Free 06 Double Danger by Dee Davis

him back. It had all seemed so simple then. The three of them against the world. And then… hell, he wasn’t going to let himself go there. This was about business. The past was just that—past.
    The doors slid open, and they stepped out onto the fifth floor, J.J. thankfully oblivious to the turn of his thoughts. They walked in silence as they made their way down the hallway, slowing as they reached Wilderman’s door.
    “So this is it,” she said. “How do you want to handle it?”
    Simon pulled out his gun. “You armed?”
    She shook her head.
    He swallowed a grunt of dismay. “But you know how to handle a weapon?”
    “I’ve been trained. I’ve just never had any reason to carry a gun. Until the other day, my disaster scenarios were just drills.”
    “Well, you need to start carrying one now.” Simon reached down for the gun he carried at his ankle. “Until then, take this.” He held it out, and to her credit, she took it without hesitation, checking the magazine and releasing the safety. “I’m going to knock, and I want you to identify yourself as housekeeping.”
    “Packing heat,” she added, the corners of her mouth tilting up into another smile.
    “He won’t know that from your voice.” Simon returned the smile and then reached out to knock, the sound seeming overly loud in the quiet hallway.
    “Housekeeping,” J.J. called. There was no answer, so Simon knocked again. “I don’t think there’s anyone here,” she said, lowering her weapon as Simon slid the key down the lock, his gun still at the ready. Motioning her to stay behind him, he opened the door and swung inside, his gaze moving over the empty room.
    “Looks clear,” he called as he moved to check the closet and bathroom, then lowered his gun.
    “I was right,” J.J. said. “He’s gone.”
    “At least for now. But there’s still luggage. Most of it unpacked.”
    “So maybe he wanted us to believe he hadn’t left.” J.J. bent to look through the open suitcase.
    “Or maybe he’s just out in the city somewhere playing tourist. Totally oblivious to the fact that someone has been using his name.”
    “Except that they had his watch.” J.J. frowned, biting her lower lip. It was a habit he remembered well. Something she did when she was thinking. “Remember the coroner said that it had his initials.”
    “Could have been a plant,” Simon said, rifling through the clothes hanging in the closet. “Neiman also said that the guy was wearing an expensive suit. Most of this stuff looks like it was bought right off the rack.”
    “In the old days, you wouldn’t have known Armani from Men’s Wearhouse.” She looked up at him, her gaze teasing.
    “I still don’t.” He laughed. “But the label on this sports coat says Sears. And even I know that doesn’t qualify as high-end.”
    “So we’ve got a guy who presents himself as Wilderman but doesn’t actually make an effort to look like the guy. Physically or economically. Doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
    “Probably didn’t have to.” Simon shrugged as he walked over to check out the nightstand. “I mean, Neiman only has to verify the identity of his passengers. If there’s nothing suspicious, he’d certainly have no reason to dig further.”
    “I suppose you’re right,” J.J. said. “And since most of Neiman’s customers are well-heeled, our pseudo-Wilderman would have wanted to look the part. Maybe you’re right, and the real Wilderman was clueless. His computer is still here.” She motioned to a laptop sitting open on the room’s small desk.
    “Doesn’t make sense that he’d have left it behind if he was trying to hide something.”
    “Unless it was on purpose,” she said as she hit a button to turn it on. The machine whirred to life and then stopped, presenting the blue screen of death. “What the hell?” She frowned at the screen and hit one key and then another. “There’s nothing here. This machine has been wiped clean.”
    Simon walked over