Page 32 of Crossfire

“Let’s just focus on the tasks at hand,” Daniel said. “This should all resolve itself within the next couple of days. Meanwhile”—Daniel leaned his elbows on the table—“it sounds like we might have another job coming down the pipeline.”

He has to be kidding.

“Shouldn’t we focus all of our attention on Vosch?”

“Unfortunately, Vosch isn’t the only threat to American lives. The good news is, the order coming down the pipeline is going to be right here in Chicago, too.”

“Chicago.” I couldn’t hide the skepticism in my voice. Our missions were often overseas. What were the odds of two cases being in the same city, back-to-back?

“It’s a lucky break,” Daniel said. “If we had to go chase someone else overseas, we would get cut out of Vosch for sure.”

“Who’s the target?”

“I’ll debrief you when I have the information, but for now, what do you have on our surprise guest?”

I wanted to press him more; surely, this target had something to do with Vosch if it was right here in Chicago. Killing one of his men would be a nice little appetizer for the main course at least.

Daniel looked at his watch for the third time.

This debrief was supposed to be quick; we had a lot to do, and the more time we sat, talking, the less time we were spending hunting Vosch.

“Not much,” I admitted. “First name: Ivy. She’s a regular at a coffee shop.”

“Seth, when you’re done with surveillance on Vosch, try to hack into the coffee shop’s computer network and find any customers with the first name Ivy. If we get her last name, we can run it through the database.”

“We’re still a day or two out from starting that,” Seth said.

Daniel’s lips thinned. “She meet anyone else?”

“An ex-boyfriend. They were arguing. Maybe the ex got her involved in this,” I suggested. “Maybe she doesn’t know what she’s gotten herself into.”

“You still think she’s innocent?”

“My gut is leaning that way, but I don’t know,” I hedged.

Daniel stood up and looked at his watch one more time.

“Seth, if your guys have time, run the first name Ivy through our database.” Daniel stared at me. “Tomorrow, go to that coffee shop. See if she shows. Try to get her name or a quality photo. Get us something to work with.”

Even if he hadn’t asked me to return to the coffee shop, I already planned to. Not only to try to find out her identity, but also to see if the ex would have the balls to show up again.

My money was on yes.

I saw it in his eyes, his ego—that it wouldn’t be the last she’d be seeing of him.

But lucky for her, if he made a move tomorrow, I’d be there, too.

15

GRAYSON

“I have news.”

Never thought I’d be so damn thrilled to hear from Seth, but after sitting on my ass in this freaking coffee cult for two hours with no sign of Ivy, I was about to start putting bullets through laptop screens.

The place was a morning zoo full of stiff shirts and ties, grabbing their fix before clocking into cubicle hell. I couldn’t imagine taking continuing education courses on spreadsheet tricks. Learning new techniques to kill people—now, that was interesting.

My attention flicked to the door with every opening, searching for her among the flood of caffeine seekers while I pretended to respond to emails on my tablet—a prop to make me look like a patron rather than a loitering stalker.

---