“I’ve heard back from Noah,” Scarlett began. “He’s set up a meeting for seven o’clock tomorrow morning.”
Instead of sharing how I genuinely felt—that she was stupid and stubborn to even be here, let alone to trust that man—I let out a small growl.
She flicked her eyes in my direction, expressing her response. She knew I was right. But she was going forward anyway. “If he’s willing to risk meeting with us in person?—”
“It’s a trap,” Malcolm and I said simultaneously.
Scarlett cocked her eyebrow at each of us in turn, then continued. “If he’s willing to risk meeting with us in person, that means he’s going to provide us with intel. If he were going to warn us away again, he would have called or texted.”
“Or,” I said, “he told you to stay away, and since you didn’t listen, he’s planning on nabbing you to ensure you don’t mess up his plans.”
“He said to come alone.”
Malcolm balled his fist on the table. “And even bigger absolutely not.”
“Alone is the key, though.” Scarlett leaned forward, an excited glimmer in her eye. “Let’s assume Fenix were the ones who tipped off the police about Pendragon. That means he knows they’re here. If he wants a meeting with me, he knowswe’rehere, too. If he were planning on taking our entire team out of the equation, he would have asked to meet all of us. Not just me.”
She had a point.
Drew spoke as he typed on his laptop. “That’s all based on two assumptions. One, Fenix was behind the tip about Pendragon. And two, Noah thinks you’d actually listen and come by yourself.”
His words almost pulled a smile from me.
But Scarlett didn’t back down. No surprise. “We know he and Enzo are jockeying for the number two spot at Fenix. We know they’ve been at odds with each other.”
Drew paused his typing and gave Jayce a knowing look. “And Enzo would kill any one of us if he had the chance.”
Jayce smiled at him, no doubt remembering when Enzo had tried to kill them both, and Drew had shielded her.
Like you did for Brooke. Remember that. You tried.
But you failed, Rav.
Scarlett nodded. “He’s taking a big risk meeting us in person. This is important.”
“I’m going with you,” I said.
Scarlett’s slight smile told me she’d expected exactly this response. “That’s what I thought. And Zac will drive.”
The same team from that night two years ago—when we thought Noah had died.
Malcolm’s fist clenched tighter. “I should be the one covering you.”
“And that right there,” Scarlett said, pointing at his face and the way his jaw was flexing, “is why you’re not going. It would be too easy for Noah to bait you.”
Malcolm didn’t argue further, but from the way his nostrils flared, he clearly knew she was right.
“Speaking of morning appointments,” Brooke said, finally turning from the window, “I have an appointment at a lab in town at ten thirty.”
Scarlett considered this. “If Rav isn’t back from the meeting with Noah in time, Malcolm can accompany you.”
Before Malcolm could respond, Brooke shook her head slightly. “Actually, Percival can meet me there. If the Carabinieri are watching them, Fenix won’t bother, so I’ll still be under the radar.”
She was choosing familiar over unknown, Pendragon over Reynolds.
Malcolm’s eyes flicked between Brooke and me before settling back on Scarlett. “Whatever works operationally.”
“We’ll use comms when we talk to Noah in the morning,” I said. “Drew can coordinate from here, with Brie online from Halifax.”
