“Any of those match our assassin?”
“No. Kedmi operates under completely different covers. Israeli backgrounds, European business credentials. Nothing overlapping with Rafael’s aliases.”
Two separate threats. Two separate agendas. Converging on the same targets at the same time.
“Someone’s bankrolling Rafael,” I say. “Good aliases cost serious money.”
“Agreed. And whoever it is has resources.” She watches me over the rim of her cup. “But if he’s not connected to the assassination, what does he want?”
I don’t have an answer.
That night, Tatiana’s source comes through. A clear photograph, taken at some kind of gallery event. Rafael Marcano in profile, caught mid-conversation with someone just out of frame.
The face is familiar.
I know him. I know this man. But from where?
The memory surfaces slowly. A café near Nina’s house. I was sitting in my car, watching her through the window.
Then he stepped up beside her.
My blood goes cold.
“What?” Tatiana asks, reading my expression. “You know him?”
“I think he approached Nina. A few weeks ago, at a café near her house.” I’m already reaching for my phone. “Charmed her. Got her business card. I watched the whole thing from my car and didn’t think anything of it—just some guy hitting on her.”
“Could be coincidence.”
“You said it yourself—Rafael’s separate from the assassination, but the timing isn’t coincidental.” My mind races. “What if he’s not trying to kill Vicente and Arturo? What if he wants something else from them entirely?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Information. Access. Something personal.” I stare at the photograph. “But he targeted Nina specifically. Got her card. That’s not random.”
Tatiana’s expression hardens. “Run his aliases through Agency databases. See if anything connects to Nina’s world.”
I’m already dialing my contact at Langley.
Walsh picks up on the third ring. “Longo. What do you have?”
“I need a cross-reference on three aliases.” I rattle off Rafael’s known identities. “Run them against everything. Travel records, financial transactions, and specifically anything connected to Dr. Nina Palmer’s practice or client roster.”
“That’ll take time. System’s backed up with the threat assessment on the principals.”
“How long?”
“Couple hours, maybe more. Everyone’s focused on Amador and Flores right now. They went to ground this morning, imminent threat pushed them into lockdown.”
My mind snags on something. “What about Palmer? Is she still seeing them today?”
“Negative. Session cancelled. Brass assessed her as low-risk with the principals out of play.” Keys clicking in the background. “She’s maintaining cover with her normal client roster. Routine stuff.”
Normal client roster.
Nina’s business card, passed to a stranger in a coffee shop. A stranger who watched her leave like he was memorizing something.
“Walsh, how does a new patient get on her roster?”
