A darkened alcove appeared just ahead. Noah slowed. The danger prowling just out of sight reminded him more of Afghanistan than a business district in one of America’s largest cities. He scanned each potential vulnerability before he allowed Lyssa to move forward.
She wasn’t any less vigilant. Her free hand hovered near her .45, poised for combat. He’d want her in his corner if he had to fight it out. He had no doubt she wouldn’t give up in the midst of a battle. Which wouldn’t be a problem as long as they were on the same page. If their plans of attack diverged, Noah could see fireworks in their future, and not the pleasurable kind.
Lyssa motioned left at the corner, and he swiftly circled to keep his body between the street and her. In front of a small mom-and-pop diner she stopped. He glanced at the hours posted on the glass. They’d be open a while longer, until 11:00 p.m.
“How often do you come here?” he asked.
“I stop by every few days or so for coffee. I try not to be predictable, and I pay cash,” she added. “For everything.”
“It’s not realistic to go somewhere only once,” he said, “even if it’s ideal. You learned the game well.”
“But not well enough.” She didn’t try to keep the bitterness from her voice. “You think he saw me here?”
“It’s worth asking. We can’t leave any possible lead untouched. Archimedes won’t.”
She fingered the chain at her throat. “I hate having a target on my back.”
“I understand,” Noah said. “Believe me.” The last year or so overseas, chatter had started. The Falcon had become too well known. Some part of him relished the idea that his reputation alarmed the terrorists, but he knew if he was ever caught, if they ever discovered his identity, it would make the torture his friend Daniel Adams had survived look like amateur hour.
Noah had discovered intel that Daniel’s abduction had partly come about because his enemies had put a price on the Falcon’s head. Daniel was caught in the cross fire and ended up being captured in the process. One more person to whom Noah owed a debt. One more reason he should keep his activities secret from everyone.
He opened the door and Lyssa stepped inside. The scent of well-used fryers filtered through the room. The diner was like a thousand others with a pass-through window connecting the kitchen and dining room. A muscle-bound cook flipped a burger, dumped an order of fries and then slid a plate through to the shelf.
“Order up.”
“Lyssa?” A woman with a freckled face smiled and walked over. “Usual table? Take a seat. I’ll be right there.”
“Usual table?” Noah raised an eyebrow.
“I should have stopped coming here,” she said, grimacing. “Chastity has way too good a memory.”
“Which might be to our advantage.”
Noah escorted Lyssa into the small room and they took a seat. Chastity came over with a large smile. “How’s it going? You’re here late. Then again, so am I. They called me in. Your usual?” She tugged a worn order pad from her pocket.
Noah didn’t need another moment to peg Chastity. She wore her role with ease, knew the right thing to say. She’d obviously been a waitress a long time. Knew the game and was good at it. He bet she got good tips and could’ve worked anywhere, but he’d noticed the cook’s attention linger on her a little too long as he’d handed over a plate. Not to mention her slight blush at the attention.
She worked here because of him.
“I’m not really hungry,” Lyssa said. “How about a cup of hot tea?”
The woman turned to Noah. “And for you?”
Noah gave her a smile. “Coffee. And do I see homemade blueberry pie over there?”
She blushed. “Yes, sir. I baked it myself earlier.”
He’d known. The blueberry stains under her nails gave her away. “Can’t pass up blueberries,” he said with a wink.
Chastity giggled and sent Lyssa a grin. “He’s a keeper.”
She left them alone. Lyssa leaned across the table. “What are you doing?” she whispered through clenched teeth. “Are you trying to grab Archimedes’s attention? You’re being memorable. I thought being invisible was the first rule.”
“Chastity will remember more easily if she’s not suspicious,” Noah said. “Besides, we’re not following the rules any longer. Relax. You’re making me tense.”
“I should have seen it. You want to make Archimedes angry,” she hissed. “I’m bait for a man who’s killed dozens of people. I have the right to be tense. Especially when you don’t tell me we’re going with my plan.”
She glared at Noah, daring him to deny it.
He couldn’t. He doubted their visit here would result in a hit, but maybe Chastity could provide information. “Your plan, with adjustments. Rafe’s watching.” Noah tilted his head toward the window.
Lyssa glanced outside. The operative stood near the bus stop, his eye patch and beard visible when he lifted his head in acknowledgment. Moments later, he returned to perusing the paper.
“I didn’t notice him tailing us. I thought he was observing the cops.”
“He was. He switched off with Zane. Someone will always be watching, Lyssa. Our job is to never let you out of sight.”
Her leg bounced under the booth’s table. “He’s in plain sight. It’s a mistake. Everyone I’ve involved is now dead or in the hospital.”
“It’s our job, Lyssa. We do it well.”
She let out a long sigh. “Okay, then what do we do now?”
“Talk to Chastity, maybe luck into a description that will fit with some of the other sightings. Zane is reviewing Archimedes’s records. With Reid still unconscious, he had to force his way into the system. Elijah tried to tone down his smarts so he could make friends with the local CSIs. He’s checking out the crime scene information.”
Her lists twisted. “You won’t find anything. Trust me. My plan was easier. I sit in my apartment and wait for him. Let him come to me. Simple. Straightforward.”
“It gives him all the power—and the advantage. That’s the last thing I want to do.” Noah leaned forward. “Give me a few days to fine-tune an approach. For Jack.”
“You’ll use anything to get me to fall in line, won’t you?” Lyssa toyed with the necklace around her throat.
What was on the end of it escaped from beneath her collar. Noah recognized it. Jack’s engagement ring. The sight of the diamond twisted Noah’s gut. The memory haunted him in a different way from Lyssa. “You must miss him.”
“He shouldn’t have died that way.” Lyssa rubbed her ring finger, obviously trying to tamp down the memories. “Archimedes just shot Jack in the head.” She shivered. “He died for me.”
Noah placed his hand on hers and squeezed. “Always the hero.”
Lyssa swiped at a tear. “Yeah.”
“I miss him, too.” Noah swallowed down the regret. His friend had deserved to be happy. So had Lyssa. “Jack saved my life. And Reid’s. We were on special assignment. The whole thing went south. Jack was always the best shot. He came back for me and took out the sniper. He was a good man. I’d be dead without him.”
He met her emerald gaze. Something they had in common.
With a last push of the memories aside, Noah shifted in his seat.