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Moe rested his elbows on his knees. “What about selling it to our so-called friends?” When everyone gave him a questioning look, he added, “CIA? NSA? National intelligence? We’re all supposed to be on the same side, but we rarely are.”
“Point taken.” Beatrice shifted her gaze toward the cabin. “Let’s find out what this Lori knows.”
“Wait,” Rory said. “Can’t I simply hook it up to my laptop and take a look?”
“You need a special reader for this model,” Emit told him. “That was one of the kinks I’ve worked on—figuring out how the right people can access the data. If anyone can hook it up to a computer and download the info, it’s no longer secure.”
“I assume you have a reader at the ranch?” Beatrice asked.
Emit nodded. “We can decrypt it and access whatever’s on it when we get back.”
“I still want to know what Lori can tell us,” she said.
Moe moved out of the way so she could climb the steps, and oops, wouldn’t you know it, his boot connected with the terrorist’s leg again.
Emit came next, giving him a nod. Rory and Cal followed, both of them slapping Moe on the shoulder. Rory tugged on the ripped edge of his shirt. “New fashion statement, Bozo?”
Moe shot him the finger, and for half a second, he felt almost normal. “I’ll stay out here and guard the prisoner.”
After they disappeared inside, he situated the semi-automatic across his chest, boosted himself off the steps, and kicked the guy on the bottom of his feet, trying to wake him up. Romalov’s head lolled back and forth but he didn’t open his eyes. “I know you’re playing possum. Tell me why you wanted that watch and maybe I won’t kill you for shooting my girlfriend.”
Romalov didn’t so much as twitch.
Before he could pull the switchblade from his pocket and see if he could wake him up by that means, the others filed back out, including Gus.
“That was quick.” He peered through the open door. Parker was still at the table with her leg propped up, Lori across from her.
Cal pulled the door nearly closed, lowering his voice. “She clammed up tighter than all get out as soon as we walked in.”
Beatrice came down the stairs. “Says she won’t talk to anyone but Jett.”
His instincts went on high alert. “You can’t just leave her in there with no backup.”
Emit handed Moe the watch. “That’s why we want you to go back in.”
TWENTY-SIX
Beatrice nodded, lowering her voice. “Turn on that Henley charm. Watch Parker’s back so Lori doesn’t try to overtake her. We need to motivate her. If Lydia tells Flynn she stole the watch from Emit before we discover what’s on it, it will be confiscated and we’ll be left in the dark.”
“My charm evaporated about two hours ago. Besides, I don’t play nice with people like her.”
Beatrice gave him an encouraging smile. “You won over Rory. If you can do that, you can perform miracles.”
“Hey,” Rory protested.
She squeezed Moe’s arm. “I’m counting on you.”
Fuck. He couldn’t say no. Removing the strap from his shoulder, he handed the weapon to Cal. He couldn’t exactly be charming with that hanging on his chest. “I’m going to need a long vacation after this.”
Emit chuckled. “You’re not a vacation kind of guy, but a raise might be in order.”
What did he need money for? His room and board were covered by SFI. Outside of treating Parker to dinner, he didn’t spend any on much else. “We’ll talk about it after I take care of this.”
At the table, Lori was shaking her head and Parker appeared ready to take that head off.
“You wouldn’t risk your life, track us down, and point a gun at us if you didn’t know why Lydia wanted that watch.” Parker poked the wood table. “Is she in cahoots with RING?”
“Never.”
