard Stromeyer telling Alicia to lock the office door andgiving her their location. He pulled up to an empty parking space next to a coffee shop. Both he and Stromeyer stayed seated. The Crown Vic slowed as it passed them. The passenger, a man who appeared to be in his late thirties, with hard eyes and a menacing manner, glared at them through the glass. The car inched to the corner, crossed the street, then pulled to the right and parked.
    Banner shifted a little to be able to see Stromeyer. “Did you get a look at the passenger? That was one rough character.”
    “Can you hit the street and turn right? I told Alicia to meet us near the White House.”
    “What’s the plan?”
    “Divide and conquer. You’re going to park the cycle. Alicia is going to swing by and pick me up while you head off in another direction. We’ll meet back at the office.”
    “What’s the point? Surely they know where we work.”
    “Make them think we’re off to meet someone. It’ll give us a few minutes to speak freely at the office. Our latest sweep came up clean, but once they return and point a microphone at us, we’re back on tape.”
    Banner fired up the cycle, swung into traffic, and blazed right at the corner. He shot down the street, keeping an eye on the rearview mirror. The Crown Vic cruised along with them, easily keeping pace. Banner swayed through the cars, each time getting farther and farther away. He reached the corner of their appointed meeting place and idled, waiting for Alicia. She appeared a few minutes later on a battered yellow Suzuki. She pulled up and flashed a smile.
    “We get to lose a tail, huh? I love this! I feel like a spy. So much better than answering phones.” Stromeyer crawled onto the back of the Suzuki. Banner glanced behind them. The Crown Vic turned a corner.
    “Go,” Banner said to Alicia.
    “See ya, boss.” Alicia revved the Suzuki out of the spot and back into traffic.
    Banner sped off the other way. He was the lucky one that theCrown Vic decided to follow. He swerved down streets and around corners. The sedan lost more and more ground. After twenty minutes he couldn’t see it at all. He changed course and headed to his office.
    He entered the office and walked straight to the conference room, where he watched Stromeyer pace back and forth. Alicia sat at the table’s head, nervously eyeing first Stromeyer, then him. She mouthed, “She’s mad,” at Banner when Stromeyer wasn’t looking. Banner sighed. This much he knew. The phone on the conference room’s table rang twice before being abruptly cut off on the third ring.
    “What did you do with the phones?” he asked.
    “Forwarded them to your cell.”
    Banner grimaced. Sure enough, his pocket started vibrating. He ignored it while Stromeyer continued to pace.
    “Aren’t you going to answer it?” Alicia asked. “I try to never let them go to voice mail.”
    “It’s tapped,” he said.
    Alicia’s eyes grew large. “So cool. Can I text my boyfriend and tell him?”
    “No!” Both Stromeyer and Banner spoke at once.
    Alicia put up a hand. “I was just kidding. Jeez, you guys are on edge today.”
    “Being hit with an investigation, audited by the IRS, followed by two goons, and having one’s phone tapped does that to a person,” Stromeyer said. She stopped wearing a path in the carpet and pointed a finger at