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Her eyes narrowed on me, but she slid her arms into the gold silk sleeves.
I shrugged on a dark twill jacket and pulled the baseball cap low on my head. It only made things worse.
“This is so unfair,” she said. “You look likeThe Bourne Identityand I look likeBig Trouble in Little China.”
I laughed. “What? I like the embroidered dragon on the back. It’s cute. Now put this scarf over your head.”
She jerked the red and purple crochet scarf from my hand. “Right, because I wasn’t standing out enough already.”
I took a few steps toward the end of the alley to scope out a car while she tied her scarf. When I turned back, another laugh escaped.
She crossed her arms, but the movement only made the material of her jacket puff up more. “It’s not my fault,” she said. “Tying scarfs was not covered in my mother’s curriculum.”
“It’s fine,” I said, reining in the laugher. “Let me.” I unknotted the ball she’d formed beneath her chin and draped it over her head to wrap around and cross over the lower portion of her face.
When I finished, she was staring up at me. “Did you find us a new car?”
I gave her a questioning look.
“Because I was thinking, a truck might be better. Or a tank.”
I shook my head. “That’s not what we’re using it for this time.” I held the cell phone up. “I’ve got to make a call. When I’m done, keep up.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her baffled expression. I dialed Brendan’s personal cell, the only one I was certain wouldn’t be tracked.
He answered, “Go ahead.”
“It’s me,” I said. I could almost hear the relief in his silence. “I need to bring something in.”
“I’ve heard. Is she hurt?”
“No, but not for lack of trying.”
“Should we pick you up?”
I glanced at Emily. “No. We’ll make it to the drop point late tomorrow. Just get us from there.”
“Got it. And Aern?”
I waited.
“Keep her safe.”
The call disconnected and I read the screen. One full second ahead of a possible trace time. I didn’t risk it.
I grabbed Emily’s hand and headed for the car that was double-parked on the busy street, pushing her around the rear quarter as I dropped the cell into a crack in the open window. I crossed the street quickly and she followed as instructed, keeping tucked just behind me with her head down. I shoved my hands in my pockets and raised my shoulders as if I were chilled by the wind, then picked up my pace.
Several blocks later, I turned into the lobby of a busy hotel. I could see Emily follow in the reflection of the glass front windows.
“Look at the brochures,” I said quietly. “I’ll get us a room.”
She stood in the foyer while I crossed the lobby to the elevators. I pressed the button twice and glanced up at the numbers above the door as any guest would. The first time it opened, a family of four went in.
I waved them on. “I’ll grab the next one.”
The little boy took the opportunity to slide his hand over the entire bottom half of the floor buttons. His mother smacked his fingers away and groaned.
A graying businessman sidled up beside me, chuckling at the scene. “Excuse me,” I said, touching his forearm where it rested on the handle of his rolling suitcase.
Minutes later, I leaned around the corner and waved Emily over.
She glanced at the agitated businessman as she passed him on his way to the doors. “What’s wrong with him?” she whispered.
“Bed bugs.” I shrugged. “Said he was going to stay at the Marriott on Ninth.”
Her face twisted.
“Don’t worry,” I told her. “The receptionist assured me it wasn’t true.”
She didn’t look convinced, but before she could examine the distance between us and the reception desk, the elevator doors dinged open and I urged her in.
