The window was down.
A long lens pointed straight at them.
Caitlin’s blood went cold.
“Iz,” she said under her breath, not moving her lips. “Don’t move.”
Izzy stilled.
“Someone’s taking our picture right now.”
Izzy’s pulse spiked, but she didn’t turn.
Caitlin’s hand tightened around hers under the table as she reached for her phone with the other.
Quick. Controlled.
She typed.
Black SUV across from café. Camera. Now.
She hit send to Burke.
Neither of them moved.
The café noise carried on around them—laughter, dishes, someone asking for more cream—like nothing was wrong.
Outside, the lens never wavered.
Then, a patrol cruiser rolled slowly down the street.
Deliberate.
It passed the café… then eased enough to block part of the SUV’s line of sight.
The driver—Deputy Luke Hale—didn’t look at them.
The SUV hesitated. Then the window slid up.
The vehicle pulled out into traffic and was gone.
Caitlin let out a breath.
Izzy finally looked at her.
“What was that?” she whispered.
Caitlin didn’t answer right away.
She was still staring at the empty street where the SUV had been.
Her voice, when it came, was quieter than before.
“I don’t think that was random.”
44
Highway 107 — Early Afternoon
