Page 109 of Eyes in the Shadows

Eleanor and I exchange a look.

“Uh, we just met. She was real scared, shifty. Looked like she got in his car—I’m following them now.”

“What did she say?”he asks slowly, enunciating each syllable in a condescending tone.

I inhale. Now we find out if he’s Rossi’s man through and through or if that little tidbit about the warehouse was enough for the seed of doubt Eleanor planted with the mayor’s name to take root.

“She said she wants to help us.”

“I don’t give a fuck about her or what she wants. Did you get anything about the Russian? A name? Fucking anything?”

“Like I said, she was real shifty. I think they’re definitely together, and I got the sense she’s not there by choice—maybe she’s important to him?”

Rossi makes a thinking noise.“Hmm, if she is, we can use her. You’re on them now?”

“Yup. Pulling into the Tipward Hotel, looks like. Want me to nab him?”

“No,”Rossi is quick to say.“He’s got something of mine and it’s fucking personal now. I’m going rip his fucking balls off and make him eat ‘em. You stay on him, call me immediately if he moves.”

“Okie doke.”They hang up and McCloskey mutters,“asshole…”

Eleanor’s laugh is more a sound of relief, though edged with some worry. I have to echo the sentiment. So far, so good, but we’re not out of the woods yet.

The room I was staying in before all the shit went down that day in the steam room still has a do not disturb sign on the door. I cringe, not really remembering the state of it and hoping I didn’t leave anything in the trash that’s now rotting. Fortunately, I tend to take the important stuff with me when I leave my hotel rooms for the day, but that does mean I haven’t been back to check.

As per usual, as long as someone is paying the bill, the hotel doesn’t care about whether the room is being used. Everything is untouched and there is a slight smell from the dirty takeout containers but the heat was turned way down, so it could be worse.

Once inside, I look immediately to the window and check that the gauzy first layer of curtains is still the only one closed. It is, so I turn on all the lights and move to stand by the window.

“Okay, slight change of plan,” I say, gesturing wildly. Her eyes follow the exaggerated movements of my arms and widen at how little they match my calm tone. “Come stand over here and move around like we’re having a fight. I’m going to pretend to hit you.”

Her frown is curious, but her attention is on the room around us, to the unmade bed and the bag of clothes on the ground. “Why?”

“Gotcha,”McCloskey says, proud of himself for finding the bait I laid out for him.

“He thinks I’m Dimitri, and this will help convince him that you’re working against Dimitri because you’re scared. We’re playing into the big, scarred Russian thug image.”

“I heard that,”Dimitri says dryly.

“Hey, man,” I say brightly, pointing at Eleanor and shaking my fist dramatically. “How’d it go?”

“Rossi got the package. He vomited. It was disgusting. I am at the mayor’s office now, waiting for my meeting.”

“Sounds good. Eleanor and I are at the hotel room, McCloskey’s outside. He called the precinct and looked into the address, but didn’t tell Rossi about the note. Wes?”

“I’m en route to the warehouse.”

Eleanor looks at me, hope shining in her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re pulling this off.”

“We’repulling this off,” I correct, fisting my hands on my hips and pacing away from her. “Now come over here and look like you’re arguing back.”

She moves into place and throws her hands out to the side. “Like this? I feel silly.”

“That was fine, but now keep it small so it looks like you’re trying to calm me. After a few seconds, I’m going to spin around and make it look like I’m back handing you. I am not going to hit you, so try not to flinch prematurely. But snap your head to the side and lift your hand to hold your cheek like it hurts. Okay?”

“Got it.”

“My right hand is coming around and going to come at your right cheek on three. Not going to hit,” I remind her, knowing full well how hard it is to pretend to get hit without practicing. “One, two, three.”

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