04 - Shock and Awesome (36 page)

 
   
"You only placed the call half an hour ago."

 
   
I looked up at the discreet camera hidden on the living room bookshelf. Of course, Lucas was probably already next door, monitoring the feed. "Okay, you got me. Where are these guys hiding?"

 
   
Solomon paused, and I pictured him smiling. "Obviously, in really good places," he said. "Get some rest. I don't want you falling asleep on the job."

 
   
"Do I ever?" I started to ask, but he was gone, so I took his advice. I finished dinner, washed my knife and fork, and threw the cartons in the kitchen trash, though finding the trash was actually quite a feat. Solomon texted me and told me it was in a concealed panel, after Lucas probably watched me scour the kitchen for it. Then I had a nap on the incredibly comfortable couch in the living room. I didn't check for the guys again, but I didn't intend to fall asleep either. When I woke up, I felt utterly refreshed.

 
   
After stretching, using the bathroom, and filling my plastic bottle with tap water, I locked up the house and strolled to my car. No one was around, and the street was quiet. I pushed the driver's seat back, and settled in for a long wait, calling Solomon. "I'm here," I told him.

 
   
"You’re in the VW?"

 
   
"Of course. It would be stupid to stake out my fake house in my fake car."

 
   
Solomon laughed. "I see you. Keep your head down. If anyone complains about you, you'll have to sweet talk your way out of it. Shouldn't be too hard."

 
   
I snorted. "Do you know how many cops I'm related to?"

 
   
"Yep. I'm heading out back with Fletcher," he said, catching me off guard, although I didn't know why. I should have expected him to be home. I wondered if they both ate dinner with the mystery woman. Then I wondered why I was so bothered. "Call if you see either suspect."

 
   
"Ten-four."

 
   
"Do you even know what that means?"

 
   
"Duh!" I said, hanging up, although I thought Solomon might have been teasing. Instead of wearing out the car battery, I stuck my earphone jack into my cell phone and set it to play my music. It beat doing nothing. I couldn't read a magazine or a book, in case I missed Ben or Justin, or much else. Surveillance was never sexy. It was really just waiting it out. Beside me, for insurance, was my camera, retrieved from the trunk with a fresh digital card inside, so I could record any suspicious activity. Somehow, I didn't expect much to occur with the early shift. Why would a thief break in during daylight hours? When people might see him? Surely, he would act under cover of darkness, when everyone was asleep.

 
   
An hour into my surveillance, I was yawning and craving a coffee. Thirty minutes later, after several frustrating games of Solitaire on my phone, I contemplated downloading a bunch of apps I didn't need. A man walked past, wearing a baseball cap and a leather jacket, holding a bunch of flowers, and I was ready to accuse him of anything just to save me from boredom.

 
   
Two hours in, and I waved to
Jord
, who cruised by in a patrol car. I called my mother and agreed to have dinner on the weekend, then texted several friends, and prank-called Lucas once. I had a really good sulk when I saw Solomon leaving his house, his arm wrapped around the Anastasia's waist as he led her towards his car. From my position, I even saw him lean over to buckle her in before they sped off. Well, I conceded, at least my replacement was hot. If I had to be replaced by someone, it was a damned nice compliment that she was practically a supermodel. All the same, kind of unfair that he dodged his shift, not that I would even ask where he was going. I was not a jealous ex. Or even an ex.

 
   
By the time Lily called, I was ready to beat my head against the steering wall from boredom.

 
   
"Hey," she said weakly. "I don't feel good."

 
   
"Food poisoning hitting hard?"

 
   
"I don't think it's that... I think it's..." Sobbing sounded in my ear and Lily sniffed. "My stomach hurts and I don't feel well."

 
   
"What's going on?"

 
   
"I think it's the baby. Something's not right. I've been in pain since yesterday. I thought maybe it was food poisoning, but I don't think it is. It got worse all day. I tried calling
Jord
, but he isn't picking up."

 
   
"I saw him fifteen minutes ago. He's in a squad car. He might not have his cell phone with him," I told her.

 
   
"I figured.
Lexi
, I think I need to go to the hospital. I know you're working, but can you come get me?"

 
   
I didn't have to think about it. I didn't have to hesitate. In the case of best friend versus job, there could only be one winner. "Yes," I said. "I'll come now." Lily started to cry again. "Sweetie, I'll be right there. Don't panic. It's probably nothing. Alice went to the hospital three times when she was pregnant with Rachel, and everything was fine."

 
   
"Do you think so?" she said, her voice edging towards a whimper. Lily rarely got upset, and when she did, there had to be a really good reason.

 
   
"Absolutely," I assured her, even though my heart was pounding. "Let me make a couple calls and I'll be right there. Okay? Sit tight until I get there."

 
   
"Okay," she murmured before hanging up.

 
   
I took a moment to catch my breath and calm myself before calling Delgado. He picked up on the second ring with a gruff, "Hey."

 
   
"Hey, Delgado, I'm at the Chilton house and I have a family emergency. I need to leave. Can you take over now?"

 
   
"I'm at your sister's place. I'm leaving now anyway, but it'll take me thirty minutes to get there. There was an accident on Century and traffic is backed up. Hold on." There was muffled talking, and I could just about hear my sister asking questions before Delgado came back on. "Serena wants to know what kind of emergency."

 
   
"Lily isn't well. I'm going to take her to the hospital."

 
   
"Okay. I'll be there soon as I can."

 
   
"Thanks, I appreciate it." I called Solomon next, but his phone rang out. I tried twice more, but voicemail didn't click in. For the next few minutes, I tapped my feet on the floor with my hands on the wheel, growing increasingly agitated as I waited. Solomon didn't return my call, leaving me with a problem. I was caught in a crisis of ethics. My friend needed me, but I couldn't leave my post until I was relieved. The moment Lily told me she was in trouble, my interest in catching the thief ended. I wanted to leave now. Also, it was Solomon's own damn fault for not picking up, and the traffic issues on Century weren't my problem either.

 
   
I felt torn over what to do, and watched a couple of pedestrians walk past, one of them holding the leash of the tiniest dog I'd ever seen. Leather jacket man came along right after them, and I lifted my camera to get a better look as he paused outside the house. Unfortunately, I could only see the back of his head. There was something familiar about it though. Maybe he was one of the street’s residents. The bouquet he held was pretty. He looked like he was getting the courage to give the flowers to someone, which explained why he passed by twice.

 
   
I jumped as my cell phone trilled again, and Lily's name flashed onto the screen. Dropping the camera onto the passenger seat, I answered.

 
   
"Did you leave yet?" she asked.

 
   
"No," I admitted. "But I will. Very soon."

 
   
"I think I saw some blood.
Lexi
, I'm so scared. I tried
Jord
again, but I got voicemail and my parents are in Brazil. Or Guatemala. I don't know. I thought about calling your mom, but I don't want to upset her..." Lily's voice trailed into a heaving sob.

 
   
That was it. I started up the engine and checked the dashboard clock. Twenty minutes until Delgado got here. For the last three and a half hours, barely a single person entered the street, either on foot or in a car. "I'm leaving now," I told her. "Stay on the line, okay? You're going to be okay." I wasn't sure whom I was trying to assure as I pulled onto the quiet street, driving past Solomon's house, then my fake home. I noticed the lamp in the living room was left on. Funny, I thought I switched it off, but it was irrelevant now.

 
   
Lily needed me and that was all that mattered.

 
   
Chapter Seventeen

 
   
"Where the hell have you been?" yelled Solomon from across the office the moment I stepped through the agency door, albeit late in the morning. I yawned, narrowing my eyes, and wondering why the hell he wasn't telepathic, and how that could possibly be my fault, before shutting the door.

 
   
He waited at the office door, arms folded, as I walked towards him. Clearly, he got a better night's sleep than I because he was wearing black pants, a striped, black-on-black, open-neck shirt and he looked damn good to my tired eyes. I thought about wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on his shoulder, but I was pretty certain he wouldn't call that appropriate employee conduct. We just weren't that
huggy
an agency. "My office," he said, his voice straining with obvious frustration, while tilting his head inside. Like I couldn't guess.

 
   
I stepped through and Solomon banged the door shut behind me. "I called you ten times. Didn't you get my messages? You left your post," he said, moving around me to sit behind his desk, without making any indication for me to sit, but I did anyway.

 
   
"I'm sorry." I didn't even think of checking my phone before crawling into bed, or after; but even if I did, I'd probably have ignored the messages.

 
   
He raised his eyebrows. "Sorry? Great. Just great. The plan worked, by the way. The house got hit. Unfortunately, no one saw a damn thing!" Solomon leaned back, his jaw set in a firm line. I don't think I ever saw him so angry, or so ready to raise his voice.

 
   
"I had an emergency."

 
   
"Emergencies don’t count when you're on the job!"

 
   
"I called Delgado and told him I had to go. I also tried calling you. Where were you? You left, too."

 
   
"That was different."

 
   
Huh. Well, isn't everything different when a guy is involved? Sure, I was being unfair, but it seemed really unfair to blame me for the job going south when he deserted his post too. At least, I tried to call him. I guess he was just too busy with Anastasia. "This was important. Didn't Delgado tell you where I went? I called him."