"It was a stupid idea. I'm sorry I-"

"It was a good idea. Don't be upset." Jack wiggled his hand on top of her head, but she swatted his hand away.

"That doesn't help."

"I know." He grinned and headed for the bedroom. "Maybe they didn't come over on Tuesday. They could have already been here."

Replacement followed him into the bedroom where she huffed, "What now?"

"We try to find the Asian woman."

"How? We have no idea where she could be."

"I think she followed me. I thought no one did but...now it's my turn."

Replacement scrunched up her face as Jack put the new baggy pants he'd bought on over his jeans.

"Move back." He waved her back and then turned around. "Honestly, can you tell I'm wearing two pairs of pants?"

"Why?"

"I have an idea. Can you tell?"

Replacement put her weight on her left leg and bit her lip. "No." She shrugged. "They're so baggy you can't tell, but, you're going out like that? Isn't it uncomfortable?"

As Jack grabbed the shirt, he froze once he'd pulled it over his head.

What do I do about her? The lady could have killed me but didn't. Do I bring Replacement or try...

"Are you even thinking about leaving me behind?"

Jack pulled the shirt the rest of the way on as his mouth curled into a smirk. "You? Of course not."

A good place to talk Jack hurried down the sidewalk toward the apartment building at the end of the street. He was two blocks from Marisa's apartment, only four from the tattoo parlor. There was a light rain falling and, because of the cloud cover, it was very dark.

Perfect.

Jack smiled. With his head down and the collar of his jacket up, he rushed up the steps, nervously looked around, and then rang the bell. He was buzzed right in. When he walked through the door, Donald Pugh leaned out of his apartment and waved him over.

"Thanks, Donald."

As Jack walked into the small, first-floor apartment, he shut the door behind him. It was a one-bedroom with a tiny kitchen on the left, a living room that was only slightly bigger, and a short hallway that led down to three closed doors. Jack couldn't help but notice the giant TV that took up an entire wall of the living room. He heard the sound of claws on linoleum as a little collie ran up to him. He gave the dog's head a quick pat and then turned to Donald.

"Let's go over the plan-" Jack began, but Donald waved his hands to cut him off.

"Jack, you've got to promise me this won't get back to Collins."

Donald may have been a cop and Kendra's partner, but he didn't have the typical temperament for the job. His face was pale, and Jack could see him sweat.

"It won't. I promise."

As Jack yanked off his shirt, he handed it to Donald.

"Do you even know how mad you make him? Now everyone asks 'How Jacked-up is Collins?' when we have to go near him. It's like measuring an earthquake, but instead of a Richter scale, we use a Stratton scale. You got suspended, and it was a ten. If the sheriff finds out I'm helping you, he'll go off the charts."

"He won't find out." Jack kicked off his shoes and pulled off the baggy pants. "It will take fifteen minutes. Just head out of the apartment and walk the route we talked about."

Donald pulled his shirt off and revealed a bulletproof vest.

He's wearing a vest? I didn't wear mine because it would make me look too bulky. Don't say anything.

Jack tried not to frown but his lips curled down regardless.

Donald must have noticed. "Do you not want me to wear it?" He stopped with the shirt halfway over his head.

"No. It was good thinking. I have a couple pounds on you."

Nod. Smile.

Jack nodded, and Donald smiled as he pulled the shirt down.

"Can you repeat the route for me?" Donald reached out, took the hat off Jack's head, and pulled it down on his.

"You're going to just do a big S, okay? You'll end up at the Old Mill Apartments...if you make it that far. If you do, go around to the parking area and just wait."

Donald nodded. "Should we switch shoes?"

When he looked down at Donald's feet, he shook his head. "We may be the same height, but what size shoe do you wear, a four?"

"Shut up. I have small feet. Here I am helping you, and-"

Jack held his hand up. "Sorry. Keep your shoes." Jack pulled Donald's cap down lower as he flipped the collar of his jacket up. "Ready?"

"Did she follow you from your apartment?" Donald repeatedly rolled his shoulders and took deep breaths.

Jack shrugged. "I hope. I want her guessing what I'm up to, so get out of here fast. I'll give you a minute then I'll go out the back and circle around."

Donald straightened up and then took a step back. "How do I look?" He turned around.

"You look like good bait." Jack grinned.

Donald's eyes widened.

Not the right time to joke, Jack.

"You got this, Donald." Jack put his fist up; Donald swallowed and then b.u.mped it.

Donald took a deep breath, patted his gun under his jacket, and headed out the door.

"Keep your head down," Jack whispered before the door closed.

Jack hurried to the back of the apartment with the little dog following happily behind him. He slipped out the door, as he held the dog back. He jogged to the corner of the building, making sure he kept close to it and in the shadows. While he waited, he clenched and opened his hands.

Wait. She followed me without my knowing before. She knows what she's doing. She'll let Donald get a good distance away from her before she starts to trail him. There aren't many people on the street, so she'll have to keep farther back.

Jack's head stopped scanning when he saw a woman walk down the far side of the street. He strained to see her clearly through the rain and darkness. The weather would definitely help sell his deception, but now it worked against him, hiding her as well. The woman held an opened black umbrella. She wore a black, waist-length coat, high heels, and a medium-length black skirt.

That's not really the outfit for shadowing someone.

The hairs on the back of Jack's neck rose as he swallowed. He let her get almost to the end of the block before he started forward.

No, Jack. She'll be wearing a ninja hood.

He tried to relax as he headed down the sidewalk and followed the woman.

The umbrella is going to screw her up. Limits her view. Maybe she's too focused on him.

Jack stuck his hands in his pockets as he tipped his head slightly forward against the rain.

Look like a guy heading downtown who was too stupid to bring an umbrella. Not a real stretch.

The woman's stride was steady and purposeful. He couldn't see her head, but the whole umbrella shifted like a giant arrow whenever she looked somewhere.

She looks like someone trying to get out of the rain. Maybe it's not her?

The woman stopped at the corner of Elderberry, the street Jack knew Donald had gone up. He could feel his chest tighten as he waited to see whether she'd turn or continue on her way. Elderberry was more of a side street. If she picked it, odds were she was following Donald. The black umbrella shifted on her shoulder when she looked up Elderberry. Jack forced himself to keep walking. The umbrella straightened back up as she stepped off the curb and crossed the road to continue on her way. Jack tossed his hand up.

d.a.m.n.

Just before she reached the other side of the street, she sprang forward and effortlessly leapt over a large puddle. She landed on the b.a.l.l.s of her high heels and turned left so she could continue up the road after Donald.

It is her. She jumped that puddle like Baryshnikov. She's either a dancer or martial artist. She's following him. Now I just have to try to catch Wonder Woman...great.

As Jack turned, he started to run. If he went around, with the route he sent Donald on, he'd be able to cut them off. His feet splashed in the little puddles as he flew down the street and then ducked into the alley that ended right where Donald would pa.s.s. As Jack swung into the back of the alley, he grimaced. Donald was already walking by and he was walking too fast.

He's too nervous. She's going to know something is up and back off if he doesn't slow down.

The woman walked into view on the other side of the road. When she reached the alley directly across from the one Jack was in, she turned to head straight down it.

d.a.m.n. She knows he's onto her. She's rabbiting.

Jack bolted from the shadows and sprinted across the street. He cast a quick glance and could see Donald in the distance, still walking too fast with his head down, unaware she was no longer following him. The front portions of the alleys crisscrossed downtown and were kept clean as the result of an overzealous ticketing program. However, the back ends of the alleys, through which Jack now raced headlong, were regularly used by the businesses and were lined with boxes, dumpsters, shipping pallets, and trash.

He turned the corner. The alley was deserted. Jack continued to sprint forward. As he approached a big green dumpster on the right, he saw a discarded high-heel shoe sticking out underneath it. He stopped and was just able to get his arms up in time to block the attack as she leaped out and swung the closed umbrella in a wide arc at his head. Jack's forearm deflected the blow, although he growled in pain as the umbrella bent around his arm. He slid to a stop and turned to glare at the woman as she slipped her jacket off her arms.

She was j.a.panese and stood around five six. As her front hand snapped into a guarded position, Jack could see the muscles in her arms clearly defined. Her skin was a pearly white; her eyes and teeth gleamed in the rain. She was uniquely attractive; her jaw and cheekbones were so angular it gave her an almost wolfish appearance.

She tossed the broken umbrella behind her, but Jack noticed her left hand stayed low and drawn back. He moved half a step toward the wall.

Take her down fast and hard. Wonder Woman kicked your a.s.s before, Jack. It doesn't matter she's a girl.

She moved the opposite way; her eyes never left his chest. Jack saw the tip of a knife in her left hand just as his foot touched the edge of a large metal trashcan.

She's faster than me. Much faster.

Jack grabbed the trashcan and heaved it at her.

I have to be meaner.

The contents of the trashcan flew out in a spray of debris. Jack lunged forward and then stopped. He thought she had only one way to go-through him-but he was wrong. She grabbed the top of the dumpster, flipped herself onto the cover and then over the side. Jack grabbed a wooden pallet, took one large step, and launched it at her.

She turned in time to see it and tried to block it, but it crashed into her and sent her sprawling backward. She groaned as she landed hard on the pavement. Jack saw the knife skitter out of her hand.

As he moved forward, he watched, amazed, as the woman scrambled to her feet. Jack started forward, but Donald suddenly ran around the corner and ran straight into her. His gun was out, but he held it low while he ran.

Donald hesitated. She didn't. She grabbed his gun hand while she elbowed him in the face. Jack stopped and drew his gun, but he was too late. She was already shielded behind Donald. She pressed Donald's gun into his back. Donald's hands went out, and he looked desperately at Jack while his mouth twitched.

"Easy..." Jack kept the gun pointed at the woman.

"Put down your weapon, Officer Stratton." The woman's voice was remarkably calm.

"Not a chance. Drop the gun."

"We want the same things, Officer."

"Good. Start with me wanting you to put the gun down." Jack moved forward as she moved back with Donald.

"I prefer to have this conversation some other time."

Jack's jaw tightened, and he raised his gun a little higher. He could see her shoulder as she moved back.

It's not a good shot. No one else would take it...

"Last chance, lady."

Donald lifted his hands up slightly and waved them. "Don't. Please, Jack."

"You will not shoot, Officer."

"I will," Replacement yelled from behind them.

The woman stopped moving. Jack stepped sideways to see Replacement with her feet, shoulder-length apart, holding a gun aimed at the woman's back.

Where the h.e.l.l did she get a stupid gun?

"You won't shoot." The woman's eyes narrowed, as she looked first at Replacement and then back to Jack.

She's not sure of that.