“All those previous successes are what made the last failure so difficult to accept. But it also gave you a second chance. You need to remember that while you’re sitting on the back deck eating Chinese takeout.”
Chinese takeout.
What I picked up for dinner last night.
“I would like nothing more than to finish this job to your satisfaction. When can I expect my next set of instructions?”
“No firm date but within the next two weeks. And to be clear, this is a reminder, not a threat. If I were issuing a threat, there would be no confusion.”
The line goes dead.
I didn’t learn everything I wanted in that call, but I learned enough. I have confirmation Smith sent that woman here, and at least I now have a general time frame for my next set of instructions.
But the most important thing I discovered is that even though his trust in me has weakened, I haven’t lost it completely.
Even though I feel like a sitting duck, I must finish what I started.
It’s time to go off script.
I start the car and pull out of the driveway, heading to work. Once I’m on one of the busier streets, I swerve, jerking the wheel hard, and my left front tire hits the concrete curb. There’s a loud screeching sound, then I hear the tire pop. The car limps into the tire repair shop at the end of the block. One of the techs motions for me to pull into one of the open bays then moves closer to inspect my tire.
“You’re lucky we were close by. You couldn’t have driven on it this way for long,” he says when I exit the vehicle.
“So lucky,” I agree. I grab my purse and head inside the shop.
The guy behind the counter greets me when I step up to the counter. “How can we help you today?”
I roll my eyes and say, “Hit a curb down the street and busted my tire.” I point to my car through the glass window that looks out onto the shop area.
He asks for my name and information as he fills out the order ticket. “It’ll be a couple of hours before it’s ready. Got a few folks ahead of you.”
“No problem,” I say, moving toward the waiting area.
Digging my phone out of my purse, I call Ryan. He answers on the second ring.
“Hey, what’s up?” he asks.
“Hey,” I reply, frustration lacing my words. “I’m at the tire shop on Jackson. Wasn’t paying attention and hit the curb and popped the tire. Luckily, I was close enough to get here before it got too bad.”
“You and tires do not get along,” he says with a laugh.
“No, we do not,” I agree.
He chuckles then asks, “Need a ride? I can call Cole to come pick you up and drop you at home or work.” Thursdays are usually the only days Ryan is out of town, but he took a meeting with some potential clients in the town just south of here so he’s out of pocket for the day.
“No, I’m going to wait it out. They said it shouldn’t take too long. I’ll call work. I don’t think they’ll mind if I’m late since I stayed behind and worked that event last week.”
“Okay, let me know when it’s fixed.”
“I will. I’ll see you tonight.” I end the call then text my boss, letting him know what happened and that I’ll be late. I move closer to the counter and tell the man who helped me moments before, “Text me when it’s ready and I’ll be back for it.”
He nods. “Yes, ma’am.”
I exit the store and walk three businesses down to the car rental agency. The girl at the counter is young and way too perky for this early in the morning.
“Can I help you?” she asks much louder than necessary.
“Yes, I have a reservation for a car. Annie Michaels.”
She taps away on her computer and then beams at me. “Yes! We’re all ready for you!”
I sign the paperwork then grab the keys to a black four-door sedan that’s parked out front. Within ten minutes, I’m on the road.
Ryan has gotten into the habit of dropping by my work, so I needed to capitalize on his impromptu out-of-town meeting. But I also needed to account for my time away for my boss. And since everyone in this town knows one another, my stories have to match.
As I pull onto the interstate and head west, I block out everything else and focus on what’s ahead. I spent weeks surveilling Ryan’s business in East Texas when I first got here. When I finally got my first set of instructions, I realized how important that business was for this job. The search of his Glenview office offered some information but not what I needed to finish here. But that woman’s arrival in town had got me antsy and feeling like I needed to go back and make sure I didn’t miss anything, so I put the plan in place to head over there when Ryan told me he would be gone for the day.