Page 104 of Bonded in Death

She glanced over at Ivan, who shrugged.

“Anticipate the enemy, he’d say to me. Set the trap, then wait to spring it.”

“Security,” Roarke said. “Decent enough, but not tight or layered.”

She pointed to the screen. “Harry. Could he get through that?”

After setting the cat aside, Harry rose for a closer look. “If he couldn’t, I wasted my time on him.”

She pulled out her communicator, ordered surveillance on the restaurant.

“If he tries tonight, we’ll spot him,” she said. “And we’ll take him.”

Could it be that easy? she asked herself. Would he make so major a mistake, one so simply exploited?

“Restaurant interior,” Roarke said, “front of the house on-screen.”

Hands in pockets, Eve rocked back on her heels as she studied the setup. Tables—two- and four-tops, booths, a bar, a host station, stairway leading down to restrooms.

“Nothing with a street view. Okay. No interior cams. He could plan to place one, if he wants to watch.

“Do you want back of the house? Kitchen, storage? Wine cellar, lockers, and so on?”

“He won’t bother with that, but I need to see.”

So she studied the kitchen—blinding white and stainless steel. The counters, the racks, the tools, and all the rest.

“If he wanted to take down the whole place, sure, set charges throughout. Kitchen, cellar, one at the bar, under a table, under a booth. But he doesn’t want that. That brings in anti-terrorism—too much attention.”

“One small charge.” Ivan spoke quietly. “A blast radius of eight to ten feet.”

“Agreed,” Eve said. “Minimal collateral damage, and too bad for them. Keep it contained. Unless he places a camera, he’ll go with a timer. No point in the remote when you can’t see.

“Roarke, street view.”

“On-screen.”

“Okay, okay. A pair of restaurants, outdoor seating. Couple of shops with windows. Mixed residential and commercial above. If he had sniper skills, I’d look at the roof or the residential windows. But that’s a no. Add he can’t be sure to get all three. But he’ll be there, and it’ll be across the street where he has a view.”

She turned to Iris. “Make contact, text it. Thirteen hundred arrival.”

“Have to leave by three. Got it.”

She sent the text, and the response came quickly.

“God, even this sounds just like her. ‘Brilliant! Though I’d so hoped you’d come with me after lunch to help me buy a new ’link! I’m such a dolt about these things, and always get talked into something that never works properly. Maybe I can drag Marjorie or Ivanna off to help me. Mad to see you and catch up, even for so short a time. Until tomorrow! Kiss, kiss.’”

“All right. I don’t want to call in the bomb squad on this. They tend to generate a lot of attention.” She looked at Roarke. “Can you rig a sniffer?”

“I can, of course, but no need, as we already have more than one.”

“Great. Let’s go sniff, in case he has already planted it.”

“And if he’s on his way to do so, you’ll take him down.”

“That’s the bonus round.”

“And if it is already planted,” Summerset began, “and activated?”

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