The Operator

“He’s not been any trouble.”

Peri picked away at the panel, trying to figure out what she’d done to encourage him.

“I knew you were different, but this?” He gestured to her sleek form crouching in the dark trying to break in with a screwdriver. “Who are you? The good guy, or the bad guy?”

“Uh . . .” She looked up. A glint of light over his shoulder shocked through her. Standing, she yanked Cam behind her. Her hand slapped at her side, reaching for her nonexistent weapon, and Cam cried out, startled as his dress shoes ground against the grit and he caught his balance.

“She’s the good guy,” Silas said from the dark, and Peri’s adrenaline crashed, shifting to anger.

“Silas?” she blurted out. “How . . .” Her voice trailed off as he stomped forward into the dim light looking betrayed, angry, and threatening even in his long wool coat that cost more than most people’s rent. I should’ve just knocked over a 7-Eleven, she thought. Cam edged out from behind her, and she sighed, looking for strength. “Silas, this is Cam. Cam, Silas.”

Neither man moved to shake hands, and in the awkward silence she realized how menacing Silas was. He only felt small in her mind because he was a big soft teddy bear. One who could bend iron rods and scare gang members. Damn LB anyway.

“You’re the man watching our cat?” Silas said, and Peri frowned.

“Carnac is not your cat. If he’s anyone’s, he’s mine and Jack’s,” she said, crouching back over the panel and wishing they’d both leave.

Cam inched away from her as Silas came forward. “I suppose I am, yes.”

“Think you can watch him for a few weeks more?” Silas said.

Peri sat back on her heels and stared up at them both. “You’re not coming with me.”

Silas hunched, losing every ounce of threat he ever had. “You need me. Admit it.”

Eyes on the panel, she angled the screwdriver a little higher and pushed. “I do. But you’re not coming. Bill will use you to hurt me, which means you will be dead.” The screwdriver slipped, narrowly missing her hand again. “Silas, I can’t deal with this right now!”

“You’re going to have to,” he said, taking a large step onto the cement pad. Cam backed up fast, and Peri did nothing as the bigger man took the screwdriver out of her hand and pushed her out of the way. “You’re not leaving me behind this time.”

Peri watched him wedge the screwdriver between the metal plates and twist, his extra muscle making it easy. “Yes, I am.”

The front of the panel box snapped off with a sharp ping. “Look, I’m a help already.”

“Peri, I told you if you need help, I have the means,” Cam said.

Silas straightened, giving Cam a tired look before handing her the screwdriver still warm from his fingers. “Manipulating Michael into taking care of Bill might have been a mistake. He knows you’re out for his head. His only chance is to bring this to his playground, and you’re going right along with it. I’m coming with you. You can’t stop me.”

“My God. It’s like a soap opera,” Cam said, clearly trying to be funny. “Can I get the earlier episodes on my phone?”

Peri breathed in the cold night, feeling it soak to her bones as she thought over what Bill was capable of, what Cam was hearing. This is not who I wanted to be. Frustrated, she looked at her coffeehouse, seeing it as the hopeful lie it was. She could never be what she wanted to be. As she turned, her gaze fell on Cam as he stood behind Silas, both dressed well, attractive, and smart. Another lie, another wish. Another mistake.

“I’m sorry, Peri,” Silas said, his regret so honest it hurt. “Bill is going to take everything you care about until you snap.”

“Which is exactly why I want you to stay here,” she said, eyeing Cam as he crouched beside the opened panel and used his phone as a flashlight.

“Wow, is this a Catch-Twenty-Two? If you tamper with this baby without the password, it explodes,” he said in envy.

Cold, Peri held her arms to herself. “That’s why I bought it.”

Silas cocked his head in thought. “Peri is the same way. How do you know what it is?”

Silent, Cam rose, obvious he thought he’d said too much. His phone went out, putting him back into darkness. “I’ve, ah, got one at home.”

“Cam’s net worth is eight million,” Peri said as Silas dropped down to take Cam’s place. “When the market is up, that is.”

“How—” Cam stammered, and Silas chuckled.

“My baby don’t hang with trash,” Silas muttered under his breath, and Peri frowned. My baby? Had he really said “My baby”?

“I looked you up,” she said. Then seeing Silas stiffen, she added, “Anyone who comes into my store more than once gets looked up. Don’t think it means I’m interested or anything.”

“You’re an espionage agent?” Cam guessed, and Silas snorted, his thick finger deftly wedging open the access panel behind a curtain of wires. “For who? CIA? FBI?”

“No,” she said flatly, and the lock beeped.

Silas made a low hum of discontent. “You change your password?” he questioned.

Peri’s attention shifted down. Things were getting out of control fast. “How would you know my password?”

“Because you always use the same one.” He hesitated, then sighed. “What is it?”