Page 66 of Shadowing You

“I hear you.”

“That doesn’t sound like agreement.” Michael was working with Gavin, and as much as Ethan had always questioned his father’s loyalty to him, Gavin would be more concerned about Ethan’s safety than Mei Lin’s.

“She’s the priority,” Michael said. “I’ll take care of her.”

“Okay.” Ethan had no choice but to trust this cousin he’d never met.

The logical side of his brain reminded him that Michael had saved them more than once in the last couple of days. Knowing that didn’t help how the rest of him felt about any of this.

“She’s in position about a block from the hospital. She’ll go in through a rear door about two minutes after you get inside. She should be able to get the evidence and get out in seven minutes, ten tops.”

Michael sounded confident, but then he hadn’t seen Mei Lin three days ago, legs shaking after walking up a flight of stairs. Out of breath after running a single block. She might have gotten some rest and eaten a few good meals, but that didn’t make her strong.

Ethan was allowing his malnourished, too-weak wife to walk straight into danger. If something happened down there—if Lu Feng’s people found her or a nurse recognized her—would she be able to escape? If not, what could Ethan do?

Nothing. That was the hardest part of this, being away from her and knowing that if anything went wrong, there’d be nothing he could do.

Han pointed to a squat white building up ahead. “That’s it. You ready?”

Ethan nodded at the man who’d play his translator. “Michael⁠—”

“I know. Do your job, and trust me to do mine.”

He would, but only because Michael and Mei Lin had left him no choice.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The e-bike’s motor whined as Mei Lin turned the throttle and pulled into the alley behind the hospital. She kept her chin down and her helmet visor low. The mailbag bumped against her hip with each pothole.

“Door’s clear,” Michael said in her ear. “Two staff smoking by the dumpster. They shouldn’t look twice at you.”

She didn’t trust her voice, so she didn’t answer.

The rear delivery entrance looked the same as the last time she’d seen it. Same chipped paint, same scuff marks. She killed the motor, swung off the bike, and propped it against the wall. The smokers didn’t lift their heads.

She walked inside as if she belonged. The smell hit her first—antiseptic and something faintly herbal from the cafeteria. It was the last that had memories flitting through her mind, sitting across from Ying and chatting over steaming pots of noodles, telling her friend about the plans she and Ethan were making. “As soon as I get my visa…”

Mei Lin kept her gaze lowered to the once-white linoleum. A nurse in pink scrubs passed her without a glance.

Behind her, a door opened, and she caught the sound of raised voices in the hospital lobby. The first she didn’t recognize, but the second was Ethan, shouting about having flown in…

The door closed, and Ethan faded.

Mei Lin moved past a supply room and down the side hall to a stairwell hardly anyone used. The door clicked shut behind her, and she hurried down a flight to the basement. It was colder here, less antiseptic. She moved along the corridor and turned a corner.

A woman was walking toward her. Short, stocky, and familiar, she had more gray streaking the hair pulled back at her nape. It was Nurse Wen, Mei Lin’s old supervisor.

Keep your head down.

She dug into the mailbag as if searching for something.

Nurse Wen’s footsteps came closer. And then she passed and kept going.

Mei Lin let herself breathe, chancing a look as Wen turned a corner.

In her ear, Michael said, “Don’t look, Mei Lin. Focus ahead.”

How was he watching her? She glanced up and caught sight of a camera.