Beauty and the Assassin

“I already hired a private security team for Thomas,” I say, referring to her four-year-old son. No need to add that I saw to their screening myself because that’s a given. Lizochka and Thomas are two of the Four—the four people I’ve sworn to protect at all costs. And such protection doesn’t simply mean their lives. That’s so basic, it’s embarrassing to bring up. Protecting their innocence is the ultimate goal, although it isn’t as easy as it sounds. “Nobody’s getting close to him.”

She sighs, her eyes squeezed shut, her hands clenched tight. “I know, but it just feels wrong that he’s okay, and Jason isn’t.”

“They’ll find the boy soon.”

Jason was kidnapped yesterday afternoon during a play date with Thomas and a couple of other boys. Police questioned their nannies because that’s what the manual says you should do. A complete waste of time. If they’d seen anything, the kidnapper would’ve failed.

Lizochka’s husband Dominic’s decided to hire the best bodyguards money can buy to make sure Thomas is safe. The man doesn’t understand that’s akin to placing a Band-Aid over a cancer lesion and hoping for a miracle.

The child cried over his missing friend, asked me if Jason’s going to be okay. Thomas deserves more than some lousy bodyguards. He needs his world to be safe again. And I’m going to give that to him tonight.

Lizochka stops and looks at me, dead in the eyes. “You already found him, didn’t you?” she whispers, her gaze full of hope.

A small nod. “I’m leading cops to him.” Anonymously, of course. It’s never a good idea to get on anyone’s official radar, even for doing a good deed. I work best in the shadows.

“Is he…” She swallows. “He’s okay, right?”

Another nod. “He’s fine.” I made sure of it. For Thomas.

“Who was it?”

I shake my head. “Can’t tell you. I want you to be able to act genuinely shocked when you find out. But the boy will be rescued.” Today. Unless the cops are dumber than I expected. It never pays to underestimate human capacity for overlooking the obvious.

Thankfully, this particular kidnapper fits the standard profile and all the usual biases.

“Thank you, Tolyan,” Lizochka says with a wan smile.

“My pleasure, Lizochka. Is there anything else?”

“You tell me. Is there?”

Yes. “No.”

Protecting her innocence means keeping my mouth shut. Nobody wants to know how the sausage is made. And I’m going to make sure she enjoys her metaphorical breakfast in blissful ignorance.

Chapter Four

Angelika

My shift at the café continues, as distasteful as in the morning. I hope, wish and pray Tolyan comes back for more coffee…but he doesn’t. A lot of people come in for a second shot after lunch, to stave off the sluggishness that follows a midday meal. What kind of person forgoes that?

The kind who’s annoyed at how he was treated?

I give my meanest death glare to Eric, who’s talking to Sean about something he saw on Twitter. If he hadn’t been so rude…or typed out the name on the cup as T , rather than TEA , Tolyan might be coming by again.

Except for his first name, I don’t know anything about him. Not where he works or where he lives, which means I may never run into him again. Actually… He might live somewhere around my new place. He was out with his dogs in the morning. Maybe I’ll get lucky again on the trail. Or maybe he’ll come by tomorrow for coffee, because he suddenly developed partial amnesia and

forget that Eric called him TEA.

My phone pings with a text.

–Courtney: You okay?

Should’ve known. I tighten my mouth, trying to contain a sigh over her stubbornness. She’s a friend from high school, the only one who still bothers to get in touch with me every now and then. I told her she shouldn’t. Roy has a nasty habit of hurting the people around me, but she keeps on texting. She says she just wants to make sure I’m okay, and swears she’ll never tell anybody we still talk.

–Me: I’m fine.

–Courtney: Just wondered because you had to leave Cincinnati so fast. Did you find a good place to settle down?