“Gracias. Buenos tardes, señor,” she offered before moving on.
“I’ll call her right now,” Roman said, his voice crisp and clipped.
“Roman,” Everly said before he signed off. “Seaver’s political aspirations aside, I’m telling you what Gianna’s told us about Hix and what I’m seeing with my own eyes aren’t matching up.”
“Understood. I’ll keep you posted,” Roman said before he disconnected.
Ian and Everly stayed on the call while they wandered. Everly kept track of Decker from the corner of her eye.
“Someone needs a refresher in surveillance,” she muttered. “Speaking of, I got a look at the information Hix is pulling from body sensors and EEG leads. Amazing stuff, man. The kind of thing Roman would want to invest in for training.”
“If Hix weren’t a criminal,” Ian said, a smirk on his face.
She shook her head, letting her gaze slide over vibrant peppers, carrots, papaya. She stopped at a stand and picked up a few candies for Bella. “I’m starting to wonder if the history between Roman and Gianna is clouding his judgment.”
“Everyone has blind spots,” Ian said. “Roman knows that. It’s why we have Sam digging into everyone and you on the ground. If Roman were going to be rash, the kid would already be back in the States. What’s really bothering you?”
She sighed. “Hix. He’s so hyperaware. So hypervigilant. And the kid is tedious,” she half lied. Bella’s activities might be a little on the mind-numbing side, but the kid was a damned jewel. She had come in and woken Everly with a kiss that morning, then pouted when she found out Everly was going into town without her. “I just wanted this assignment to be an easy in and out.”
Ian cut a look at Everly, grinning like he knew she was lying.
“Knock it off,” she said. “I’m going to have to tell Decker you were trying to pick me up. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself tied to a chair in a basement somewhere, having the shit beat out of you until you tell him I’m a Russian spy.”
“I can handle him. But I’m starting to wonder if you can handle the kid.”
Everly heaved a sigh and turned to fully face him. Fuck this covert bullshit. She was taking some control back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You like her. The little imp has wormed her way under your skin, hasn’t she? Kids. They have a way of doing that.”
“I hate you.”
His brows dipped as he scanned her face. “Or is it him?”
“Enough.”
In truth, it was both. And, yeah, that pissed her off. She hadn’t wanted to leave the house today, and now she wished Bella was with her. Everly kept finding so many things Bella would love here—the local crafts, the colorful food, the friendly vendors and customers. Bella would have thrived here. And after a week of Bella twenty hours a day, she missed the kid. But she’d be damned if she was going to admit that to Ian.
“You work with Sam on the alarm,” she said. “I’ll try to find a time to get into the office.”
He was still wearing that annoying smirk when she went her own way. She started back toward Decker, who slipped into an alley. After picking up a few more things, she continued on, turning into the narrow space where Decker was lurking. He wasn’t in plain view, but Everly only had to pass a few doorways and peer around a few corners to find him hiding inside a storefront, behind the open door.
When she pivoted and put her body between him and any escape, the look on his face was a priceless combination of what the fuck and you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
“I thought I saw you.” She smiled and held out one of the bags. “I picked these up for you and the guys. Pineapple empanadas.” When his suspicious gaze darted between Everly and the bag, she lifted it toward him again. “Thought it might sweeten you up.”
He exhaled and took the bag, then offered a contrite, “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Everly,” she corrected.
“Thank you, Everly.”
“You’re welcome. I was just heading home. Since you’re following me anyway, why don’t we go together? You can save me cab fare.” She paused a second, then added, “Unless you wanted to grill that guy flirting with me in the market.” She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. “By all means, I’m sure you can still catch him. He’s trolling for a hookup.”
“Bienvenudo. Welcome.” The shopkeeper’s heavily accented English cut into the tension. “May I help you?”
For the first time, Everly glanced around the shop and its eclectic mix of gift items and souvenirs.
She offered the shopkeeper an overzealous “Hel-lo.” Then gave Decker a negligent wave as her gaze zeroed in on vibrantly painted, beautifully handcrafted wooden puzzles. “Never mind. I want to look around. I’ll take the cab.”