Three Fates

watched Tia pour milk into a small pitcher. “They’d figure it out in any case. Rebecca would, I can guarantee that.”
    “Too right,” Gideon agreed.
    “Moreover, I started this thing lying to Tia. I don’t want to lie to her again. They deserve the full truth of the matter. We’ll just have to find a way to protect them despite it.”
    “I could keep them in that apartment for a week. Locked in, cut off. A week’s about all we need if we move fast and move right. They’d be pissed off when they got out, but they’d be safe.”
    “Are you serious about my sister?”
    Jack shifted his gaze from the screen, from Rebecca, and looked at Malachi. “Down to the ground serious.”
    “Then take my advice and put thoughts like that out of your head. She’d peel the skin off your face for it, and when she was done . . . Gideon?”
    “She’d walk away, erase you from her life the way you do letters on a chalkboard. And as for me, I won’t cut Cleo out. She lost a friend and deserves taking part in avenging him.”
    “If we make a mistake, even one mistake, someone could get hurt.” Jack tapped a finger on the screen. “It might be one of them.”
    “Then we won’t make a mistake,” Malachi said. “They’re coming back down. I’d turn off those monitors if I were you, unless you want your coffee poured down your crotch.”
    “Good point.” He blanked the screen, then swiveled in his chair. “So, it’s the Musketeers’ thing?”
    “All for one,” Malachi began.
    “And one for all,” Gideon finished.
    Jack nodded, then disengaged the locks so the women could get in. As he did, the phone rang. He glanced at the light blinking on his multiline unit. “Upstairs, office line.”
    Behind him, Tia nearly bobbled the coffee when she walked in to the sound of Anita’s voice.
    “Jack, Anita Gaye. I expected to hear from you by now.” The answering machine picked up the irritation in her voice. “It’s urgent. This Toliver woman is harassing me, and I want it to stop. I’m counting on you, Jack.” There was a pause, then the tone of her voice changed, became soft, shaky. “You’re the only one I can count on. I feel very alone, very . . . vulnerable. Please, call me as soon as you can. I’d feel so much better if I knew you were looking out for me.”
    “And the Oscar goes to . . .” Cleo dropped into a chair. “What a load of bullshit. Oh, Jack.” She hitched up her voice, fluttered her lashes. “I feel very alone, very vulnerable.” She stretched out, gave Jack a considering look. “Did you ever do her?”
    “Cleo! You can’t—”
    “No.” Rebecca waved off Tia’s flustered protest. “I’d be interested in the answer to that.”
    Both Malachi and Gideon became extremely busy with the coffeepot. So much, Jack thought sourly, for all for one.
    “Thought about it. For about five seconds. Kept getting this image of one of the vegetable slicers. You know.” He made quick, chopping motions with his hand. “And her running my dick through it. Not real appealing,” he added as both other men winced.
    “Why do you work for her?”
    “First, I don’t work for her. Her husband hired my company as security consultants. I liked him. Second, a job’s a job. Do you only take people on your tour boat who you approve of?”
    “Fair enough,” Rebecca decided, and offered him the bowl of chips as a peace offering.
    “Are you going to call her back?” Tia asked him.
    “Eventually. We’ll let her stew and steam awhile. I figure my pal Bob will pay her a visit tomorrow. That’ll give her more to stew and steam about. She won’t like being questioned by the police. Then tomorrow night we’ll give her the first real kick in the teeth with the break-in at Morningside.”
    “Tomorrow?” Tia sat down heavily. “So soon? How can we be ready?”
    “We’ll be ready,” Jack assured her. “Since we’re going to fail—or at least, it’ll look like we did on first glance. You’re going to take the first step tomorrow morning.”
    “I am?”
    Tia listened, stupefied, as her assignment was explained to her.
    “Why Tia?” Rebecca demanded. “Of the six of us, I’m the only one Anita or one of her monkeys hasn’t seen.”
    “You can’t be sure of that,” Jack corrected. “It’s very likely she’s seen photos of you. Besides, we need you here. Next to me, you’re the best tech.”
    “Tia knows how to think on her feet,” Malachi added, and had the woman in question gaping