Page 11 of Unlocked

Tatum inhaled slowly. "I'm leaving. These people will still be here next week. Or the week after. I can speak to them then."

"Tatum, that attitude is really⁠—"

"Bunny, darling."

The interruption came from her right.

Bunny released Tatum's arm instantly, the disappointment already masked.

"Millie," she said warmly. "How lovely to see you."

Tatum stepped back. The headache she'd lied about a few moments ago was now pounding steadily behind her eyes. The choice had already been made. Bunny's world was not going to be Tatum's. Not for much longer.

A small tingle flared again between her shoulder blades. The same feeling she'd had earlier, the one she couldn't shake. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, but only saw a sea of people chatting and laughing, including her parents. She turned back around.

A loud crash rang out behind her.

Tatum jumped and let out a small yelp, whirling around to find that a waiter had dropped a tray of champagne glasses. She pressed her hand to her chest, hoping to quell her thundering heart rate. She closed her eyes and took a slow breath.

This had to stop. She was getting so jumpy. So paranoid. It was ridiculous, and she knew it. She squared her shoulders. She'd been promising herself a long vacation as soon as the Granite Industries case was wrapped up. It couldn't come soon enough.

CHAPTER SIX

After returning from Paris yesterday, Archer hadn’t had a break. No downtime, no respite. It was the norm, but for the first time in a long while, he felt it like a warning sign deep in his bones. Time was marching on with or without him.

He stood in the hotel suite in front of the temporary wall of screens and studied the camera angles while he rubbed his nape. He was tired and irritable, but duty called. He had an obligation to his members.

He needed eyes on the ballroom, but there was no way he was going down there. He wouldn't make it out without having to talk to half the people in the room. Instead, he'd made sure he could monitor the whole floor via video.

This wasn't a Lock and Key Society event. His presence wasn't required. But there were enough members down there that it made sense to have a presence regardless, and Archer never did things halfway. A presence meant eyes everywhere. If something went wrong, he wanted to know about it firsthand, not filtered through some hotel security guard's perspective.

"How's it looking?" Ryker Sterling asked from behind him.

"Fine." Archer's impatience rendered his tone more clipped than usual, and he didn't particularly care. "I see Austin Davis is holding court again. I had hoped after the hotel bombing he would have the good sense to fade away."

"I can make that happen," Ryker said. "Just say the word. We are well past the ninety-one days."

Archer grunted. He'd love to give that order. He would take genuine pleasure in ending that particular chapter himself, but the former President had asked him specifically not to exact a pound of flesh, and even though the man was no longer in the Oval, his wishes still carried weight. Some. There was also the practical reality that he and Davis were known quantities when it came to their mutual dislike. If Davis suddenly disappeared, people would draw a straight line back to Archer. No, if Davis was going to be dealt with, it had to be for something that left no room for doubt in anyone's mind that he'd earned it. And when the time came, Archer would be the one doing it.

"Find out what he's up to," he said to Ryker. "He's been invited to the event, and most people are acknowledging him with a nod or a quick hello. But the ones actually listening to him seem to be Society members. Find out what he's pontificating about and how deeply the thaw goes. See if his former friends are reestablishing lines of communication."

"Will do." Ryker headed toward the door, already talking into his comm set-up.

The suite door closed. Archer glanced over his shoulder to confirm he was alone, then picked up his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.

"Yes?" the voice answered.

"Find out what Austin Davis is up to.” He ended the call. There was nothing more to say. His people knew what they were doing.

He set the phone down for a moment and looked at the screens. Then he picked it up again and dialed Armand.

The Frenchman answered on the second ring. "Mon ami. You are watching the party from above, yes? Like a hawk."

"Something like that." Archer almost smiled. "I need a favor."

"What do you need?"

"I want to know what Davis is up to. His movements, his conversations…who he's met with outside of the usual circles. Use your contacts. The ones you trust. I need you to take the temperature on him in D.C. as well."