Page 62 of Witness Security Breach

They left the bathroom and headed for the closest exit.

The market was crawling with cops in every direction. If not for Charlie’s quick thinking, there wouldn’t have been any way for them to get out of the market without using violence.

Charlie linked her arm with his and they strolled by a police officer, making their way through the thick weekend crowd, beyond the souvenir stalls.

“Going back to the hotel is too risky,” Charlie said. “We can’t count on Dealing Dan not to report the car.”

“Agreed.”

Out on Decatur Street, a cab stopped right in front of a FQ Task Force police car and let out his passengers. The taxi light on the roof stayed illuminated. Charlie and Aiden got inside.

“Where to?” the driver asked.

“A motel,” Charlie said. “Outside the French Quarter.”

“Is a B and B okay?”

At B and Bs the owners chatted up their patrons, asked questions and shared stories. “No.” Aiden shook his head. “A motel. We want privacy. Cheap. Clean. We don’t need bells and whistles, but we do want outdoor access to the room.”

The light-skinned black man eyed them in the rearview mirror. “I know you said no B and B, but if you’re open to it, my aunt rents out a guest room above her garage to supplement her retirement. Outdoor access. Basic cable and Wi-Fi. I can promise it’s clean. And my aunt is good people. She won’t get in your business.”

Aiden looked at Charlie and she nodded. “How much?” he asked.

“Eighty bucks a night. Breakfast and dinner are included in the price if you want it. She makes a mean crawfish étouffée. Better than anything you’ll get in most restaurants.”

If Dealing Dan had reported the car they’d rented, then the cops would have the names of their fake IDs. An off-the-books rented room was just what they needed. “Sounds perfect,” Aiden said.

“How many nights?”

Charlie shrugged. “One or two.”

The driver made a call on his cell. “Aunt Henri, it’s me. I’ve got a couple of boarders for a night or two. Nice couple, looking for privacy, so don’t go talking their ear off. Okay?” He listened for a minute, then said, “See you in a little bit.”

Staying at a garage apartment meant they’d no longer have access to a computer in a hotel’s business center, and they needed toiletries, as well. “Before we go to your aunt’s place, do you mind swinging by a couple of stores? We could use some supplies.”

“Sure. There’s a shopping center on the way.”

The cabbie let them out in front of a supersize discount retailer that had chains everywhere. Two doors down was a huge sporting goods store that from the outside appeared to be a hunter’s dream.

Aiden handed the driver enough to cover the fare. “Keep the meter running. We’ll be less than fifteen minutes.” They got out of the car, and he turned to Charlie, but scanned their surroundings. “Faster if we separate.” Not to mention easier, too, after that kiss she’d given him. He could use a little distance to clear his head. “I’ll grab a computer, burner phones and toiletries. From there,” he said, gesturing to sporting goods, “we need ammo, holsters and anything else you think will be useful. How are you on cash?”

“Running low, but I should have enough.”

After using close to a thousand, he had plenty left from the three he’d withdrawn. She’d spend more on gear than he would in the supercenter. He peeled off five $100 bills for her.

Once they cleared their names, the Department of Justice should reimburse them for work expenses. Being on the run added up quick. If they’d been penniless, they would have been in the lurch.

Charlie pocketed the cash, looking like she wanted to say something, but he was grateful when she turned without a word and left. Eventually, they’d have to talk, but he was content to put off the conversation for as long as possible.

Inside the sprawling megastore, Aiden first grabbed toiletries they might need, since it was closest, and then headed for electronics. On the way, he threw a roll of flat black duct tape into the cart.

He found an assortment of cheap laptops and chose one with 4GB RAM for under a hundred bucks. It wouldn’t be the fastest or offer much in terms of storage, but that was fine. Stopping at a display of cell phones on clearance, he picked two. Both flip-style, no-frills, bare-bones devices that didn’t have GPS, which would make them harder to track. Then he added a couple of phone chargers to his pile.

At the twelve-minute mark, Aiden climbed back into the car. No one had been in line at the register in electronics and checking out there had expedited things. Less than sixty seconds later, Charlie left the sporting goods store carrying a tactical black backpack that was stuffed with goodies.

“You two aren’t going to be any trouble, are you?” the driver asked as he watched Charlie walk to the car.

Her long, confident, I-am-in-command stride was distinctive, hinted at someone in law enforcement or the military, or a cocky criminal. The tactical backpack hiked high on her shoulder didn’t help the image.