Page 35 of No Reason to Trust

Jake nodded. “Not sure if he’ll be interested,” he said with a sigh. “But I think we have to try.”

“I agree,” Livvy said, standing up and reaching for her jacket. “Let’s get going. We have no idea when this meeting’s gonna break up.”

“Right.” He shrugged on his own jacket and said, “You have your gun?”

“Of course I do,” Livvy said. “Whenever we’re not in this room, I have my gun with me.”

“Good. Then let’s go.”

They walked quickly to the fast-food place across from the building where the meeting was supposed to be held. Stepped inside, and Livvy kept watch while Jake went to buy food. When he returned with fries and ice cream, she said, “What if he’s with a bunch of people?”

Jake ate a fry and frowned. “I’m guessing he won’t be. He’ll probably leave by himself before the rest of them. And I’m pretty sure one of them will follow him and kill him.”

“Then we have to make sure we’re between Sergei and his killer. You think he’ll believe us?” Livvy said.

Jake shrugged. “He didn’t seem very happy in that group. Maybe he’ll be open to what we’ll offer.”

“Yeah.” Livvy sighed. “All we can do is try.”

They’d eaten half the fries and some of the ice cream when the door of the building across the street flew open and Sergei walked out. No one followed him, so Jake and Livvy dumped the rest of their food and stepped onto the sidewalk. Sergei was about fifty feet ahead of them, and still no one had exited the building behind him. As he turned a corner, he glanced over his shoulder. Studied them for a moment, then walked more quickly. Jake and Livvy picked up the pace and followed him more closely.

They’d reached another intersection, and Sergei, shoulders hunched, glanced over his shoulder again. Walked more quickly as he began to turn left. Livvy and Jake moved closer, one on either side of him, and Jake said, “Sergei, are you in trouble?”

The kid stopped walking and spun around to stare at Jake. “What are you talking about? And who are you?” he finally said.

“You left the building alone. Most of the men go in and out in groups. I suspect there’s a reason you’re alone.”

Sergei took another step back. Frowned. “How do you know I’m in trouble?”

Jake shrugged. “A wild guess. You don’t look happy. And your shoulders were hunched, as if you were… concerned about someone behind you.”

Livvy touched Sergei’s arm. “We’d like to talk to you, if you have a little time,” she said.

The kid frowned. “And you’re going to take me somewhere?”

“No,” Livvy said. “We can go to a restaurant. Or a park. Wherever you like. Just somewhere that your friends won’t see you talking to us.”

Sergei took a step back. His gaze flicked from Jake to Livvy. Back to Jake. “Who are you?”

“Two people who want to help you,” Jake said.

Sergei put more distance between himself and them. “How do you know I need help?”

Livvy took a chance. “We’ve been watching you for a while. I think you’re very unhappy in the job you’re currently doing.”

Sergei looked at Livvy for a long moment. Then he stared at Jake as he began to back away from them. “What if Iamin trouble?” he asked. “How could you help me? And my wife?”

“We could find you and your wife a safe place to stay, to start,” Jake said. “Find you a job. Make sure you and your wife are protected.”

“Why would you do this?” Sergei asked, backing away from them.

Livvy caught Jake’s eye.Should they tell him we were recording the meeting? Tell him we know he was against killing an FBI agent?

Jake nodded once, slightly. His eyes said, “Yes, tell him.”

Livvy drew a deep breath. Gave Jake a tiny nod. Then she turned to Sergei. “You know that law enforcement tapes a lot of meetings of men in your… group.”

Sergei sucked in a breath. “You recorded our meeting?”

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