Page 65 of Spies Don't Fall for Their
“—yep, and they were heavy and awkward.Oneof the bags caught on a thorn from the rose bush, andIleft a trail, allHansel-and-Gretel-like, of clothes from the roses all the way to my front door.Ididn’t notice untilIgot to my door just asOwenwaspulling in.”
“Oh, no,”Mackenziesays. “Pleasetell me that bag didn’t have your ‘delicates’ in it.”
Charlienods. “Theywere right where the bag tore open.Okay, we don’t need more of that story becauseI’vealready done a pretty good job repressing it andI’dlike to keep it that way.Let’sjust say thatIonly know him well enough to have a tiny crush on him.”
Isit up a little straighter. “Butdo you know him well enough to know if he’s good enough for you?”
“Youwon’t go out with him if he’s not, right?”Emersonsays.
“Doyou want me to question him for you?”Blakeasks. “BecauseIwill.I’llfind out what he’s really like.Seeif he’s good enough.”
Charlieraises her hands, palms out. “Everyone.Thankyou.Butno—Idon’t need that.Idon’t even know him well enough for that yet.”
“Itsounds like you need to do some recon,”Zoesays.
Charliepractically chokes. “Likespyon him?”
“Youliterally grew up in a family of spies,”Zoesays looking around at everyone. “Doesit really seem strange to you?”
“Ican’t use agency resources for that.It’sillegal.”
“No, but you can do your own recon, like go through his garbage.Onceit’s out on the street, it’s fair game.Youcan learn a lot by going through someone’s garbage.”
“I’llkeep that in mind,”Charliesays.
Mackenziehas been on her phone since she askedCharliefor the guy’s name.Sheturns the screen towardCharlie. “Isthis him?”
Charlieleans in close, then takes the phone. “Itis!Howdid you find him?”
“I’mreally good at social media,”Mackenziesays. “That’shisInstagram.”
Everyone, even my mom andHeidi, gets up and crowds aroundCharlie, looking at the phone.He’sa decent-looking guy from his profile picture.Butthat doesn’t tell much of the story, of course.
Zoepoints at his short bio. “He’san architectural restoration specialist.He‘restores historical buildings to their former glory.’”
“Oh!”Charliesays as she taps on the first picture, which shows him wearing construction clothes, including a hard hat, in front of a building. “He’srestoring the historic theater downtown!SowhenIsaw him in the suit, maybe he was addressing the city council or at a fund-raising gala or something.”
“He’scute,”Mackenziesays. “Andthis picture was posted just twenty-seven minutes ago.”Shegasps. “Weshould go see if he’s still there.”
Charliehands the phone back toMackenzie. “Anddo what?BecauseI’mnot ready to bump into him and have a conversation.”
“Youcould just observe,”Milessuggests. “Tryto get a sense of what he’s like.”
Charliepauses a moment, then nods slowly. “Okay.”
“Yes!”Mackenziepumps her fist. “Weare going on a recon mission.Who’sin?Zoe?Willyou come with us?”
Zoelooks shocked that they are asking her to join in.Ifshe knew my family at all, she wouldn’t be.Ilove the smile that spreads across her face right before she nods.
“AndifZoeis in,”Isay, “I’min.”
Mymom says that she andHeidiare going to stay back and have a treasure hunt, ifBlakewants to join in onOperation:SpyonCharlie’sCrush.
Twenty-five minutes later, dinner is cleaned up,Charlieis wearing a mic and a button camera, andBlake,Emerson,Miles, andJaceare inBlake’sHondaCR-Vhalf a block away.Allof us are wearing comms units.Theyaren’t as nice as the ones the agency has, but they’re plenty good enough for this kind of range.
Me,Zoe,Charlie, andMackenzieare sneaking from where we parked at an ice cream shop next to the theater to a couple of pallets of bricks that we plan to hide behind.We’vegot a separate video camera to place on the bricks, and we’ve got a tablet both here and with my brothers in theSUV, both showing feeds from the brick camera andCharlie’sbutton cam.
Onour front-line team, we’ve got two field operatives, one handler (who is very experienced in setting up successful ops), and one physical therapy tech.Which, granted, isn’t a skill particularly needed for this op, butIremember how goodMackenziewas at evading herFBItail not long afterIsaw her for the first time.
