Her eyes widened and a shade of red took over her face. “Oh my god. Get!” She shooed him out and shut the door.
“Some thanks I get,” he spoke through the wooden barrier, but he couldn’t help smirking. He could hear her moving around, and then heard the water running, sending his imagination on a different track, specifically to the condoms he bought.
A stirring in his groin reminded him to redirect his thoughts elsewhere, otherwise, he’d pounce on Stella as soon as she emerged from the shower. He sat on the bed and turned on the television to see the latest on the news. Gould had been found in a shallow grave and was identified by an unnamed person from the Port of Virginia and the authorities had linked the case to Wheeler’s homicide. Question was how they were going to run with it.
Viktor indicated that Schneider wanted dominion over the arms dealing network on the east coast, but he wasn’t keen on moving chemical weapons. However, his connection in Europe was putting pressure on him to do so. One who was a big player in black market weapons and continued to elude the feds, and now that he’d added a chemical component to his arsenal, he’d come on the CIA’s radar. The Guardians had an idea who Schneider’s shadow contact was and proving their link would solidify their case.
Jake must have dozed off briefly in his musings when the click of the bathroom door jolted him straight up in the bed. Stella came out, and he had to do a double take at how different she looked with jet-black hair. He was also very distracted that she was only wearing a robe.
“I’ll have to put on lighter makeup,” Stella said ruefully.
“I got you some. Maia gave me the number and brand.” Jake went over to the bag that was on the TV stand. “Here.”
The awed look she gave him was comical. “You guys think of everything.”
Jake shrugged. “It’s why we do the difficult jobs no other agency wants to take.”
“The plausible deniability ones?” Stella arched a brow.
“No comment.” He pulled Stella back into the bathroom where the lighting was better. “So how did I do?”
He angled her toward the light and inspected her roots.
“I think you did okay.”
“Okay?” He hoisted her playfully onto the counter, wedged his hips between her legs and dug his fingers into her. “Just okay?”
She squealed in laughter while trying to block his hands from her ribs and trying to get off the counter. He chuckled as their bodies smashed together. His hardness—and he was very hard—to her softness. They kissed. Her robe gaped open, fell off one shoulder, and he palmed her tit, relishing the feel of a hard nipple against his touch.
Their tongues dueled frantically as if they were starved for each other. Stella wasn’t even on the counter anymore, her pussy riding his erection as she tried to climb him. She tore her lips away. “Bed,” her thready moan had him lifting her and marching them straight back into the bedroom. They fell on the bed together and his kisses moved from her mouth to her neck, nipping at the pulse, noting her shudder. He explored lower, to her breast, finally feeling her bare nipple on his tongue and he took it in and flicked the tip.
She was panting by the time he reached her belly button and he felt her stiffen and his senses were telling him to stop.
Was he going too fast? He glanced up and saw that Stella’s eyes were riveted on the television.
“Oh my god!” There was no lust in her voice, but there was shock and not the good kind.
He rolled on his back and propped up on his elbows.
News Anchor: “Police are now investigating whether missing patrol officer Stella Hunt was involved in the double homicide of Gould and Wheeler.”
The news went on to say that the detective on the case said they couldn’t comment on the ongoing investigation but a source in the department said that evidence was found on the Wheeler homicide scene that could link back to Stella. There was also a strong suggestion that Wheeler and Stella were having an affair.
“Where are they getting this?” She gathered her robe around her. “This is going to upset Gram. I need to turn myself in.”
“No.”
Stella scrambled off the bed and glared at him. “No?” She stabbed a finger in the direction of the TV. “I gave you guys a chance to do your shit and this is what happened.”
“Don’t you see where this is going? They want to flush you out,” Jake said. “We believe someone in your department is working for them.”
“What are you saying?”
“Schneider thinks you’re in with Wheeler. I didn’t think much about it then, just the ramblings of an egomaniac who couldn’t accept that someone pulled something over him, but he said something big is going to hit the news. Either they got something of yours from the scene or someone in your department planted evidence.” Jake’s eyes followed her agitated form pacing the room. “Tex thinks Sal has information we need. Now is your chance to go undercover with me.” He glanced at the television screen which showed a picture of her in her uniform with her hair in a bun. “You don’t look anything like your picture on TV. You have a better chance of getting to Sal than I do.”
She stopped pacing; her face troubled. “I don’t know Jake. This is going to kill Gram. Wouldn’t it be better if I gave up now and cleared my name?”
“Then all this”—he pointed to the TV—“is for nothing. This is exactly what they want you to do. Schneider doesn’t care about the guns as much as he cares that a woman got one over him. Are you going to let him win?”
“If that’s reverse psychology, it’s not working.”
Jake’s phone went off. He glanced at his device on the night table, recognizing the ring tone. “That’s Tex. Pearl probably saw the news and wants to talk to you.”
A conflicted look came over Stella’s face. “I don’t know what to do.”
“What you won’t do is let Schneider win,” Jake said grimly. He glanced at his phone. “Now let’s call Pearl so she won’t worry.”
13
Her scalp was killing her the next morning.
Jake cast her a look of sympathy. “Still itchy?”
“Yes.” They were sitting in the pickup truck staking out the house of Salvatore, the bartender of Last Call. The previous evening, Drake and Marcus stopped over at the tavern and chatted him up. He seemed jumpy when they mentioned the recent homicides in Virginia Beach—a perfectly valid topic of conversation—but Sal did his best to change the subject.
From what the two former SEALs could tell, none of the Krieger United crew were at the bar last night and this morning, the office was closed.
“Schneider has gone into hiding,” Jake said. “Tex is coming up with a list of possible hideaways.”
Stella raised her hand to dig through her hair again. It was obvious that black wasn’t her natural color. Her skin had yellow undertones and clashed with the bluish black, but Jake was thorough with his shopping and got her the right foundation. Apparently, the Guardians had a website for standard covers. Biker Babe was one of them and listed the items needed and where to get them. Most were convenience store brands or items easily obtained in those twenty-four-hour supercenters. Aside from her hair, her clothing was also scratchy, even though she’d dumped a ton of fabric softener in them the night before. She had on a faux leather jacket which made a lot of squishy noises when she moved.
Stella longed for her own clothes, but the stakes were higher than ever. She was now implicated in two homicides—the shooting of Gould was justified but was twisted in a way that made it look like she did it in cold-blood, although Jake assured her the Guardians had the connections to clear her name.
“Are we sure he’s in the house?” she asked.
“The car he uses is parked right there.” He pointed to a dark gray Corolla. “I got the plates from Drake this morning.”
“What time does he usually head to the bar?”
“Around four.”
“So he’s sleeping?”
“Yeah.”
> “Then we need to execute our plan.” Her heart took a leap as she thought about what they’d come up with.
Jake looked around as though uncertain. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“He knows you and if he’s in any way hiding something about Schneider, I can get a read on it.” Or try. At his continued hesitation, she added, “Look. He knows what Drake and Marcus look like. He probably could spot Tex as a Team guy a mile away too. I’m your best bet.”
Stella thought Jake was still going to balk at letting her approach Sal when he huffed in resignation. “All right. Make sure your comms are working.”
Thinking how she was being framed, a steadfast purpose steeled her spine and she affixed her earpiece and attached the mic behind her collar. She wasn’t going to wait for the Guardians to clear her name. She could do this herself. If what Jake said was true of Sal, how he warned him at the bar not to take a job with Schneider, then the bartender had dirt on the neo-Nazi gang leader. Butterflies were having a field day in her stomach and she resorted to humor to quell the jitters. “Raider, raider, do you copy?”
He emitted a brief chuckle and touched her cheek in affection. “I wished Tex had eyes on the property. None of his contacts could spare the bandwidth at the moment.”
“I thought your Viktor was almighty?”
“He has his own battles in DC.”
“Is that why he isn’t here?”
Jake looked away. “I’m not in a position to say.”
Stella knew the look, knew no further information was forthcoming so she pushed open the door. “Okay. I’m going in.”
Salvatore’s home was a typical ranch house. It was in a neighborhood recently reclaimed by the residents from the gangs. A strong sense of community and a vigilant crime watch group had driven criminal activity away from the area. At least that was what Tex’s intel told them anyway. That also made her cover easier.
She rang the doorbell and waited.
Nothing.
She spied the surveillance camera at the corner of the portal casement when she came up the steps. Pretending not to notice it, she pressed the bell again, giving Sal time to check the security app to make sure he didn’t have a dangerous visitor. For good measure she popped the gum she had in her mouth.
She had a small gun tucked behind her waist, hidden by her leather jacket, and another one in her boots. Her very uncomfortable boots, but it did help with the whole biker chick persona. She also remembered the awe she experienced when Jake took her to Castle Rock’s armory and she selected her choice of handguns.
Stella was about to knock when footsteps filtered toward her from inside. The door opened a fraction, the safety chain was on.
“What do you want?” Sal was a tall thin man with bushy brows and a cap of salt and pepper hair. It made his thin angular face and hawk nose more prominent.
“Jimmy Salvatore, right?”
“Who wants to know?”
“I’m Tanya. Tanya Carver. Benedict is my friend and said you’re the guy in the neighborhood who can hook me up with a job.”
“Don’t know no Benedict.” The door was about to close, so she put a palm on it.
“Wait. Benedict Waters? He lives in that brick house.” She pointed diagonally toward the residence at the corner.
“You mean Benny?”
“Yeeaah,” Stella drew the word out and nodded, popping the gum and looking at Sal as if she’d hit the jackpot. She was beginning to get the hang of this undercover crap, and the thrill of falling into a role trumped her earlier anxiety.
Sal sighed in resignation. “I owe Benny a lot.” He removed the safety and opened the door fully. “But this is getting ridiculous. I’m not a recruitment agency.”
Stella hesitated because his statement conflicted with letting her into his house, but Benny must have done him a big favor. The aroma of coffee hit her nose as she crossed the threshold and she spotted the coffee maker brewing on the kitchen counter. Sal closed the door behind her and re-attached the security latch, making sure to lock it before sliding an extra bolt across. He had on a wife beater, pajama bottoms, and slippers—probably had just woken up. He then walked ahead of her toward the kitchen where a toaster oven was lit, emitting a low hum which explained the smell of waffles that permeated through the house.
The living room was dark and, with all blinds drawn, it was hard to make out the furniture having just come in from outside. But the kitchen was awash in light, receiving most of the morning sun.
“You don’t have a resume?” he asked, taking a peek at the waffles.
“Well, see … I’m a Jill of all trades,” she said. “I can do anything. Heard you run a bar.”
“Just the bartender, honey,” he said as he motioned for her to sit.
She did.
“So how do you know Benny?” Sal brought out the waffles and moved to the coffee machine which finished brewing. “Coffee?”
“I’m good,” she responded to the beverage question first to give her time to frame her Benny answer. “He helped me out one time, got me a job at the gas station.”
“Didn’t pan out?” He motioned to the breakfast food. “Waffles?”
She made a hand gesture that she wasn’t hungry. “Nah, my ma wanted me to work a safer job.”
Sal laughed. “Safe? Not at Last Call, honey. The guys there are bruisers. Think you can stop a bar fight?”
She had done that last summer, but she was in uniform then, which at most times had the effect of sobering up the drunks. “The trick is to stop it before it escalates. What is the rule of cutting people off when they’d had too much?”
“That’s a case-by-case basis.”
“Oh?”
“I know the mean drunks from the chill ones.” Sal shrugged and started to eat. “First I make sure there’s a designated driver—wait a minute. Why am I explaining this to you?”
Stella smiled. “Because you’re giving me the job?”
Sal looked amused at her impertinence. “And do you know what job I should give you?”
“A waitressing one. I’ve got a good eye for the troublemakers too.”
The bartender sighed. “We do need a new waitress. They keep quitting.”
“Uh-oh. Why?”
“Now if I tell you, you wouldn’t want to come work, but you shouldn’t worry for now.”
She pretended to act wary, uncertain. “Why?”
“The man and his crew who are causing trouble are not around at the moment.”
“If he’s trouble, why don’t y’all keep him out of the bar?”
“He and my boss are tight.”
“Oh.”
“So why wouldn’t I want the job if he’s there?”
Sal stood up to pour himself more coffee. He offered her a cup again, but Stella declined. He shrugged, leaned against the counter, and took a sip from his mug. “Let’s say he has a way with women.”
“He likes the girls too much? Handsy?”
“Quite the opposite. Schneider doesn’t have a high opinion of women.”
She lapsed into silence as her hackles rose. Add misogyny to the growing list of Schneider’s sins … and Sal just confirmed that the man wasn’t going to be around for a while.
Her earpiece crackled for the first time and Jake spoke, “A man just showed up and looks like he’s heading toward Sal’s house. He looks vaguely familiar. Get out of there now.”
Stella heard a car door slam.
“Can’t quite place him. But he’s not one of Schneider’s men,” Jake added. “Hear me, Stella. Abort now.”
Sal eyed her curiously and then, mistaking her non-response for second thoughts, he said, “He’s not violent, but you need to have a thick skin when dealing with him.”
Stella sat back in her chair. “Since you’re being honest with me, I’ll be honest with you too.” It was a wonder how that lie came so easily to her. “I don’t plan to stay in this town for long. Just want to make enough money to get out of here.”
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Sal chuckled, took a sip of his coffee and pointed at her with his mug. “If you’re expecting to make killer tips, think again. It’s a blue-collar bar, honey.”
“Well, can I make enough tips to buy a bus ticket? I have some savings, but I don’t want to touch it for traveling expenses. Could use the extra cash.”
“Then you leave me high and dry again? Train a new person?”
“You said they don’t last long anyway.”
“Got a point there.”
“How long will that man be away?”
“Schneider?”
“Yes.”
“Hard to tell. Just told me not to expect him for a few days.”
“I’ll take my chances. When do I start?”
His eyes narrowed. “What makes you think I’m gonna hire you?”
Before she could answer, the doorbell rang.
Sal frowned and mumbled as he walked across the living room. “Busy morning.”
Jake came on comms again. “Dammit, Stella. If there’s a back door, leave!”
“Wait. This might be an opportunity,” she whispered. He didn’t answer, but a sound came over her earpiece almost like a growl. Stella held her breath as Sal checked the sidelights, paused as if contemplating whether to open the door until someone pounded on it.
“Know you’re in there, Sal.”
Stella froze. That voice.
“What do you want?”
“Schneider wants a chat.”
“I have a guest. I can’t leave.” Sal glanced at her over his shoulder and Stella nodded, but she was too stunned to do anything else.
“When the boss says jump, you jump. You know that.”
“He’s not my boss.”
“Well he’s your boss’s boss. So that makes him yours. I’ll have you back within the hour.”
“Where’s Schneider anyway?” Sal asked.
“He’s on the move. He thinks feds are on to him.”
“You hear that?” Stella mumbled to Jake.
“Get out of there now, dammit! Use the back door.”
Protecting Stella (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) Page 10
