“What are you talking about?”
“Right after I started working here, one of the employees told me we were low on rope, so I ordered more. I didn’t think anything of it, until this morning.”
Providence spun the monitor so he could see the screen, tapped the keyboard, and the video surveillance started playing. Kirsten stopped in front of the retina scanner outside the supply closet on L1. The light turned green and she entered. Seconds later, she exited, carrying several bundles of rope. Providence worked the surveillance system so she could follow Kirsten. Instead of taking them to private suites on L3, Kirsten walked out the front door and offloaded the bundles to a man in a black hoodie and a three-quarters mask. In exchange, he handed her cash. Providence zoomed in. “He’s paying her for that rope.”
“No fucking way,” Dakota blurted. “That’s the guy from the banquet.”
“It sure as hell is.” She smiled at him. “That’s our killer.”
“I’m impressed.”
“I should have figured this out weeks ago.”
Knock-knock.Stryker stood in the doorway. “Hey, cuz, I got your text. What’s going on?”
“Come check this out,” Dakota said.
As Stryker reviewed the video, he said, “I need her to get her ass in here so I can fire her.”
“Tread easy,” Providence said. “We need her to tell us everything she knows about the guy she sold the rope to.”
Stryker blasted off a text to his employee. “I told her to get her ass in in here the second she gets to work.”
* * *
Providence’s phone rang. “Hey, Dad.”
“Mom is in the ER.”
“What?”
“She had a seizure and collapsed.”
Oh, God, no.“Which hospital?”
“Reston.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Providence, wait,” her dad blurted. “I forgot my reading glasses when I rode with Mom in the ambulance. They need me to sign a bunch of forms.”
“I’ll grab them on the way. Did you tell Megan?”
“No, can you call her…and Randy, too?”
“Isn’t he at home?”
“No, he left right before she had the seizure.”
Providence got off the phone. Both men were staring at her. “What happened?” Stryker asked.
“My mom’s in the ER. She had a seizure.”
“Oh, hell, no,” Stryker said. “You want me to come with you?”
“No, stay here and get answers from Kirsten.”
“I’ll drive you to the hospital,” Dakota said.
