Before I made it to my door my cellular sang. I answered. It was Arizona. I didn’t want the clients to hear me curse like a sailor with Tourette’s syndrome, so I moved to the trunk, opened it and pretended I was adjusting the luggage, my words muffled by airport noises.
Arizona was on the island where the shuttles stopped, her back to me, at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn green. Her hands were on her hips, so she must’ve had on a headset.
I growled, “You with those motherfuckers in the Expedition?”
Her voice remained even. “What motherfuckers in what Expedition?”
I paused and rubbed my face, peeped over the back window. Freeman’s woman had her legs crossed and was going over what looked like a comprehensive schedule. Freeman’s hands were free. He’d taken off the handcuffs and put the briefcase either on the floor or on the seat.
Arizona glanced my way, licked her lips.
I gritted my teeth, told her to tell me what the hell was going on.
“I need your help, Driver. It’s business.”
“Give me more than that.”
“Short con.”
“The mark?”
“In your car. Page me when you can talk.”
“Talk now or there won’t be another conversation.”
“Later.”
“I hang up and don’t call this number again.”
“Driver—”
“Five, four, three, two—”
“I was supposed to meet him last night. Sade found our e-mails on the computer, which were pretty erotic, typical online stuff, all fantasy on his part. She made him change his flight plans, tagged along to protect her investment. Her presence has mucked up the program.”
“You worked me getting this job?”
“Yes.”
“Hold on. You just met me last night.”
“I’m good.”
“Let me guess. Freeman didn’t request a black driver.”
She said, “And I made sure he didn’t get a stretch limo.”
“Why?”
“He’d let up the privacy glass. Then you couldn’t hear him talk.”
I stared her down. Smart woman to be so young. That gave me a new kind of fear.
I asked, “What am I supposed to be hearing?”
“Eyes and ears, Driver. It would help if you told me where he’s staying. ”
“If you’re talking to the bastard, you should know.”
“It changed. I think his publisher changed it. And he’s not telling because his woman is with him.”
“Hypothetically, what else you need?”
“Need to know when he’s leaving the room, if she’s clinging to him. His detailed plans. What’s security like at the hotel. How many ways in and out. When he takes that briefcase off his arm. If he has it on when he gets back in the car. How long he will be gone.”
“Uh huh.”
“I can take it from there.”
I leaned forward. Rubbed my neck. Pain in my knee escalating.
She said, “With your eyes and ears, this can be an easy one. Told you I needed to run a few short cons to finance a larger one, and this is one of the smaller ones. Work with me.”
Traffic passed by and we stared. Her friend looked back at me, then whispered something to Arizona. Arizona nodded and her friend turned around, came back toward me.
Arizona said, “I’ll make it worth your while.”
“How do you know I just won’t tell Freeman right now?”
“That book he has with him, his people cut him a check for a million dollars.”
Airport police pulled up, ready to lock and load. The look the cop gave me made bad memories sail around inside my head. I hung up on Arizona, closed the trunk, hopped in the car.
My cellular rang again. I answered with silent aggravation. Not a word.
Arizona said, “Wait.”
“For?”
“My friend has something to give you.”
“Keep it.”
“You’ll want this.”
“Look, dammit. I’m working.”
“Give me twenty seconds.”
I pulled over far enough away for the airport police to cut me some slack for at least a minute, hit the emergency flashers, picked up my clipboard, pretended I was doing paperwork.
Sade leaned forward, said, “I need Starbucks. Driver, get me to a Starbucks.”
“Yes, ma‘am.”
Freeman told his woman, “Can you wait?”
“I waited for you to finish flirting with those rude bitches.”
“Respect me, Folasade.” He snapped her full first name in a Me Tarzan, you Jane tone. “Can’t believe that you embarrassed me like that on the flight.”
“I embarrassed you? That’s brilliant. Don’t get it twisted.”
“I mean, damn. How much vodka does it take?”
“As much as it takes, that’s how much it takes. ”
“You need to lighten up.”
“I’m stressed, Marcus.”
“Handle it,” he said, putting his foot down. “I signed a new three-book deal.”
She said, “Three more books, Marcus?”
“Did you see the interview? They’re coming to me.”
Sade’s breathing thickened. “When did you sign a new contract for three more books?”