Surreptitious continued

        At 6:30 she met Thomas in the hall. “You look like a lady,” he commented dryly.

        “That’s what I’m supposed to be today.”

        “What’s your name today?”

        “Natalya Ryan.”

        Thomas walked around to the street side of the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. “I’ll drive.”

        “No you won’t.”

        He sighed and walked back around to the passenger’s seat.

        Coleen started the car and then shut it back off. She pursed her lips and nodded at Thomas.

        “You know, we only keep you kids around if you can get the job done.”

        “What are you talking about?”

        “You don’t have a gun.”

        “What?”

        “You’re not carrying a gun on you anywhere.”

        “There’s one in the-”

“I know that, but the briefcase isn’t good enough.”

Thomas took a pistol out of his briefcase and sullenly stuffed it into his shirt. His eyes narrowed and he looked angrily at Coleen.

“How did you know I wasn’t carrying?”

“Do you really expect me to answer that? You’re not my problem and I’m not about to help you out with something you can solve yourself. If you want to know how I could tell, you’re going to have to tell me how many guns of what size I’m carrying and where.” Thomas stared at her for a minute.

“How am I supposed to figure that out?”

“How did I?"