“In here.” Elias whipped the car around a turn, then kept going in a circle, right down into a parking garage with a spiraling descent.
“I can take it from here,” she said. “You don’t have to get involved any farther.”
He snorted. “You honestly think I’m going to do that?”
She lifted a shoulder. “It’s worth offering.”
Jo hated how relieved she felt to have someone she could actually trust at her back. In the same moment, guilt threatened to drown her. Elias didn’t deserve to get sucked into her mess.
Elias didn’t respond to her. He got off the ramp several floors down on an almost deserted level and killed the engine.
“Come on. Let’s move quick. Got the hat, Isaac?” Elias pushed open the driver’s side door.
Jo holstered her weapon and reached into her backpack for her own knit cap.
The passenger side door opened and Elias stood there, holding his coat out for her. “Here.”
The offer made her pause.
One of the tricks when trying to avoid detection was an outfit change. Though not as dramatic and complicated as the movies made it seem.
Hair long and out?
Hide it under a hat.
Wearing a sweater and jeans?
Throw an oversized hoodie over it to add bulk and disguise gender.
Small spy craft tricks civilians never had to think about.
“Thanks.” She stood and shoved her arms into the coat.
Elias took that opportunity to snag her backpack and toss it over his shoulder.
“I can carry that,” she said.
“They’ll be looking for a woman carrying a maroon backpack,” he said.
She blinked at him, trying to figure out just what the hell he’d been doing to learn these tricks.
“We can talk later,” he said by way of an explanation.
She nodded and accepted the fact that this wasn’t as quick of a favor as she’d hoped it would be. Truth was, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to herself that she was happy for his company.
“Come on. We need to move. Now,” Elias said.
Isaac stood at the rear of the car. “Who the hell are you?”
Elias’s tone hardened. “Do you want me asking that question?”
Jo almost fanned herself.
Okay, so Elias taking the hardline tone was kind of hot.
“Which way?” she asked.
“Over here.”
Elias began walking toward an elevator she hadn’t noticed.
“We’ll go up to the street level and proceed separately. I’ll go first since they don’t know who I am or what I look like. The rail station is a block and a half away. We’ll rendezvous there.” Elias pulled out his wallet while Jo punched the button for the elevator. “Take these. They should be good for at least one ride.”
Why did he just happen to have train tickets in his wallet?
Questions for later.
Much later.
“Where to then?” Isaac asked in a low grumble.
Elias glanced at her. “Do you have a place to crash?”
She winced. “I did, but... I don’t trust it’s safe anymore.”
“I have a place.”
“Wait, Elias? Is this smart? Should you be getting involved?”
He looked back at her, his eyes boring into her head until she thought he might be able to read her mind.
“I’m already involved,” he said softly.
She hated the thrill and relief that shot through her, but he was right. From the moment she’d reached out, she’d involved him. Jo could hate herself later for it. Right now she was going to be relieved.
WEDNESDAY. SEATTLE, Washington.
Elias strode down the street, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone. He had the camera activated to show him the street behind him. The intent was to appear like any other city-dweller absorbed in their phone, while also using it to watch for a tail.
So far, so good.
He had a hell of a lot of questions, but no time for answers. At least not until he got Jo and Isaac somewhere safe.
Zain was going to chew Elias out for the damage to the car, but this was why they had insurance. Besides, they hadn’t shot first.
He slowed his stride as he neared the station.
At the light, he allowed himself to appear engrossed in his phone and missed a walk cycle.
In that time, Isaac caught up to him, but had the presence of mind to hang to the side.
The walk sign beeped and both Elias and Isaac moved forward.
Elias trusted Jo. They had history.
He did not trust this Isaac character, and unless he was mistaken, neither did Jo. Elias was going to keep a close eye on him.
They proceeded into the rail station and used the tickets, proceeding past the turnstiles.
Elias couldn’t help glancing over his shoulder for some sign of Jo.
There.
She was jogging across the street, ignoring traffic laws in the name of expediency.
With her knit cap on concealing her hair and his jacket engulfing her, she looked more like a boy trying to pass as an older guy than a woman. It was how she walked. The confidence. Most people assumed a walk like that was a man’s walk. Elias knew differently.
Assured she was nearby, he proceeded forward where Isaac was inching along.
“This way,” Elias said under his breath.
There wasn’t anyone close enough to hear or take note of their passing.
Elias took the roundabout way to their destination. A tail would have stood out. By the time they reached the platform, the train was moments away.
Jo jogged past them to flop on a bench, legs kicked out, arms draped over the sides as she feigned sucking down air. She wasn’t winded in the slightest, and he knew it.
They each played their part, being close yet artfully ignoring each other.
The train arrived and Elias led, getting on first.
Isaac retreated to the back of the car, sitting in a corner where he could see out the windows and no one could sneak up on him.
Elias opted to sit with his back to Isaac. For now, he wasn’t a threat, and they needed to appear as casual as possible. Most gangsters had a thing about not allowing anyone at their back. It made sense if they were running from gangsters of some kind. He needed to break from that familiar behavior.
Jo was the last to get on the train. She merely pivoted and planted her bottom in the seat across from Elias.
Their eyes locked and for a moment, he wasn’t sitting in a public train with strangers. It was just the two of them.
If only that were the case.
It would be one hell of a Christmas present.
Besides the three of them, there was a dad with three small kids and a few people who looked on the brink of falling asleep. None showed any interest in them, and Elias decided he could risk focusing on Jo instead.
He had so many questions.
She stared back at him. Her eyes were a gray-blue normally. Tonight they were just gray. He wished he knew what that meant.
The doors slid shut, and the train pulled out of the station.
“Where are we going?” Jo asked in a soft voice.
“Four stops, then we’ll have to hike it about eight blocks to where we’ll crash for tonight.”
Jo winced and glanced away. “Sorry.”
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “You needed the help. I’m glad you reached out.”