Alex Rycroft.
Startled recognition flooded her and a wide smile spread across her face. “Alex.” She waved, got a grin and a wave in return before she looked at Matt. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
He shrugged and pulled her tighter into his side, his voice a low murmur. “Wanted it to be a surprise and I knew you could probably stand to see a familiar face right now. I love seeing you smile.”
She wound her arm around him and squeezed him in silent thanks, resting her head on his chest for a moment. His thoughtfulness touched her deeply.
Alex called out from the jet doorway. “You guys coming aboard, or what? It’s goddamn freezing out here.”
Briar started toward him without hesitation, still smiling. She’d dealt with Alex a few times over the years and Janaia had been a huge fan of his, so at least Briar didn’t have to worry about her safety being in a stranger’s hands. She trusted him to a certain extent, and his reputation as both an operator and an intelligence officer were unparalleled. Her boots clanked on the metal steps leading up into the jet.
“Good to see you again, Briar,” Alex said, holding out his hand.
“Likewise.” She shook it, feeling so much better about this plan all of a sudden. “Thanks for the lift.”
“You’re welcome. Matt, how are you?”
“Better now. I appreciate this,” he said, shaking Alex’s hand.
“I’m happy to help. Especially if we can expose someone’s corrupt ass over at The Company.” He turned and led them into the interior. The Learjet was very high end, the seats leather and comfortable-looking. Briar’s steps faltered when she saw the woman seated near the back. Around her age, her bronze skin and dark hair similar to Briar’s, of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent. Their eyes met, held, the other woman’s greenish gaze arresting against her dusky complexion.
Matt set a hand on her lower back and waited, the pressure of his palm steady and reassuring through her jacket. Alex looked back and paused when he saw that she’d stopped.
“Zahra’s here at my request,” he said, gesturing for them to follow. “She’s my secret weapon.”
Another female assassin? Briar stayed a few steps behind Alex as he led them to the back and made the introductions. Zahra’s smile was warm, her gaze intent as she studied first Briar, then Matt. Briar took the aisle seat, giving Matt the one beside the window. It made her feel less trapped.
One of the pilots came out for a moment and when Alex nodded at him, he closed and locked the forward door and disappeared back into the cockpit.
“So, where are we headed?” Matt asked.
“Lake Placid,” Alex said. “Upstate New York.”
Briar’s attention sharpened. She lived only a couple hours from there. “Why there?”
“I own a place on the ski hill. It’s out of the way and private, plus the security’s good. It’s as safe a place as any for you two to stay while you’re off the grid, which hopefully won’t be for too long.” He handed them both a bottle of water and eased back into his seat, the elegant dress shirt and slacks doing nothing to diminish the razor sharp edge about him, his gray eyes alert. The man was in his early fifties and still a capable operator, his posture, bearing and confidence a testament to his years served in SF.
“I brought Zahra along because I’ve asked her to help with the digging on this. If there’s information out there, she’ll find it. But first we need a list of possible suspects.”
He obviously trusted Zahra implicitly to bring her in on this, but Briar could tell there was more to their relationship than met the eye and she was curious about it. There was an almost fatherly vibe coming from Alex, which she found interesting. He looked at her. “Who are you thinking?”
Briar still wasn’t thrilled about discussing this in the open, but she didn’t have much choice and it would be stupid to refuse his help, especially after all the trouble he’d gone to in coming to get them. Whether taxpayer dollars were funding this or not, hiring a private jet was not cheap and it helped to know that he was with an entirely different agency. “Has to be someone with insider knowledge of paramilitary operations. That narrows it to a smaller pool, anyway. We should start with my direct chain of command, specifically with who my handler reported to, and go from there.”
“I was very sorry to hear about Janaia,” he said, expression somber. “From what I’ve heard and know, she was a good officer.”
Briar nodded and glanced toward the window. “Yes, she was. Thank you.” It was still so hard to believe she was gone. She hadn’t been able to process the loss fully yet. Every time she thought about Janaia, it made her either numb or angry.