Yasdi tapped the receipt. “But see here? Two meals. Two sodas.”
“Still not proof Sidiqi was with you.”
“Ms. Yasdi,” Evan said, “can you think of why these two men would claim they were here if they weren’t?”
She crossed her arms. “I have no idea.”
His focus intensified, and Yasdi cringed. “What’s your take on the current war on terrorism in our country?”
“Terrorism!” Her big brown eyes widened, and her gaze bounced between Kiley and Evan. “I don’t agree with terrorists’ methods, and I’m not involved in anything like that. Not at all.”
“Nor am I,” Sidiqi added.
Kiley kept watching the pair. Either they were superb actors and Yasdi had the receipt in place in the event someone came to question her, which was possible, or she was legitimately afraid and shocked.
Kiley lifted her phone and opened Rostami’s photo to display for them. “Do you recognize this man?”
Yasdi studied it carefully. “No.”
Sidiqi shook his head.
Kiley swiped to Darzi’s picture. “This one?”
“No. No,” Yasdi said adamantly.
“I... ” Sidiqi fell back in his chair, his face paling.
Kiley’s warning senses started tingling. “You know him?”
He shook his head hard. “But I saw him. He walked past the restaurant and took a long look inside when we were eating.”
Evan watched as a fellow ICE agent escorted Sidiqi and Yasdi from her apartment. Evan didn’t much like having to take them into custody, but until the team could be sure neither of them were part of the ongoing plot, the couple had to be detained. At least Kiley had pulled strings with Eisenhower, and the pair would be held in a safe house, not a detention center. And if they were cleared, Kiley promised to work toward getting Sidiqi’s visa renewed. If she hadn’t offered, Evan would have because he didn’t like that Sidiqi thought of American law enforcement the same way he did corrupt departments he’d encountered in the past.
“We should get over to the restaurant to check security footage so we can get tonight’s op planned,” Kiley said.
He led her to the car and drove the few blocks to the steak-and-seafood restaurant.
She pointed above the door. “Security cameras.”
“Let’s hope they’re legit and not dummies set up as deterrents.” He opened the door for Kiley and followed her into the dimly lit space.
He took a moment at the door to let his eyes adjust to the atmosphere and breathe in the smoky aroma of grilled beef mixed with savory fried onions. His mouth watered, and he wished they could sit down and eat instead of heading back to plan an op where someone could get hurt.
He noted another camera right inside the door, and despite the long day, he felt optimistic about their chances of catching not only Yasdi and Sidiqi on video but the container suspects as well.
“Let’s check in with the bartender.” Kiley, her look all business, marched toward a young male polishing a gleaming wood bar.
Evan still couldn’t believe how confident she’d become. He’d seen no traces of the shy, awkward young agent he’d first met years ago. She’d once told him she’d spent so much time behind a computer in her room growing up that she was uncomfortable around people. But, and this was a big but for him, she’d always felt at ease with him. He’d felt the same way. Not awkward and shy, but comfortable.
She displayed her ID. “I need to speak to the manager.”
The bartender’s hand stilled. “She’s in back. Can I tell her what this is about?”
Kiley smiled. “I’d rather do that.”
“Okay.” He dropped his rag and headed through a swinging door.
Evan heard steaks sizzling on the grill in the back, and his stomach rumbled.
