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By the tiot to the restaurant, she knew the others were already in place She’d taken the city streets instead of the highway, had made multiple turns and backtracked a couple ti chain places, really popular The menu offered a variety of dishes and the place was always packed

She pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, lucky enough to find a spot right in front as a car pulled away just as she drove up A quick glance at her watch told her she had about ten nated meet time with Richardson The fake virus was tucked neatly into a purse-like bag so she wouldn’t call attention to herself when she stood out in front The restaurant was very well lit, so she foresaw no probleest of her life She stayed in the car, looking around her, in her sideup in knots She practiced deep, even breathing, reassuring herself that this plan was going to go off without a single hitch

Finally, it was ti the purse over her shoulder and stepped out of the car, searching the parking lot and intersection Even she couldn’t spot the other Wild Riders

The guys really were good at hiding in plain sight

There was a bench out front Since it was eight o’clock at night and well into pri inside, a few loitering around outside, no doubt waiting for tables Exactly the way they’d wanted it so she wouldn’t be alone when she met Richardson Lily sat on the bench and affected a casual pose, trying to look as if she aiting for so lot, its s tinted so dark she couldn’t see through any except for the front windshield The driver wore a black hat shielding his face, so she couldn’t make him out Lily tensed as the car pulled past the front of the restaurant, then slowed to a stop The back door opened and aout ray eyes to his shocking white hair slicked back and the takeno- shit look on his patrician features Heover to his car

That had to be Richardson, though she’d never met the man He’d dealt with her boss in person and with her by telephone only "Miss West?"

"Mr Richardson"

"We cannot possibly do this here," he said "It’s too busy"

She let her lips curl in a smile "That’s the whole idea, isn’t it?"

"It’s totally unacceptable Even the police prowl this area to keep it safe"

She shrugged "Not my problem"

He arched a brow "Is that what you want? The police to catch us?"

She snorted and leaned against his shiny sedan, earning her a frown "Hardly Then I wouldn’t get my money"

"If I hand you a suitcase full of money and you in turn hand over the virus out here in front of this restaurant, it’s going to look like a drug deal going down Plus, there are surveillance cameras"

"What?"

He inclined his head toward the front of the restaurant and the parking area

"Do be discreet when you’re gawking at them," he added

She turned as unobtrusively as she could, but sure enough, he was right Ca toward the parking area, and on the parking lot poles, their viewpoint toward the front of the restaurant

"Smile," Richardson said "You’re on Candid Camera"

Shit "I didn’t know about the cahtest attention to those Did Grange know about them when they’d selected the restaurant?

She wished she was in contact with him With the wire hidden in her purse, she knew they were hearing her, but she couldn’t communicate with the other Wild Riders

Dammit Nohat?

"Slide into the car with me We’ll take a little ride"

Her heart pounded so hard the blood rushed in her ears and she could barely hear herself think But sheher arms "Said the spider to the fly How dumb do you think I am?"

"Miss West, as I previously stated, there are surveillance ca or dead, my face is now on those cameras as the last person to meet with you That would immediately make me the prime suspect So to use your oords…how dumb do you think I am?"

Okay, he had a point She didn’t like this, but the key was to turn over the virus to hi into his carto follow

Was Richardson really stupid enough to do her harm?

She had mere seconds to make this decision and she didn’t want to lose hi this case wide open

"I want reedy and desperate

"Then let’s go This will only take a moment and you can be on your way I just don’t want to do this so publicly"

"I have a better idea" The thought struck her "I’ll follow you in ht over there"

Much safer

She tilted her head back and he folloith his eyes, then looked back at her "Ever the cautious one, aren’t you?"

"It’s what’s kept , Mr Richardson

Not that I think you have any unsavory plans or anything, but I’ into your car there and taking off to parts unknown And can you blame me for that?"

Noas his turn to consider She waited

"Very well," he said "We’ll only go a few short blocks

Someplace a little less…populated, and with no cameras to implicate either of us"

She nodded "Fine with me I’ll follow you"

She pushed off his car and walked back to hers, hoping like hell the guys would figure out how to follow her without being seen, since she had no cell phone with her She trusted them to know their job

Richardson’s car pulled away and she followed, out of the parking lot and onto the nize any of the Wild Riders’ cars or bikes

They were souys heard all that," she said into the wireless mic hidden in the car