Watch Your Back Read Free Page B

lowered the paper, gave Fletcher a hard nod. ‘You’re a fucking genius.’
    ‘I know,’ Fletcher said serenely, then grinned. ‘It’s not as good as we can eventually make it, but it’s stable twice as long as anything else out there. Which is good enough for now.’
    ‘Do they know?’
    ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve received confirmation from three groups that took demo packages. When deployed, the payload was as potent as the day it was made, as promised. They were impressed.’
    Robinette frowned. ‘Who did they test it on?’
    ‘Do we care? Nothing’s made the news. I’ve been watching and listening.’
    ‘Good. The last thing we need is an incident drawing attention.’
    ‘I wouldn’t worry. Our clients have always been discreet. Plus, they know if they get caught with it, we won’t sell them any more.’ Fletcher’s brows lifted. ‘And they want more. As much as I can make. As fast as I can make it.’
    Robinette did a quick mental calculation as to what their profit would be and nodded, satisfied. ‘How quickly can you have the first shipment ready to go?’
    ‘Already boxed up. We’re waiting on the next batch of vaccines to be ready to ship next Friday. Westmoreland and Henderson are on rotation next week, so they’ll escort the shipment.’
    Henderson should have completed Robinette’s special project by then. ‘That’s good. We don’t want our shipment to fall into the wrong hands.’
    Fletcher’s eyes lit up with greedy glee. ‘The wrong hands being those not holding money.’
    ‘You got that right.’ Robinette fed the single sheet of paper into his shredder. ‘Take the weekend off. You’ve earned it.’
    ‘A few of us are going into town tomorrow night. A few beers, a little . . . companionship. You should come with us. It’ll be like old times.’
    ‘I can’t. Brenda Lee says I can’t drink in public anymore. It’s bad for PR, considering the work I do for teen drug and alcohol rehab.’ Fletcher was a genius with the chemicals, but Brenda Lee Miller was a spin master. ‘Plus she’s still mad about that little beer-fueled “disagreement”.’
    Having spun Robinette from a murder suspect into a pillar of the damn community, she’d been none too pleased about having to make a bar brawl disappear last year. She’d been right – Robinette could have ruined eight years of hard work beating up that meathead. Luckily, Brenda Lee was also his attorney and she settled the matter quietly, discreetly, and confidentially.
    Robinette had only wished his wife had been as quiet and discreet as Brenda Lee. Lisa had been irate and still brought it up from time to time.
    Fletcher shrugged. ‘So, don’t drink. You can still find companionship. I know I need some. It’d be good for you, too, if you don’t mind my saying so.’
    ‘I think Lisa might mind you saying so,’ Robinette said dryly. He expected Fletcher’s eyes to roll and was not disappointed. ‘She is my wife, Fletch.’
    ‘Yeah, I remember. I was at the wedding. She’s . . . I’m sure she’s got some good points, like . . .’ Fletcher feigned deep thought, then shrugged again. ‘I got nothin’.’
    Robinette snorted. ‘She’s rich, well-connected, and beautiful.’ And she makes everyone forget my unfortunate past. ‘ Think of her as a business accessory. Like a power tie.’
    ‘More like a damn noose.’
    ‘Fletch.’ Robinette murmured the warning. ‘I allow you leeway because we’re friends.’
    ‘And because I’m the fucking genius that’s making you richer than God.’
    ‘That, too. But be careful. She is my wife, whether you like her or not. Besides, I couldn’t go out with you anyway. Lisa and I have an event tomorrow night.’
    Fletcher frowned. ‘Another “Humanitarian of the Year” award? Didn’t you just get one?’
    ‘Brenda Lee’s got them set up like dominoes. This one goes with the opening of another teen rehab center, which she scheduled to coincide with the anniversary of