There’sexactly one person in the room— a middle-aged woman with light brown hair pulled into a low bun, highly arched eyebrows, a slim nose, and a severe expression that is making me question the wisdom in showing up here unannounced.
She’ssitting behind a desk— no,Idon’t think it can be called that because it’s huge and looks like it was built in place.Acounter, maybe?Thefront of the monstrosity readsLancasterBusinessSolutions, and a name card sitting on the desk readsMs.Hinshaw.
“CanIhelp you?”Ms.Hinshawasks in a pinched voice.
Isummon all my confidence. “Yes.Iam here to seeJaceLancaster.Ishe available?”
“Onemoment, please.”Shepicks up a phone, presses a button, and then says, “JaceLancaster?Awoman is here to see you.”Thenshe sets the phone back down and says, “It’llbe just a moment if you’d like to wait over there.”
Iturn to see a couple of armchairs tucked in the corner.Iwon’t be out ofMissSevere’sfield of vision, but maybe her gaze won’t feel so intense from further away.
Nope— it feels just as intense.Hammy’sadvice this morning of “Goodluck, have fun, don’t die” had sounded like overkill, but now it’s sounding like exactly the kind of well-wishesIneed just to get past this lobby.
CHAPTER19
BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL
JACE
I’mwithGiannainSub-levelOneasAbrahamis finishing up with her disguise.Hehas glued some facial pieces to her that have completely changed her appearance and is just now finishing up the makeup.Shelooks younger— maybe twenty-six years old instead of her actual thirty-two.Withthe facial pieces and the blond wig covering her dark hair,Ibarely recognize my fellow agent.
It’sbeen a very intense day of tracking down leads, but we’ve managed to uncover some details about the gala onSaturday.Specifically, a player who plans to be there—Abineri.Heworks for an organization that has been on our radar for quite some time now, and if he’s going to be there, well, that means things have heated up.Especiallybecause we don’t think he is tied to the buyer who was the intended target of the brush pass thatMackenzieaccidentally intercepted, which means he is a second buyer.Andwe really don’t want a second buyer there.
So,Giannais heading intoAbineri’sNewYorkbase looking like a woman high up in the organization to get some information about his plans.It’sa risky op.I’mgoing in as her backup, soI’veasked theFBIto take over watchingMackenzietonight.
Werun through the mission again asHammyglances between the picture of the woman on his computer screen andGianna, trying to get her eyebrows just right.
“So, fingerprint scanner first,”Isay, andGiannamoves the fingers on her hand as if testing the fastness of the fake fingerprints she’s wearing. “Whileit’s scanning, keep your words to the guard simple.”
“How’sAdrianna?”Giannaclears her throat and then says with a slightly different cadence, “How’sAdrianna?”
Inod. “Good.Thatsounds just like her.Andthen once you get past security, it’s three lefts and a right to get to the records room.”
“IthinkI’vegot it,”Giannasays in her normal voice.
“Ithink you do, too,”Abrahamsays.Hefinishes up her eyebrows with a flourish. “Andyou look just like her, too.”Hehands her a mirror and she studies herself, angling her face from side to side.
Iturn whenIhear the voice of the director, my mom, as she’s walking down the aisle toward us, talking to someone in tech.Shesays something to him and he turns off in another direction while my mom heads toward us.Shestops and takes a good look atGianna. “Excellentwork,Abraham.IfIdidn’t know any better,Iwould think this isMiaCardellright here in front of me.”
Theman blushes. “Thankyou, ma’am.Wejust finished.”
“Perfect,” my mom says as bothGiannaandIstand. “Justin time for a last-minute briefing before you two head off.”
“Havea good mission,”Abrahamsays. “Goodluck, have fun, and don’t die!”
Giannanods. “Thankyou.”
Wehead toward the elevator with the director.Aswe walk, she says toGianna, “I’vebeen meaning to ask you about your boyfriend.Lastwe talked, you were trying to decide if you wanted to read him in on your actual job.Whatdid you decide?”
Myears perk up.Ididn’t know that a part of me had contemplated the possibility of one day tellingMackenziewhoIam untilIrealize how muchIwant to hear this answer.
“Istill thinkImay have been wrong about never tellingRyanthatI’man intelligence operative.Thesecrecy probably contributed more to our divorce thanI’vebeen willing to admit.AndIreally want this relationship withLuketo be completely honest.
“Ithought a lot about what you told me about how telling a romantic partner can really take a load offmyshoulders because thenIno longer have to feel the burden of carrying around secrets, but how it can take that burden and shift it tohisshoulders.Andhow much it can make him worry every timeIgo on a mission.”
Mymom nods.Ifind myself nodding, too.
“Butthe part that really made me pause is what you said about the weight of truth.Thathe might not be ready to hear it and thatImight not be ready to tell it.Andthat there has to be a lot of trust in the relationship to risk that.”
