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“Anything else?”
“No.”
Her smile wavered. “Well, just holler if you need anything.”
“I’d rather rip your apron string from around your neck and choke myself with it.”
She blinked a few times, studied my face, then gave a weak smile. “You’re funny.” She slid some napkins next to my hand. “I’ll check on ya in a bit.”
Fuck.
As I reached for my phone, I heard the bell over the door then the click of her shoes as she walked toward the booths. Her steps slowed as she looked around the room, then she tossed her coat and purse in a booth and slid in next to them.
I watched her for a moment, then stood and made my way slowly toward her. She held her phone and tapped away on it, probably texting her father. I waited until she picked up the menu then slipped in next to her.
“Oh!” She jumped. “Ah, hi.”
“Hello J. I’ll give you a moment to make the connection as to who I am.” I looked into her wide eyes and waited. “So, do you know who I am, J?” I repeated. She opened her mouth then shut it as she connected the dots. “Good. Now we need to speak.”
“My father –”
“Your father has been detained.” At her worried look, I held up a hand. “He’s fine. Just a little car trouble. Let’s keep it that way, shall we?”
She cleared her throat and sat a little straighter. Smart girl.
“All right. Let’s go through a little history to set the scene. A few years ago, you had nothing, and your father’s pathetic little business was sinking, I helped you get into the Army and arranged to have you stationed at Camp Green. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“You were instructed to lay low and find out the details on the whereabouts of a certain American special team until instructed otherwise. Correct?”
“Yes. Blackstone.”
I nodded, very pleased with her short answers. “I pulled the rip cord, so to speak, to activate my sleepers. You are one of those sleepers, J, and you know what you were to do. What was that, exactly?”
“Follow the first rule.” I saw her throat constrict.
“Did you do that?”
She shifted and her hands shook as she took a tissue from her purse. “No.”
“Why?”
I held up a hand to the waitress as she approached the table and waved her off. She wisely retreated. I waited for “J” to speak.
“I-I don’t know. I guess I panicked.”
I shook my head slowly to show I was highly disappointed but didn’t get angry. I needed her to stay focused, as she had what I needed. Information. “Why did you panic?”
Tears filled her eyes, and I knew she was scared. Good. She should be. I could end her life right here in this disgusting vinyl booth before she could even whisper.
“B-because they-they,” she stumbled and broke eye contact with me. I knew she was about to lie. “I haven’t had the time to get what you need.”
I gave her a long, hard, solid minute stare before I tugged back my jacket to allow my gun to show against my dress shirt. “Try again.” I held up a finger. “Remember who I am and how easy it was for me to find you and your father. My people are everywhere, J.”
Her mouth dropped open, but she quickly recovered. “All right.” She nodded, and a tear ran down her cheek, and she dashed it away. “I had to lay low. One of the girls I work with sticks to me all the time. I have a hard time avoiding her, and she almost caught me when I was digging through the files after hours. She keeps wanting me to join her and the others after we get off. Camp Green employees like to socialize.” She made a helpless motion with her hands. “She wants to be friends.”
“And what did you find in those files?” I ignored her excuses.
