perfect opportunity to check for an entry point on the upper floor.
“Great.” She turned her head to coo something at the blond-haired boy on her hip, then looked back at Mo. “Well, have a good day.”
“You too.” She disappeared from view and he heard the sound of the sliding door shutting behind her a moment later. He let out a sigh of relief. Nosy neighbors made his task more difficult. The blinds were drawn on all the windows except for one on the upper floor that he guessed must be the master bedroom and there was no way he could see through it without having an extension ladder, which he didn’t have. Even if he’d just given himself the excuse to pretend to be checking out the gutters, he’d verified the address and the neighbor lady said the occupant was a renter, so he was positive he had the right place.
The heavy tools in his backpack bumped into his spine as he circled around to the left side of the house, looking for an easy entry point. Over the last day he’d thought of several ways to kill the target; some where he had to get up close, others…not so much. Because it allowed him an easy escape route, he’d already decided on the latter. He had what he needed to set everything up right in his backpack. If he could sneak in he could do it now and carry out the hit tonight. But he didn’t like that the neighbor lady might be watching. For all he knew she might be on the phone to the landlord right now to talk about things that needed to be done in the yard. Last thing he wanted was to make anyone suspicious or investigate further.
Then, as if it was a message from above, the first drops of rain began to fall and made the decision for him. They hit the brim of his cap, pattered against the leaf-covered roof. Looked like the lady next door might have a flooded yard in the morning. The wet only increased the likelihood that he’d leave muddy tracks in the yard.
Aborting the plan to go ahead with the setup today, Mo quickly strode around to the front of the house and crossed the street to his rental vehicle. As he drove away through the steadily increasing rain, he was already planning his next move.
****
Gage rolled up and parked at the curb out front since Hunter and Ellis had already taken up the driveway of the safe house the NSA had put them in. It was just after seven, the sky already dark and the rain had eased off to a light shower. Normally he’d be out tailing Claire but she’d been in meetings on another floor most of the afternoon and he hadn’t heard from her since lunch. She’d replied to his text inviting her out for a bite to eat saying she couldn’t meet up for dinner because she had plans to go out with her best friend, Mel, after work.
Rather than look like a desperate ex or tip her off that she needed watching, he’d arranged for Dunphy to tail her instead. It bugged Gage that he couldn’t keep eyes on her himself, but he trusted Dunphy. Guys didn’t make Force Recon without amazing observation skills, and if any threat should materialize on Dunphy’s watch, he could handle it.
Gage let himself in through the front door and found Hunt and Ellis at the kitchen island drinking beer and eating a plate of what looked like nachos. Chips and cheese, nothing else. Gage set his laptop case and shoulder holster down and shook his head at them. “That’s dinner? I fill the fridge last night and that’s the best you could come up with?”
“Yeah. Feel free to whip up something else for yourself,” Hunt replied, stuffing a wad of cheese-drenched chips into his mouth.
Gage strolled into the kitchen. “Okay. You boys’re welcome to watch this free cooking lesson, so long as you don’t bother asking me for any of it when I’m done.”
“Can’t guarantee that. Depends on what you’re making,” Ellis commented, slapping Hunt’s hand away from a giant glob of cheese stuck to the plate and stealing it for himself.
“None of your business, is it?” Gage
“Great.” She turned her head to coo something at the blond-haired boy on her hip, then looked back at Mo. “Well, have a good day.”
“You too.” She disappeared from view and he heard the sound of the sliding door shutting behind her a moment later. He let out a sigh of relief. Nosy neighbors made his task more difficult. The blinds were drawn on all the windows except for one on the upper floor that he guessed must be the master bedroom and there was no way he could see through it without having an extension ladder, which he didn’t have. Even if he’d just given himself the excuse to pretend to be checking out the gutters, he’d verified the address and the neighbor lady said the occupant was a renter, so he was positive he had the right place.
The heavy tools in his backpack bumped into his spine as he circled around to the left side of the house, looking for an easy entry point. Over the last day he’d thought of several ways to kill the target; some where he had to get up close, others…not so much. Because it allowed him an easy escape route, he’d already decided on the latter. He had what he needed to set everything up right in his backpack. If he could sneak in he could do it now and carry out the hit tonight. But he didn’t like that the neighbor lady might be watching. For all he knew she might be on the phone to the landlord right now to talk about things that needed to be done in the yard. Last thing he wanted was to make anyone suspicious or investigate further.
Then, as if it was a message from above, the first drops of rain began to fall and made the decision for him. They hit the brim of his cap, pattered against the leaf-covered roof. Looked like the lady next door might have a flooded yard in the morning. The wet only increased the likelihood that he’d leave muddy tracks in the yard.
Aborting the plan to go ahead with the setup today, Mo quickly strode around to the front of the house and crossed the street to his rental vehicle. As he drove away through the steadily increasing rain, he was already planning his next move.
****
Gage rolled up and parked at the curb out front since Hunter and Ellis had already taken up the driveway of the safe house the NSA had put them in. It was just after seven, the sky already dark and the rain had eased off to a light shower. Normally he’d be out tailing Claire but she’d been in meetings on another floor most of the afternoon and he hadn’t heard from her since lunch. She’d replied to his text inviting her out for a bite to eat saying she couldn’t meet up for dinner because she had plans to go out with her best friend, Mel, after work.
Rather than look like a desperate ex or tip her off that she needed watching, he’d arranged for Dunphy to tail her instead. It bugged Gage that he couldn’t keep eyes on her himself, but he trusted Dunphy. Guys didn’t make Force Recon without amazing observation skills, and if any threat should materialize on Dunphy’s watch, he could handle it.
Gage let himself in through the front door and found Hunt and Ellis at the kitchen island drinking beer and eating a plate of what looked like nachos. Chips and cheese, nothing else. Gage set his laptop case and shoulder holster down and shook his head at them. “That’s dinner? I fill the fridge last night and that’s the best you could come up with?”
“Yeah. Feel free to whip up something else for yourself,” Hunt replied, stuffing a wad of cheese-drenched chips into his mouth.
Gage strolled into the kitchen. “Okay. You boys’re welcome to watch this free cooking lesson, so long as you don’t bother asking me for any of it when I’m done.”
“Can’t guarantee that. Depends on what you’re making,” Ellis commented, slapping Hunt’s hand away from a giant glob of cheese stuck to the plate and stealing it for himself.
“None of your business, is it?” Gage
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