Surrender

She retied the ends of her scarf, fastening the thick material securely around her neck. She picked up her handbag. It was another expensive one, similar to mine. “Follow the instructions. Someone will stop by.”

“Who? What if I give it to the wrong person?”

“Don’t the endless questions exhaust you, Kate?” She shook her head. “You’ll only have one option. He will stop by.”

“Fine. Got it.”

“This needs to be taken care of tomorrow. You do understand that? Your new phone rotation is another day.”

I sighed. “I understand. I know the timetable.”

“Good.” She patted me on the shoulder as she rounded the table. “Welcome to Blackwing, Kate. I think you’re going to fit in beautifully.”

I watched her walk away, the leather bag swinging from the crook in her arm. She pushed designer sunglasses to her nose. She oozed sophistication, taste, and treachery.

I finished my coffee.

“Don’t count on it, Eloise.”

Chapter Fifteen

“How is the chicken?” I asked Vaughn over dinner

“This is what you made when Paul and Aubrey came over, isn’t it?”

I nodded, holding a glass of white wine. I couldn’t say fuck you out loud to Blackwing, but I had subtle ways of saying it just as loudly.

“I thought I would try it again.”

“It’s good.” He looked up from his plate.

I didn’t want the conversation to be stilted, but ever since Vaughn told me he suspected we were under audio surveillance, I wasn’t comfortable talking openly. I knew I had to work on it, or Eloise would become more suspicious of me. I was already dangerously close to making her an enemy.

“I saw Eloise this morning,” I announced.

He eyed me. “What happened?”

“She tracked me down in Marie’s when I was in line for coffee.” I replayed the encounter. I didn’t leave any details out.

“I don’t want you to go through with this,” he lied.

“I don’t have a choice anymore, do I?” I took a bite of salad. “I either get the security code from the Auclairs’ apartment, or Blackwing is going to throw Garrett into the middle of the investigation.”

“I wish you had told me you wanted to call him.” He sighed. “We could have prevented this kind of leverage against you. I could have protected you, but now Eloise has something on your family.”

“I know it was dangerous. I shouldn’t have. But it was right before Christmas and I was homesick. It was a mistake. I realize that now.” I paused. “He sounded good. Strong. Like the brother I used to have.” I still hoped Vaughn would meet him one day, but there wasn’t a plan for that yet. “I can’t let this break him. I won’t. Pulling him into the middle of an investigation isn’t the kind of thing he’s equipped to handle. I’m going to go through with what Eloise wants me

to do.”

“I don’t like it, but I agree. You need to get that code. But no more. Do you understand? This has to end.”

I nodded at him. Our dinner theater was bizarre. Our conversation was layered with truths we hid between words. I had started exploring objects in the flat. Picking up lamps, running my fingers along the edge of the drapes. I stared at the light fixtures and the blades on the fans. I never found anything. I never saw the bugs. But even now, I still knew they were there. Somewhere in this gorgeous gourmet kitchen, Blackwing was listening.

Vaughn helped me clear the dishes and put everything way.

“What do you say we get dessert out tonight?” he suggested.

“What were you thinking?”