Page 6 of Every Which Way

Stairns settled between Ramon and Maizie, but closer to Ramon. The two of them couldn’t be more different in appearance. Where Ramon was younger and Hispanic, Stairns had that grizzled ex-marine look to him. Now that he was retired, it seemed he only wore jeans and checkered shirts. His cabin was a couple of hours from here. Maizie lived in his backyard in an Airstream that belonged to Kenna’s father.

Stairns glanced over at the door.

Ramon pushed his chair back. “I’ll grab the drinks.”

Maizie had her laptop open and was typing away.

“This is where I say something about teens and too much screen time.”

“It’s work, not play.”

“I know,” Kenna said. “Since I’m the one who pays your salary.” In cash. In nonsequential bills. Maizie would have to get on the grid at some point, but that was another thing they’d need her birth certificate for. Ramon had suggested she get a fake ID, but Kenna wanted the girl to live an honest life—once she chose a name for herself.

She couldn’t be Maizie Smith forever.

“You’re thinking way too much.” Ramon set the mug of coffee down in front of her. “Bruce is here.”

Kenna glanced over at the man walking across the seating area, heading in their direction. “Uh-oh.” She’d met the guy in England, a burned CIA agent who’d helped her out when she’d been cut off from her friends and on the run from the police. He wore his typical tan slacks and Hawaiian shirt, canvas shoes on his feet, but the expression on his face had her asking, “What’s wrong?”

Bruce slid into a chair. “I need a drink stronger than this place makes.”

Maizie looked up from her laptop screen.

Bruce said, “Hey, trouble,” almost absently. Like there was far too much on his mind.

She smiled and went back to her work.

Kenna sipped her coffee. “Start talking.”

Across the table, Ramon had his phone out. Stairns looked like he wanted to pester his old friend but said nothing. That wouldn’t last long.

Bruce tipped his phone over and over on the table. “I went to look up an associate of mine. Catch up on old times since I’m back home.”

He’d been out in the cold, stuck in England with no way to get back to the US. Until Kenna and her friends pulled some strings and got him home. “What happened?”

“So, the guy takes one look at me, flips out, and he splits.” Bruce worked his mouth back and forth, pursing his lips for a second while he thought. “All signs of a guilty conscience.”

Ramon set his phone face down on the table. “I could track him down. Get him to talk to me, or rough him up and then he talks.”

Kenna frowned.

Stairns said, “You and this guy worked together at the agency?”

Bruce nodded. “Partners as much as you can be in a business like that, where it’s all secrets and lies. Now, he’s sitting pretty living in a penthouse apartment a block from here and working as the CEO of some finance company.”

Maizie lifted her head. “A finance company that’s connected to the one we just accessed?”

Bruce asked Kenna, “Your mission was good?”

“We got what we went in there for.” But if their enemy was moving money through it, and the company was connected to a former CIA agent who had a reason to run from Bruce, that could mean they got a lead on top of all the information they got.

Ramon said, “And Kenna maybe even changed some lives in the process. For good.”

Bruce lifted his chin. “I’ll pass you the info, Maizie. You could tell me if they’re connected, these two finance companies?”

“Sure.” She went back to her typing.

“Thanks, kid.”

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