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Abby shrugged. “They’d have to be replaced for thatday.”
“So we input the names of our people when we’re in the system and assign them to the suite,” Lockesaid.
“It might be suspicious to keep everyone assigned to the room out sick for a day,” Maxsaid.
“Agreed,” Abby said. "But if we can replace even one of them, that person would probably have enough freedom to plant a few devices — assuming the equipment is small and easy to place. The cleaning staff is overworked and in a hurry. They want to get in and get out while Jason’s in the executive offices and the suite’s empty. If we can get someone new in with one of the existing maintenance crew assigned to the suite, my guess is the regular will give them a list of jobs, put them to work, and get busy on another part of thesuite.”
Farrell sighed. “What if our person is assigned to the toilet? How is he or she supposed to get a device into the otherrooms?”
“That’s your department,” Abbysaid.
Farrell’s face turned hard, then broke into a grin. He looked atMax.
“I like thisone.”
Max scowled. “Your opinion on the matter means next to nothing.” He turned to Carlos. “Do we have someone good enough to work this situation? Someone who can pull off acting like they’re a new hire? Who can get around the suite without appearing nosy once they’reupstairs?”
Carlos seemed to think about. “I thinkso.”
“It’s not foolproof,” Max said, looking at the plans laid out on theisland.
“Who wants foolproof?” Lockesaid.
Max looked at him, and Abby could see the train of thought moving behind his eyes. Careful, calculated Max, more like Nico than Farrell, trusting a key component of Jason’s demise to a danger junkie who looked like he’d rather besurfing.
“I do,” Max said. “And you should, too. This isn’t agame.”
She understood Max’s concern, but she wasn’t sure it was warranted. Locke Montgomery was obviously a risk taker — but he didn’t strike her as a fool. There was a calculated intelligence behind the anticipatory gleam in his eye, an alertness that made her feel like he was storing data, already formulating aplan.
Locke gave Max a thoughtful nod. “In my experience, foolproof is in the people, not the plan. Things go wrong. Obstacles are introduced that can’t be anticipated. But if you have the right people — and I’m assuming you do — it won’t matter. They’ll be able to roll with the punches, remain flexible, improvise their way out of anytrouble.”
And therein lay the problem. Max was used to improvising — he’d probably had to do plenty of it in Afghanistan. But he was new to the Vegas territory, new to the men he’d brought on from Fredo DeLuca’s operation. He didn’t have the security of soldiers he’d trained with, men he’d seen inaction.
“We have good people.” Abby was surprised when Carlos spoke, as if he’d heard her thoughts. As if he knew Max. “I know we’re still getting some of them up to speed with the new protocols, but I have some in mind that I’m sure can betrusted.”
“Women?” Nicoasked.
Abby had been ready to ask the question herself. Sexist or not, the vast majority of employees in housekeeping were female. No reason to draw unnecessary attention tothemselves.
“I’ve got a couple in mind,” Carlossaid.
Abby hid her surprise. The Syndicate had been forging a new business model since taking over the organization from its former leader, but it was still hard to imagine it includingwomen.
Max looked at Nico and Locke. “Can we get into the computer system in the next twenty-four hours? Because according to Sean Bolton, Jason had his first interview with the Feds two days ago. Based on his initial timeline, that gives us four or five days before we have to start thinking about federalsurveillance.”
“It’ll be done,” Nico said. He looked at Locke. “I’ll have Damian contact you if he can’t get in within twelve hours. Then your team can take a crack atit.”
Max looked at Carlos. “Get Damian the names of the women you want to send in so his people can put them on the cleaning schedule in thesystem.”
“Willdo.”
“AndCarlos?”
“Yeah,boss?”
“Get them in thereASAP.”
“Let’s meet again in forty-eight hours,” Max said to everyone around the island. “By then we should have some data from the surveillance that’ll help us find a way in andout.”
