Page 48 of Jina

The rank scent of rotting garbage washed over them as they left the restaurant kitchen through the back door. Jina did her best to breathe through her mouth, despite the putrid odor emanating from a nearly overflowing dumpster. She eyed Cole. “What’s going on?”

“Cassidy picked up a tail.” Cole tugged her around the side of the dumpster. “She didn’t take this exit. We’re on our own until she or one of the others can get here.”

She hadn’t anticipated the shooter following one of her teammates. How would he even know about them? It wasn’t as if they were out there on social media.

Although they had gotten some press in the recent months. Had he done a search on her? And then found a picture of her with her team?

Not good.

“Use your map app to find a rendezvous location.” She hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and gestured to his phone. “Someplace close enough that we can get there on foot. Not the gas station across the street. Something farther away.”

“There’s not much around here aside from that gas station.” His expression held doubt, but he did as she asked. It was all she could do not to snatch the phone away to look for herself.

“Okay, there’s another gas station convenience store about a mile down the road.”

“Still too close. What about heading in the opposite direction?” She huddled near him so she could look at the screen too. “He wouldn’t expect us to cross the highway. We need a place that either Cass or one of the others can come back to meet us.”

He manipulated the screen until he found another building. But there was no label associated with the structure. “What do you think? I’m not sure what this is.”

“Maybe a restaurant or something else that went out of business. It’s rather isolated, which I like. Two miles from here is good too. Take a screenshot and send it to Cassidy, Zeke, and Flynn.”

While he did that, she moved away from the dumpster to the side of the restaurant that faced the highway. The early morning traffic was picking up, making it almost impossible to look for one black Honda, even without plates, as the cars were zooming past at well above posted speed limits.

Frustrating to be miles outside the city without a vehicle. She should have contacted Cass last night rather than letting her exhaustion overrule her common sense.

Hearing Cole’s phone ring, she turned toward him. He showed her the display. Recognizing Zeke’s number, she nodded and held out her hand.

“Zeke? Jina. Where are you? Cass was followed to this exit, so I need you to stay away for a while.”

“How is that possible?” Zeke asked.

“Don’t know. We’ll swap theories later. Cole texted you a meeting point, but we need time to get there on foot. Say thirty minutes?”

“See you then.” Zeke ended the call.

She handed Cole the phone. “There’s not much coverage, so get ready to run.”

“Got it.” He pocketed the phone and hovered beside her at the side of the building. They waited until there was a break in traffic, then darted out. It wasn’t easy to run with a bag slung over her shoulder, but she ignored the way it banged against her hip with every step. No way was she leaving her computer behind.

She ended up in the lead, and it was only when Cole stayed close behind her that she realized he was covering her six on purpose. She had to admit it was nice having another cop backing her up. One that had and would continue to put his life on the line for her.

The same way her teammates would. Yet there was something different about her relationship with Cole. More than typical teammate camaraderie.

A deeper connection she didn’t have the time or inclination to name.

Upon reaching two large pine trees, she slowed her pace and ducked to use the evergreens as cover. Cole did the same. Moving more quietly now, she continued heading due south toward the building that had no name. Normally, she could run two miles without a problem. But not with a bag slung over her shoulder, and not when the goal was to stay out of sight.

This section of the road was relatively deserted. Whatever business had been housed in the seemingly empty building must have gone under a long time ago. Free map apps weren’t always up to date.

“Car,” Cole whispered.

She instantly dropped to the ground, spreading herself flat so to avoid being seen. Cole mirrored her movement beside her. Thankfully, their bags weren’t that large and were easily hidden. The grass—well, mostly weeds—along this stretch of the road was long enough to provide some cover. Especially with the overcast sky hiding the sun.

But they weren’t invisible. They needed to be prepared for the inevitable.

Easing her weapon from her holster, she found herself wishing, and not for the first time, that she had her sniper rifle with her.

Next time she was in trouble, she wasn’t going anywhere without it.

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