Page 82 of Dagger’s Shield

“I’m in,” she said.

“Take position behind the third vat from the back,” I told her.

“Roger.”

“Maëlle. He’s standing between the fourth and fifth tanks, with his back to me. I don’t see anyone else in the building.”

“Copy,” she whispered.

“Nobody moves unless I signal.”

“Copy,” said Preacher.

When the latch on the yard door lifted, I crouched in the dark between the tanks and waited.

18

MAËLLE

“Let me get my coat,” I said.

Rémy nodded and headed for the doors.

“Two minutes,” Dagger said through the comms.

A neighbor caught me on my way to ask after my mother. I let her take her time.

Rémy was in the yard, with his hands in his pockets, when I came out.

“You walk like an old woman,” he said.

“I’m wearing shoes that cost more than your car, and there’s ice on these stones.” I took his arm, which slowed him further. “Which alarm is it?”

“Does it matter?”

“I suppose not.”

When we reached the fermentation area, Rémy opened the door and I went in ahead of him.

A man stood between two of the tanks, with his hands at his sides. He wasn’t dressed for a party. He wore a dark jacket, a buttoned collar with no tie, work trousers, and boots.

I approached him. “Monsieur Géraud,” I said. “You’re here. I was looking forward to meeting you.”

He didn’t move. “Mademoiselle, you have me at a disadvantage.” He looked past me. “Rémy. Please introduce us.”

“This is my cousin, Maëlle,” Rémy told him.

I held my hand out. He didn’t take it.

“Well,” he said. “This is a convenient surprise.”

His own hand came out of his coat with a gun in it.

He stood too far away for me to take it off him and close enough that he wouldn’t miss if he fired.

“Get over to that door.” He tipped the barrel toward the low one at the end of the row. “Both of you.”

The tanks behind that door were fermenting, and the first rule I was taught on this estate was that a person never went into one of those rooms without someone making sure they didn’t get trapped inside.