Page 5 of Wicked Intention

Before Zo could react, he left the counter. His change in demeanor had been too sudden, and if it had been a computer crash, he’d have reacted differently. People got pissed when the system went down. They didn’t go emotionless.

And he’d taken her passport.

The clerk didn’t need it any longer to issue an exit visa, but he did need the form he’d left on the counter. Maybe she was blowing this out of proportion, but Zo didn’t think so. Something was on the computer, and she wanted to know what.

She shifted position, went up on her toes, and leaned over, but she couldn’t see the screen. It did, however, afford her a view into the back room where the clerk had gone. He wasn’t using another computer. Instead, he was talking to an older man who might be his supervisor while pointing at her passport.

Her instincts went from caution to danger in a heartbeat.Something was going on, but she’d done nothing that should cause this kind of behavior.

Unless they knew about the disk.

Attempting to smuggle a pure gold, historic artifact out of the country wasn’t nothing. Not by a long shot.

Zo strained to hear, but there was too much noise in the government center. If the kid hadn’t taken her passport, she’d cut out of here right now. The underground market in Rio Blanco offered a wide variety of items—including exit visas. It would cost a fortune, and she’d still risk being nabbed at the airport, but at least she’d have time to hide the disk.

She feigned interest in her nails as the older man looked in her direction, but although her head was down, her hair hiding her face, she never took her gaze off the pair. Maybe she wasn’t much of a lip reader, but there was a word that was unmistakable—policia. He picked up the phone.

Damn, she was screwed.

There wasn’t time to debate what to do. As soon as the supervisor hung up with the police, he’d tell the soldiers to detain her. She’d heard horror stories about Puerto Jardinese jails, and Finn had confirmed them. She didn’t want to experience one for herself.

She checked to ensure the boss and clerk were preoccupied with the phone conversation, and then, with what Zo hoped passed for nonchalance, she sidled away from the counter.

Every cell in her body urged her to run, but she forced herself to keep a sedate pace. She couldn’t do anything that would draw attention. The soldiers on either side of the door might be as bored as everyone else, but they’d stop her if she did something unusual.

There seemed to be a million people between her and the exit.

Keep calm. Don’t rush. Act normal.

Leaving her passport behind was bad, but getting caught with the disk in her possession would be much worse.

Her heart throbbed against her ribs, trying to leap out of her chest. In the years she’d done this, she’d never been this close to getting nailed.

A woman stepped into her path, blocking her way. Another burst of adrenaline powered through Zo, but the woman’s attention was on the baby she held at her shoulder. As she crooned softly to the crying infant, Zo adjusted her path around her.

At last, she reached the wooden double doors. One of the soldiers standing next to them moved in front of her. Slowly, she raised her gaze to his.

He smiled, and with a flourish, opened the door.

“Gracias,”she said, surprised her voice sounded normal. Zo didn’t hesitate any longer—she went outside and walked away from the building, keeping the same moderate pace she’d used inside.

She could run like hell once she was out of sight.

A spot between her shoulder blades burned as if someone with laser vision was searing a hole into her back. The scarred man! She glanced around but didn’t spot him. If he was there, she’d have to worry about him later. Right now, she had a more urgent problem.

The wail of sirens cut through the noise of traffic. Zo didn’t stop moving, but she focused on the sound. Yes, definitely growing closer. The desire to run surged again. She fought it off.

The sidewalk here was busy, but not crowded enough. If she could make it over about two blocks, she’d have the crush she needed to disappear. It was lunch hour, and with the number of office buildings lining the main thoroughfare through Rio Blanco, the entire stretch would be jammed.

A police car raced past her, screeching to a halt in front of the government building. She took a deep breath and keptwalking. The end of the block seemed a long way off. She strode as fast as she dared.

As soon as she turned the corner, Zo hurried. This side street had few pedestrians, and she felt conspicuous. Two blocks, and she’d be safer. Two blocks, and she’d leave behind the stone-façade buildings from the 1950s and be surrounded by the chrome and glass of skyscrapers. Two blocks and she’d be enveloped by workers from those multinational conglomerates who were on their lunch breaks and shoppers who’d come to visit the boutiques that occupied the first level of most of those high-rises.

It took a million years to cover the short distance.

Her breath shuddered from her as she turned into the business district. As Zo had anticipated, the area teemed with people. Most wore business attire, but there were enough men and women in casual clothes that she didn’t stand out.

Zo matched her pace to the crowd, unable to relax. Not yet.

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