The Operator

Bill chuckled, gesturing for her to sit down. On the table, Carnac meowed for her attention. “Cam is fine,” he said, reaching his thick fingers through the grate to give the cat something to rub up against. “I left him a note in your handwriting. Have a seat. Let’s talk.”

She didn’t move to sit, crossing her arms in front of her and feeling as if scopes were trained on her. “No,” she said, then extended her hand. “Give me his phone so I can return it. He lives on that thing.”

“So I noticed.” Bill shook his head in warning. “I took the opportunity to go through it. He’s a bad man, Peri. No good for you. Don’t let the boyish charm fool you.” His eyes narrowed. “Sit. Down,” he demanded.

She sat as he knew she would. Her head came up, focus landing on Jack clear across the plaza, right in her line of sight. His hands were empty, but she felt better when Silas caught up to him and spun him around, threatening violence. Not illusion Jack, then. “What did you do to Cam?”

“Nothing,” Bill said, voice sounding hurt. “He never even knew I was there.”

He? As in Cam? Her eyes flicked to Bill’s, reading the truth of it.

Bill sighed, settling in and smiling at the trio racing to a display of candy, their mother trailing along behind with a bookseller tote filled with goodies. “Do you know how hard it is to find a good cat sitter? He took good care of our cat, and you’re going to need him again.”

Peri’s eye twitched. “He’s not your cat,” she said as she pulled the carrier closer.

“I always felt as if he was.”

Which begged the question of how many bugs and trackers Carnac had in him now. Her head was hurting, and she put her fingers through the mesh, knowing she’d take that risk. “Thanks for nothing, Bill,” she said, gathering Carnac to her and standing.

“Ah, wait up. This belongs to you,” Bill said as he reached behind his jacket to take out a manila envelope.

Peri looked at it, gauging its thickness. She’d gotten a lot of envelopes from him, and after a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, she took it and lifted the flap with a finger.

It was cash. A lot of it.

Bill smiled up at her, his hands laced comfortably over his middle. “There’s half a mil for taking out Michael and Helen for me. Thank you. Well done,” he said, inclining his head. “Another two hundred thousand that was originally Michael’s cut for procuring Everblue’s carbon tree. I have no use for his share, and you were there. Books have to balance, so . . .”

Peri dropped the envelope onto the table. “I don’t work for you.”

“Really?” Bill barked, irritation crossing his face for the first time. “You think all that was happenstance? Don’t insult me trying to play dumb. Michael and Helen had outlived their usefulness and I needed them out of the way. I set you on them with the scent of revenge and moral outrage, tempered with blind anger.” His expression softened. “You did good, kiddo.”

Peri rubbed her forehead, not caring whether he knew she was tempted. She needed money to resettle herself, buy a cloak that even death couldn’t find her under. The coffee shop was a loss, and now she had Silas with her. Two people meant four times the cost.

Flushing, she took her eyes off the envelope. “I don’t kill for money.”

Bill pushed it forward. “You don’t kill for kicks, either.”

“I did it to be free of you,” she said, wanting to point at him but not willing to give the maybe-scopes trained on her an excuse. “All of you. Be careful, Bill. Walk away, or you’ll move to the top of my list.”

Still, Bill smiled as he stood and put his sunglasses back on. “You are free. You just don’t know it yet. Is Steiner giving you flack?”

Not understanding, she shook her head, his faint tone of protection familiar. “Nothing I can’t handle,” she said softly.

“Because I’d take care of that for you,” he added. “Let me know if that’s not enough to get you and your new anchor settled. I can float you whatever you need until the next task worthy of your talents comes in.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You aren’t listening, Bill. You got me hooked on a drug that makes me into a tool. You think I’m going to forgive you for that?”

His gaze shifted to the nearby people, silently telling her to lower her voice. “You already have, or I’d be dead,” he said, then softened. “Peri, Peri, Peri, I got you halfway to remembering your drafts. If you aren’t ready, I respect that.”

“Ready?” she said, flustered. “I’m not doing it.”

Still standing over her, he frowned, a worry line pressing into existence over his eyes. “Perhaps it was a mistake. I am sincerely sorry if it was.” He turned to look behind him at Silas and Jack, both of them waiting at the outskirts. The kids had saved his life, but that’s why Bill had wanted to meet here. “How long until you’re off it, then?”

None of your business, she thought, saying, “Just about the same time your chemical tracker runs out.”

Again he smiled. “Atta girl. Enjoy your downtime. I’ll be in touch.”

“I’m done, Bill,” she said as he began to walk away. “Call me again, and I’ll kill you.”

But all he did was turn to give her a smile. “Life is boring,” he said, focus distant as he buttoned his jacket. “You need me to feel alive.” His eyes fixed on hers, and her mouth went dry at the truth of it. “It was a real pleasure working that closely with you again. You did a lot with half an anchor. Think of what you could do with a whole one.”