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CHAPTER
49
MONTGOMERY MET HIM AT THE elevator and Paulson left them. She was dressed all in black, as though she were in mourning. Devine hoped it wasn’t for him, and he suddenly began feeling some nagging doubts about the woman. But he had a mission to perform and he had to get started.
He glanced at the pot of gold in her hand. Here was the whole ball game. He drew a deep breath and said, “Um, Michelle?”
“Yes?”
“Can you help me do something?” He hadn’t asked her this in the text. This was something he needed to do face-to-face. Like Cowl had said. Analog.
“What?”
He took the iPhone he’d bought that day and held it up. It was the same model as Cowl’s, with the same gold cover. And he had made the screen saver the exact same image of the blue Bugatti Chiron. He also had the same icons showing, using the screenshot he’d taken previously of Cowl’s phone as a guide. He had also signed up with the same phone carrier so it would have that name and network bars showing.
“I don’t understand,” she said, glancing at it.
“I need that phone, just for a few minutes. And you can give Cowl this one while I have his.”
She paled and drew back. “What the hell! Are you crazy? No!”
“I am a little bit crazy, I guess. But some men tried to kill me early this morning. And it had to do with something going on here.”
She just gaped. “Someone tried to kill you this morning? Do you really expect me to—”
He took the bandage off his hand and held it up. “I didn’t cut that on a soup can.” He took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeve, and showed her the wound there.
“Oh my God, did you call the police?”
“Yeah, and the guys were long gone by the time they got there.”
“How do you know it has anything to do with Brad’s firm?”
“From things the guy said. He might be freelance, I don’t know.”
“Freelance?”
“Mercenary might be a more recognizable term.”
“What the hell are you mixed up in, Travis?”
“The question is what the hell is Brad Cowl mixed up in. And that’s why I need his phone.”
She looked down at Cowl’s phone like it was a cobra about to strike her.
“Please, Michelle, it might have to do with Sara’s murder, too.”
She looked visibly distressed. “What are you going to do with it?”
“I’m going to get into a place in this building I can’t get into without it. At least I hope it’s the golden key. If it’s not, there’s no harm done.”
“And what are you going to do once you get in there?”
“Just look around. I promise. I won’t take anything.”
“If you’re lying to me—”
“I’m not lying to you. I don’t want to do this. But I have no choice, not now. Those guys didn’t get the job done this morning. They’ll be back.” He added, “Look, we better get going or he’ll be suspicious.”
