Random Acts of Deceit (Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries Book 2) Read online

  ***

  I was back in the van ten minutes later. Jamie didn’t seem to mind the time to herself. She was still singing along to Lecrae and hardly seemed to notice my arrival.

  “Everything good?” she finally asked, turning the radio down.

  “Just work stuff. Riot stuff. Politics stuff. You know.” I raised my phone again to view the map. “But enough of that. Let’s keep going.”

  Fifteen minutes later, we turned into a neighborhood on the east side of Cincinnati. A few lefts and rights later, we stopped in front of a small house in a revitalized neighborhood. There were no cars out front, which seemed to indicate no one was home.

  The house was plain with white wood siding and no ornamental features like shutters, eaves, or even a covered porch. The flower beds were bare, as well as the windows, which had no curtains.

  It was Warble Wing Street. Benjamin’s house.

  “You sure someone lives here?” Jamie asked, staring at the house with doubt pooling in her eyes.

  I shrugged. “He said he just moved here from Louisville.”

  “Louisville.” Her voice rose in pitch. “Isn’t that where Chase lived before he came here?”

  I nodded, and Jamie gave me a knowing look. “I’ve considered that also.”

  Suddenly, Jamie cut the engine and opened the door. “Let’s go.”

  Alarm rushed through me. “Let’s go? Go where? We were just driving past.”

  “We’re not going to get any answers just driving past. We need to investigate.”

  Dread pooled in my stomach. Jamie was right. Driving past wouldn’t do any good. But the pressure I felt when I thought about what was at stake nearly paralyzed me. I mean, what if Benjamin came home? What if he caught us here? What would we say then?

  “Consider it a random act of kindness,” Jamie said as I scrambled to catch up with her. She was halfway across a green, weed-infested yard.

  “How does that help?”

  “When you think you’re doing something to help someone out, you’re okay with it. Remember those random acts of kindness you did that nearly got you killed a month or so ago? All you need is the right reasoning, and you’ll find your motivation.”

  “I have the motivation. I just fear the consequences.” Lord, I can’t handle any more loss in my life, I prayed quietly.

  The verse from Isaiah came back to mind. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

  “We’ll be careful.”

  Before I could say anything else, Jamie marched into the backyard. I quickly followed. It was just as plain as the front, with no shed, swing set, or patio chair, even. There was an old deck leading to the back door, but the structure was green and warped and had nails popped up in various places. Jamie charged straight to the back door and peered inside.

  “What do you see?” I asked, tiptoeing through the prickly grass to reach her. My heels sank into the moist ground, which made it hard to hurry.

  She frowned and came back down on her feet. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

  “You mean it’s empty?”

  “I mean it’s bare. Sure, there’s a fridge and an oven, even a kitchen table. But there’s nothing that looks personal.”

  “Well, it is a kitchen. It’s not the most personal room of the house.” I peered in also and confirmed her initial assessment.

  She wandered off the deck toward another window. “Fine. Give me a boost.” She pointed to the window above her.

  “Really?”

  When Jamie didn’t say anything, I laced my fingers together and bent down. She used my hands as a rung of sorts and stepped onto them. After grabbing the windowsill, she boosted herself up.

  “Well, there is a couch and a chair and a rug. No pictures that I can see. I don’t know, Holly.”

  “Just one more window,” I said. I hurried to the other side of the house, where I assumed the bedrooms might be. I, however, didn’t ask Jamie for her hand. I stood on a bucket instead.

  I grabbed the window and pulled myself up. I gasped at what I saw inside.

  “What is it?”

  “It’s like an electronic supply superstore. There’s a table with all kinds of stuff on it. Wires and computery-looking things. Maybe this is where he makes his cameras and bombs.”

  “That’s not good.”

  Suddenly, I froze as a new sound caught my attention. “Did you hear that, Jamie?”

  “Hear what?”

  I listened again but didn’t hear anything. That didn’t matter, though. “A car door slammed, Jamie. It was close.”

  “I didn’t hear anything.”

  Just then, the door opened in the room as I stared inside. I dropped to the ground below, nearly spraining my ankle in the process.

  “Someone just walked into the house,” I whispered, pulling her down beside me. “I’m pretty sure it was Benjamin.”

  “We’ve got to get out of here,” she whispered.

  “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER 18

  It was only after Jamie and I were safely back in her van with the doors locked that I released the breath I held. “That was close,” I muttered.

  Jamie nodded. “You’re telling me.”

  “He’s got to be the guy, Jamie. Maybe he’s a one-man show. Maybe he threatens me in disguise and plants these cameras and bombs, and he’s also the one who wants me to go out with him.”

  “Maybe. But we still don’t know who he really is or why.”

  “I did an Internet search on him, but nothing came up. It seems like he’s covered all his bases there and wiped out his true identity.”

  “So what now?”

  I shrugged. “I have no ideas. Unless we go to the office.”

  “The office?”

  “I followed Benjamin back to his work. You know, he said his job was a secret and all. I wanted more information.”

  She raised her hand to give me a fist bump. “Girl, you do have some moxie. What did you discover?”

  I guess I had forgotten to mention all of this, hadn’t I? “A possible terrorist plot.”

  “What?” my friend screeched.

  I explained to her what had happened and what I’d overheard.

  She put her car in drive. “We’ve got to go there. Now.”

  “But . . .”

  “No buts. Holly, you do realize that if there is a terrorist plot going on, there’s a lot more at stake than you originally thought?”

  “Of course.” I mean, I guess I had realized that. But hearing her say it out loud put it in perspective. Everything seemed so sketchy, and nothing seemed definite. Put it all together and I couldn’t think clearly. “It’s Sunday. I doubt anyone is there.”

  “We’ll just have to find any of the millennials there.”

  “Why would we do that?”

  “Because if they’re from our generation, they just might be working on Sunday, especially any of them who are trying to establish their career or get a business up and running. I don’t like working on Sundays either, but sometimes it happens. When we do find someone, maybe we can ask questions.”

  It was a good thing I had Jamie as a friend. She knew how to take initiative unlike anyone else I knew, and she was lighting a fire under me as well. She was just what I needed.

  “It’s just all confusing, though. I mean, I saw the guys who left the office. Neither looked dangerous.”

  “They’re the scariest kind of bad guys. They blend right in with society, and no one ever thinks twice about them. Holly, you have a civic duty to follow through with this.”

  She was making me wish I’d never mentioned anything to her about any of this. But I couldn’t take my words back now. I directed her downtown, to the closest parking garage, and then to the sixth floor of the building. Knowing Benjamin was home, we took the elevator this time.

 
When I showed her the office door, I noted that there was no sound coming from the other side. Just as I suspected, this had all been for nothing.

  “What are you thinking, Retro Girl?”

  I had to smile. That was a code name I’d used once when I’d broken into someone’s home. Long story.

  “I’m being paranoid, Girl Genius,” I told her. She’d come up with her own code name. No surprise there.

  Her hand went to her hip, one of her “I’m empowered” stances. “Well, I’m taking action.”

  Before I realized what she was doing, she pounded on the next door down, one that was labeled Thomas and Sons. I gawked in horror, but before I could object, someone pulled the door open and stared at Jamie with a somewhat dumbfounded expression on his face.

  “You don’t have to knock,” he said. “We are a business.”

  Jamie smiled, not the least bit ruffled. “I have a question.”

  “Okay . . .” The man was pale with short blond hair, a rumpled shirt, and coffee breath. A miniature poodle wagged her tail at his feet.

  “Someone I know went into the office next door. I can’t figure out what kind of business goes on there, and I was hoping you’d help me.”

  His eyes narrowed, and his lips pressed together in a tight line. “You do realize I have a company to run. I have organic dog treats to distribute to the world.”

  “Just answer the question,” Jamie insisted.

  I squirmed, halfway wishing I was as aggressive as Jamie and halfway realizing I would never be Jamie, no matter how much wishing I employed.

  “I don’t know who’s next door. I haven’t met them yet.” He leaned against the door now, looking ready to make a run for it if necessary.

  “So you have no clue whatsoever?” Jamie continued.

  “That’s correct. No clue whatsoever. Now, if you’ll excuse me . . .”

  “This is very important,” Jamie said. “Like 9/11 important.”

  That stopped the man in his tracks, and made me squeeze the skin between my eyes in horror. She’d brought up 9/11? We didn’t have enough facts here. What was she thinking? That proclamation could cause major alarm.

  “Should I call the FBI?”

  “Not yet. But we need information.”

  The man crossed his arms, his gaze now pensive. “All I know is that whoever is running that company isn’t friendly. We tried to introduce ourselves, but the guy in charge wouldn’t let us in the door, and he said he couldn’t talk about the business yet. It was strange, to say the least.”

  “Anything else?” Jamie continued.

  “We’ve seen men and women coming and going pretty consistently,” the man said.

  “These men and women have anything in common?” Jamie said.

  He shrugged. “They were black, white, Asian, Hispanic. I guess the only thing that struck me was that they were all attractive.”

  “Interesting,” Jamie murmured. “Anything else you’re not telling me?”

  “Who are you anyway? Are you law enforcement?”

  “I’d tell you, but I’d have to kill you.”

  He stared skeptically. “That’s all. You’ll have to direct any more questions to law enforcement. I might call them myself, for that matter.”

  “You’ll be tipping these people off to the investigation and ruin six months’ worth of work. I’d appreciate your cooperation. If you see anything else, let me know.” Jamie started walking away.

  “I don’t even know your name.”

  “I’ll be in touch,” Jamie called over her shoulder.

  And with that we slipped onto the elevator.

  ***

  That night, I picked up the picture at my bedside, and a sad smile played on my lips. The photo was of Dad and me at my college graduation. I proudly wore my graduation gown—with gold ribbon for honors, of course—and he had his arm around my shoulders, a proud smile on his face.

  I’d always been Daddy’s little girl. He would hate to know I was struggling so much. And I missed his advice, his hugs, the love that could only come from a father.

  Tuesday it would be two years since he passed from pancreatic cancer. Two years since my world changed. Two years since I had to find the strength to move on without him to guide me.

  I marveled sometimes that my sister had chosen to get married the same week that we’d mourn the anniversary of Dad’s death. But sentimental things like that didn’t affect Alex. Or Mom. Or Ralph, apparently. No, I seemed to be the only one who cared.

  That fact often left me feeling alone.

  “Sometimes I feel like I’m only making a mess of things,” I mumbled, staring at Dad’s smiling face. How I’d give anything to see him again. To hear his advice. To have just one more hug.

  I sighed and set the picture back down.

  Instead of dwelling on my grief any longer, I grabbed my laptop and pulled up my fake email account. To my delight, I had a response from Mark Reynolds.

  “I’d love to meet with you and get some more information about what kind of investors you’re looking for. I’ll need a business plan, a proposed amount that you need, and a projected growth chart. Are you available to meet tomorrow?”

  My heart sped for a moment. My fingers trembled as I replied. “Yes, I can meet at six,” I wrote. “Where’s your office located?”

  I hit SEND and then waited with bated breath. How long would it take for him to reply? I smiled when I got an immediate response.

  “How about we meet at Bend or Break for coffee?” he wrote. “Do you know where that is?”

  I was going to have to plan this carefully. But I could manage it.

  I nodded, as if he could see me. “Yes, I do. Sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Maybe I’d find some answers after all.

  CHAPTER 19

  The next morning, I put the finishing touches on the “peace talks” Ralph wanted me to organize. Things had come together rather quickly, and the meeting would take place in the afternoon. In the meantime, I was taking an early lunch. It was the worst possible day to do so because I had so many other things going on. But I had to take charge of my life, and this was one way of doing so.

  Jamie and I met at Benjamin’s office building. I pulled my hair back in a braid and put a gray scarf over my head and oversized sunglasses. I thought it was an Audrey Hepburn look, but I still got some strange looks. Some people just couldn’t appreciate the classic fifties look.

  “You ready for this?” Jamie asked as we stepped into the lobby.

  I nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Benjamin headed down to Kentucky today, so the timing is just right.”

  “You followed him?”

  “I didn’t exactly follow him. I just camped outside his house this morning to see where he was going.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Let’s go, then.”

  She’d called me last night, and we’d come up with a plan. It could be dangerous, but Jamie was never one to back away from challenges. I’d be right there to bail her out if needed. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be needed.

  We stepped into the elevator and traveled to the sixth floor. As calmly and coolly as possible, we started down the hallway. At the unmarked office door, I raised my hand to knock. Before I could, Jamie grabbed the handle and twisted it. She plastered on a smile as the door opened, and she stepped inside.

  My heart fluttered in my chest as I followed behind her. Two men were sitting at desks in the room, and they both immediately froze and looked up at us.

  They were the two men I’d seen leave on Friday. The unassuming-looking ones.

  I quickly observed the space. The office was oddly arranged with one nice desk by the door and several other messy desks in the background. Boxes were everywhere, as were piles of papers. There were several computers, overflowing trash cans, and a whiteboard with a list of names across it and arrows connecting various people.

  Names of terrorists, maybe?

  Before
Jamie could launch into her speech—she’d concocted some story about looking for a dentist office—one of the men stood.

  “You must be our 12:30. You’re early. And you brought a friend with you?” The redhead eyeballed me before nodding approvingly. “Perhaps we’ll give you some bonus points. She should work.”

  Bonus points? What kind of twisted game were these men playing? Or was it human trafficking? This kept getting worse.

  “Come, sit down.” He cleared off his desk with a sweep of his arm and pointed to two chairs.

  Jamie and I glanced at each other before moving the boxes of envelopes from the chairs and sitting.

  “Again, thanks for coming. I assume you’ve heard what we’re planning?” he started, sitting across from us.

  The blond stood in the background. Both looked all-American, which was a perfect cover for homegrown terrorists. No one would suspect them.

  Jamie and I nodded. But I wondered what we were getting ourselves into here. Maybe we were in over our heads.

  “Oh, you know what?” The man leaned back and shook his head. “I’m so rude. My name is Albert Kay, but you can call me Al K. Just don’t add the ‘duh’ on the end or I sound like an extremist. Get it? Al K. Duh?” He laughed at his own joke. When we didn’t follow suit, the sound faded. “Anyway, this is one of my partners, Lewis, but you can call him Toaster. Benjamin wasn’t able to come in today.”

  “I’m Helena,” Jamie said.

  I fluttered my fingers. “I’m Anna. You can just call me Anna.” I couldn’t resist throwing in the last part, as I tried to match their outlandish introductions.

  “Great,” he said, unfazed. “Welcome to Segreto.”

  Segreto? Was that the name of some people who hated America? My tension ratcheted up several levels. I couldn’t decide if it was a fitting name for a terrorist group or not.

  “Now that we’ve got that over with, you do understand our confidentiality agreement, right? We don’t want NSA getting wind of this. It would destroy everything we’ve worked so hard for.”

  “Of course,” I said, anxiety rippling through me.

  “We’d hate to ruin anything,” Jamie added.

  “Our launch will be on Friday. Our website will go live, and we’ll be off and running. That’s not much time to get everything organized, but I think we’re on track. We have all the right people in place. To say this will make headlines is an understatement. People will know who we are, and our message will be out in an explosive kind of way.”