Page 106 of Eyes in the Shadows

“What kind of dummy would do that?” I laugh, and he smiles in response. “So, what do you do?”

“There’s no way to plan for everything. Sometimes you’ve gotta think on your feet and try to minimize the consequences.”

I nod. “I think, deep down, I knew that. And I’m not going to lie to you—that scares me. But what’s going on in my city scares me. What Rossi does scares me. The thought of not having a life with you here scares me…” I bite my lip and meet his eyes, blazing with something that feels a lot like love. “I’m not saying I want to be the fourth musketeer or anything, but I think I can step up to protect what’s mine.”

His expression is grave. Instead of answering me, he sweeps me into his arms, holds me close to his chest, and presses his mouth down on mine. “Thank you for helping us. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for being brave.”

I inhale a shaky breath through my nose, trying not to let his kind words go straight to my tear ducts. I’m struck with the knowledge that I would do anything for him, truly, and it also scares me—a little too much to say out loud. It’s a different fear than the paralysis of not knowing what to say on the phone, it’s one my fight or flight response learned from life beating me down.

I feel the corners of my mouth lift just enough to be considered a smile and nod at him. “Let’s finish this.”

38

Mac

And the Oscar goes to…

Since the van already has all the equipment, we just remove the decals and park it in a few streets down from the park. Eleanor takes deep, calming breaths as we mic her up and give her the rundown on the equipment she’s wearing. We talk her through this part of the plan, again, and I grab the tube of psoriasis cream I’d stuck in my pocket last minute on our way out. She seems to take comfort in the small contact as I rub it into the skin I noticed she’s been scratching.

She puts the earpiece in and fluffs her hair down, covering it after with a hat so she remembers not to tuck her hair behind her ears. “How does this work again?”

Wes is all business, in his element. He’s dressed in his winter running getup, black spandex with reflectors and a bright jacket. “You can turn it on now, all you have to do is tap the earpiece and we’ll be able to hear you. If you tap it again, you close the line on your end. Works the same way on the other side—like a call, but the other person doesn’t have to pick up.”

“My hair won’t accidentally turn it off, will it? That happens sometimes with earbuds.”

Wes smiles indulgently at her inexperience. “No, it won’t. If it does get tapped accidentally, act like you’re fixing your hair or something and just hit it again. You remember your story?”

“Yeah.” She taps her ear and her breathing picks up a little. “Okay. How much longer?”

I check my watch. It’s almost 4:00 on a weekday and the warmest day in February so far, even with the overcast sky. A preliminary sweep of the area showed us that the park is relatively full—parents with children, people using the wide paved trail for exercise and walkers holding leashed dogs. It settles me—McCloskeywon’t try anything here. At most he’s got someone he trusts in plainclothes as backup, but that’s why Wes and I are here.

“Whenever you’re ready. I’m going to head out first, then I’ll let you know if it’s safe.”

She nods. “I’m ready. Let’s get this over with.”

Wes grins and stands, ducking in the low back of the van. “Chin up, love. It’ll be over before you know it.”

“Pick a different nickname,” I growl to him as he slides open the van door.

He laughs and disappears behind the closed door.

Eleanor and I sit in somewhat tense silence, waiting for Wes to come back on line. It doesn’t take long.“He’s here. A few spots over from the bench, ducked down and watching everyone like a hawk—like he can’t quite remember what she looks like. I don’t see any obvious backup. No one’s just sitting with a leashed dog, and every buggy’s got a baby.”

“So, I should go?” she asks me.

“Yeah, go ahead.”

She surprises me by leaning in towards me before I could do the same thing and brushing her lips against mine. “For luck.”

I grin and smack her ass lightly, mindful that it may be a bit sore. “You don’t need it.”

As she leaves the van, we hear Wes again.“Eleanor, sit on the far side of the bench. It’ll mean that he has to turn his back to the car to face you when you talk.”

“Okay.”

It’s weird hearing her voice in my ear like this—I’m so used to Wes or D's deep tones.

I’m the last out of the van and I lock it since I’m not coming back. Wes’s mustang is in a street spot about a block away from the park and I climb inside. From this vantage, and with my scope, she’s in my field of vision and McCloskey will be, too. If he tries anything, I won’t fucking hesitate. I don’t care that it’s still daylight and the park is full of kids.

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