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“Let’s go,” she said, putting the car in park “Stay close tothe street around theroups of teens out on the town, and fa home from a late dinner crowded the streets No one see particular attention to them, so Raven motioned for Beth to come

with her

Beth joined Raven as she crossed the street “I think you ht, Beth How could I have doubted you?’” Raven scowled at her “Because this doesn’t seeht”

“Why not?”

“Why would the signal be dead for days and then suddenly reappear in themall?”

“I don’t know That’s e’re here to find out”

The unknoas the worst enemy for someone on a protective detail Raven didn’t know the layout of the mall, and there was no explanation for the abrupt renewal of the signal She would have called this off if she didn’t think Beth would have gone in anyway At least they were in a public location full of witnesses

Once they were inside, Raven was happy to see that the upscalethe day It would be easier to spot anyone who looked out of place

The four-story-tall central atriu the stone floor’s colorful rectangular pattern Raven guided theht

When they reached the top level, they had an expansive view of the atrium, and they also hadalready identified several eency stairways

“Where exactly was the signal?”

“Juan told me it’s only accurate to fifty feet,” Beth said, “but the last ti from somewhere in this atrium”

They looked down at the many clusters of chairs that had been placed there for the convenience of weary shoppers In one cluster, a couple of dazed parents watched their toddlers running around in circles In another, college-age kids were laughing and fiddling with their phones So on the seats

In all the groups, one man stood out He sat alone in a corner cluster of chairs, alert, and watching each passing custo up which prey orth taking down His suit couldn’t hide the muscular build that Raven had noticed in the rest of Locsin’s hts like a shiny Christmas ornament

She nudged Beth and nodded to the man