Page 5 of Devious Obsession
“So you’re not here on his word?”
“No.” My phone goes off again.
“Personal business then?”
“Something like that, yes.” I pull out my phone when a third message comes through. Speaking of the man, Alexander has questions.
I’ve been away from Chicago for over a month. His patience is going to wear thin soon.
“Well, if you need any help.”
I cock my head. “If I wanted to meet this Janis, you could set up a meeting for me?”
He nods. “I could. You want to talk to him?”
“Probably not. Like I said, I’m just curious.”
He shakes his head. “Artem, I’ve seen you at work. You’re not a man who gathers information out of simple curiosity. If there’s trouble coming to my city, I want to know about it.”
“Of course.”
He stares at me a beat. “If you need a conversation, you let me know and I’ll set you up.”
“I appreciate it.” I smile and lean my head toward the poker table. “Your cousin’s kid just lost you a few thousand dollars. I’ll let you get back to your game.”
His eyes widen. “Jimmy! What the fuck.”
As I walk out of the pub, my phone goes off again, this time a call comes through.
“Alexander.”
“You’re in Boston,” he says flatly.
“You’re tracking me?” I push through the front door and step into the winter chill of the night.
“No. I’m tracking her. And where she is, I figure is where you are.”
I climb into my car. It’s still warm inside.
“She’s safe.”
“Good. Keep her that way, Artem. Do whatever you need to do.” He pauses. “And I mean whatever.”
A notification comes through alerting me to movement at her front door. I quickly open the video feed to find a delivery man standing outside her door.
McDonald’s. The woman has ordered McDonald’s at one in the morning.
“I’m on it.” I tell Alexander, ending the call.
I wait for the delivery to finish, and she’s locked behind her front door again. My addiction is hard to fight this late at night, so I switch the feed until I find her in her living room.
She’s munching on her fries, sitting her legs folded on the couch, staring at her phone.
A small smile crosses her lips. Her thumb hovers over the screen, then she quickly taps on the phone and drops it onto the cushion beside her.
The notification hits my screen instantly.
But the chase is half the fun.
