Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
“You’ve got a little extra spring in your step.”
Xavier couldn’t deny Breaker’s words as he walked into the kitchen, put a pod in the coffee maker, placed a mug on the base, and started the life-giving brew.
“Did we keep you awake last night? Gee, I’d sure hate that,” Xavier replied.
Breaker leaned back from his chair at the table and appraised Xavier. “I like to think hearing how I—a top-notch, world class lover—do things helped you last night. I’m here for you, buddy. I have a lot of tips if you need me to explain things.”
“Shit,” Xavier said with a chuckle and shake of his head.
Marco and John came into the kitchen area, made coffee and small talk, and then took seats at the kitchen table.
“Figured this might be a good time for us to look at what we’ve got so far,” John said.
Sitting across from him, Xavier nodded.
“Let’s start with possible suspects,” John suggested.
“Did anyone else notice Denise Franklin’s bad attitude all night?” Marco asked. “I didn’t even meet her. But hearing over your earpieces. Damn.”
“Yep. And she’s a woman,” Breaker said.
“That’s some elite detective skills right there,” Marco shot back with a grin.
Breaker smiled, too. “What I mean is, we’re suspecting that figure Xavier chased through the casino is, in fact, not a man. Denise has an athletic build. In good shape. Looks like the type who could volley over a blackjack table.”
Xavier thought it over and did not recall seeing Denise around the time he was pursuing the suspect through the casino.
Hmm. Perhaps Breaker was onto something. Of course, they’d need a lot more proof than simply the fact that Denise was a woman. They weren’t even sure the hooded figure from the wardrobe was!
“It’s something to keep in mind,” he said. “But who else do we have?”
“I’m not a cop,” John said. “But in many of these cases, isn’t it someone close to them?”
Xavier shrugged. “In most cases, absolutely. But when it comes to famous people being stalked, those rules kind of go out the window. The whole world knows Nova. Sometimes these fans just get obsessed and think they have a connection to the celebrity.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me,” Marco admitted. “Why would someone who loves a celebrity want to harass or even kill that celebrity? You’d think they’d worship them, or something.”
“Look at what happened to John Lennon,” Xavier told him. “These stalkers, their minds don’t work the same way other peoples’ do.”
Marco nodded. “So, her manager wouldn’t be a likely suspect?”
Xavier considered Linda Atkins for a moment. “Can’t say she would be. What does she gain from this? She’s making money hand over fist with Nova as a client.”
“But what if she has a screw loose?” Marco asked.
“I could be wrong, but I’m not getting those vibes from her.”
“So, basically,” Breaker said, “we’re back to square one.”
“We need a break in this thing,” Xavier admitted. “But that plan of ours might work. Until then, I’d like to get Nova somewhere safe. Sure, this place is great, and I don’t think anyone knows she’s here.”
“They don’t,” John said. “We’ve been adamant about watching for tails. There’s always someone good at following and evading, but we’ve been pretty thorough.”
Breaker smiled. “Not to brag, but I was trained at Langley and I know how to spot—and evade—a tail. I know how to follow someone too. Bottom line, I’m trained in what to look for. No one has followed us.”
“Not to brag?” Marco said. “That’s all you do!”
The guys laughed. Breaker didn’t deny what his friend said.
“I know she’s good here,” Xavier said. “But I want to be extra cautious. Besides, I think being cooped up in here would be bad for her mental health.”
“I suspect I know where you have in mind,” John said with a knowing smirk. “But let’s hear it.”
Xavier took a drink of coffee and then said, “We take her where every Little loves to go. That oasis they all dream about. It’s where the lady is who’s so graciously agreed to help us with our plan. So, we could come up with our strategy, practice, and the Littles could play.
“Gentleman, I’m saying we take our Littles to Mountainville.”