Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 158(@200wpm)___ 126(@250wpm)___ 105(@300wpm)
“Don’t do that.” She yawns back. “No movement yet, but maybe if I got just a little bit closer, we could see more.” It’s tempting, but I don’t want to give us up by making a rookie mistake with the drone.
“Don’t do it.” I can’t put my finger on this yet. I don’t care if you're a farmer living in the middle of nowhere, there is no way that you don’t have the Internet. So far, I’m not picking up on anything.
“I could use a new drone anyways,” she counters like they grow on trees. Not the kind she has.
“Could he have his own satellite?” I mutter to myself.
“What! He got a satellite and I only have drones?”
“Why do you need a satellite?” I ask her even as I steal access to one myself. My patience is wearing thinner with each minute that passes. I’m going in. I’ll clean up behind myself.
“What are you doing?” Ocean asks. I flip my screen to let her see. “Oh, do we have a satellite now? What else can I ask for?” I zoom in as far as I can. “A cat!”
“You want a cat?” That should be easy enough.
“No! There is a cat on his porch.” I grab my glasses and push them onto my face to lean in closer to the screen. Well, I’ll be damned if there isn’t the most adorable fluffy cat stretched out in the morning sun.
“He’s handsome.”
“Like his owner?”
A small growl leaves me.
“What? You’re the one that said the handsome thing about him to begin with.”
“You don’t have to throw it in my face. I only—” I cut the feed, pulling back.
“What happened?” Ocean asks.
“The cat distracted me! I almost got caught.” I blow out a breath. That was a close one.
“By this Owen guy or whoever’s satellite you stole?”
“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it.”
“You know I can build a satellite. I’m just not sure how we would shoot it into space.”
I snort a laugh. “You don’t need a satellite.”
“Why not? Then a cat couldn’t sneak up on you.”
“You’d need more than one. It’s easier to grab one in a location you desire.”
“Right, I forget that the world isn’t flat.” A giggle pops free even though I’m super irritated at the moment. “Oh, I got pictures coming for you. There isn’t a ton and nothing juicy, but it’s something to start with.”
Images of Owen pop up on my computer. It’s of him randomly out and about. His face had been picked up on cameras. She’s right; there isn’t anything worth crap in them. This man really does keep a low profile.
“We’re going to have to go out there. On foot.”
“Really?” Ocean gets way too excited.
“Maybe, I don’t know.” Another one of those stupid growls leaves me.
“You know you don’t have to do this.”
I’m not giving up now. It’s not only about beating Parks anymore. My curiosity is killing me with this man. I have this need to know more about him. I stare at one of the pictures of him at the grocery store. A pretty blonde is trying to chat him up. I pull the footage, annoyed that there is no sound. I watch as the woman snags his attention. He responds to whatever she says before the woman laughs.
What’s so funny? You could be flirting with a psycho, you dummy. I face grab her from my screen and run her identity even if he doesn’t leave with her or appear to trade information. The conversation looked more one-sided on her part, but that doesn’t stop my level of annoyance from growing.
“Why are you growling now?”
I cough to cover it because I don’t even understand why I’m reacting the way I am.
“He’s moving! He’s moving!” Ocean shouts into my ear. “Statistically he’ll be going to...” She rattles a list of the places he’s been caught on camera in the last month along with the most likely spots she thinks he’ll visit based on the day and time.
“Coffee shop,” we both agree at the same time.
“I’m going.” I hop up from my chair. “Follow him.”
“Of course I’m following him, but what do you mean you’re going?”
“Like going to the coffee shop.” What should I wear? Why does that matter? He’s not going to notice me. I’m mousy and bland. It works in my favor more often than not. It helps me blend in. People can look right over me, and I don’t mean just because I’m only a few inches over five feet.
“In person?”
“I like coffee,” I lie, hoping she doesn’t call me on my bullshit.
“No you don’t. You like hot chocolate.”
Dammit. “They have that there.” I’ve been to the coffee shop a few times. It sits right inside the city.
“Okay, this might actually work. Do a plant.” I freeze. Ocean has lost her damn mind.
“I wasn’t going to talk. Just watch really.”