Hard Risk by Sidney Bristol

Chapter Nine

Wednesday. Harper’s Safe House, New Orleans, LA.

Harper stepped inside the apartment. “Honey, I’m home.”

“Real funny,” Samuel muttered softly.

Harper closed the door, twisted the lock, and peered at Samuel. He only spoke that quietly when he was actively listening to something.

Was it Robin?

How much had Samuel paid attention to Harper’s date?

He crossed the room and slung his coat over the back of an empty chair.

Samuel never once glanced up.

Everything had changed in a week. Maintaining appearances with Robin got more difficult as time went on. He was fairly certain she’d wanted him to invite her over tonight. The problem was Harper didn’t trust that Samuel hadn’t bugged his bedroom.

It was a moral quandary, for sure. Of course, Harper knew his role here was to get close to Robin, and he’d done that the most obvious way. But in doing so, he was making her a victim. She had no idea their private moments weren’t private. He was essentially guilty of doing his job. And part of that job was recording her.

He wished they could have rethought this, maybe gotten Kelsey to come in and befriend Robin instead. Only, a woman would be just as ignored as Robin was now.

Fuck.

His conscience was really eating away at him over this one.

How much longer?

“Anything good?” Harper finally asked.

Samuel leaned back in his seat and sighed. “No. Cassim and Daar have been talking back and forth about old stories. I made some notes, but I don’t think any of it matters. I don’t think we’ve heard anything to help our case other than Cassim has something Daar wants.”

Harper licked his lips. “Is it time to call this done?”

“I asked Zora that. She says to stay the course. We won’t have access to Daar once this trip is over, so we might as well stay in position until then.”

Damn. Harper wanted to hear that they were done. “If he’s doing any business, it isn’t in the house and he isn’t talking to Cassim about it. We’ve got nothing.”

Samuel crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re right, but we just need him to slip up once.”

“No, what we need is to follow Daar.”

“How you plan on doing that? The guy seems to like you, but I’m not sure that’ll get you anywhere.”

Harper snorted. “You think he likes me?”

“He talks to you, doesn’t he? Cassim has had some business associates in and out of the house. Daar doesn’t talk to them, but he initiates conversation with you.”

Does he now?

Harper mulled that over a moment.

Maybe that was the answer.

Could he get closer to Daar himself? What were the chances Harper could make himself invaluable to the man?

It was the only way he saw to remove Robin from the center of the investigation. But what would it take for Harper to become important to a person like Daar? How far would Harper have to go?

Then again, it wasn’t like he wanted to spend his life working this one job. They were coming up on a year of having lived and worked in DC. He didn’t think that anyone on the team wanted this case to keep going.

But how did he go about becoming an asset to Daar? And what would that mean in the future?

It wasn’t like Harper was a spy. Yes, he’d been a SEAL, but it wasn’t the same thing. His role had always been about bridging the gap. And maybe this was what the job needed from him now.

“I’ve got an idea,” he said slowly.

Samuel turned to face him. “I’m listening…”

Friday. Suleiman Household, New Orleans, LA.

Robin tipped her head back and groaned. The squeaky desk chair groaned under her weight. “Jess, I don’t know where things went wrong.”

She was whining. She hated whining, but she couldn’t help it. For a brief moment, all was going perfectly. Now, something was off.

“I don’t see how anything is wrong,” Jessica said with the patience of a saint. “You’re settling into being a normal couple.”

“You don’t get it. You don’t know Harper.”

“Maybe we should fix that?” Jessica’s tone was bright and no doubt full of ideas. No doubt at least one of them included her making a trip to New Orleans.

“No. No, not while Uncle Daar is still here.” Robin closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. “I’m overthinking things. I know I am. I just can’t stop.”

“That should be your superpower.”

“Haa. Haa. Not funny.” Robin curled up in the plush chair, legs tucked in close to her chest, and stared at the carpet. “I like him, Jess.”

“I mean, congratulations? Shouldn’t you like the guy you’re dating?”

“You know what I mean.”

Jessica sighed. “Yeah. All I’m saying is that you can have both.”

“I’m not sure I can. If I push Harper at Uncle Daar, if they keep hitting it off, what if Harper goes to work for him? What do I do then?”

“Hold on to him. If he’s really worth it, there won’t be a need to choose between Daar and you. He’ll pick you if he’s smart.”

Robin smiled. “Thanks for saying that.”

“Have you had a chance to look around for the laptop?” Jessica asked.

“A little.” Robin grimaced and dropped her voice to a whisper. “I’m actually waiting on Dad and Saaina to leave. I’ve gone over every inch of the first floor looking for that laptop Uncle Daar mentioned.”

“Where do you want to check out next?” Jessica asked.

Robin glanced at her bedroom door. “Dad has a safe in their closet.”

“You don’t seriously think he’d keep it that close, do you?”

She blew out a breath. “I wouldn’t, but Dad…?”

“Hm. I see your point.”

Robin loved her father despite his flaws, and he had many. He didn’t always think things through, and that was being kind. If there was any reason for him to hold on to Mom’s old laptop, she would have expected it to be in the office or somewhere else.

But what if there was something going on with the old device she wasn’t aware of?

“I don’t buy that Uncle Daar is just curious about Mom’s old laptop,” Robin said out loud.

“I just got an interesting email in,” Jessica said, drawing out each word. She was likely talking and reading at the same time. “What did Daar tell you about his trip to New Orleans?”

“Um, direct flight from Paris, I think?”

“I’ve gone over the flight manifest from every flight and I haven’t seen his name.”

Robin sat up. “Wait. How are you getting flight manifests?”

“Don’t ask questions you won’t like the answers for.”

“Jess, listen to me right now. However you got that information, stop. Okay?”

“Calm your tits. Everything’s fine.”

Robin pushed to her feet and began pacing. “No, it’s not. What if—”

“Will you stop already? I’m far enough removed from your uncle that he won’t make the connection. Besides, how’s he supposed to know I have flight manifests? Who is going to tell him? I highly doubt he’s that well connected.”

She slowed her pacing. “O-okay. You’ve got a point there.”

“Thanks for the concern, but I know what I’m doing. Man, I wish we knew where or when he was picked up. I could work back from there.”

Robin tipped her head up and began to pace the office. “Well, what private airports are around New Orleans? We know what day he got here and that Dad probably went from the airport to dinner since Uncle Daar’s bags hadn’t been unloaded. I remember Dad complaining about them blocking his view.”

“Okay, I’ll expand my search and see if we can’t figure out where he’s been.”

“Is this a good idea?” She turned back toward the desk and sighed. “What if he really did…?”

“We’ll find something. We only just began our investigation. This will take time.”

She nodded despite Jessica not being able to see her.

A chorus of barks from Button and Bow resounded through the house.

“They’re leaving.” Robin hustled toward the door and peered down the house. “Uncle Daar, Dad and Saaina are heading out.”

“Give yourself five minutes in case they come back.”

She padded out of the office to watch the procession from the safety of the kitchen windows.

Five minutes. She could do this.

Friday. Surveillance Van, New Orleans, LA.

Harper’s body went cold. Had he just heard Robin right?

“What the fuck?” Samuel’s words echoed Harper’s thoughts.

The entire case just did a massive right turn and dumped them on their asses.

“Where the fuck is she?” Samuel was frantic. He tapped buttons, calling up different audio feeds trying to find Robin somewhere in the house.

Why hadn’t Harper put more bugs out? He’d had the opportunity, but he’d balked.

“They’re leaving. Harper. Harper?”

He jerked his head up and blinked at Samuel. “What?”

“Change of plans.” He snatched up his rental keys. “I’ll follow Daar. You stay on this house. Try to get inside. If she finds that laptop, we need it.”

Harper nodded. He was still processing the last few moments and piecing it all together while Samuel vaulted out of the van and hustled to his car two blocks away.

These stakeouts were Harper’s least favorite part of the job. There was nothing more boring than listening to people go about their lives and watch a house through binoculars. They’d done it enough he’d been lulled into a false sense of calm about it.

He still wasn’t over the first half of that conversation.

Robin’s feelings were genuine. He knew that from the way she kissed him, how her body melted against his. But she was right. He had pulled back some, for his own benefit. This was a job. He couldn’t allow himself to get wrapped up in her for real, and he’d almost done that at her house.

He scooted the rolling stool toward the desk built into the surveillance van and continued cycling through the audio.

There was one way to figure out where she was.

He pulled out his phone and tapped out a quick text then hit send. He watched the audio feeds for any spike in sound.

There.

The bug in the birdcage.

She was either in that back room off the patio or the kitchen.

“Harper just texted.” Robin’s voice was soft, which meant she was probably closer to the kitchen or trying to keep her voice down. “He just wants to know if I’m free earlier… I know. It’s not like I can complain, either. We spend a lot of time together, I just feel like… I don’t know, Jess. Everything seems perfect, but something is off. What if he’s seeing someone else? We never had the exclusive conversation. For all I know… Yeah. Okay. That makes sense.”

He dropped his head into his hands and rubbed at his face.

Yeah, the problem was him.

How was it after this long this was the first they were hearing about Robin investigating her uncle? The way she talked most of the time he’d assumed she was Daar’s biggest family fan. And the whole time she’d been playing them all.

Bravo.

He had to hand it to her. She was doing an excellent job.

Yeah, it fucking sucked to find out a secret like this, but it just went to show that they were on the right trail.

What if they recruited Robin? Would Zora go for that? Harper doubted that was a decision Samuel could make.

Zora had mentioned that Robin’s mother’s death was suspicious. How did an old laptop tie Daar to a fifteen-year-old murder? What other details weren’t they aware of? And just how much did Robin know about everything?

Friday. New Orleans, LA.

Daar glanced at his phone.

Why was Amaan calling him?

Daar glanced at the driver then over his shoulder at his brother. Cassim was close to passing out in the back seat, but that was to be expected. If he wasn’t driving, he was more than likely sleeping.

It was far too quiet to answer the phone, so he rejected the call and brought his texts, but Amaan had already beaten him to the punch. A message popped up: flight manifest compromised.

What did that mean?

He pocketed the phone without replying. Amaan would have to explain further at a later time. The man was a self-starter, so he was no doubt already moving into action.

What about the flight manifests?

He glanced at his brother from the corner of his eye.

Cassim believed that Daar had come by way of Paris, and while that was partially correct it wasn’t entirely accurate. He’d stopped in Paris on his way to meet with the chancellor.

Was Cassim making a move? Or was this someone else?

With Skilton either captured or in the wind, there was no telling. Not yet at least. First, they’d need to find out who was asking questions and there was no one better suited for the job than Amaan.

Daar settled back in his seat and stared straight ahead.

This would all be handled. Quietly. He just had to stay the course.

Friday. Suleiman Household, New Orleans, LA.

Robin turned from the windows looking out over the patio. “They’re long gone. I’m headed upstairs.”

“Put me on speaker!”

She sighed but deep down felt better about having Jessica listening should anything go wrong.

“Fine,” Robin said as she climbed the stairs.

“Did they take the dogs?”

“They’re in the garage. Saaina’s summer project was converting half of it to a dog hotel. Dad was tired of coming home to poop on the carpet, so that was their compromise.”

Jessica snorted. “That’s a compromise? Making a doggie daycare? I mean, I come from money, but that’s a whole other level of rich.”

Robin cringed. She never knew how to respond to situations like these.

Mom had believed in raising her to be as down to earth as possible. Robin had been taught from an early age to do for herself and be self-sufficient. She’d never gotten lavish parties or tons of gifts. In many ways, she’d felt like a normal kid.

Boarding school had changed that some. She knew it had cost a small fortune to send her away like that, but she’d never fit in with the other girls. She’d never grown comfortable with their brand of entitlement. It wasn’t until college when Robin got to manage her own finances and express herself that she’d settled into being the person she’d always wanted to be. And yes, maybe she took some pride in that most of her sorority sisters had no idea how wealthy she or her family were.

“Where are you now?” Jessica asked.

“I’m about to walk into their bedroom.”

“They don’t have cameras or anything, do they?”

Robin snorted. “My Dad who can’t even arm the security system? No. Saaina would never allow a camera in the bedroom, anyway. She always thinks her phone is spying on her.”

“I mean, it kind of is…”

She stepped into the bedroom and turned on the lights.

For a moment Robin just looked.

The master suite was spacious like the rest of the house, but the color scheme deviated. The main spaces were all done in neutral colors and let in a lot of natural light. The bedroom was different. Much of the original wood had been stained a deep brown and paired with burgundy wallpaper and paint. Gold accents finished the place off while adding an air of opulence.

“Well?” Jessica prompted.

“I’m looking around. The housekeeper’s already been through, so everything is neat and tidy.”

“The safe?”

Robin glanced over her shoulder to the landing before walking across the room. A small bedroom, likely meant for house help, had been made into a closet. And there, set between two wooden fixtures for hanging clothes was a four-foot-tall safe.

“What do you want to guess the combination is?” Robin asked.

“You don’t know? What?”

“Relax.” She went to a knee. “Dad’s not creative. The combination is going to be something easy. I already looked up this model.”

Jessica chuckled. “When did you become a pro at cracking safes? God, I wish I was there. We’d have to wear all black though.”

“Way to be obvious, Jess. I’m putting you down.” Robin set the phone on a nearby shelf.

“What are you going to try first?”

“Saaina’s birthday.”

Robin tilted her head to the side to listen as she spun the dial left then right.

“Anything?”

“Be a little patient,” Robin mumbled as she turned toward the last number.

Nothing.

She pulled on the door, but it didn’t give. “Damn it.”

“Didn’t work?”

“No.” Robin spun the dial to reset the locking mechanism.

“On to Dad’s birthday?”

“Yup.” This time as she spun to the numbers she just knew it wasn’t right. She wasn’t surprised at all when she pulled on the door and it didn’t give way. “Shoot.”

“Then your birthday?”

“No. Saaina would never want to use my birthday for anything.”

“Then what? The dog’s gotcha day?”

“Nope. Uncle Daar’s birthday.”

“Seriously?”

“Dad’s used it before.”

Robin turned to the first number. She felt a subtle click against the flat of her left palm on the door. A little electric charge shot through her.

Was she right?

Jessica groaned. “Waiting is killing me.”

Robin ignored her and held her breath as she locked in the last number.

Please let it work.

She pulled on the door. It didn’t exactly swing freely, but it did creak open. Exhilaration shot through her making her giddy.

“Holy crap,” Robin muttered and glanced over her shoulder.

“What?” Jessica demanded.

“It worked.” Robin pulled the safe open. “I’m in.”

“Is the laptop there?”

Robin sat back on her heels and stared at the safe’s contents.

The inside of the safe was sectioned off. There was a tall, narrow cabinet with two guns that had to be decades older than herself. Still, she hadn’t known her father owned guns, so that was an unsettling revelation. The rest of the space was divided into smaller cubbies. Two of those were completely full of leather jewelry cases packed tightly.

These would be Dad’s watches and Saaina’s jewelry.

Like many people from the Middle East and Asia, gold was an investment. Saaina wasn’t likely to wear these pieces, but she was always buying up some new trinket. They were more about investing in future profits.

The power of the dollar might rise and fall, but gold was eternal.

Dad had said that often enough.

“Robin? Hello?”

She picked up the phone. “Sorry. It looks like Dad owns two antique rifles.”

“Laptop?”

“No…” She pushed up onto her knees and peered into the top slot. “There're some files here though. Hold on.”

Robin pulled the envelopes out then eased the pages out.

They were in Arabic, not English. She had to stare at the script longer than she’d like to translate it.

“Take pictures,” Jessica suggested.

“Good idea.” Robin separated the pages out then grabbed her phone. This way she could muddle through it all at her leisure.

“Make sure to send me copies.”

Jessica turned a page over and paused.

Halfway down the page the name Daar Suleiman stuck out. Robin’s hands went cold, and she had to wonder if sending this to her friend was a good idea. If Uncle Daar was the monster she feared he was, they could both be playing with their lives.

Friday. Surveillance Van, New Orleans, LA.

Harper tapped from audio feed to audio feed.

The most he got was the ambient sound from the road when he tried the bug in the office.

Robin must still be in her parent’s bedroom. Or she’d retreated to her own bedroom. But she hadn’t yet replied to his text.

What the hell was going on?

So much made sense now.

He never understood why she was okay with sitting there being talked over. But that was her goal all along. Because she was attached to him and her family accepted men in a way a woman never would be, she got to listen to conversations she might otherwise be shut out of.

Now he got why she’d been unhappy at him for turning down her father’s offer to lunch. Harper hadn’t wanted to since Daar wouldn’t be present. Samuel was equally displeased with Harper over the incident. He just hadn’t cared enough to force himself to be around Cassim.

Harper let his head hang forward and blew out a breath.

He’d been wrestling with his conscience in the background despite knowing what he was doing was necessary. And this whole time she was doing the same thing to him. He didn’t know if he should be proud or upset, but most of all he was scared.

Robin only suspected her uncle of guilt. Harper knew the man’s hands were covered in blood, and given how little Daar cared about the lives of women, Harper was worried. If Daar found out about Robin’s little investigation, she would be his next target. Of that Harper had no doubt.