Firefighters enter the building and begin barking orders at us to vacate the restaurant even against the protests of the man talking to Ramirez.
“You have a plan?” I mutter to Julian when he’s close.
He smirks. “Thirty seconds of distraction is all I need.”
On an ordinary evening, distracting Ramirez for half a minute would be easy, but given that the night has gone up in smoke, I need to play this right. I need Seth.
Back outside, I scan those lingering. Most of Ramirez’s guests have left, and the people remaining in the parking lot are residents of the building and surrounding buildings watching the commotion.
But I don’t see Seth. The last time I saw him, he was circling back to the restroom looking awful. He wouldn’t still be in there, would he?
“You have eyes on Mr. Holloway?”
Ruby doesn’t answer me, and I don’t like the way that makes me nervous. I tuck my chin and try again, hoping the noise prevented her from hearing me.
“Ruby?”
“Sorry.” Her one-word reply is breathless. “Had to move because of the fire trucks.”
“I haven’t seen Mr. Holloway in a while. You?”
“No. And my camera angle’s blocked by a ladder truck.”
“There are security cameras facing the parking lot. Check those.”
“Give me a second.”
I spot Ramirez near a curb, Rook at his side, both moving with purpose toward a sleek black car idling along the street. Julian crosses my field of vision, heading toward Ramirez.
“I don’t have a second.”
I push through the stragglers lingering outside and call out, “Mr. Ramirez.” He slows just enough to glance over his shoulder. “Unfortunate way to end the night.”
He turns fully, expression unreadable. “It is.”
I take the opening, “I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to meet Mr. Holloway. I know he’s very interested in meeting with you. I could reschedule a—”
Ramirez holds up a hand, stopping me. “That won’t be necessary.” He casts a glance at the scene unfolding around us. There’s an inscrutable look in his eyes. “You were right. Bringing everyone together gave me a clearer picture of what I have.” He glances at Rook, then back at me. “I’ve been undervaluing my deal.”
My stomach tightens. If he’s reevaluating, that means changes—lockdowns, more security, fewer access points. We don’t have time for this. If we don’t get the YubiKey now, I don’t know if we’ll get another shot.
Julian slides through the crowd with effortless grace, his movements smooth and deliberate. He weaves closer to Ramirez, careful to appear unremarkable, a shadow among shadows. He gets within arm’s reach, and my pulse races with each step. This is it. We have to get the YubiKey before all of Ramirez’s account details vanish behind an impenetrable wall of security measures.
Julian prepares to make his move—but Ramirez unbuttons his suit coat, slips out of it, and tosses it into the back seat of the car.
Julian’s eyes flicker with the briefest flash of frustration, but he recovers instantly. Slipping past Ramirez, he seamlessly rejoins the flow of people, his casual demeanor never breaking. But as he moves, I catch Rook’s sharp gaze locking onto Julian, his eyes narrowing with quiet suspicion. It’s subtle, but it’s there.
I grind my teeth, forcing my expression to stay neutral as a sharp wave of frustration knots in my chest. Sweat gathers at my collar, and I have no idea how Daniel Craig wore this in the swelteringheat of Morocco. “I can’t speak for Mr. Holloway, but I’m sure he’d appreciate whatever opportunity you’re willing to offer to get him into the deal.”
Ramirez tugs at his cuff, his gaze sharpening. “Before all of this”—he gestures at the scene around us—“I spoke with a broker, Samuel Baird. Have you heard of him?”
I shake my head. “Can’t say that I have.” I try to recall the faces of those I saw talking with Ramirez before I was pulled into the kitchen. “Was he the gentleman you were speaking with before we met?”
Ramirez nods, his eyes narrowing slightly. “He was. Like you, he’s got a diverse clientele—international, and all of them, he believes, might be very interested in the deal.”
That sends a spike of unease through me. The FBI’s focus has never been on the deal itself—it’s always been about getting close enough to Ramirez to gather intel for the RICO charges that could finally put him away. He’s untouchable for the murder of Danny Morales, but if we could nail him on his financial crimes, it would give Danny’s family some sense of justice. But now...
Samuel Baird has just added another level of complication. I can only hope that Ruby is already doing her magic and finding out who this broker is and what his angle is before the night gets worse.
