didn’t want to talk, he couldn’t make her and the last thing he wanted was to push her away.
He let his eyes wander down the street to Sasori again. Still deserted. They parked far enough away to not arouse suspicions, and used binoculars for most of their observation. No one knew of their presence, but you could never be too careful and in a case of this magnitude, they took every possible precaution.
Two more hours passed before either uttered a word. In that time, there had been zero activity at Sasori, though foot traffic on the street had intensified as the sun rose higher in the sky.
The first sign of any life was the appearance of the same elderly man from the previous day. He showed up out of nowhere and sat in the same location, near the café’s entrance. For the moment, he sat, watching the passing pedestrians, but a stack of papers and a cup of coffee on the small table kept him busy. Clad in a similar Hawaiian shirt and large, dark sunglasses, but the top of his head remained bare today.
“I’m gonna move in for a closer look, go get a drink or snack from that café. Maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of those papers.” Dominic moved to exit the car, but Shannon grabbed his arm. “Stop. It’s too dangerous. You were Amadi’s friend. You two worked cases together. I’m sure they’d recognize you.”
“Oh come on. Nothing’s gonna happen and we don’t know what’s on those papers. They might be important. Besides, I’m thirsty. I want a coke.”
“Absolutely not. Too risky.”
“We can’t just sit here all day. We need some action.”
“Fine. I’ll go then. We can’t risk them recognizing you.” She put down her puzzle and binoculars before opening the door. Stepping out of the car, she paused to examine herself in its mirrored rear window. “You stay here. Keep an eye on things.” She tapped her ear, indicating the hidden listening device there. “If you see anything suspicious, let me know.”
“Shannon, you don’t need to do this. You were right. It’s risky.” His tune changed now that the tables had turned.
“Don’t be an idiot. It’s only risky for you. They don’t know me. I’ll be right back with your drink.”
“Be careful,” Dominic called out, but Shannon didn’t acknowledge him, already focused on the task at hand. She turned away and closed the door. Pausing to adjust her sunglasses, she spun on her heel and sauntered down the street.
Chapter 10
Dominic watched Shannon cross the lot and head down the sidewalk toward the café. She turned into the small patio outside the restaurant and passed within feet of the elderly lookout, who neither glanced up, nor showed any sign he noticed her presence.
She disappeared inside and after a couple minutes, re-emerged with two bottles in hand. She again passed the old man, this time pausing at the table. She said something he couldn’t make out over the earpiece and after a second, continued toward the car, this time with the man’s eyes admiring her in the same way Dominic had minutes earlier.
She slid smoothly into the passenger seat and handed one of the Coke bottles to Dominic. “Here,” she tipped her bottle toward his. “It’s gonna be a long day.”
“What’d you find out?”
“It’s a nice little mom and pop establishment. Very charming. The man who got our drinks even gave me a discount.” She paused. “Though I assume that wasn’t what you were asking?” She grinned and winked. The sullen attitude from earlier seemed to have vanished with her little field trip. Shrugging, she replied, “Very little. I couldn’t get a good look at the papers.”
“What’d you say to him? The mic didn’t pick it up.”
“Just a ‘hello,’ nothing else. He barely even responded. I believe he sort of grunted.” Her imitation of the guttural utterance made Dominic chuckle.
“I doubt he gets much attention from girls like you.” This remark earned him a slight glare, but a slight smile as she
He let his eyes wander down the street to Sasori again. Still deserted. They parked far enough away to not arouse suspicions, and used binoculars for most of their observation. No one knew of their presence, but you could never be too careful and in a case of this magnitude, they took every possible precaution.
Two more hours passed before either uttered a word. In that time, there had been zero activity at Sasori, though foot traffic on the street had intensified as the sun rose higher in the sky.
The first sign of any life was the appearance of the same elderly man from the previous day. He showed up out of nowhere and sat in the same location, near the café’s entrance. For the moment, he sat, watching the passing pedestrians, but a stack of papers and a cup of coffee on the small table kept him busy. Clad in a similar Hawaiian shirt and large, dark sunglasses, but the top of his head remained bare today.
“I’m gonna move in for a closer look, go get a drink or snack from that café. Maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of those papers.” Dominic moved to exit the car, but Shannon grabbed his arm. “Stop. It’s too dangerous. You were Amadi’s friend. You two worked cases together. I’m sure they’d recognize you.”
“Oh come on. Nothing’s gonna happen and we don’t know what’s on those papers. They might be important. Besides, I’m thirsty. I want a coke.”
“Absolutely not. Too risky.”
“We can’t just sit here all day. We need some action.”
“Fine. I’ll go then. We can’t risk them recognizing you.” She put down her puzzle and binoculars before opening the door. Stepping out of the car, she paused to examine herself in its mirrored rear window. “You stay here. Keep an eye on things.” She tapped her ear, indicating the hidden listening device there. “If you see anything suspicious, let me know.”
“Shannon, you don’t need to do this. You were right. It’s risky.” His tune changed now that the tables had turned.
“Don’t be an idiot. It’s only risky for you. They don’t know me. I’ll be right back with your drink.”
“Be careful,” Dominic called out, but Shannon didn’t acknowledge him, already focused on the task at hand. She turned away and closed the door. Pausing to adjust her sunglasses, she spun on her heel and sauntered down the street.
Chapter 10
Dominic watched Shannon cross the lot and head down the sidewalk toward the café. She turned into the small patio outside the restaurant and passed within feet of the elderly lookout, who neither glanced up, nor showed any sign he noticed her presence.
She disappeared inside and after a couple minutes, re-emerged with two bottles in hand. She again passed the old man, this time pausing at the table. She said something he couldn’t make out over the earpiece and after a second, continued toward the car, this time with the man’s eyes admiring her in the same way Dominic had minutes earlier.
She slid smoothly into the passenger seat and handed one of the Coke bottles to Dominic. “Here,” she tipped her bottle toward his. “It’s gonna be a long day.”
“What’d you find out?”
“It’s a nice little mom and pop establishment. Very charming. The man who got our drinks even gave me a discount.” She paused. “Though I assume that wasn’t what you were asking?” She grinned and winked. The sullen attitude from earlier seemed to have vanished with her little field trip. Shrugging, she replied, “Very little. I couldn’t get a good look at the papers.”
“What’d you say to him? The mic didn’t pick it up.”
“Just a ‘hello,’ nothing else. He barely even responded. I believe he sort of grunted.” Her imitation of the guttural utterance made Dominic chuckle.
“I doubt he gets much attention from girls like you.” This remark earned him a slight glare, but a slight smile as she
Similar Books
