No problem. But what next?

Using their cellphones, Usha, Rick and Kat traded off following. Fortunately the big guy drove conservatively on the freeway, letting the other two get ahead, pull off on various offramps, and then hop back on after he passed.

It didn't look like the driver was paying particular attention although it was hard to tell through the SUV's blackened windows.

After just a couple of miles on I-635, the SUV exited into a residential district in Balch Springs. It definitely wasn't the black monolith skyscraper Rick had fantasized about, but then again, nothing about this mysterious Black Hat group met his fantasies.

Rick figured there were two possibilities. Either Black Hat was working out of this single story tract house or the big guy had picked up his mail on the way home. From the three other identical Cadillac Escalades in the driveway, he decided it was more likely that they were both working and living in this place.

He might have a chance to break in during the day when, presumably, they would be doing bodyguard and chauffeur jobs, but he was stymied for now.

He called Kat to suggest they call it a day but she had another idea. "A bunch of guys, right? Somebody is going to want to go out and get a drink. How about you and Usha park at one end of the street and I'll take the other. We follow whoever leaves and try to get to know them at the bar?"

"There's a good chance they'll have my photo," Rick said. "Besides--"

"By 'we' I meant Usha and me. Frankly, even if these guys would prefer to swing the other way they'd never admit it. It would blow their macho credentials. But they'd talk to a couple of pretty girls at a bar."

"I'm not going to wait out in the car while you put yourself in danger."

She shrugged. "I can take care of myself. Besides, dig up that cowboy hat and you can pretend to be another customer having a drink. Oh, and I'll give you a handy while we wait. That way if anyone wonders what we're doing just parking there we'll have a great answer."

Well, he didn't know if it would be a great answer but it still sounded like a great idea. "Okay, deal. But don't do anything crazy and neither of you even think about leaving with them."

She shrugged again. "You're not my daddy."

"Please."

"Okay, fine."