Free Easy Target by Kay Thomas Page A

things before we get the police involved. Go into the bathroom and get dressed.”
    “Me, get dressed? What about you?” But she didn’t stay to argue her point. Instead, she stomped to the bathroom and slammed the door. Seconds later the door opened. But only her arm was visible as she tossed his dirty jeans and shirt onto the floor and snapped the door closed without a word. Her message was clear.
    Get some clothes on.
    Bryan was glad to see the feisty side of her back, as opposed to the stark fear he’d witnessed moments ago. If she’d been assaulted on that truck from Niamey, surely she’d be more shaken up now about this hotel room attack?
    He filed that thought away and focused on the conversation with Leland as he pulled some sweatpants from his duffel bag and slipped them on. “Okay, I’m back.”
    “What’s happening?” Leland’s Southern drawl made it sound as if they had all evening to chat, but Bryan knew better.
    “A guy broke into the room. No idea where he came from. He’s dead.”
    “Any ID?” asked Leland. “Tats, anything.”
    Bryan bent over to check the guy’s arms and chest. The chest was clear, but when he pulled up Knick’s Fan’s shirtsleeve, Bryan almost dropped the phone.
    “Shit,” he hissed under his breath.
    “What?” Leland’s radio announcer tone sharpened.
    “There’s a scorpion tat wrapped in barbed wire on his forearm, just like the one on the shooter who came after Jennifer Grayson in Niamey. The same kind worn by lieutenants in the Vega cartel.”
    “But Ernesto Vega is dead,” said Leland.
    “I know that,” said Bryan.
    “So where did this guy come from?”
    “Hang on a second.” Bryan snapped a photo of the tattoo and the man’s face with his phone and forwarded both to Leland. “I’ve no idea. But this has to be mixed up with that cluster.”
    “Clearly,” muttered Leland.
    “I can’t figure out how anyone found us here. Did they follow us from the airport? Are my credit cards being tracked? What?”
    The original plan of flying out to Memphis and then renting a car and driving Sassy to her mother’s home in Mississippi was not looking like a great idea. And how could he trust Sassy to stay out of trouble once he did get her to a safe place? It’s not like she was going to quit working to find answers for Trey. The more he thought about it, the more Bryan realized he couldn’t leave her on her own. He might not be getting away from her nearly as soon as he thought.
    Jesus. Trying to keep his hands off of her might just kill him if the guys coming after them didn’t do it first.
    “Have you heard anything from Gavin?” asked Bryan.
    “No word since he put you and Sassy on the plane. That’s just as well, ’cause there’s no good news on the investigation. My sources are telling me that Gavin’s about to be ‘upgraded’ to a terroristic threat because of his ties to the embassies overseas.”
    “What?” Bryan couldn’t wrap his head around the idea. It was too over the top.
    “I know. It’s all bullshit. But someone, somewhere, is pulling some heavy-­duty strings. Everyone associated with AEGIS is going to ground. I have heard from Nick. He and Jennifer are back in the U.S., but I’m not sure where. He was very closemouthed about their plans.”
    Bryan sighed. “That’s not a surprise.”
    “Given the situation, I told Nick I didn’t want to know where they were,” said Leland.
    “Ask him to call me the next time you two talk? He had to toss his phone in Africa. I doubt he’s gotten the same number if he’s trying to disappear.”
    “Will do,” said Leland.
    The last time Bryan had spoken to Nick, he’d been cautiously optimistic about Gavin’s innocence. Bryan and Leland were assuming their boss was being set up, but you didn’t endanger the ­people you loved on assumptions. You made damn sure.
    After speaking with Gavin in the hotel in Constantine, Bryan was now damn sure the man had been set up. But he couldn’t