ButI’mnot justJace, the person, right now.AndMackenzieisn’t safe here.
“Actually,”Mackenziesays, “we were planning to goBeacon’sBites, right over there.”Shepoints to the lighthouse-themed outdoor café whose tables are right next to the oneIwas sitting at while watching for the brush pass earlier.Aplace right out in the open.
Iglance at it then turn back to the women. “ButBlackEyedSue’shas the best chipotle chicken paninis around.”
“Ithink we’re in the mood forBeacon’sBites,”Mackenziesays.
Iam suddenly very aware that just last night, she was on a bad date with a guy who wanted to make all the decisions without taking her input at all, andIcan only guess that it has made her even less likely to go somewhere she doesn’t want to go today.NotunlessIpull out the “Youare in danger—Ineed to get you out of here immediately” card.I’vehad to use that one a few times, and it rarely ends well for a multitude of reasons.
Besides, what amIsupposed to say? “Hi.I’man intelligence operative with theCSAand you should listen to me.”Rightafter the sleaze last night claimed to be aCIAagent?Yeah, she’d never believe me.
SoIsay, “Doyou know what?Thatlooks like a great place.Andwho wants to trade paninis for indoor dining on a day as beautiful as this?”
It’sokay.Awrinkle comes up in virtually every mission.Ihaven’t lost control of the situation.I’mjust adapting to the changing conditions and finding a new way to keepMackenziesafe.
Atleast that’s whatItell myself.Thesituation with her is fluid.
CHAPTER6
CHAOS AND EMERGENCY EXITS
JACE
Eightminutes later, we’ve ordered— a salmon salad forMackenzie, a turkey club sandwich for me, and a southwest chicken salad wrap forLivi— and are sitting at a table in the sun, personifying sitting ducks.Idon’t even have a good vantage point, because all the tables whereIcan keep an easy eye on things are taken.
Ourtable is square, with a chair on each side, andMackenzieholds out her two shopping bags, one also containing her purse, toward her friend and says, “Willyou put these on that empty chair for me?”
Igive a chuckle thatIhope comes out as half nervous and half teasing. “Thispurse that was just stolen moments ago?Maybewe should keep it a little more hidden.”Igrab the bags and place them right betweenMackenzie’sfeet and mine.Ialso take the opportunity to stick a tracker that looks like a button to the inside lining of the purse— just in case— then grab the cardigan in the second shopping bag and cover the purse with it.
Yep.Thiswoman has no covert operative instincts at all.Thatpurse is like a homing beacon for the bad guys, andIjust spotted a second meathead in a cheap suit looking around the courtyard.
“Yourpurse was stolen?”Liviasks, sounding more than a bit alarmed.Good.Atleast one of them is acting as if this is an issue.
“Yes, but only for a minute.Jacesaved it for me.”Mackenzieturns her gaze back to me. “Ithink purse snatching is like lightning striking.It’snot going to happen twice.”
“Idon’t know,”Isay jokingly. “Someonecould’ve seen those four strawberries-and-cream lip balms that spilled out whenItackled the thief and decided theyreallywant them.”
Shetaps a finger on her lips, like she’s thinking, but it’s really just making me focus on how nice those lips are.Herentire face, really, is rather attractive, and so is the wavy brown hair that’s loose and falls just below her shoulders.Butthat smile of hers is especially captivating. “You’reprobably right.Itisthe best flavor.”
“CCTVisn’t giving me much,”Charliesays through my earpiece. “Ilost the intended target.It’sunclear whether she knows aboutMackenzieor not.Thewoman may not want to make a scene in the courtyard, but she could be waiting in the parking lot, ready to ambushMackenzie.Thecameras aiming that direction aren’t great.”
Igive my glasses a nudge up— my way of tellingCharliethatIheard but can’t respond.
Mackenzie,Livi, andIare making small talk, joking about the contents ofMackenzie’spurse and whether or not a thief would be disappointed in them, whetherMackenzie’sdate last night was home polishing his shiny gold “CIAbadge,” and the nice day after so many cloudy and chilly ones.
Thereis a lot of laughing, all whileI’mtrying to keep an eye out for threats.Thetwo thugsIsaw earlier, whoIcan only assume are working for the intended target, have started going inside stores to look for theotherwoman with the dark pink purse who accidentally received their boss’s brush pass.Itsimultaneously relieves and worries me.Relief, because they’re wasting time andIcould use all the timeIcan get right now.Worry, becauseI’drather have them in my sight at all times.
SomeonefromBeacon’sBitescomes over and sets the three plastic containers of food on our table, andLivihands us each our order.Aswe are opening the lids,Imotion atMackenzie’sand ask the questionI’vewanted to ask since we first ordered. “Youordered a salmon salad.Ithought you were allergic?”Thatwas what she’d told her date last night.
Shegives me a confused look for a moment, and then a laugh bursts out of her. “Oh!Yeah, no—I’mnot allergic.Ijust said that becauseIdidn’t want my date ordering for me.”
Thefriend nods. “Theonly thing thatMackenzieis allergic to is people telling her what to do.”
Great.Soprobably shouting “Duck!” or “Abad guy is in that direction, so let’s go this way” isn’t exactly going to work with this woman.Yet,Ineed to get her away from this mall.Ifthe meatheads don’t find her soon, they’ll likely send more people, starting their search here and then branching out.
“Weshould snap a picture forInstagrambefore we eat!”Mackenziesays. “Livi, scootch over here soIcan get all three of us in it.
Itry to not let shock and horror show on my face.Herewe are— a woman who currently has adversaries thinking she has intercepted their key to a destructive weapon and are trying to find her, her best friend, and me, an intelligence operative with theCSA— and she wants to post an image of us on social media?Willshe also tag the mall in her post to make it that much easier to find her?