“What’s your idea, Alex?”
The blonde sat at the table next to her friend. “I don’t think we, as in you and me, should meet with Meinhard.”
Teren groaned. “Alex —”
“No, Teren, hear me out.”
“We need the data on the account.”
“I agree. I’m not suggesting that neither of us meet with him, just not both of us.”
Teren leaned forward. “You don’t want to be there?”
“Oh, I do. It’s you who shouldn’t be.”
There was a negative shake from the darker woman. “You’re not meeting with him alone.”
“Well, no, not really. We’ll be in the middle of a cafe, you know?”
“No, Alex.”
Alex sighed. “Teren, please listen to me.”
“I’m listening, I’m just not liking what I’m hearing yet.”
“Okay. How about this. If you’re meeting with Meinhard, you can’t keep your full attention on the surroundings. It puts you at a disadvantage.”
“That’s why I have you.”
“Right. But I don’t know German. Which means anything I might overhear will be little more than gibberish.”
Teren frowned. “Okay.”
“But, if I meet with Meinhard, it leaves you free to slip into the background, to listen and observe. If there’s anything out of the ordinary, you’ll spot it sooner than I will, probably.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’ve been here before, and you know what to look for.”
Teren sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t like it.”
“Think of it this way. It’s never a good idea to compromise your sources, and we’ve already lost one.”
A nod. Then Teren shook her head. “Damn. This is getting complicated.”
Alex put a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, Teren, you know it’s a good idea.”
The blue eyes raised to hers. “We don’t even know for sure if Keppelmann was killed because of us.”
“You said you thought he was.”
“Yes, but I’m paranoid.”
Alex nodded. “Paranoid’s okay. I can work with paranoid.”
“And you really think this will protect Meinhard?”
“Not completely. But it’s better than nothing. Besides, you have to admit I look less intimidating than you.”
“And that’s important because?”
Alex grinned. “Nobody would believe that someone as sweet and innocent looking as me could be an agent of some kind.”
Teren snorted. “Sorry, Alex, I don’t see you as innocent.”
“Wait ‘til I get into tourist mode. You won’t even recognize me.”
The two of them stared at each other for a minute. Alex refused to look away. If she did, she thought, Teren would win. And she really thought her plan could work.
Teren didn’t like it. If she blended into the scenery, it meant limited communication with Alex, which would put the younger woman at risk. She didn’t like that at all, but, finally, she looked away.
“Alright,” she said with a heavy sigh. “You’ll meet with him. I’ll find a disguise and show up first, maybe with a book or a newspaper. I’ll keep watch, and you retrieve the material.”
“Good.”
“We need to work out a few details, though.”
“Right.”
“We need signs, a way to communicate if we need to to.”
“Okay.”
“And you need to really be convincing, Alex.”
Alex smiled. “No problem. I can play tourist with the best of them, Teren. Just make sure I have enough money, and point me towards a souvenir shop.”
The look in the green eyes made Teren believe Alex could do it.
*******************************************************
“Das ist Herr Meinhard.”
“Herr Meinhard, das ist Frau Olind.” Teren waited for him to answer, then switched to English. “I’m presuming you have information for me, correct?”
“I do. Are we still meeting for lunch?”
“Yes. The information is in written format, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Before you go to the cafe, stop and buy a magazine, or a book. Then place the material in the bag. When the meeting takes place, it will be as if you’re giving a friend a present.”
“Yes, I understand. That is a good idea. We are still set for one o’clock?”
“We are. You’ll be meeting with my associate, Miss Reed. You remember her, right?”
“I remember. You will not be there?”
“No. So if you see me, you won’t speak to me, understood?”
There was a touch of confusion in Meinhard’s voice, but he answered yes, and Teren ended the conversation. She put the phone down and picked up her jacket.
“So, it’s set? He knows I’m meeting with him?”
“Yes. And I told him to put the stuff in a bag. He’ll be giving it to you as a present.”
“Great.” Alex glanced at her watch. “Well, if I’m going to go play tourist, I guess I’ll have to get moving.”
“Right. Make sure you take my cell phone. Do you have the money I gave you? “
“Got it, and yes.” She stood by the door. “And after lunch we’ll meet in the lobby, right?”
“That’s right. The bags will be in the car, but we won’t check out ‘til you get back, so your story about me being back at the hotel will work.”
“Good.” Alex slipped her coat on, and zipped it up. She pulled a fluffy blue hat over her blonde hair, the white yarn ball sticking up from her head. Teren couldn’t resist reaching over to tug on it.
“Hey. Leave my snowball alone.”
“Oh, is that what you call it? Looks like a rabbit’s tail.”
“Teren.” Alex tried to sound indignant, but couldn’t fight the grin on her face.
Teren took hold of Alex by the shoulders. “You remember our signals, right?”
“Of course. You drilled me on them for half an hour.”
“You remember how to get to the cafe?”
“Yes. Plus, if I get lost, I’m sure there will be someone who can tell me where I’m going.”
Teren tightened her grip. “Are you sure you want to do this? You could just wait here while I get the data. Then we could go to the airport and —”
“No.” Alex was emphatic. “Everything’s going to be fine, Teren.”
Their eyes met, and for a second Teren couldn’t breathe. Then the moment passed, and she let her hands drop from Alex’s blue clad shoulders.
“Better get going then.”
“Right.”
Alex opened the door, and Teren pushed it shut. Alex turned to look at her, and was surprised by the feel of Teren’s soft lips on hers. The kiss only lasted a moment, then Teren backed away, her face red, her eyes looking anywhere but at Alex.
“Right. I’m going, now.”
“Okay.”
This time when the door closed, Teren was alone in the room, and her stomach clenched. A fleeting thought went through her mind, the idea of running after Alex and not letting her leave the hotel burned bright for several seconds. Then she shook her head, and pulled on her own jacket. She needed to get their bags stowed in the car, then get into her disguise. Teren wanted to be at the cafe at least ten minutes before Alex and Meinhard, and to do that she had to hurry.
She had to be there for Alex.
*******************************************************
It was a short walk to the tram again, and then a short ride to the city center. Alex got off a few blocks from the cafe. After a moment to orient herself and consult her map, she started walking, intending to hit as many souvenir shops on her way to the restaurant.
She slipped into one that had several tshirts showing in the window. This would be as good a place as any to begin her cover.
Teren, meanwhile, had stowed hers and Alex’s bags in the car, and taken the tram to a stop well past where the cafe was located. She switched cars, and headed back, keeping an eye out for anyone following her. She breathed a sigh of relief when no familiar face showed up.