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“But what about the window at the top of the trellis?” Frankie asked, surprising me that she was even entertaining the idea. “If it’s locked, how would you open it?”

“I have an answer for that,” Jax said, zooming in on the window in question. “There is a tool called a j-hook, and it’s a lot like the tool we use to break into cars, except it is customized for home windows.”

“I suppose I don’t want to know how you know that,” I said. Jax gave me a grin but didn’t answer. “Okay, so where can we get one of these j-hook thingies?”

“I can make one,” he replied. “I saw some tools in the barn that should work. The challenge is going to be teaching you how to use it while balanced on a trellis.”

I liked that Jax was also entertaining the thought of me on the trellis, but me trying to pry open a window while clinging to a trellis seemed a bit daunting. “Well, at least we have a plan. Approach the house, hide behind the black silicon shield to avoid the motion detectors and cameras, disarm the alarm, climb the trellis, pry open the window with minimal noise, and I’m in. What could go possibly wrong?”

Wally shot me a glance of disbelief. “Let’s start with you, Angel. Are you really the right person to climb the trellis and pry open a window from fifteen feet above the ground? Hala is the gymnast. She’s the best choice here.”

“Maybe,” I agreed, even though it hurt my pride. “But no one is going to take that risk but me.” My voice was more confident than my brain, but I had to convince them.

“Are you sure, Angel?” Hala asked. “You know I’m game to do it.”

“I know, and I really appreciate it. But this is my challenge. My mom, my risk. It’s only fair. So, no more discussion on that point, okay? I’m the one going inside.”

Bo let out a deep breath, seeming to accept that argument. “Okay, you heard her, team. She’s the one going in. Wally, if there’s an alarm on the window, you could disarm it?”

“Of course I could. We’re already in the security system.”

“Good. How would you get out of the house, Angel?” Bo asked.

That was an easy answer. “The same way I came in. But I’vegotto be in that house before eleven thirty, and I am going to need the laser mic system and some practice setting it up and using it.”

“What if Sampson doesn’t get a call at eleven thirty?” Kira asked. “Then what do we do?”

“He will,” I said. “Hehasto.” I had to believe that, otherwise everything we were doing was for nothing. “Look, we’ll have every contingency ready. If Remington is on the first floor, we can pick up the conversation from the outside of the house. If he’s upstairs, in the basement, or somewhere else, I’ll have him covered inside the house. If he goes somewhere in his car, we’re ready to listen. This plan ensures full coverage.”

“Well, I think we need to get moving if we’re going to do this,” Mike said, startling me out of my thoughts. “Maybe this isn’t such a bad scenario after all. Angel seems to be blessed by twin goddesses of perseverance and luck. I’m not saying this her best idea ever, but it’s not a bad one given our current circumstances and timeline. I’m giving her my full support.”

It wasn’t the rousing cheer I’d hoped for, but regardless, I appreciated his vote of confidence.

Wally ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to stick straight up. “I’m iffy about this situation, but you know I’ve got your back, Angel. However, we have an additional technical issue to worry about. The black silicon cloth will cloak your presence if it’s properly held, making you invisible to the sensors most security cameras use at night. However, Remington’s cameras also have motion sensing.”

Bo shot Wally a look. “What does that mean?”

“It means that even though you’re invisible behind the black silicon, you’ll have to move slowly to avoid activating those sensors,” he answered.

“We can do that,” I assured him. “We have to.”

Jax stood up and faced everyone. “Okay, everyone, Mike was right. We don’t have a lot of time here. Let’s get things moving. I’ll make the j-hook tool. Mike, you need to help Angel get familiar with the laser mic, including assembling and disassembling it. Hala, Bo, and Kira, your task is figuring out how to drape the black silicon to hide our intrusion team. Mike, in addition to providing Angel instruction on the using the mics, you need to figure out how we’re going to communicate with each other tonight. Wally, you need to check, and double-check, the security system and alarms. Frankie, help everyone as needed, and keep us on task. Everyone should figure out their personal logistics and pack any other tools or equipment you think we might need. We should be dressed in dark clothes and ready to go, no later than ten o’clock. If Angel needs to be inside Remington’s house to hear the conversation by eleven thirty, we need to have her in place no later than eleven.”

We stared at Jax in surprise before he stood up, lifting his hands. “What? Don’t look at me like that. I can be a leader, too. Fall in behind Angel, team and get your head in the game. Tick tock.”

And, just like that, Operation Remington’s Reveal was on.

Chapter Thirty-Three

ANGEL SINCLAIR

Okay, so maybe this hadn’t been the best idea I’d ever had. In fact, it might have been my most insane idea ever, and that’s saying a lot, since I like to think and act outside the box. But here I was in an NSA director’s backyard, wearing a pair of borrowed black stretch pants and a pouch filled with burglary tools. Strapped to me was a backpack containing one of the high-tech laser mics. I crouched nervously behind the silicon cloak held by Bo and Jax, which hopefully shielded us from detection by Remington’s security cameras.

While the “invisibility cloak” wasn’t magic, itwasa technological wonder—a battery-powered blanket covered with black silicon, which masked our bodies’ heat signatures. Frankie had sewn handles onto the back side of the blanket so we could hold it without exposing our hands. We’d done some testing, and it had held up okay, but there hadn’t been time for a more thorough check.

Tonight would be the real test.

Wally was our designated general for the evening. He was a virtual conductor, directing everything from the back seat of his car, which was parked nearby, using only a laptop and an extra monitor perched on a cardboard box.