my face. “I don’t think we should tell the cops.”
“I’m with you there. Ever since you left, Peterson hasn’t stopped trying to convince me we’re doing the wrong thing. He thinks we should let their lead negotiator have a crack at him.”
“He’s got a point. We might be doing the wrong thing.”
“Possibly.” Elliot grazed a hand over his chin and gave me a rueful glimmer of a smile, the first he’d bestowed on me since finding out about me and his sister. “I’m willing to take the risk. And when we get her back, I won’t rest until I’ve followed the money trail. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll find that bastard.”
“You and me both.”
“Lose much?”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Did he say when he’d call again?”
“No.”
I kicked off my shoes and lay down on one of the several couches dotted around the room. “Then we wait.”
Neither Elliot nor I got much sleep. Judy came searching for us about two in the morning. Despite Elliot instructing her to go to bed, she refused. As dawn broke, we all gave up pretending we were getting any rest. We headed back to the kitchen. Judy made a fresh pot of coffee which soon emptied by the time she’d poured cups for me, Elliot, herself, and Karl. She made a further pot for the cops.
I dropped Elliot a text. I think we should hang out in a different room. If he calls, we can get the deal done without them being aware.
Even though it had been less than twelve hours since Athena’s captor had called, I knew he’d call back earlier. It was a well-known tactic in the business world to put pressure on your opponent and force them into rash decision-making.
Elliot glanced at his phone then picked it up and slipped it in his pocket. “Ryker, we need to go get the Addison’s deal finalized.”
Great excuse.
“Agreed,” I said, playing it up for the cops. “We’ll conference in the team on my phone, so your cell remains free.”
The cops didn’t even glance in our direction as we left. They were far too busy giving Judy their breakfast orders. I tried not to feel irked. They’d barely earned coffee, let alone pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
Me, I couldn’t stomach the thought of food. Not until Athena returned home safely.
And then a thought hit me. Tanaka. I knew when I ruined his life that there was a chance he’d want to exact his revenge one day. Scanning through my contacts, I found the PI I’d hired to dig up dirt. I sent a text. No point worrying Elliot unnecessarily. If he didn’t respond, I’d make an excuse to leave the room and call.
I need Tanaka’s whereabouts—now.
Thirty seconds later, he answered. Strange you should ask. I’m looking right at him.
I hit reply. Japan?
Yes. He’s bussing tables in a cheap-as-shit diner.
I breathed a sigh of relief. You’re off the clock. Why are you still following?
You’re not the only one pissed at this individual.
I suppressed a glimmer of a smile. Karma at its finest.
Time crawled by so slowly, I kept checking my watch to see if it had stopped working. I sat, stood, paced, the clawing ache in my stomach growing more uncomfortable with every minute that passed. Please be safe. Please don’t let him have hurt you. Please come back to me.
Right before noon, Oliver appeared looking exhausted and bedraggled. I shot him a grateful smile. Elliot had become more and more withdrawn as the morning dragged on, and the occasional glare he sent my way told me he’d far from forgiven what he saw as a betrayal of trust.
“Addison’s is done,” Oliver said, sounding anything but celebratory. He flopped into a chair. “Any news on Athena?”
I shook my head while Elliot’s pained expression tightened my chest.
“Still waiting for the bank account details,” I said. “I’ve got the money.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Jeez, that’s some fancy dealing.” He peered at me. “What happened to your face?”
I touched my bruised lip. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I hit him,” Elliot interjected. “He’s lucky that’s all he got.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and blew out a steadying breath, but before I could form a suitable response, Elliot’s phone rang. He snatched it off the table and put it on speaker.
“Yeah?”
“You got the money?”
Same altered voice as yesterday.
“Let me talk to my sister.”
“No.”
“How do I know she’s still alive?”
A false laugh came over the line. “You’ll have to trust me.”
“No,” Elliot insisted. “No conversation, no money.”
Elliot cut his gaze to