Page 79 of Dangerous Liaisons

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Tom punched the AUTO and TRACK2 buttons on the bottom row by his keyboard. The map on the screen slewed sideways then stopped, centering on the OIA parking garage. A red blip pulsed in the northwest corner of the block—Lanton’s assigned parking space .

“Okay, the transponder on his car is working,” Tom said. “Good job, Jesse. Cole, not too close. We can track him within a quarter-mile.”

“Roger,” Cole replied.

The dot representing Lanton’s car blinked faster.

“He’s moving.”

The blip moved east on Ivy, then turned south on Regan.

“He’s headed for the freeway,” Jesse said.

Cole whipped the van around, slamming the gearshift into drive.

Jesse stared at the map on the screen. “Where the hell is he going?”

Tom shook his head. “Could be to the bank, his lover…another conspirator.”

Jesse jerked her head in his direction before she realized it.

Tom frowned. “What?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

Cole merged onto the freeway, a few hundred meters behind Lanton’s Mercedes. The blip abruptly veered toward Exit 20.

“He’s getting off. Exit 20A,” Tom said.

“Got it,” Cole replied.

The blip traveled around the cloverleaf and stopped at the crossroad. Cole slowed on the off-ramp.

“Slower,” Tom said. “He’s stopped at the light.”

The blip moved.

“He’s off,” Tom said. “Turning left.”

“Hang on.” Cole accelerated, then braked hard. “Caught by the light.”

“He’s turning,” Tom reported. “What’s to the right?”

Cole leaned forward, looking out the driver’s window. “Stores, a strip mall, branch-bank, a Hooters.” The light turned green and he accelerated around the turn. “I see him. He’s pulled into Best Buy.”

The blip stopped moving and blinked at a slow rate.

Jesse exchanged a glance with Tom.

“I’m pulling into the parking lot across the street,” Cole said. “Hand me the binoculars.”

Tom pointed under the counter by Jesse’s knees. She found a latched drawer as Cole steered the van right, then left. She found the binoculars along with a third pair of headphones, and two radio headsets. Cole came to a stop and she handed him the binoculars. He trained them out the side window.

“Do you see him?” she demanded.

“There’re TV boxes stacked at the front of the store. I can’t see a thing.”