Data Mine by Lou Iovino

Author:Lou Iovino [Iovino, Lou]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781737174639
Publisher: LAB Press
Published: 2022-03-04T05:00:00+00:00

Minutes later, Gwen peers through the window of Darnell’s restaurant. The front of the house is dark, but she can see lights on in the kitchen. She pounds on the glass until he comes through to investigate. He looks hesitant at first, but then recognition dawns on his face and he quickens his pace.

“What are you doing here?” he says as he opens the door.

“Can you pay my cab driver, please?” she says, pushing past him and into the restaurant. “I don’t have my phone or wallet.”

“Gwen, what’s the matter?”

“Please, just get rid of him.”

As Darnell walks out to pay the cab fare, Gwen moves to the kitchen, not wanting to be anywhere near the windows that look out onto the sidewalk and street. She waits for Darnell near the kitchen door.

“Okay, cab’s gone,” he says when he returns. “Now tell me what’s going on?”

“Lock it,” she says, pointing at the front door.

“I did already. Gwen, you’re freaking me out. What’s happening?”

“There was an attack at the Watergate. A man came after me.”

“Holy shit. Are you okay?” He steps closer and pulls her into his arms.

“I didn’t know where else to go.”

He holds her for a few seconds, then gently pushes her away and looks her over.

“My knee’s a little fucked up, but I’m okay,” she says.

He starts to pull a chair toward her, but she waves it off.

“No, I don’t wanna be out here. Too many windows.”

She heads through the swinging door into the kitchen. The spicy, rich aroma from the night’s dinner service lingers in the air. A thick brisket sits on the prep surface, trimmings piled near a cleaver stuck in the butcher’s block. Marvin Gaye’s soothing vocals drift from the wireless speaker resting next to a large mortar and pestle.

Darnell leads her to the pantry adjacent to the kitchen. He directs her to the desk chair and then goes into the walk-in freezer and returns with a large bag of frozen peas. She takes the bag and puts it on her swollen knee, wincing at its touch.

“Start at the beginning,” he says. “What happened?”

She tells him the story of the last few hours. When she reveals who she’s assigned to monitor, he’s shocked. And when she gets to the part where the mystery attacker threatens to kill her father, he starts pacing back and forth like a tiger in a cage.

When she’s done, he opens a desk drawer and takes out a remote. He turns on the little TV nestled on a shelf next to boxes of pasta, and together they watch the news coverage. All the reporters on all the channels relay the same repeated shreds of information.

Something exploded inside the Watergate complex.

The building had to be evacuated.

Fire and rescue are on the scene.

Several fatalities have been reported.

When one news report shows shaky aerial footage of a body on a stretcher being wheeled from the building, Darnell clicks the mute button, kneels in front of Gwen, and takes hold of the hand not keeping the melting bag of peas to her swollen knee.

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