She’d received a photo with red targets drawn over her face and Jolie’s. The federal agent assigned to watch her was dead in the alley behind her workplace. The FBI was crawling all over the restaurant and local police had shut down half the block.
Yet she was worried about tips and getting home.
Rome was beginning to understand why Jolie answered that call. Clearly, the woman needed looking after.
He stood in the cramped back office of Antonio’s Ristorante and watched security footage flicker across the manager’s ancient computer monitor. Through the open door he had a clear sight of Stina sitting there, still picking at her single slice of cheese pizza.
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw and forced his attention back to the footage. The video feed jumped backward ten minutes. He downloaded everything from the exterior cameras, the kitchen, the back door and the dining room angles that caught Stina’s section.
He sent copies to O back at Sierra base, then started scanning the footage for anything unusual that stood out at him.
A man in a beanie left through the front door. Two delivery drivers passed the alley. Stina appeared twice on camera, moving fast, smiling when she had to and looking ready to murder the bartender when he grinned at her.
Before he finished reviewing the third camera angle, his phone vibrated.
Cannon had sent an address and keycode. The message beneath it was short.
Get her there. Keep her there.
Rome looked at her again. She still sat in the same spot, the pizza pushed away from her and her chin propped on her hand.
He pulled the flash drive and stuffed it in his pocket. As soon as he stepped out of the office, Stina straightened.
“Time to go.” He caught her elbow.
“I’m not finished eating.”
“You are. You haven’t taken a bite in five minutes.”
“I’m—”
“I know, I know. Making it last. I’ll get you something to eat when we get to our destination.”
She refused to budge.
Leaning down, he caught the scent of spices and something earthy clinging to her. Perfume or shampoo. “We need to move now.”
She gave him a look like he just asked her to donate a kidney. “Why should I go with you? I don’t know you. You’ve given me no reason to believe anything you’ve said is true.”
Gritting his teeth, he considered tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her out, but that would only garner more attention neither of them needed.
He shot off a text to Cannon.
She’s refusing to move.
A second later, Stina’s phone rang. Jolie’s name flashed on the screen.
She jerked her stare up to his.
“Answer it.”
She picked up her phone and brought it to her ear. As she listened to whatever Jolie was saying, understanding rippled over her features. She looked up at him again and whispered, “Jolie says she won’t leave the war room until I’m safe. What is the war room?”
“Put it on speaker.”
“You’re very bossy,” she muttered before skimming a finger over the button.
Jolie’s voice projected from the speaker. “Stina, go with Rome.”
