Page 12 of Code Name: Admiral

After spending too long in the shower, I brushed my teeth, found clean clothes—a miracle in itself—and felt almost human. Enough to send Tex a message, letting him know I went into hibernation mode last night.

You needed the rest,he answered almost immediately. The words were simple but carried a hint of genuine concern that made my throat tight. It was crazy that Tex and I had never met in person. Sure, we’d videoconferenced a couple of times, but that wasn’t the same as being able to shake someone’s hand.

God, I needed to be touched. The realization hit me hard, making my skin ache with the memory of human contact. Too bad I couldn’t think of anyone I wanted to touch back.

I rummaged around for something to eat or drink, but nothing sounded good other than Matcha, and I didn’t have any in the house. The kitchen was a wasteland of takeout containers and granola-bar wrappers, but with little else in the way of food. I really should figure out how to make my favorite tea the way Lark did, but then I’d lose the one excuse I still had to actually venture outdoors. Some part of me recognized that was probably unhealthy—using a drink as an excuse to see other people—but now wasn’t the time for me to fall down that rabbit hole.

When my phone pinged with the custom tone I’d set up for Tex, I grabbed it. The familiar three-note sequence had become a sort of security blanket over the past week.

Confirmed both photos are Castellano’s crew,the message from Tex read.I know one of the other guys.

Other guys?My heart rate kicked up a notch.

Yeah, I tracked you. That’s how I knew you got home okay.

And?I held my breath, waiting for the response.

He’s with the Feds, but I’ve known him for years. Trustworthy.

Does he work with Pershing Kane?

You could say that.

What the fuck did that mean? The cryptic response made my teeth clench. I tossed my phone on the sofa, really needing to find something to eat before I read any more messages, or I’d snap. Like sleep, I’d done so little of it since Sarah died that I had a hard time remembering the last time I’d had solid food. My stomach growled as if to emphasize the point.

I groaned when I heard a different alert. This one was from the secure app. The distinctive tone made my pulse jump. Knowing I couldn’t ignore it, even for food, I picked up my cell.

I’m available whenever you want to meet.The agent’s insistence both annoyed and relieved me. I had been the one to suggest meeting in the first place. Had the situations been reversed, I would’ve pushed harder too.

Who is this?I typed, then deleted more than once. Each time my finger hovered over the send button, I stopped myself. Why ask a question I knew the answer to? And why did I feel like an FBI agent, one who might be connected to the Castellanos in the same way his cousin was, was the only person in New York City I could trust?

The cologne from the bodega was still bothering me—not because I’d figured out why it seemed familiar, but because it meant someone had gotten near enough for me to smell them.

It was close to midnight before I finally convinced myself there was only one way to find out whether answering would make things better or worse. I typed a one-word message and hit send.

6

ADMIRAL

Tomorrow,said the response I’d received from Alice late last night.

Hoping that meant she planned to return to the coffee shop this morning, I had Atticus and Kodiak stake it out.

“Hey, boss. We’ve got company,” Kodiak said when I answered his call. “Looks like Castellano is tailing Cheshire too.”

Fuck.This meant we needed backup and a lot of it. If anything happened to her because we didn’t provide adequate protection, I’d never forgive myself. “I’ll get in touch with Grit and find out who’s available. You see if Tank and Blackjack can come back out.”

“They’re already here, sir, watching her place.”

“Excellent.” I ended the call and checked my phone like I had every few minutes, but there still wasn’t another message from Alice.

Grit immediately responded to my request for support, asking how many people I wanted assigned. I requested five. That gave us ten, including me. Just as I’d grabbed my jacket, I received a message from Tank.

Uploaded surveillance footage from yesterday.

I didn’t want to take the time to watch it now.Anything urgent?I asked.

Negative.

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