Mindwarp

by Tara Nina

  From the agent standpoint, he should ask why she was a patient of Dr. Riyad? Was she simply a patient or a partner in some sort of twisted scheme? The male libido wanted to take a different approach entirely. Are you married? Dating? Will you go out with me? Nolan froze. Where had those questions come from? He didn’t have time for a relationship.

  Looking at her, part of him wanted nothing more than to ask her out. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Something about her stirred to life a spark he thought had died when his college girlfriend stomped his heart flat by dumping him to marry a rich tycoon’s son. When he’d first joined TFI, a small portion of him hoped to find a dirty money trail on that particular businessman and dash her dreams of fortune. But the rich playboy did it to her himself with a black market scandal that landed him in prison. He shook the thought of his last disastrous try at love from his head. This meeting wasn’t about dating. It pertained to gaining information on a possible terrorist suspect. Nothing more. Half-heartedly he tried to convince himself of that.

  When he’d removed his hat, he caught the flash of a momentary approving gaze that reassured his male ego she liked what she saw. At least that’s what he secretly hoped even though he tried to deny it.

  Nolan couldn’t help the smile. He truly liked her moxie. Straight forward questions, distinctive air of being in control even though he read a swirl of nervous emotions beneath her exterior. The perfect woman created for him sat across the table and he couldn’t act upon his desires and ask her on a date. No, he was working and until further notice, she was a possible lead in this investigation. Nothing more, nothing less.

  Soaking in her beauty, he hoped he was wrong. Twice she’d asked him what he was doing in the doctor’s office. He needed an answer but his mind had bogged down with thoughts of Amelia. He ran a hand through his hair and noted her gaze followed his every move. If he hadn’t read it wrong, he swore he saw a spark of sensual heat in her eyes. Stop it, he reprimanded himself. This woman wasn’t his to fantasize about. What if she turned out to be a suspect? Where would that leave a relationship? Relationship, again with that insufferable word. He battled the urge to roll his eyes. He didn’t even know her.

  Taking a deep breath, he redirected his thoughts and focused on the conversation and not the fullness of her voluptuous lips. He delved into his trove of training and came up with what he believed to be a plausible excuse for his presence in that room.

  “I’m a client. I have issues with . . .” He deliberately paused, leaned closer to her across the table, shot a quick glance around, then continued in a whispered tone. “I’m a businessman with a strong desire to pick locks. It’s a problem the good doctor claims he can cure. I dropped by to see him. The office was locked so I let myself in. I didn’t expect him to come in with another client so I hid, embarrassed that I’d be caught doing the one thing I wanted his help to rectify.”

  Amelia leaned forward as well. Something in her eyes suggested she wasn’t buying it, even though she asked, “Do you steal anything after you pick locks?”

  “No, I just like opening things that are locked, be it a door, a safe, whatever.” He shrugged, sitting erect. The woman intrigued him. What was her game?

  “Then what’s the problem if you don’t take anything?”

  “I’m afraid that one day I might.”

  “I guess that’s a justifiable reason.” The slight smile that touched her lips had him staring at her mouth. “Did you let Dr. Riyad know you were there after I left?”

  “No.” He shook his head, hoping to clear the sudden need to taste her mouth. “I was too embarrassed. I waited for them to leave. I was on my way out when you knocked on the window.”

  “Why’d you answer if you were in the free and clear to escape? I was the only one who saw you and I didn’t get a look at your face, just one eye.”

  Her question made sense. Why did he? For a split second he considered his reasons, but drew a blank. He hated leading her on and not telling her exactly who and what he was. But he couldn’t. Not until he learned the truth about her. Every ounce of him wanted desperately to clear her name and extinguish any possible connection with the hypnotist. Especially if it turned out the man was a terrorist.

  Instead of answering, he fired several questions point blank. “Why didn’t you turn me in? You could’ve said something. Why didn’t you? And better yet, why’d you tap on the window?”

  Amelia’s mouth dropped open for a second as if she would speak, but didn’t. She sat back, closed her mouth, and sifted through her reasoning. Never had she been this bold. Why didn’t she turn him in? No matter how hard she thought about it, she didn’t have an answer. Something in her gut had led her to make that decision.

  “I’m not sure why I didn’t.” She held a level gaze on him. The warmth in his eyes soothed her unease and helped give her the confidence to continue. It suddenly didn’t matter how she’d met him. Instantly, she wanted to learn more about him and help him in any way she could. Even if she sensed he hid the truth. “You’re probably going to think I’m crazy, but I read something in your gaze that asked me not to.”

  Nolan reached across the table and took her hands in his. “I don’t think you’re crazy. I’m grateful you didn’t say anything. How about I buy you lunch and the two of us get to know one another, not as clients of Dr. Riyad but as possible friends?”

  “I think that would be a fine idea.”

  She wasn’t sure why she agreed. Part of her was ecstatic over the opportunity to learn more about this handsome stranger. After all, they were in a very public place, so she knew she was safe. The other part of her warned he wasn’t being entirely truthful and it would probably be best if she left. On a heavy sigh, she shrugged, realizing she wasn’t being entirely honest with him either. There was no way she intended to explain her reasoning for being a client, even if he did ask.

  “Here’s to forming new friendships.” He motioned for a waitress.

  * * * *

  Several days earlier, their lunch had lasted into the late afternoon. Once the conversation changed from how they’d met to learning more about each other, the time had flown. Amelia couldn’t believe she’d agreed to have dinner with him on Saturday night. It wasn’t like her to give her personal cell phone number to a man she’d just met. But she did and it thrilled her to the core to know he had it. They’d spoken twice since then. Once, Nolan called just to say hello. The second time, he called to confirm their date, the time and place where he should pick her up.

  In between images of a hot, red-headed Irishman with sexy freckles and a heart-stopping smile, nightmares plagued her. Amelia tossed and turned, then finally gave up trying to sleep. The long bubble bath and glass of red wine before bed hadn’t helped. She sat upright, plumped the pillow, and leaned against the headboard, staring into the darkness. Several nights in a row she’d had the same terrifying nightmare. Vague images danced in her head. The distinct sensation of having to do something gripped her soul. But what? What did she have to do?

  Thrashing a hand through her hair, she tried to calm her nerves. The dreams were getting worse, more controlling. Amelia sorted through her twisted thoughts, listing the when and why these nightmarish episodes started. If memory served her correctly, the dreams began after her first session. Had Dr. Riyad tapped into a hidden memory in her subconscious through hypnosis as he suggested?

  No. She shook her head. She doubted there were any diabolical memories buried. Having grown up with six older brothers who protected her every move, nothing bad had ever happened to her. They made sure of it. Amelia sighed heavily. No, these dreams pertained to something else. No matter what the good doctor wanted her to believe, her gut instinct suggested otherwise. That, plus meeting the handsome Nolan O’Connell spurred her suspicions behind the truth of his strange visit to Dr. Riyad’s office.

  She was certain he wasn’t a client of the hypnotist as claimed. Something about him didn’t add up. Every now and then during their
conversation, he’d randomly asked odd questions about her relationship with Dr. Riyad. She sensed there was more to Nolan’s persona than he let on and she intended to find out every nuance about the sexy man. Whether Nolan meant to or not, he had increased her concerns about completing her appointments with the hypnotist. Should she or shouldn’t she?

  A knot tightened in her chest as anxiety brewed. She hadn’t thought about the sanctity of her job when she started these sessions. All she’d wanted was to lose unwanted pounds. Nolan’s statement of concern over the possibility of losing his job if they found out about his lock-picking addiction started her thinking of her position.

  Had she spilled any secrets? This fear surmounted all others. She loved her job. As accountants for the United States Mint, she and Louisa both held a high security clearance at the United States Bullion Depository. They kept and maintained detailed logs of every item within those vaults. Quarterly, they inventoried different sections, one of which was due within the next few weeks.

  The average accountant’s life consisted of crunching boring numbers and doing taxes, but hers was far more enjoyable. Few got the opportunity she had to keep the records of the United States’ gold reserve and its indescribable secrets. Her heart swelled with pride. Amelia pulled the covers to her chest. Was she overreacting to these dreams? Were they nothing more than just nightmares? Louisa seemed to think they didn’t mean anything. But Nolan had shown a true interest. He’d questioned her about the conversation he’d overheard between her and Dr. Riyad. Their detailed discussion continued to stir her curiosity and doubts at the same time. Why was Nolan interested in her odd dreams? The one thing that bothered her most . . . had she spilled something to Dr. Riyad about her job that could get her fired?

  The whole thing was making her jittery and more suspicious of everything. Just the other day, she bumped into the janitor, Hubert, coming out of her office and was almost certain he’d been through her desk drawers. After finding nothing missing but the garbage from her can, she realized how far this growing anxiety controlled her. She had even sworn Hubert was following her around the workplace. Louisa suggested she was simply noticing him more because Terrence had spoken about him and told her the man’s name. Still, Amelia couldn’t shake the feeling something was not right with that man.

  Amelia shivered. As Louisa had claimed, it was probably all the healthy deli food they’d been consuming over the past week causing these dreams to worsen. She couldn’t help but smile as she remembered that chat. Their lunch with Terrence hadn’t been awful like she’d expected. He’d been astonishingly fun and personable, making jokes about the health food while they ate. They’d enjoyed his company so much the three of them became lunchtime pals. She hated to admit it, but he’d turned out to be likable. Instead of avoiding him, they’d managed friendly conversations when he’d made his rounds delivering the departmental mail.

  But he wasn’t Nolan. She sighed. Now, there was a man who excited her soul. Though she didn’t know him well, she found him astonishingly attractive and hungered to see him again.

  One glance at the clock showed she needed to make another attempt to sleep. Work came early and she had her third appointment with Dr. Riyad scheduled for late afternoon. She snuggled into her blankets, readjusted her pillow, and tried to focus on her favorite part of the job—inventory. It was the only time any section of the vault was opened. More than just gold rested within its walls. Few knew what she did, and as long as she lived she never planned to share that knowledge with anyone. Amelia closed her eyes and prayed for sleep.

  Think of Nolan, a little voice whispered in the back of her head. Unable to stop the smile that tugged at her lips, she cuddled her pillow and sighed. The gorgeous image of Nolan’s freckled face with the deep dimples when he smiled, the dark-brown eyes, and the sexy, red hair filtered into her thoughts, luring her into a comfort zone. Sleep finally came as she fantasized about tracing every freckle on his person with the tip of her tongue.

  * * * *

  The day after he visited Dr. Riyad’s, Nolan and Francis set up a surveillance location in a vacant office situated across the street and two doors down from the suspect’s office. Several days passed and no activity occurred. He’d managed to plant a bug in the session room, but no video equipment. At least they had ears. He and Francis took turns watching the place.

  DNA and fingerprints from one of the cups came back as Amelia’s. Somehow she’d taken root in Nolan’s brain and refused to dissipate. A twinge of guilt tugged at his soul for reading the chart containing her profile. She lived in the Rosewood Apartments, was unmarried, had no children, and was a civilian accountant for the United States Mint assigned at Fort Knox. He’d nearly spewed his coffee when he discovered that tidbit of information. What made matters worse was another of the names on the list he’d found in the doctor’s desk drawer. Louisa Langley also worked as an accountant at Fort Knox.

  What did a so-called hypnotist want with two accountants employed at Fort Knox? The same thing he wanted with the other four ladies on his list—money. A knot formed in Nolan’s gut at the idea his theory might be right. Someone was plotting to break into the impenetrable vault. Was Amelia in on it or simply a pawn in this madman’s game? God, he hoped for the latter of the two scenarios. She was the first woman in years to intrigue him and taunt his dreams. He snorted as he continued to watch the office. He had a job to do, which didn’t include getting involved with a possible suspect.

  Finally, late Friday afternoon, Dr. Riyad and Mina returned. This time, Nolan spotted their vehicle and took photos of the license and car. When he sent the information to Francis, it came back as registered to a bogus corporation. Just like the office, a background check proved it was leased to a ghost company, which led them from one bogus account to another. Dr. Riyad’s true identity was buried under a mountain of subterfuge.

  Slipping out of the surveillance office, Nolan attached a tracking device to the suspect’s car and returned in a matter of minutes. Half an hour later, a small compact car pulled into a parking spot several car lengths behind the suspect’s car. When the car door opened and a sexy, sandaled foot touched the ground, every ounce of him went rigid. Amelia slid from the driver’s side, stood, then closed and locked the door.

  Long, ebony curls hung below her shoulders. Oversized sunglasses hid what he knew were bright green eyes. For five-foot-two, she carried herself well. Dressed in a green summer dress and sensible low-heeled sandals, she looked stunning. When she turned and stared in his direction as if she’d seen him, Nolan lowered the binoculars. Unable to resist, he simply stared, soaking in every inch possible of her perfection.

  She couldn’t see him. Tinted, one-way glass had been installed in the front window when they moved in. Nonetheless, he sensed a connection between them. For a split second, he swore she smiled at him. The professional aspect of his brain sent a blow to his libido that kick-started his brain back to life, forcing him to re-focus. Was this beautiful woman a victim or a willing participant? He couldn’t stop the question from repeatedly tormenting his thoughts. Deep down he leaned toward victim instead of criminal. The moment she walked into the hypnotist’s office, Nolan hesitated before slipping on the headphones. Guilt flooded his system but he had to know.

  Victim or suspect?

  * * * *

  Amelia hadn’t slept well. Every time she’d closed her eyes the sensation of forgetting something cloaked her, making the nightmare return. In the early morning hours, a strange vision became clear, upsetting her even more. A fuzzy image of someone in a gas mask hovering over her caused her to wake with a start. Who was it and what were they trying to make her do? No matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn’t understand the words they’d spoken. It was as if a portion of this nightmare remained hidden just out of reach of her thought pattern. Something prevented it from surfacing and that scared her. In her heart, she knew it wasn’t a recessive event from her past.

  If strange things were happen
ing to her, were they also happening to Nolan? Had he suffered nightmares as well? Was that the real reason behind his impromptu visit to the doctor’s office? Was he trying to uncover something the doctor didn’t want known about his practice? An absurd plan formulated in her head as one scenario after another toyed with her thoughts. She had to know what occurred when she was under Dr. Riyad’s hypnotic trance. Not remembering past the initial sound of his voice at the start of each session bothered her. What did he do to her? What did he say? Something provoked these nightmares and she needed to determine the catalyst. If not for her safety and sanity, then for her best friend, Louisa, and her hot new friend Nolan. There was no telling what the good doctor did to them as well.

  Before arriving at the office, she visited an electronics store and bought a mini-recording device. Nerves wrenched her gut, but determination steeled her spine as she walked. If nothing else, she’d have a recording of their session. Taking off the sunglasses, she wished she could keep them on to hide the dark circles beneath her eyes. Inhaling deep, she prayed her nervousness didn’t show. She tried desperately not to think of the device hidden in her purse.

  For an instant, she focused on the memory of Nolan’s image and it steadied her nerves. Odd, thinking of this new friend aided her determination to succeed at this little feat of espionage. The thought almost made her laugh, but she managed to suppress it. Nolan picked locks and she hid tape recorders in her purse. What a perfect pair they made… Amelia frowned. Where’d that come from? They weren’t a pair or a couple or anything other than new friends. It had to be these dreams making her so addled she’d grappled for any lifeline to hold onto for security. Nolan just happened to be that momentary lifeline and not the leading man in the next chapter of romance in her life. It couldn’t be anything else.