“Maybe we should leave this for another time.”
I shook my head. “We’re already here. And besides, the sooner we can get some insight on what’s really going on, the sooner we can end this.”
She didn’t seem convinced, but I started walking around the building just in case she began asking any further questions. Ellie joined me and I stopped to ensure my coat was around my gun and badge. The last thing I needed was to announce my status as a cop. People were much more likely to speak to me if they believed I was one of them.
Malik said I had a trusting face.
The moment they realized I carried a badge—well, no more information was usually forthcoming then.
Together we entered the diner, a tiny bed jangled over our heads. The moment we stepped though the door, the conversations dropped to a minimal. Wasn’t surprising.
I pressed my palm to the small of Ellie’s back and kind of eased her toward a table rather than allowing her to bring us to a booth. The place was small but had a healthy crowd. People stared openly but I picked up the menu. I wasn’t reading it. Instead I was taking in the place as much as I could. I had already clocked the exits and routes for the fastest get-a-way.
“What can I get you?”
I set the menu down and smiled up at her. She was pregnant—very pregnant. “Coffee, black—please?”
She grinned. “And for you, miss?”
“Coffee, milk, no sugar. And that ham and cheese looks really good.” Ellie told her.
After the waitress left, I watched her go then leaned forward to speak with Ellie. “Always know where your exits are.” I told her. “What’s the quickest way out. Learn your surroundings, the people inside of it.”
“I’m not a soldier.”
“No. But this could save your life.” I told her. “Since we arrived, the man at the end of the bar has made two phone calls.”
“So?” She turned her head to me, but I knew she was watching the man from the corner of her eyes. “He’s staring—who’d he call?”
“We’re about to find out.”
“Shouldn’t we leave?”
I shrugged as the waitress brought the coffee and I thanked her. When she left, I glanced out the glass window. “IF we leave, we get nothing and will draw attention to ourselves. It’s going to take a while for them to bring the sandwich.”
“It doesn’t take that long to make a—right, to buy time.”
I nodded, proud of her. “In the meantime, keep your eyes on me and prepare to move.”
“At least we know something more now.”
“What’s that?”
“My father was here,” Ellie replied. “If he wasn’t, I doubt they’d know to expect us.”
I smiled. Ellie was smarter than I gave her credit for.
It didn’t take twenty minutes to make a sandwich. It was actually offensive they thought I wouldn’t catch on to what was happening. It didn’t take long for two motorcycles to pull up and parked hurriedly in the lot.
“They’re here,” I said. “Come and sit beside me.”
When she did, I shifted in my chair and pulled her into my chest. I needed her close when it came time to move. Still, I waited by cradling one of her cheek with my palm and lifted her lips to mine. My free hand already had my gun out, using her body to mask the weapon. From the corner of my eyes I could see the newcomers. They exchanged a slightly look with the man at the end of the bar who returned the nod and they made their way toward us.
When they were close enough, I dropped Ellie’s cheek, used that had to propel her to her feet while shifting to aim at them. The first man took a bullet to the foot. He screamed but I wasn’t focused on him. I found Ellie just as she tossed her hot coffee in the other man’s face and we took off for the door.
The man who was sitting at the bar hopped over his fallen friend and I could hear his footsteps heaving behind us. Outside the back door, I tugged Ellie to the wall behind me and waited for our pursuer to exit. Once he did, I sent a high kick to his chest and he slammed backward into the door just as it closed. He gasped but I didn’t wait for him to react before following it up with another kick.
The man slumped to his knees then face first into the dirt. Ellie ran over.
