“Wow, appreciating the view?” Ree snorted. “How would you feel if he said that about you?”
Stefanie got up and began to dry a dish that didn’t really need it, propping her phone near the sink so she could multitask. “I have eyes, so does he. We just possess self-control.” She put the dish in the cupboard. “So, do you guys know anything else yet? Or is everyone waiting on me to meet this trio of consultants who may or may not be affiliated with a deadly spy?”
Ree shifted on the couch. “I’ll allow the redirect, I just want you to be aware that I noticed it and am being an awesome sister and letting it happen. We’re doing our research on the guys coming to see you. Quinn and Cam are feeding Joey information. Quinn knows Dmitri better than anyone else and is begging to go snooping around on the ground in Russia. Her boss said no, which is why you haven’t heard anything about it. I’ll bet that she finds a way to bring herself into this somehow.”
Stefanie picked up her phone, probably making Ree a little seasick while she gathered up a load of clothes to put in the washer. “Is that typical for Quinn?”
“Oh yeah. She has two modes – intense and off.” Ree laughed. “I love her to death and am about 99% sure she’s going to eventually be family.”
Stefanie rubbed her nose. “What if Dmitri just fades away into the background?”
“It seems pretty unlikely he’d do that. He sent a hitman to my house.”
“You know, the funny thing about that story is that it doesn’t get easier to hear the second time.”
Ree considered. “I mean, to be fair, they weren’t there to shoot at me. I was at Matt’s house waiting it out. Cam and Parker were there.”
Stefanie sighed. “What if they come to your new place?”
Ree went quiet for a moment. “Listen, don’t worry about me. If things heat up, we have a place we can go that is a little harder to find.”
“That’s not as reassuring as you think it is.”
16
Dmitri was at home, staring at a phone that wasn’t monitored. Just in case, he applied some voice manipulation technology and dialed the number to another burner phone. He had one chance to get this right.
The man answered on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Hello. It’s your old friend.”
The man cleared his throat. “I thought we were laying low. I ran your test. It was successful. We agreed I would stay out of this.”
Dmitri bit back a growl. Last time he checked, he was the one giving orders. “What news do you have?”
“Nothing. You called in your favor and I took care of it. I don’t owe you anything else. Your men keep disappearing and I don’t intend to be one of them.”
“Andrei left on his own terms. Let us talk as old friends.”
“I’ve covered your tracks, as an old friend would. I have helped you with your plan, as I agreed to do. If I feel my safety is at risk, you will not hear from me again.”
“That’s a dangerous choice, my friend.” Dmitri’s face twisted into a sardonic smile. That had always been his problem, hadn’t it? A lack of vision.
“It’s one I have to live with. I will keep your secrets if you keep mine. If not, I make no promises.” The line went dead.
Dmitri clenched his jaw. He was now truly on his own. His ally on the ground was not strong enough to complete the mission. When the time came, he would be eliminated. Depending on others had been his last mistake. This time, Dmitri would personally ensure the success of this mission. He snapped the SIM card from the phone he’d used to make the call in half and began to pack a bag.
Stefanie had about five hours to recover from her class and the subsequent sparring match with Joey before she had to go meet Alexis and Matt. She wiped down the already-clean counters in her kitchen and pushed her hair out of her face. She had stress-cleaned most of the afternoon to keep herself from starting another art project, but had begun to look longingly at her craft stash as the afternoon wore on. She didn’t have any intentions to quit her day job, but her hobby made her happy and occasionally she would sell a piece that would pay for the next round of supplies for the gifts she put together. It had started as a way to learn fabrication, hands-on, that would also result in something beautiful. The unexpected bonus of the hobby was that the meticulous work required so much concentration, it helped her relax. Yoga, something that had been recommended to her by countless well-meaning friends, merely gave her too much time to stew about problems. She usually left class more wound up than when she arrived. A task that required her total focus was as close to relaxed as she was capable of getting.
Stefanie checked the time. If she took a quick shower, it would kill some time before her team meeting at Joey’s place. Just in case someone was watching her little house. She shivered at the realization. She pulled her weapon from the safe and brought it into the bathroom with her. After her shower, she pulled her wet hair up into a ponytail and put on soft athletic pants and a light half-zip shirt. It was her first week working for the CIA and apparently, she was also going to learn how to manage an explosives detection dog tonight. She might as well be comfortable.
Stefanie followed the directions to a house that was only a few blocks from hers. Joey answered the door and she stepped inside, not bothering to hide her curiosity. The little house was furnished but sparse. It was neat without being oppressively clean and the walls were devoid of decoration. She peeked into the living
