I glance at Darla in the backseat, hiding under a blanket. "If we get in over our head, you need to be willing to bring in the cops. Nothing happens to Darla."
"Tia will be online with us the entire time. If we need help, we'll get the cops involved. I'd rather we get our hands on the guy and squeeze him for info."
Rafael walks to his lead car while I start the SUV. Saskia sits next to me with a weapon in her hand. I lean into the backseat and caress Darla's head under the blanket.
Following Rafael out of the parking garage with Manny close behind me, I focus on the road while my partner looks for anyone tailing us. The shrink's office is twenty minutes through downtown, leaving a lot of time and distance for someone to cause trouble.
We drive for ten minutes before Manny radios that we have a tail. Saskia surveys the cars around us. I stay focused on the traffic while my hand reaches back to pat Darla's shaking leg.
"We're halfway there," I tell her.
Darla says nothing, but I think I hear her crying.
"The black car," Saskia says, glancing out the back window. "The driver keeps looking at Manny's vehicle."
"Two cars back, I see him."
"Let him tail or lose him?"
I study the burly man barely fitting in the compact sedan he's driving. "It's likely a rental. Can we get the plates?"
Saskia radios Manny. Before she gets the answer, the black compact makes a move around a slower car until the contractor is crisscross from us.
"He's spotted us," Saskia says.
"He won't make a move here."
"Are you sure? He isn't tailing us anymore. He's nearly on top of us now."
"Fucking amateurs. How can I know what a wannabe badass will do when he probably doesn't know himself?"
"I'd lose him," Saskia mutters, messing with her weapon while pressing Darla's head down. "If he moves on us, we could get pinned in. Even outnumbering him, we put our client at risk."
Saskia hits the right button by mentioning Darla's safety. I look for space on my left then switch on my right turn signal.
"Tell Rafael and Manny to handle the fucker. We're bailing on the shrink," I say before adding in a softer tone, "Hold on, Darla."
When the light turns green, I rev the SUV enough to get past the car at my left. The asshole tries to correct his path to follow us, but the traffic doesn't move enough for him to make the turn. Manny and Rafael will deal with the contractor. My only concern is keeping Darla safe.
"Manny says the guy made a left at the next light. Outrunning him won't work."
"I know."
"You need to find a place to hide the car."
"I know."
"Then do it."
Shooting an angry frown at Saskia, I dodge traffic and make turns the contractor won't expect.
"Damn one-way streets," I growl.
"Find a parking lot."
Saskia is dying to take control of the wheel. I ignore her and search for the contractor in the rearview mirror. I don't know how close he is to catching up. Stuck on another one-way street, I pull into the first parking lot accessible without a pass.
The Houston Downtown Aquarium covered parking garage allows us to remain unseen by anyone passing by on the road. I find a spot near large SUVs and turn off the engine.
"We're off the street," Saskia says into her phone. "You follow him. We'll keep our heads down."
"Where is he?" I ask.
"He's stuck on the one-way streets like us. He's on his way this direction."
"Should we worry?"
"Worrying is for amateurs, Troy," she mutters. "Manny says they're passing by now."
I look out the car window, but large concrete walls block the street view. If I can't see out, the asshole can't see in.
"They've passed," she says, leaving the SUV.
I hurry out of my seat and pull open the backdoor. Darla's shaking widely under the blanket and flinches when I touch her.
"Hey, it's me," I say, pulling back the blanket. "Are you okay?"
Darla sobs behind her hands, muffling the sound. She stares at me in terror but scoots over so I can sit next to her. Nearby, Saskia keeps an out for trouble.
"We lost him," I promise, wrapping her in my arms. "You're safe."
Her shaking lessens, and the crying slows. She looks at me in the strangest way.
"What?" I ask when she says nothing.
"Last night, I dreamed you died. I thought it was coming true. I don't want anyone dying to protect me especially not you."
"We're safe. Rafael and Manny are chasing the fucker down. Locke won't hurt you, and he won't hurt me."
"He won't hurt me either," Saskia says, suddenly at the open door. "What is our plan?"
"I don't feel comfortable going to the therapist's now," I say, and Darla nods in relief.
"We don't really know how many contractors are in Houston. Going back to the apartment is what they'd expect."
"The cops will want to ask a lot of questions. Darla isn't ready for being interviewed."
"Neither am I," Saskia mutters. "I don't like cops."
"They don't like you either, darling."
Darla grins at my comment, but her body still shakes against mine.