She grimly smiled.“And how about if a pregnant woman approached?”
He looked like he was about to argue with her, but she waved off his protests.
“Alvarez, you need to understand something.After what we’ve been through the past several months, I will do whatever it takes to protect this pack.I am Head Enforcer, and yes, I’m pregnant.But I swear to you that I’mnotgetting into a gunfight or looking for trouble.We have to find the easiest andsafestway for me to approach her and have a little uninterrupted time to talk without drawing undue attention.At least fifteen minutes.And we can’t be certain the church is the best option.Too many witnesses to wrangle, and we don’t have control of the premises.But if it’s a business in a building accessible to the public, that raises fewer questions and gives me better cover, while also allowing me an opportunity to be alone with her.”
She sat forward again and swiped through the pictures to the ones from inside the office building.“That elevator services all floors, or is it an express elevator?”
“All floors.I think it’s more of a service elevator because of its size and lack of decor, but it’s well-maintained.”
“What are the most publicly accessible businesses between the second floor and their floor?”
He reached for the tablet and scrolled through to a picture of the lobby’s directory board, then returned the tablet.She studied it for a moment.“I think my tooth will be bothering me tomorrow.”
“Say again?”
She pointed.“Dentist.On the floor below theirs.That’s what that means, right?”
He looked and nodded.
Dewi grimly smiled.“Perfect cover.What about the stairs?Are they locked?”
“No.Boss, are yousureabout this?”
“Yes.Because after having a ‘chat’ with her, we’ll know her plan and the extent of her knowledge, or if anyone else knows.It’s better to do thisnowandnotlet it grow into a larger problem, right?”
“I’ll ask this one time, boss.Can wepleasehold off and call in one of the male Primes?”
“No,” she said.“Because even being Primes, they won’t be able to get close to her without drawing at least a little attention.Sorry for the reverse sexism, but no one will suspect a pregnant woman of anything nefarious.”She patted her stomach.“And I promise there won’t be any trouble.On the ride up, I’ll Prime her to expect me in the office, that I’m an old friend from school.I’ll get off at the lower floor, then I’ll walk up to her floor and have a little chat with her.”
“Why not just get off with her?”
“It’ll give me a chance to scope out that floor’s lobby before I go into the office.”
“When do we do this?”
“Tomorrow.We’ll get there early.I’ll go into the lobby and talk to security to find out about their system, have them delete all footage from when we’re there, and to make sure all the cameras are turned off until lunch time due to a ‘technical glitch’ so there’s no chance of us being seen.Also, I want to ask if there is independent security on their floor, or if cutting the main system will also kill cameras on that floor.”
“And then?”
“Then you drive me to the airport, and you either fly out with me or resume following her.We’ll probably know within a few days, at the most.”
“Know what?”
“Oh, you’ll know.”She really didn’t want to give him more details than he needed.
Plausible deniability.
“But if you do stay behind to follow her,” she added, “the next time she gets out at the church, I want you there.Inside.Every time, if it’s more than one day in a row.”
“Every time?”
“Yup.Until I pull you from the assignment, or other, eh, circumstances dictate.Are you packed and ready to leave?”
“Yeah.My shipping container lands in Texas this week.That was the fastest I could get it shipped, like you ordered.”
“Good.”She sat back.“How’s the room service in this place?”
“I haven’t tried it.”
