Patrick lifts his drink off the bar and takes her elbow. “Let’s find a place where we won’t be overheard.”
In a corner booth near the back of the hotel bar, we group close together to strategize. “Bennett is keeping tabs on Sloan, putting together a schedule of his week, his favorite haunts.”
“Why am I here?” Star’s watching me. “I mean, what reason do I give for being in the city?”
Fuck, she’s smart. “I can tell you’ve done this before. What are you comfortable doing? What’s familiar?”
“Patrick fell for me being a temp. I could say I’m with Contemporary Staffing?”
My partner leans back to sip his drink. “Is that classy enough for our guy?”
Thinking about what I know, I study the table. “It’s probably the best thing. It’s why you need extra money. Perhaps you’ve come up from DC?”
“Where I was shagging a senator.” Her dark eyes twinkle, and I’m mildly disturbed that her alibi is so believable.
“Yes. It’ll appeal to his ego. You’re good enough for the powerful.”
Patrick nods. “Now we just need to work out the initial encounter and hooking him.”
“I’ll hook him.” Star’s eyes slide over to my partner. “I give a hell of a hummer, remember?”
Clearing his throat, Patrick stands. “I need a fresh drink. Anybody else?”
I nod. “Thanks.” When he’s away, I turn back to Star. “You’ll probably have to meet him more than once to get us what we need. I doubt he gets rough the first time. How do you feel about that?”
“I want to work out with you guys.”
That wasn’t the answer I expected. “What does that have to do with—”
“Yes.” She’s dead serious, so I hold back and listen. “I’ll probably have to fuck him at least once before we get what we need, but I’ve been taking kickboxing classes. I want you guys to help me get stronger.”
My eyes narrow. “What’s on your mind?”
She doesn’t miss a beat. “Revenge.”
The workout room at the Four Seasons is state of the art, as to be expected in a five-star hotel, but I catch a cab to the Druid Hill YMCA instead. Patrick takes the city bus; Star takes the Metro. We don’t want to be seen together too much around our location.
Bennett has verified we can stage an encounter with Sloan easily in Little Italy. It seems our target is a Thursday night regular at the Oceanaire Seafood Room. It’s perfect, and gives us a few days to scout more secluded spots nearby. Somewhere Star can take him where Patrick and I can be in the shadows, waiting.
“I can’t wear a wire.” Star is curling the bar I’ve loaded for her with fifty pounds. “If he starts exploring under my clothes, it’s too risky.”
We’re in a somewhat private area of the gym, but we still need to be speaking in code. “The last thing I’m interested in is hearing you interact with him, but you’re all we’ve got in terms of capture.”
Patrick’s nearby curling dumbbells. “It’s true, and I don’t like you getting too far out of our reach with him.”
Star curls one more time and puts the bar down. “So you two get a peep show.” She shrugs. “I’ve done worse for an audience.”
My partner puts down the weights and picks up his towel, holding it in front of his mouth as if he’s wiping away sweat. “What are you planning? I expect it’ll take two… maybe three encounters before he’ll show his true colors. Hopefully, not more.”
“First night, drinks, making out, BJ most likely.” She’s holding her towel in a similar fashion as Patrick, over her face, pressing it to her forehead. I’m sitting on the bench, leaned forward doing curls, pretending not to listen as she continues. “Second night, more of the same, penetration. Third night, kick his ass.”
Sick fills my stomach. All of this is messed up, and it’s the only way we’re taking my fiancée’s stalker off the grid. His lawyers will have a hard time arguing against a battered hooker full of Sloan’s DNA. I can’t wait to see them try.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” Regardless of her past experience or what she claims, I can’t help asking one more time.
Her expression is hard and flat when she answers me. “Yes. I’m helping you, but I’m also doing this for Tiffany. Now let’s hit the bags.”
Kickboxing.