Page 32 of Covert Mission
He hauls to a stop next to me and assumes a stance so he can also watch everything. “Got a confirmed sighting from the day before yesterday.”
Love working with the man. He can get intel out of a rock.
“Where was she spotted?”
“The fruit market.” He motions to the left. “Just around the curve in the road.”
It’s one of the few buildings left standing in the heart of Santa Rosa where the worst of the quake hit.
I shift deeper into the shade of the FamFind tent, but still keep my eye on a group of young local men walking by. “Did they know if she was staying in town?”
“The woman has seen her a couple of times, a few days apart. Thought maybe MZ was passing through or coming to town to resupply.”
I scan the hillsides to the east of town. Dense forest covers much of the terrain. A few small houses dot the ridges, gathered in small clusters. “Maybe she was staying nearby, but not in town.”
“Makes sense. If she was trying to be less visible. That’s where I’d stay. Did you find it odd that her father didn’t seem to know much about her work?”
“All clear!”
We both cut our eyes toward the shout. A few hundred yards away a man is standing on top of a pile of rubble. He’s wearing one of the green uniforms for an international recovery team. “All clear!” he shouts again, this time in Spanish, and a few other languages.
A palpable wave of relief washes over the town. Men and women rush into the street, swarming around the earthquake team. Cheering. Thanking the dirty, tired workers.
Kids cling to their parents. A gang of ragtag dogs runs through the crowd, barking with excitement.
The knots in my chest loosen just a bit.
Scout shudders as we join the clapping. “Damn, that’s good.”
“I was told it’s the second building they’ve cleared today. No one was trapped in either.”
Emotion rides high in my throat as I watch. This poor little enclave got destroyed. The residents don’t have much and now they’ll have to rebuild their little community, stone by stone.
When I speak, I’m raspy. “I think they have four or five more buildings to finish.”
We stand in silence for a few minutes, watching the people celebrating.
Scout’s voice is rough, too. “Anyway, back to MZ. I have a feeling Daddy Dearest wasn’t clean with Agile when he hired us. Did you see how he wouldn’t meet Marshall’s eyes?”
“I did. Shifty bastard.”
“I think he lied when he said he knew she was staying here.”
He nods and crosses his arms. “So, MZ doesn’t tell Daddy everything. That’s pretty clear.”
“Not everyone wants their father in their business. I know I sure as fuck didn’t.”
He chuckles. “Same, brother. So, let’s assume they don’t get along.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
“But doesn’t Daddy provide the funding for her research?”
“Marshall hasn’t traced everything down yet. She’s employed by a university part-time. She has some kind of non-profit backing her. And then she raised money on her own. It’s complicated.”
Scout goes back to worrying at his scruff with his hand. “But her father’s sure something is wrong?”
“You heard him. He’s panicked.”