58. CHANCE

There’s an odd look on Sara’s face when I get back with her burger.

Everything okay?” I ask as I set it on the table.

“I called Grace on the new phone,” she says. “Some men in black suits came by my apartment looking for me.”

“Is she all right?” I ask, alarmed.

“She’s fine. Just a little rattled. But it blows the hope that we’re just being paranoid right out of the water. This is real.”

I came to that conclusion before we left the house, but I suppose my instincts are a little sharper than hers. Comes with the job.

She takes a bite of her burger, chews it automatically. I doubt she’s even tasting it.

“I’m sorry I brought your sister into this,” I say. “I never wanted any of this to happen.”

“I know that,” she says. “And Gracie’s tough. She can handle it.”

“Did she say anything else?”

Sara chews in silence for a moment before saying: “No, that’s it.”

I sit down in the chair across from her and toss my ball cap onto the shelf that also serves as the stand for the room’s old analog television set. Maybe it’s my imagination, but she seems more upset by her talk with Grace than she’s letting on.

But I won’t push her on it. We’re still feeling our way through all of this craziness – the situation, the marriage. The last thing I want is to put more unnecessary pressure on her.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

“It’s yet another reason for me to get this shit sorted out as soon as I can,” I say. “I’ve got an idea that might work, but I’ll need your help.”

“Anything,” she says. “What’s the plan?”

“I need to get into Pearce’s offices and find out who his partner is on this deal. At the very least, that might help me figure out why he wants Atlas so bad. Maybe I can use that as leverage to convince the Sullivans not to sell.”

She looks at me sidelong. “You really want to add breaking and entering to the fact we’re already fugitives?”

“Technically, we’re not on the run from anyone because no one has charged us with anything yet. From a legal standpoint, we just have really poor taste in accommodations right now.”

“Semantics will get you nowhere,” she says. “Don’t make light of the situation. We’re in a lot of trouble, no matter how you look at it.”

I sigh. “Yeah, we are. I’m just trying to keep myself from dwelling on it and to think strategically. Panic and depression don’t help with that.”

She walks behind me and starts kneading my trapezius muscles through my t-shirt. It feels incredible.

“Just what the doctor ordered,” I sigh.

“Let’s say you find out who this mystery partner is,” she says. “How could you use it against Pearce? I mean, you can’t do anything about a legitimate business deal.”

“That’s just it – I don’t think it is legitimate. If someone is using Empire to buy Atlas and its influence in Washington, it’s because that someone doesn’t have either the money or the credibility to do it themselves. Pearce may have a reputation in the business world, but only a superficial one. Yeah, he’s a shark, but his checks don’t bounce.

“Someone with a less stellar reputation – an arms dealer, say, or a loudmouth media mogul – would never convince the Sullivans to sell, even if they had the money. So they go to Pearce, who uses his reputation to their advantage. Once he owns Atlas, the next buyer can be whoever is willing to pay him the money.”

Sara’s fingers continue to dig as she mulls over what I’ve said. I have to make a mental note that she likes to do things with her hands while she thinks. If she keeps this up, I might just nod off on her.

“So Jersey Boy’s uncle is the partner, that much I’m sure of,” she says. “We just need to figure out who he is. Piece of cake. There’s only, what, like nine million people in New Jersey?”

I chuckle. “Hopefully I can narrow it down if I get into Pearce’s computer system.”

She finishes up with my neck and gives it a little kiss before sitting down on the bed.

“And you can hack into his system?”

“Should be able to, yeah.”

She stares at me long enough for me to start feeling uncomfortable.

“What?” I ask. “Did I grow a new eye or something?”

“You learned all this stuff in the Marines?”

A jolt of adrenaline stabs my gut. No, hacking was definitely not a part of Marines basic training. I learned most of this stuff from certain people who I really don’t want to talk about.

“Sully had access to people with skills,” I say. “I’m really not at liberty to go into details.”

“Not even with your wife?”

“Sara, that’s something you’re going to have to get used to. Some of what I do is classified.”

She nods thoughtfully. “I get that.”

So why do I think she’s still hurt by it?

“Anyway,” she says. “What do you need my help with? Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about espionage or hacking.”

“Actually, what I need you to do is something you do exceptionally well.”

“Really?” she says, feigning shock. “And you want me to do it in public?”

I grin and shake my head. “I meant something else you’re really good at.”

“Which is?”

“I need you to draw attention to yourself.”