Page 57 of Shadowing You

“Look away so she doesn’t recognize me.”

“What about that nurse…whatever?”

“I will avoid her.”

“What if you can’t?”

“Then I’ll talk my way out. I’ll be ashamed that I used to be a nurse and now I deliver packages, and she’ll believe it because she never liked me.”

“And if she’s in on Lu Feng’s operation? If she knows where you’ve been and why?”

Mei Lin didn’t have an answer to that.

Ethan was pressing his luck, but he didn’t care. “What if Dr. Lu is there, huh? What if he sees you? He’s not going to believe your story.”

“Ethan,” Michael said, “try to take it down a notch.”

“She’s not your wife.”

“I get it.” Michael’s voice was measured. “Lu Feng is still in Changsha. He has no idea where you two are. This is going to work.”

“It’s not going to work because she’s not doing it.”

“I am.” Mei Lin’s words, calm and measured, kicked Ethan’s blood pressure higher.

He paced to the wall, leaned against it, and crossed his arms. “I’m saying no.”

“And I’m going anyway.” She crossed her arms too. “You can help or not. Either way⁠—”

“Mei Lin.” He banged his head against the wall, which was about as productive as trying to talk sense into her. “I can’t… I won’t even… How will I know you’re safe?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t know⁠—”

“We’ll get her a phone.” Michael’s tone was reasonable and made Ethan want to punch him. “She can text you the second she’s clear. You’ll know.”

“And if she doesn’t text? If she doesn’t get clear?” He’d already had this argument—and lost. But maybe, this morning, he’d be able to talk sense into one of them.

“Then you keep being inconvenient until I tell you to leave,” Michael said.

“What if she gets caught?”

“She is standing right here.” Mei Lin moved toward him, fury flashing in her eyes. “If they catch me, they will call the police.”

“And right back to prison you’ll go. That’s what you want?”

“You’re being absurd.”

“I’m being absurd? You’re risking your life⁠—”

“Is this the teamwork you two promised me?” Michael’s sardonic tone wasn’t helping.

Ethan had the overwhelming desire to throw the burner phone out the window.

He took a breath and tried to think logically. The plan would work great, unless it didn’t.

“We’ll be watching the feed through the cameras.” Michael’s voice was as calm as ever. “I’ll know what’s going on.”