He crossed to the door, opened it, and stood back for Cate and Draco to pass through it. Then he followed them down the curving staircase to the cold, marble-tiled lobby, and past the bored security guard to the entrance. He held the door for them to pass through and leaned in to shake Draco’s hand.
When Draco placed his hand in Brunner’s, the man’s grip was tight, almost desperate. He lowered his voice to a whisper and said, “You should not have said that name in this building. Bad idea. Very bad.” Then, in a louder voice, “Thank you for coming in. Enjoy your time in Zurich.”
Cate stuck out her hand before he could walk away. “Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.” He took her hand, his eyes flaring slightly as he gripped hers and shook it once.
“Pleasure.” He dropped her hand, stuck his hand in his pocket, stepped back, spun on his heels and climbed the curving stairs up to his office.
Draco cupped Cate’s elbow and guided her through the doorway out into the cool, fresh air, glad to be out of the bank and the sense of surreptitious affairs that all the security and secrecy inspired. Not until they were away from the bank and its all-seeing cameras did he speak. “He knew Calloway and Alpenhorn.”
Cate nodded. “And he was scared.”
“That’s what got me. He was smooth and professional up until you mentioned Alpenhorn. He wasn’t rattled over the nine-million-dollar account. I’m sure he deals in large sums on a daily basis. He acted more afraid of someone.”
“Someone who could hurt him,” Cate agreed. “And I don’t mean just hurt his career. Physically hurt him.”
“He’s involved, for certain.” Draco frowned. “Deep enough to feel threatened. But he’s a banker. I doubt very much that he’s a killer.”
“Maybe not, but he could hire someone to do the dirty work,” Cate offered.
Draco steered them along a different route, one that would take longer and make anyone following them work harder to keep up. He led them down a street lined with glass storefronts. His hand rested at the small of Cate’s back, an attempt to appear like a couple on vacation, not two professionals on a mission. “I think Brunner manages the account, but he’s working for someone. Whoever that someone is has him scared. He’s just worried about surviving.”
Cate’s lips twisted. “So, he’s part of the problem, but not the source.”
“Right.” The hairs on the back of Draco’s neck prickled. He glanced into a window’s reflection, searching behind them, rather than looking over his shoulder. “Whoever sent the driver to kidnap you wasn’t protecting the banker. He was protecting what the banker knows.”
They walked another block, that prickle on the back of his neck raising the hairs to attention. He tapped Cate’s back twice.
She stiffened, her steps slowing for a moment before she continued. “Whatcha got?”
“A man is following us,” he said quietly. “Gray overcoat, dark hat, opposite side of the street, twenty yards back—the same man who was following us on the Bahnhofstrasse when we entered the bank. He was sitting on a bench across the street and half a block away when we came out, reading a magazine.”
“He’s been on us since.” Cate didn’t ask. She stated and paused in front of a glass storefront to point at a display of ladies’ clothing. “I saw him,” she whispered. Louder, she said, “I like that color. Do you think it would look good on me?”
“You’d look beautiful in anything,” he said, and meant it, not just making shit up to pretend to be a couple. His gaze met hers briefly in the reflection and then shifted to their tail.
She hooked her hand around his elbow, her fingers digging in tightly with a slight tremor. “Isn’t that the same guy from last night?” She leaned her cheek against his shoulder, keeping her smile glued to her face.
He was impressed she’d noticed the guy as well and even more affected by the way she practically clung to him. She was good at playing the doting lover. If only it wasn’t an act. He tore his gaze from her reflection to study the man in the gray coat. “Looks like him. Same height. Same tradecraft moves. Whoever he is, he’s good.”
“And patient,” she added. “He’s maintaining a good distance to avoid discoverability, and the hat is shading his facial features from us and any cameras along the way.”
“Since he hasn’t come closer, I doubt he’s ready to jump us in broad daylight. He’s studying our routine.”
“That’s not making me feel better,” Cate said.
“Maybe not,” he said with a grin. “But I informed you, thus following your rule.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “You could’ve informed me earlier.”
“And you could’ve told me you’d already seen him, last night and today.” He turned to her and tipped her chin up. “Can we agree to get better at following the rules?” he said, lowering his voice to a sexy drawl like he was whispering sweet nothings—something he’d rather be doing than faking an attraction that wasn’t fake. He bent close. “Now, kiss me and look like I’m the best thing since Prada shoes, or whatever shoes are special.”
She hesitated for a moment, a shadow passing over her eyes.
“All for show,” he whispered. “Take one for the team.” And he winked.
Cate rested her hands on his chest.
For a second, he thought she’d push him away. Instead, she curled her fingers into his shirt, rose on her toes and brushed her lips across his.
