Good Deed Bad Deed, Marcia Morgan [summer beach reads TXT] 📗

irresponsible move was out of character for him, but his friends knew him too well, and he just couldn’t talk to any of them while under such duress. So he sent one text, to his immediate superior, reasoning that if he did manage to get back to London, maybe he’d still have a job. Within ten minutes he had received a favorable response and was walking out of the terminal. He stopped outside and looked around for any sign of a person who might have been sent to pick him up. People walked around him every which way, and he began to think he was on his own and transport would have to be by taxi.

Just then a man inched up to him and asked, “Well, Logan, glad you made it.” Gareth said nothing. The man spoke again. “Cat got your tongue, mate? Surely you remember me.”

Of course Gareth recognized him, but he looked down at the ground, obviously disturbed to see the man again. “You never gave a name. I didn’t expect to see you here. Once you were through threatening me that night in the pub, I hoped I wouldn’t have to see you again.”

The man let out a derisive laugh and said, “The name’s Linus. I’m your transport to Pamplona and the guy who’s gonna keep an eye on you ‘til your keeper takes charge later. Then I’m off— back to London.”

At that point Gareth had little choice but to acquiesce. He followed the man to a nondescript car, threw his duffle into the back seat, and they both climbed in. Once enclosed without ventilation, he instantly became aware of the man’s musty odor. He hadn’t noticed it in the pub that night. His bald head looked greasy, as did his stringy brown hair. Gareth wondered why a man would be wearing a coat made for the London damp on such a warm day in Spain. He wondered if Linus was an alias, not that it mattered. As they left the parking lot he rolled down his window to let in fresh air. He wondered if he would have to search for a room on foot, or if plans had been made for him. They rode in silence for a while before the man told Gareth where he would be staying. He felt a bit of relief at not having the search for accommodations added to his state of anxiety. Linus named Gestión Alojamientos and said he knew there would be a room available. Gareth was also told that right after he checked in, there would be a meeting at the bar next door.

The clerk said a room was available only because the guests who had booked it didn’t show up. He went up to the room, threw his belongings on the floor and sprawled on the bed. His head was throbbing from lack of sleep and the ongoing stress of not knowing what to expect. After a while he got up, threw cold water on his face, went downstairs and outside to find the bar. Two doors down from the guesthouse a sign extended from the wall flashing ‘Bar’ in red neon. Gareth went inside and stopped to scan the room, not knowing whom to look for other than Linus. He was spotted sitting at a table by the wall along with another burly-looking man who had his back to Gareth. He walked over to them and they motioned him to sit. They introduced themselves as Linus and Lenny. No last names were offered, although they knew all about him.

Lenny said that he had only five minutes and that he had to get back to his guests. He told Gareth that part of his job would be to relieve him as caretaker. Adrenaline shot through Gareth’s body as he realized that the guests had to be Olivia and her ex-sister-in-law, and that his worst-case scenario seemed inevitable. He was given an address and told to report there no later than six o’clock in the morning, bringing his own food and water.

As he began to get up, Linus reached over and grabbed his arm. “You’re not going anywhere yet. What makes you think we’re finished with you?”

Gareth sat down again and said, “Sorry. I thought we were finished.” His demeanor was submissive, but inside, he was seething.

This time Lenny spoke. “You haven’t heard about the most important part of your duties. It’s time for you to apply some of your tech-savvy to move things along.”

Gareth answered, “I don’t understand.”

“Your baby brother has a big mouth. He seems to like talking about you—bragging about you—to anybody that will listen. He should be more careful. He told my cousin all about you. Turns out you two made the perfect pair for our purposes.”

Linus let loose with a belly laugh that Gareth found disgusting. He was fed up with being strung along and asserted himself by asking straight out what they wanted. Lenny explained that he was to send an untraceable email to an address he would be given. It was to be done from an Internet café in Pamplona. He was told to send it around the world if he must, but it had to be done within the next two hours. They asked him for his email address and told him that the item to be sent would be sent to him first. He was to access his account then copy and paste it onto a new email and send it on as directed. There was to be a blind copy sent to another address, that of their boss. Linus handed him a piece of paper on which was written the ghost account address, the boss’ address, and that of the main recipient.

Gareth was still somewhat confused, and questioned the men further. “But even if it can’t be traced, I need an address for the sender.”

Lenny leaned forward, elbows on the table and shoulders hunched. He spoke in a low and impatient voice. “I’ve set up an account