The Survivor - Cristin Harber Page 0,61

against the wall. “Very official looking.”

“It’s never used. Completely for show.”

“I see.” He stroked his chin and tried out a Sherlock Holmes face. “Making the company look totally benign and legit.”

She grinned. “We can leave the suitcases here.”

Hagan dropped them by the desk and followed. They passed another security checkpoint and moved into a hub of operations. Several people had their heads buried in cubicles, not glancing up. Amanda led Hagan to a circular room lined with screens. A central desk served multiple purposes, and a man sat on a backless rolling chair, tapping a pencil on a notepad as he talked to himself.

Amanda caught the man’s attention. “I’m back.”

He pulled buds from his ears, offering a genuine smile. “I didn’t know you’d be here so early—” The man locked on Hagan. “You brought home a souvenir.”

“I did.” She smiled and made introductions. “Shah, Hagan. Hagan, Shah.”

They shook hands. Hagan would have been more comfortable if they could exchange nicknames or call signs, or even if they went only by last names.

Amanda pressed on with the tour. “Let’s go this way.” She led them to a far door.

Hagan found himself in the first hallway that they’d started in. At least, it looked the same. He had a feeling that nothing was as it seemed. They crossed to an unassuming door he’d have guessed a janitorial closet, but Hagan stepped into a dark room lit only with LED lights along the baseboards and computer screens.

“Our office,” Amanda said.

A woman leaned over a large table and scrutinized architectural plans. She held up a hand, warning them not to talk, then circled part of the diagram and turned. “You’re here?”

“Hello to you, too.” Amanda sat on the edge of a desk, offering the same style of introductions with Halle.

Exchanging pleasantries with Halle had made Hagan’s conversation with Shah feel like chatting with teammates over a beer. If Amanda had rules and secrets, Halle had ultimatums and inquisitions.

By the end of the conversation, Hagan had learned that Halle had thought he was “smaller like Shah” and that Amanda’s loose hair was so wild that, “the next thing, you’ll be wearing short skirts.”

Amanda jabbed back, but the tension lingered. “Let’s debrief. I’m exhausted.”

Halle called Shah into the room, and they sat at the table.

Amanda gave a rundown of her findings, focusing on the store name and the fact that she couldn’t find anything else that rubbed her the wrong way. Notably, she didn’t mention what sent them hightailing from Lebanon to the US.

Hagan waited until he was sure she’d finished, then crossed his arms. Why had Amanda hidden the crux of the problem?

Halle thought she shouldn’t have left until touching base with the office and confirming that she’d unearthed every possibility. Shah didn’t say much, though he muttered to himself. Deep creases now crossed his forehead, causing Hagan to wonder if he’d been party to clearing the project.

Amanda and Halle spoke over each other, neither grasping the other’s point. Hagan had had enough. “Listen.” Their faces snapped to his. “The assignment could’ve killed Amanda.”

Her eyes rounded. Halle’s narrowed. Shah’s neck nearly snapped when he turned to Amanda.

“Theoretically speaking,” she amended. “Bad intel leaves a body count, and—”

“I’ll figure out what happened,” Shah promised. “And I agree with Hagan. Walking into a situation blind can be deadly.”

Halle’s nostrils flared as though she wasn’t into the dramatic discussion of what could’ve happened. “But everything was okay?”

“We’re here, aren’t we?” Hagan rolled his shoulders.

“Yeah.” Halle scrutinized him as if he were the theoretical link that could’ve endangered Amanda.

“Then, I guess that’s settled.” He noticed that neither woman suggested they loop in Boss Man. “Unless you need to ask again.”

Halle turned her ire toward Shah. “Are you hungry?”

“Already ate.”

Hagan wasn’t sure he believed Shah but couldn’t blame the guy.

“Well, I need a break.” Halle crossed her arms and stared like she could make Hagan disappear. “What about you two?”

He and Halle weren’t going to get along. So, he gave her a big grin. “I could always eat.”

“We have to go,” Amanda agreed.

Halle smirked at him. “Pity.”

Halle grabbed her purse, then left, and Amanda grabbed his arm. Shah muttered as he made notes. Hagan wondered what their office rules said about overprotective displays of affection because he wanted to grab his woman and drag her out of this place. Why hadn’t Bertha belched Halle out already?

“I thought you were tough to get to know.” Hagan shook his head. “But Halle’s something else.”

“It takes time for her to warm up,” Amanda