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Ethan deflated a little and said, “You need my eyes inside the museum. What if something goes wrong?”
“Ethan,” Gabe said. “It’s safer for all of us with you here. Getting electronic equipment into the country is always tricky. You can do everything you need to do from the comfort of this room.” He kept going before Ethan had a chance to argue. “The rest of us have covers already built and the paperwork we need to get into the country without a hassle. It’s time you started trusting the rest of us to do our jobs because we are all trusting you to be our eyes and ears once we’re in. What do you say, Ethan? How about being one of the team?”
Ethan stared at him a long time, and Gabe wasn’t sure what answer the kid would give. He had a complicated brain and a whole lot of baggage.
“Do I get to have a gun?” Ethan asked.
“Why don’t we work up to that?” Gabe said. “I’m sure Jack would love to give you some lessons.”
Jack grimaced, and the others laughed as the tension was finally broken.
“Let’s get to work,” Gabe said.
ChapterSeventeen
“Stop looking at me like that,” Grace said. “This isn’t a date. We’re hunting.”
“I’ll take whatever I can get at this point.” Gabe grabbed her hand and twined his fingers with hers. “Have I ever told you I like feeling the callus on your trigger finger? It’s quite a turn-on.”
“I’m sure a therapist would have a field day with that,” she said.
“We both know exactly what we are, Grace. There’s never been any room for remorse in our line of work. Sympathy and compassion, yes. But not remorse. Someone’s got to do the dirty work. And only the best survive. We’re the best. I’d think it’s perfectly normal for people like us to find a certain skill set to be attractive to the opposite sex.”
She arched a brow. “Your psychology minor is showing.”
He grinned. “Wait till I get you on my couch.”
She laughed before she could help it. The sound was rusty, and a part of her wanted to feel guilty. She shouldn’t feel joy. Should she?
They strolled casually through the streets of Westminster—a couple holding hands, both armed to the teeth. It was midafternoon, and the sun was shining bright overhead, burning off the perpetual gloominess of gray clouds that kept threatening to fill the sky. There’d be more rain once the sun went down. They had one goal only for their outing—to flush out Kimball’s men and give them a message to give to their leader.
“What do you think?” Gabe asked.
“I spotted one on the roof of the building across the street. He’s probably working as part of a two- or three-man team on a rotation schedule. They could’ve rented the top floor of the entire building. It’s what I would do.”
“Did you get that, Ethan?” Gabe asked.
“Loud and clear,” Ethan said. “I’m already checking.”
They were testing out the equipment they’d use once they were in Iran. Ethan had developed a wireless listening device that used satellite technology so the listener could hear conversations thousands of miles away. The device fit entirely inside the ear, so it was completely out of sight. They could turn the device on and off with a touch of a button on the watches they all wore. Gabe was still amazed at how clear the sound quality was. It was like Ethan was in the same room with them.
“She’s right,” Ethan said. “Top floor was rented out two weeks ago by the Darwin Corporation. The day after the package from Frank Bennett arrived here.”
“Jack, my guess is that Kimball’s other team is down at the end of the roundabout, since we’re on a dead-end street. He’d be able to follow our tracks for longer from that end.”
“I’m already down here and have spotted them,” Jack said. “It’s a two-man team.”
Gabe grunted in acknowledgement and said, “Let one of them live. Give him the message that I want to meet with Kimball.”
“You got it, boss,” Jack said.
Grace touched the tiny switch on her watch and turned off her mic. She grabbed Gabe’s hand and did the same to his.
“You might as well tell me what you’re hiding about Kimball, Gabe. You’re trying to protect me from something.”
They walked through an alley and came out on the street behind their headquarters. Gabe tugged on her hand and pulled her close.
“What makes you think I’m hiding anything about Kimball?” he asked.
