I nod. “She did.”
Savvy laughs. “She warned us off of each other in her own way.”
Lightning must realize when she laughs that she isn’t bothered by his teasing, so he drops it.
We get Lightning home after driving east practically to the ocean and back. Then we head to the address Agent Stevens gave Durango.
The house is in Queens, in the middle of a neighborhood. A very busy neighborhood.
“This is a safe house?” I ask. “There are people everywhere.” Keeping watch is going to be exhausting.
“Yeah, it’s busy. Which is good because Bennett and whoever he’s with can’t get through here without being seen or being on who knows how many door cams,” Durango says.
I glance around and notice cameras on most of the houses. My guess is the FBI uses this place when they want someone to come for them to collect video evidence.
“Where is Stevens staying? Next door?”
Durango frowns. “I have no idea. Why?”
“Trust me. She’s close,” I say as we take the stairs to the front door. “This feels more like a setup than a safe house.”
Durango punches in a code and gets the door open. “Yeah, it’s certainly not how Harding operates.”
We step in, closing the door behind us.
“Good afternoon!”
And there is Agent Stevens. Just as I predicted but closer. Durango gives me a look, and I nod.
“This is Agent Myers.” She motions to a man sitting on a couch in the living room.
He waves at us.
“He’s been working on a related case involving Bennett and the men he’s working for. We are teaming up here in case Bennett finds you.”
Durango steps forward. “Yes, we spoke on the phone earlier.”
“How would Bennett find us? I thought this was a safe house,” I say.
Myers stands up. “It is. But you know, sometimes things go sideways.”
Not usually with safe houses. Something about this doesn’t seem right. But I don’t want to scare Savvy, so I hold my tongue for now.
“You have a first aid kit?” Durango asks.
“Yes, in the bathroom upstairs,” Stevens says.
Durango turns to me. “Let me help you with your bandages. Savvy, you wait down here.”
I follow him upstairs. We need to discuss what exactly is going on here.
“This feels wrong,” I say once we are in the bathroom.
“Something is off.” He opens a drawer and finds what he needs.
I take off my shirt and let him get to work.
“This part is going to hurt.” He says a moment before using a cotton pad with rubbing alcohol to clean the wound. He tapes a bandage in place. “Would you rather be in a safe house with only Savvy?”
