“You also had the element of surprise and the moral high ground. No villain can withstand that.”
I chuckle, and the only thing I can think about is how much I want to kiss her. And how at odds that is with my date-no-one-while-on-a-job plan. Especially since after this job, I’m under contract to leave. I don’t get long to think about it, though, because her phone suddenly starts blaring the songBorn to Be Wild.
Charlie hurries to pull her phone from her back pocket and sends the call to voicemail. “Sorry—that’s my brother, probably wondering why I’m not at…” she pauses like she was going to say something else, making me wonder what she was about to say, then finishes with, “my mom’s yet.”
“Is this the brother who I thought was an intruder?”
“Miles? No. His ringtone isSharp Dressed Man. This is Ledger, and I really need to get going.” Before she leaves, though, she says, “Thank you for taking me on the tour. I can see why you’re so passionate about this place.”
And I’m smiling long after I see her walk out to her car, get in, and drive away.
CHAPTER 11
SPY-DEY SENSES TINGLING
CHARLIE
Iknow exactly how busy work is going to be today, so I left home extra early. When I turn off the tree-lined street to the front gates of the Clandestine Services Agency building—or, as the small metal sign at the gate reads,Lancaster Business Solutions—the sun still hasn’t poked its head up.
I stop at the gatehouse, and when the guard comes out, I say, “Good morning, Moss!”
“Good morning, Ms. Lancaster,” Moss says in his very deep voice as he holds out the scanner.
I tap my badge to it, and then I put my hand on the fingerprint screen.
“You’re getting quite the early start.”
I shrug. “There’s just too much fun to pack into a normal-length day, and I don’t miss out on any of it.”
Moss laughs, I’m sure fully knowing that no oneshows up to work before the sun because they’re expecting fun at that time of day. “Well, toss some confetti for me, will you?”
As the gates open, I say, “Will do!” before driving through them, then down the cobblestone road to the side of the building, and then down underneath it to the parking garage.
The second I get up to my floor and over to my desk, I schedule a 10:15 meeting with Emerson during the one fifteen-minute window I’m free today.
I’m just finishing up with a final security sweep on Jace’s cover identity when I see Emerson standing in my peripheral vision, a tablet in hand. I hold up one finger, hurry to close out the secure server connection, then lock my screen and head back to one of the conference rooms with him.
“Yesterday, I stopped by The Shadowridge, and Owen showed me around.”
“Nice! I take it things are going well?”
“Please hold all relationship questions until the end. That isn’t what this meeting is about. And I’ve only got twelve minutes, because Jace is on an airplane right now, headed to that high-end antiques fair in Marrakesh to pose as a buyer, so I need to be ready to supporthim soon.”
Emerson holds up a hand in surrender.
“When I walked into the theater, Owen was just finishing up showing around the investor or donor or whatever he wants to be called. He introduced me to the guy, and I’m telling you that something is off about him. With all I’ve got going on with Jace’s mission today, there’s no way I can look into him. Do you have time to?”
“Anything for you, sis. What’s his name?”
“Giovanni Vitale. He doesn’t own the theater—he’s just paying for renovations. He lives somewhere in Italy. That’s also where he grew up.”
“Got it. Okay, tell me what seems off.”
“I don’t know. Little things. Like the way he stood just a little too straight, his emotions too tempered. The way he glanced at the exits and the security camera. That he was hyper-aware of his surroundings. That he didn’t mirror Owen’s posture. You know, the things your subconscious picks up on that your conscious mind doesn’t always. I’m telling you, my spy-dey senses are tingling.”
Emerson is smiling.
“What?”
