Page 67 of Secrets Beneath the Waves

With that dreadful thought, she turned into a boutique, the scent of lavender and leather enveloped her as the door chimed softly. She glanced at one of the reflective display cases, and from that vantage point, could see the man linger outside as he pretended to examine the window display.

She purchased a scarf, paid in cash, and slipped it into her pocket. As she left the boutique, she kept her strides measured. As long as he didn’t know she was onto him, she had the advantage.

At the next block, Ellie turned abruptly into a bustling market. The air smelled of spices, and haggling voices blendedwith laughter and music. She weaved through the crowd from the cruise ships as her sharp eyes scanned every corner for the other two men.

Newspaper guy pushed his way through the throng. His eyes locked on her when he spotted her, but she pretended to look past him.

When he was briefly out of sight, Ellie ducked behind a display of paintings and crouched low as she moved behind the stalls of the various vendors. She emerged on the other end of the market.

She held her breath as the man frantically searched for her. With his back turned, she slipped out of a side exit and into a narrow alley.

This was the type of place where she had envisioned killing the man. But security cameras hung over the market’s back entrance. Those complicated things if the man emerged through the door and she had to confront him.

So, she slipped the scarf over her head and walked back into the market, past the guy, and onto the street. She moved quickly until she reached a T-shirt shop. Inside, she loitered in the background and pretended to browse the merchandise.

Did I lose them?

That’s when she saw one of the other men on the street looking in all the shops. A second figure appeared behind him—the man with the newspaper.

When they got to her store, they spotted her immediately, and their eyes met briefly. Newspaper guy turned his head away quickly, but she saw the frustration in his eyes. Even the most basic spy knew not to be seen twice at different locations. A dead giveaway.

The Middle Eastern men huddled together in front of the shop, obviously discussing their next move.Without warning, the second man took off down the street. Newspaper manremained outside, staring at her. No longer holding any pretense of his actions.

Ellie took off the scarf and glared at him. She figured the second man intended to cut off the back exit.

Her breath quickened. These guys were better than she thought.

She didn’t let her panic show. Instead, she turned sharply and headed for the back exit. Her hand grazed the handle of her gun, for a cold reassurance. She stepped into the narrow corridor and kept moving, ignoring the restroom doors that were a potential hiding spot. She didn’t want to get trapped in an enclosed room with only one exit.

At the end of the hall, an emergency exit sign glowed red.

Behind her, she heard the faint creak of a door opening, followed by soft, deliberate footsteps. It gave her an even greater sense of urgency as she pushed through the emergency exit and emerged into another alley. Ready to draw her gun if the second man appeared.

The alley was deserted.

The heavy door slammed shut behind her. The sound echoed like a gunshot, and she chastised herself for the noise.

She looked around for options. A rusted fire escape ladder hung down on the side of the building, although it might be out of reach. A row of overflowing trash bins lined the brick walls under the ladder. Too small to hide behind.

The high ground was usually a good alternative. She’d love to be on the roof shooting down at them, but it didn’t seem like a viable plan.

Running wasn’t an option. The area was too open. He’d get a shot off before she got to cover.

She looked at her watch. Twelve o’clock. A shootout at high noon didn’t seem like a good alternative either. Even if she wanted to end the threat once and for all.

The emergency exit door groaned open. Ellie stepped behind the door and pressed her back against the wall so he couldn’t see her. She dared not breathe or he’d hear her.

The man stood still for a moment and looked in both directions. He blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. His head tilted slightly. Confused. Like he wasn’t sure where she went.

He had his gun pulled now and began to walk in the other direction with his back to her.

She didn’t hesitate.

With puma-like movements, she was behind him before he had time to turn around. She put her right hand on the side of his forehead and her left hand under his chin and twisted violently. The sound of vertebrae breaking broke the still silence of the alleyway.

He collapsed to the ground in a heap. She checked for a pulse. He was dead.

The maneuver her mom taught her had worked to perfection. She’d practiced it a thousand times on a dummy but now knew what it felt like to use it on a man.