“We know what a hot wash is, asshole,” Wheeler said. “Are you going to trot out there and ask her to write up the conversation for you?”
I grinned. “Something like that.”
“Lisa’s alone now,” Bloom continued. “Walking it off. Oh, Lisa smokes! Bad girl, Lisa. How are you going to keep your wealth healthy that way?”
“Bloom!” we all said at once.
“Roger that,” he responded.
I glanced at Kat. “Permission to approach?”
She considered it, then nodded. “Stick to the original story.You’re Savannah’s security guard, walking the perimeter to assess threats.”
I zipped up my black jacket to hide my gear, both electronic and protective, and climbed out of the van, closing the door soundlessly behind me. I stuck to the shadows until I was directly across the street from the parking lot. When I was sure she’d spotted me, I waved.
I could see her hesitation, and I didn’t blame her. A woman by herself in a poorly lit parking lot who sees any dude coming toward her, let alone a reasonably sized one dressed head to toe in black, has reason for alarm.
“Lisa!” I waved again as I approached. “It’s me, Smith. From Friday.” Once I was close enough for her to get a good look at me, I stopped. I didn’t want to send her running.
“Oh, Mr. Zip Ties.”
Someone chuckled in my earpiece. Probably Wheeler.
“Again, I’m so sorry about that. I’m here providing security for Miss Lindstrom. I was walking the perimeter, and when I saw you, I wanted to come over and apologize again.” I rubbed the back of my neck and glanced around. Then I lowered my voice. “We can’t be too careful these days. Well, I don’t have to tell you. You know what’s going on.”
The blank look on her face told me she had no idea what was going on or what the hell I was talking about. But she leaned closer, hungry to learn. One thing high-control groups control best is information. The vacuum often turns normal human curiosity into a gaping black hole, seeking gossip to consume.
I hesitated, making her work for it. And yes, I felt bad about it. I felt a little sorry for Lisa. But for her to drop any tidbits we might be able to use later, I needed her to put her chips on the table.
“I probably shouldn’t.” I glanced down the street.
“Oh, it’s okay,” she said. “You can tell me. All of us who work in the Annapolis office are in the Thousandaire Club.”
According to our research, that was the third rung on WCI’s hierarchy. Yes, the douche canoe Anson had named the levels. Above Lisa’s group was the Millionaire Club, then the Billionaire Club. Only a handful of people, along with Anson, of course, had made it to the top.
“Then you know.” I nodded as if it were a given. “It’s scary that there’s been a threat against someone in the B Club.”
“Oh!” She couldn’t cover her shock. “Of course, but no one knows who’s been threatened, do they?”
I shook my head. I’d say none of them, since I’d just made it up, but it gave me a lead-in to my first question for her. “But I’m more worried about who made the threat.” I glanced around again, doing my best to look paranoid. “It has to be someone inside WCI, don’t you think? I mean, who else has that kind of access, to be able to deliver the threat that way?”
Lisa’s eyes were wide. “I don’t think I heard how the threat was delivered.”
And she wasn’t going to. “Listen, you’re at these meetings pretty regularly, aren’t you?” I guessed.
She nodded. “The Annapolis office supports all the events in Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Plus…” She wanted to tell me something. But her indoctrination was rearing its ugly head, reminding her that information is not to be shared freely.
“I’m only asking because I’m trying to help root out whoever’s trying to ruin this great organization,” I said. “You know there are haters out there.” I pointed to the community center and whispered. “And possibly in there.”
Her eyes were round. “I know.” She took a step toward me and dropped her voice. “We process all the new-recruit paperwork from all over the country at our office. We ask a lot of questions, you know, to weed out the bad seeds. The haters. But don’t worry. They don’t get past us. We throw them out.”
In my earpiece, Wheeler said, “A swing and a miss.”
“Wow, so all the new-recruit paperwork from the entire country goes through your office?” That was as much to remind Wheeler that I had, in fact, learned something valuable as it was to show Lisa I was impressed.
“And all the new training manuals, lesson plans, other…” She stopped.
Oh, Lisa, you were so close to spilling.
