by Lisa Hughey
They settled into a booth in the corner. Alex faced the door and Kita sat across from him, her back to the entrance. The vinyl seats and Formica tabletops were throwbacks to an earlier era. A neon sign in the window flashed “Open” in bright red, and the daily specials were written on a chalkboard. An old-fashioned cash register sat at the end of the counter near the row of swivel stools.
While they waited, Alex ordered a coffee, Kita an iced tea. The silence around them was comfortable, easy. He hated having to interrogate Darla Nichols. He couldn’t imagine that a sitting member of the House of Representatives was involved in stalking a federal judge but she was on the list of lovers. And that meant she had to be questioned.
Congresswoman Nichols made her way to their table. She had on the DC power suit, navy with a tight skirt, white blouse, demurely cut, and a buttoned blazer. Her official House of Representatives pin with the eagle and the seal on her lapel was her only adornment besides the plain gold wedding band on her left ring finger. She wore matching navy pumps in a low chunky heel and bold red lipstick.
Alex stood as she approached the table. Kita turned around, and if he hadn’t been observing Darla Nichols closely he would have missed her slight falter when she recognized his partner.
“Deputy Marshal Saunders, I presume?” The congresswoman ignored Kita. “What’s the judge’s aide doing here?”
“Ms. Kim is working with us on the judge’s case.” Alex didn’t mention Adams-Larsen or the fact that Kita wasn’t really the judge’s aide.
He hadn’t given her office any information except that he was investigating a threat to a client, and her name had come up and he wanted to know if she knew anything. She didn’t react but slid gracefully into the seat next to Kita and across from Alex. She arched a dark eyebrow. “Bobby is the case?”
Alex inclined his head.
“Well, I’ve only got fifteen minutes, so let’s get to it.” She smiled, politely but with a subtle edge that implied she’d be willing to be more than polite if the interest was there.
Her obvious ploy to distract him was annoying. But Alex remained professional. Before he could continue, Kita said tightly, “Your name came up during an investigation regarding threats against Judge Adams.” Her words held a combativeness that no one could miss.
Shit. This was not the time to antagonize a sitting congresswoman.
Alex’s blood pressure rose. If Darla Nichols took offense, they’d have a whole different problem on their hands.
Darla swiveled to face Kita. “Why would I threaten Bobby? He’s an influential man with the ear of people who have the ability to place me on the committees I want, aiding in my career advancement.” She shook her head, implying “silly girl,” and turned back toward Alex.
Thank God, she hadn’t taken offense at Kita’s hostile attitude. They couldn’t just go around accusing a distinguished congresswoman of stalking.
His worry blew away when she smiled at him again. This time he smiled back.
“Let’s make this quick, shall we?” Darla said crisply. “Yes. I have had sexual relations with Judge Adams. Yes, I know that he is actively involved with several women. No, I’m not jealous. Bobby and I have an understanding. He’s been influential in helping me meet the right people in DC.”
So cold. Delivered with no emotion beyond a jaded amusement and clear boredom, as if they were wasting her time with this line of questioning.
“So you are unaware of the threats to his person?” Alex asked before Kita could piss her off again.
“Eh. People say they milk chickens.”
Kita frowned. “I’ve never heard that saying before.”
“My grandmother, who raised me, was from the USSR,” Darla said smoothly. “It was one of her most favorite sayings. It means ‘don’t believe all the rumors.’”
Russian heritage. Interesting.
But the threats to the judge were more than just rumors.
“Anything else?” Darla Nichols glanced at her tank watch, clearly dismissing them.
Alex figured it couldn’t hurt to ask for her opinion. “Do you have any ideas why someone would be targeting the judge?”
Darla jerked her head toward Kita. “Maybe you should be looking at his staff.”
“Bobby knows I wouldn’t threaten him.” Basically implying that they were close. Very close.
“Let me give you a little advice, chickie.” Her low voice sliced through the clinking of cups and utensils, the ebb and swell of murmured conversations. “Use Bobby. But be aware that the only person he cares about his himself, and his son.”
There’d been a note in Darla’s voice, just for a moment, that tripped Alex’s switch.
Kita raised an eyebrow. “You know Marsh?”
The animosity between the two women nearly drowned Alex. Just like when his brother was caught in that rushing stream, he couldn’t save anyone from the coming disaster.
“Of him.” Darla slid out of the booth and stood. “The judge is extremely proud of him.”
Kita snorted. “Well, let me tell you, the admiration is not mutual.”
“Really?” The change in Darla was subtle. Her contemptuous gaze raked Kita up and down. “And how would a mere aide know that?”
Kita’s eyes sparkled with temper. “We’ve been best friends since middle school, b—”
“And I think we’re done here.” Alex put his hand over Darla’s clenched fists.
Fortunately, Kita had pulled back and not actually called the congresswoman a bitch but it was a damn close call.
“Congresswoman, thank you so much for your time.” Alex tried to smooth over the tension.
“Please don’t call me again,” she said. “I am not interested in the judge except as a means to an end. Which could not be accomplished if he were dead and I couldn’t carry on my dear husband’s legacy.”
“Of course.” Alex hoped they hadn’t completely burned her as a witness. “Thank you for your time.”
Darla glanced once more at her watch. “I’m late.” She shot Kita one more speculative look, then strode out of the diner as if she owned the damn place.
Once she was gone, Alex rounded on his partner. “What the hell?”
“She pissed me off,” she said defiantly.
“And so you just decided to insult a member of the House of Representatives,” Alex hissed, not wanting to bring any more attention to their table.
Kita shrugged. “She’s a bitch, Alex.”
She was. But that was irrelevant. “Dammit, you may not care about your reputation but I have superiors to report to.”
Kita shoved out of the booth. Alex tossed a twenty on the table and stomped after her.
She slammed out of the diner, ignoring him. He’d bet his next paycheck she was rolling her eyes at him, but she didn’t say a word.
“You can’t just go around slinging accusations at elected officials.”
She whipped around, fists clenched, eyes blazing. “Something is off with her.” She was breathing heavily.
Alex started to argue but he realized she was right. Darla Nichols had deliberately baited Kita. “What’s your analysis?”
“I don’t know.” Her shoulders dropped and she tilted her head back to stare at the crisp fall sky. “She was off though. The other night at the fundraiser she acted a little weird too.”
“Weird how?”
“She subtly insisted that the judge stay and she would take him home. She seemed pretty annoyed when Shep insisted that we both leave.”
Alex stared down the street at the elegant façade of the Sofitel. His gut churned. “You think a sitting congresswoman has something to do with the threats to the judge.”
“I don’t know.”
“We can’t just accuse her.” Alex could see his career circling down the toilet. And yet he knew what she meant. There was something off about the congresswoman.
“I know that.” Kita said, “I may be a bit of a rebel but despite my actions in the last ten minu
tes, I’m not stupid. However, I can follow an evidence trail like a boss. I need to get back to my computer.”
“How can someone like Darla Nichols piss you off after you survived your mother?” he blurted out.
Her husky laugh surprised him.
“I was terrified of my mother,” Kita said wryly. “Darla Nichols doesn’t scare me. She’s a pussycat compared to Mommy.”
Chapter 17
They’d been studying the case files for the past three hours.
Dwayne, Shep, and the judge were asleep in the three bedrooms, with the judge sandwiched in the middle room. The alarm system was set. Dwayne and Shep were scheduled to take over at midnight and spell Alex and Kita for a six-hour shift. A single bulb lamp in the sparse corner lit the table with intimate shadows.
Kita perched on a folding chair in the dining room, the chair tilted on the back two legs, the front two in the air.
“You’re going to fall back and break your neck.” The little smirk on his face let her know Alex was teasing. He leaned back and rubbed his neck. “Want to take a break?”
“In a second, let me set up this trace.” Kita gripped a pen between her lips, her frown concentrated. There was something there. She just had to find it.
“What are you tracing?”
“Immigration status of Darla Nichol’s extended family.”
“What?” His voice rose.
“Shh.” Kita held up one finger, telling him to wait.
But in her peripheral vision, his face flushed, his hands clenched, and his eyes sparked with temper. His body language distracted her. She could practically see his blood pressure rising. But a little guilt wasn’t enough to get her to back off. Something was wonky with Darla Nichols.
“Jesus, Kita.”
She tried to distract him. “Don’t worry about it. No one will know I was in the system.”
“No one will know?!” Alex shout-whispered. “I’ll know. Besides which, how can you be sure?”
She had to say it even though she was pretty sure she knew what his response was going to be. “I just am. I think we should go after her.”
“We can’t just accuse a sitting congresswoman of stalking.”
Sadly, he was right.
“What if this is someone who’s trying to implicate her, hoping to derail her campaign? If the press got a whiff of our investigation, it would be political death.” His face was white.
Also true.
“I still think something is off with her.”
“Maybe so, but until we have proof we can’t say anything to anyone.”
Yeah. But he seemed averse to pursuing the truth. Even quietly. “Relax, Alex.” Kita said, “I would never put your career in jeopardy. Why are you so worried about this anyway?”
Alex’s jaw flexed. She was pretty sure he was gritting his teeth. “The reason I was moved to the judiciary protection arena was because I’d voiced concern about a witness. He was an informant. He ratted on the mob after his wife was killed.”
“You didn’t approve of the witness.”
“No. I mean, of course I’m not thrilled he was a mob guy. But that wasn’t why I didn’t approve. It’s not my job to agree or disagree about the morality of our witnesses. And I would never let that affect my ability to do my job.”
“So what happened?”
“Yeah, I told anyone who would listen that the guy was not a good candidate for the program.”
Kita waited patiently.
“I didn’t back down but no one agreed with my assessment.”
“And?”
“My gut was right. He was killed within two weeks of being relocated.” Alex blew out a frustrated breath. “I knew there was no way he was going to cut all contact with his mother.”
“So what does that have to do with you blowing a gasket every time I do anything that doesn’t appear to follow your rules?”
“I’m on probation right now. I can’t afford to have any missteps on this case.”
Kita’s guilt mushroomed. So much was wrong about the pairing of the two of them. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. She put her hand on his forearm.
Attraction zinged up her arm, sizzling through her.
“It’s hardly your fault.” Alex countered, his muscles flexing beneath her palm, as if he were restraining himself from touching her.
If he knew what ALIAS did, how they tended to skirt laws and hide people, he’d be completely freaking out.
“What?” he asked.
Kita jerked back from him. “Nothing.”
“You had a funny look on your face.”
“Must have been that cheese I ate for dinner.”
He narrowed his gaze and she forced a smile.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Alex redirected back to the conversation. Unfortunately she figured she wouldn’t be able to answer truthfully. “What did Marsh’s mother mean when she said ‘you and your secret projects’?”
Kita blinked.
It was like he’d heard her thoughts.
“No idea.” She could feel the flush creeping up her face.
Fortunately, they were interrupted by Dwayne. Saved by the Samoan. Kita wanted to laugh. She’d have to be sure to thank him later.
Dwayne rubbed his face. His huge yawn cracked his jaw as he shuffled toward the never-empty coffeepot. He wore gym shorts, a T-shirt, and a shoulder holster. “Hey.” He poured the coffee, which had to be sludge now, into one of the Styrofoam cups. “Shep up yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Cool.”
Alex went into the kitchen to throw away the garbage from their research session.
While he was in the other room, Dwayne leaned in close to Kita and whispered in her ear. “If you’re gonna use any more of those prophylactics, the best bedroom for proper security coverage is the rear one.”
Kita whispered back. “What are you talking about?”
“Next time, empty the garbage can.”
Oh my God. Serious rookie move.
“Fine,” she said grumpily. “But that’s not going to be a problem.”
Dwayne grinned, his straight white teeth framed by those slightly crooked lips. “Makes no difference to me.”
Alex had come back into the dining room and was staring at them distrustfully.
As soon as Shep wandered into the main living area, Kita beat a hasty retreat. “See you in six.”
Unfortunately, Alex was right behind her. “What was that about?” He spoke quietly but forcefully.
“Nothing.” But she kept her gaze averted. The full body flush started at her toes and bled toward her hairline in a blast of embarrassment.
Alex grabbed her arm as she went through the last bedroom door. She didn’t have any desire to sleep in the room they’d used last night.
“It wasn’t nothing.”
“Fine. You want to know?” Kita rounded on him. “Dwayne reminded me that if we’re going to fuck each other we should use this bedroom, so we’re still utilizing maximum cover protection for the judge.”
Alex reared back, then he tugged her away from the doorway. Quietly, deliberately he closed the door, entombing them in the silent midnight air. Somehow she didn’t think it was for sexy times.
Which pissed her off.
Rage pulsed off him in waves.
“What is your problem?” Was he somehow trying to blame her for last night? Kita bunched her fists, shoved up her chin and her shoulders back, bracing for the rejection practically blasting at her.
“You told him?” Alex’s gaze burned as he pushed into her personal space, but what left her speechless was the hurt on his face. Kita hesitated, on unsure ground. Yeah, it was slightly embarrassing but she didn’t worry about the opinions of others. Except, she cared what he thought about her. Against all reason. She cared. Apparently he did too.
“He saw the condom wrapper,” she said quietly.
“Oh.” He had the grace to appear embarrassed. “Sorry.”
“I
s sleeping with me so repulsive then?”
“No. Sorry. I don’t know.”
No and sorry worked. I don’t know, not so much.
Alex thunked his head softly against the door. “I don’t usually have any trouble with following my own rules.”
Was he…?
“But with you…” His brilliant eyes pierced her with an intense stare. “I’m having a hard time remembering why this is a bad idea.”
It was a bad idea. It was a bad idea the first time they did it. And the more she got to know him, the worse idea it turned into. They were complete opposites. And yet, Kita was equally drawn to him. “I don’t typically have a hard time resisting either,” she confessed.
Kita glanced away from his penetrating gaze. Unsure, and even unsettled, because it was true. She had never been overcome with lust. As a matter of fact, she’d always thought her friends were just justifying their own weak behavior when they said they couldn’t help themselves.
The air in the dark silent bedroom heated, and desire swirled through her like a compulsive craving she couldn’t deny. Silence. Awkwardness.
Alex didn’t move.
Kita closed her eyes, shutting out her embarrassment. Guess that was what happened when you put yourself out there. “Well, I’ll just…go.” She pasted a determined smile on her face and stared into his eyes. “See you in the morning.”
Before she could move, he seized her shoulders. His palms heated even through the fabric of her top as he tugged her against his body.
“Tell me this is a bad idea,” he whispered against her mouth. Coffee, cream, and that fresh pine scent overwhelmed her.
Her heart thudded in overtime, her lips tingled, and all she wanted was to fall into this kiss. But he followed the rules, and she was not about to lead him into a situation he would regret later. “You know it is.”
“It doesn’t feel bad,” Alex argued. They were so close she could see his ice blue iris circled with a ring of navy. A color that should be cold but instead burned.
