by Debra Webb
With considerable effort, he reclined into his chair, barely resisting the urge to jump up and do a little victory dance. “What happens next?”
That smile that had toyed with her lips moments ago reappeared full-force. “Now you have to impress the rest of my staff. Do that, and you’ve earned yourself a permanent position here.”
It was his turn to smile. Oh, yes, he was in. “Just tell me what you want me to do and consider it done.”
“YOU’RE CERTAIN about this, Victoria?”
She turned from the view outside her office window to face her second-in-command. “Yes, Ian, I’m absolutely certain.”
He nodded once. “How would you like to begin?”
Victoria considered his question for a moment. The three new recruits were currently in the conference room with a member of human resources. There were numerous forms to be filled out. Benefits to be discussed. All of which would buy Victoria time for this final phase of the plan.
“Let’s start with Mr. Thompson.” There hadn’t actually been any question in her mind. He was the one who stood out to her. The other two, both female, were excellent candidates, but neither possessed the level of in-your-face self-assurance young Mr. Thompson did.
“He’s a cocky one,” Ian offered.
Victoria had to smile. “Yes, he is.”
“You reviewed the background details in Simon’s report?”
“Yes.” Victoria knew of which detail in particular he spoke. Todd Thompson had decided that for his final thesis he would write about taking on a new identity and how easy it would be to fool people. In his opinion, most people wanted to believe what they were told, and he proved as much by living a double life for a short period and fooling all those around him. No actual harm had been done, but the small community where he’d played out his little hypothesis had been less than pleased to learn they’d been deceived by the young man they had presumed to be a traveling missionary from another country.
“He’ll require close supervision,” Ian countered as he considered the four case files in his hands.
“Without a doubt,” Victoria agreed. “I was thinking A.J. would be an excellent mentor.”
Ian nodded. “Perfect choice.”
Though A. J. Braddock was fairly new to the agency, his record spoke for itself. A former marine who’d turned Homeland Security agent, A.J. had worked through a number of domestic crises that required an innate ability to maintain calm in the worst possible situations. Not to mention that as a marine, he’d been one of the first assigned to Iraq when that deadly dictator had been brought down. A.J. would know just how to take the roughest edges off Mr. Thompson.
“The Serena Blake case is my top priority.” Victoria considered, remembering the young woman’s desperation. “I think Mr. Thompson’s unique skill would be an excellent match.”
“Might I recommend that we put these new recruits in the field one at a time?”
Ian’s concern was first and foremost for the agency and its clients. He was absolutely right to make such an assertion. Victoria had already decided as much.
“Agreed.” Victoria took a deep breath. “Shall we brief A.J. first?”
TODD WAITED as patiently as he could for the next step. The other two recruits, Gabrielle Hanson and Michelle Robb, had gone to lunch with Nicole Reed-Michaels.
He wasn’t worried that his being left behind was a bad sign. Nope. He figured he had been chosen for another meeting with the boss.
Or maybe they’d found out about his thesis. There was a good chance he might never live down “Charmed and Dangerous.” He’d shown quite literally that fooling others was a simple matter of determination versus skill. Anyone could do it and anyone could be conned. It was simply easier to believe what one was told. Most folks did just that. And none wanted to learn they’d been wrong. As cynical as some parts of American society had become, folks still preferred the uncomplicated. Believing was far simpler than overanalyzing.
Would Victoria change her mind about him in light of his college exploits?
She’d said she was impressed. Maybe she’d changed her mind since learning a few more details.
The door opened and the woman herself appeared as if he’d somehow summoned her with his troubled musings.
“Mr. Thompson.”
He stood. “Todd,” he reminded her.
“Todd,” she allowed, “this is A. J. Braddock.”
A big guy, definitely former military, Todd decided, considering his bearing and the high and tight haircut, followed Victoria into the conference room. The big guy closed the door behind him and thrust out his hand.
“Mr. Thompson,” he said as he grabbed Todd’s hand, “I’ve heard a lot about you this morning.”
The guy looked sincere and quite friendly. He had to be six-three if he was an inch, close to two hundred pounds. Even the nice suit jacket couldn’t disguise what were likely bulging biceps to go along with those extra-wide shoulders.
“Call me Todd.” He looked from Braddock to Victoria, determined not to be dismissed without an opportunity to prove his worth in the field. “Is this the part where you see if I can play nice with the other kiddies?”
Apparently his humor wasn’t appreciated.
“This,” Braddock said with an edge no doubt prompted by his total lack of a sense of humor, “is the part where we see if you can hold your own with the big boys.”
Todd grinned. “Touché.”
Victoria took a seat at the conference table. Braddock joined her. Todd did the same.
She opened a manila folder and viewed the contents for a moment before she began. “Serena Blake is a lab assistant at Milestone Laboratories.”
Todd wasn’t familiar with Milestone Laboratories so he sat quietly and listened.
A. J. Braddock took the ball. “Serena’s immediate supervisor is a research scientist named Charles Landon. He is also the heaviest investor at Milestone as well as the most renowned scientist on staff.”
Now there was a name Todd recognized. “His pregnant wife went missing a few weeks ago.” Every local channel, and some national, had carried the story for weeks. In the past two or three, the hype had appeared to dwindle, but as far as Todd knew, the woman hadn’t been found.
Victoria nodded. “She was seven months pregnant and simply disappeared. The police have excluded Dr. Landon as a suspect. They believe he is innocent of any wrongdoing and that, in fact, there may not be any foul play involved at all. According to my sources at Chicago P.D., the unanimous conclusion, considering certain details, is that Mrs. Landon left of her own volition. Since the police have no evidence to the contrary and there has been no ransom demand, the case is being treated more like a missing-person case rather than a kidnapping.”
“What kind of details?” Todd wanted to know.
With approval in her eyes, Victoria answered, “A large withdrawal made by Mrs. Landon the day before and a missing photo album from her childhood.”
Todd chalked one up in his favor. His new boss liked that he asked questions. He quickly reviewed what he’d watched about the case on the news and read about in the papers. He’d never heard the name Serena Blake. “So what does Miss Blake have to do with this?”
“She,” Victoria explained, “believes that foul play is definitely involved.”
“She has no evidence,” Braddock put in quickly.
“This is more her gut feelings. Apparently she and Mrs. Landon were friends.”
Todd thought about that for a second. “Does Mrs. Landon have any other friends who support this scenario?”
Victoria sighed. “This is part of the problem. Mrs. Landon had no real friends. She had acquaintances of her social standing with whom she attended parties and sat on various charity committees, but she didn’t have a single true friend that we know of. Even her relationship with Miss Blake had been kept secret from her husband. Miss Blake insists he can’t know about it now.”
“We haven’t confirmed this part
as of yet,” Braddock added. “We only have her word.”
“There is always the possibility that Miss Blake is hoping to damage her boss’s career,” Victoria suggested. Before Todd could ask questions along those lines, she went on. “From what we’ve discovered since she came to us four days ago, there is some tension between her and Dr. Landon. Apparently he has passed her over for promotion once and he requires long hours without additional pay more often than not. I get the impression that he takes advantage of her any way he can. The consensus is that as far as his work goes, he’s quite ruthless.”
Todd shrugged. “Then why take the case?” Seemed like a no-brainer to him. The police didn’t think the guy had anything to hide. Why believe his assistant who, apparently, had reason to want to hurt him?
“First,” Victoria said with a bluntness that told Todd she didn’t like being second-guessed, “Miss Blake was willing to drain her savings to put up the required retainer fee.”
So she was willing to give her life’s savings to get this done. Todd didn’t see where that let her off the hook. Anyone with a little ambition would have done the same and would have considered it an investment in the future.
“Second,” Victoria continued, “if there is even a remote chance that this man had something to do with his pregnant wife’s disappearance, we have an obligation to take the case. As a private agency there are steps we can take that the police cannot.”
Todd knew the statistics; when wives went missing or were found dead, more often than not the husband was responsible. Landon certainly had the kind of money required to get rid of a wife he no longer wanted without sullying his hands. But did that make him guilty?
“Of course, we must tread carefully,” Braddock suggested. “We have to approach this in a way that gives us access without allowing damage to the doctor or his reputation, since he could very well be innocent.”
In other words, they had to pretend to be someone they weren’t. Now he got the picture. This was his specialty.
“Who do we need to be?” he asked with the same bluntness Victoria had used.
“I have a dear friend in nonfiction publishing,” she explained, “who is very interested in genetics, which is one of the main fields of research at Milestone. This friend will allow one of my investigators to open a line of dialogue with Dr. Landon in pursuit of a book about him and his research. Since my friend is genuinely interested, our investigation will set things in motion along that avenue while allowing us to get close enough to make our own conclusions about the good doctor.”
“And if all goes well,” Todd concluded, “Dr. Landon will get a book deal and we’ll have our answers. Miss Blake will simply have to come to terms with her friend’s disappearance.”
“This case is too high-profile to approach it any other way,” Braddock put in, apparently annoyed by Todd’s elementary assessment.
“A.J. is new at the agency as well as in Chicago, making him the logical choice,” Victoria interjected. “There’s little possibility that anyone, including Landon, would recognize him.”
“How do I fit into this scenario?” Todd liked doing things his own way, but he had a feeling that wasn’t going to happen this go-around.
“You’ll be introduced as A.J.’s research assistant,” Victoria told him. “This will be your trial run, Mr. Thompson,” she added, her tone direct and to the point. “If we like what we see on this assignment, you’ll stay on. If not…”
She didn’t have to clarify. “When do we start?” Todd didn’t see the need to waste any additional time. He intended to prove himself beyond a shadow of a doubt. Now was as good a time as any.
Victoria stood. She stopped him when Todd would have done the same. “I’ll leave you and A.J. to work out the finer points. An initial appointment with Landon has been arranged for nine tomorrow morning. I’ll expect you to let me know if you decide to withdraw, Mr. Thompson.”
With that ominous statement, she left the conference room. Why in the world would he withdraw?
“There are a few details we’ll need to iron out, Thompson,” Braddock said, calling Todd’s attention back to him.
“Shoot.”
The look in the other man’s eyes had Todd wishing he’d used some other terminology.
“During the course of this investigation, you will answer to me,” Braddock stated flatly. “You will do exactly what I say when I say. No exceptions. Period. There will be no second chances. Do we understand each other?”
Todd wondered briefly how much of his military time Mr. Braddock had spent as a drill sergeant. “Perfectly.”
Braddock pushed in Todd’s direction what on first glance gave the impression of a simple typed report. “This is your cover profile. Study it. Preparation is the key. I’ll pick you up at eight in the morning. If you’ve changed your mind, you will notify Victoria prior to that time and save us both the unnecessary trouble.”
Why the hell was everyone so concerned with whether or not he would change his mind?
“Don’t worry, Braddock,” Todd replied without reservation, dropping the “mister” as the older man had done when addressing him. “I won’t change my mind.”
The hint of a smile cracked the man’s no-nonsense exterior. “Maybe you’d better read the profile before you make that decision.”
The big guy pushed out of his seat. “Take the rest of the afternoon off, Thompson. Consider long and hard whether you’re cut out for this line of work. The Colby Agency employs only the best. Ask yourself one defining question. Can you, no matter the circumstances or personal sacrifice, be the best?”
Todd didn’t get up. He just watched the other man leave. Then he picked up the single page that outlined his cover for this assignment.
“Might as well see what all the fuss is about.”
Nothing Victoria or Braddock could have said would have properly prepared him for the blow to his ego.
Chapter Four
Her heart pounding, Serena Blake waited in the corridor until Dr. Landon had gone into the conference room. Even then she waited a few seconds more. If he caught her going through his office…
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and blocked the fear. Finding the truth had to be paramount, but if she was fired—or worse—she certainly couldn’t help Molly then. Obviously the police weren’t going to get the job done.
Decision made, Serena moved toward her destination. She had maybe thirty minutes, but couldn’t afford to waste even one precious second. Although she was thankful the Colby Agency had taken her case and had, apparently, arrived, she couldn’t let down her guard. She had to do her part, as well. Molly was counting on her.
Victoria Colby-Camp had warned Serena to be very, very careful. To do only what she felt comfortable attempting and nothing more. Now that Investigator Braddock and his assistant were in place Serena could breathe easier. Still, she had access to places the Colby Agency wouldn’t be able to reach—not legally, anyway. For that very reason she needed to take exceptional precautions.
Two other Milestone Lab employees, both wearing the requisite white lab coats, exited one of the doors on the right up ahead and started in her direction. Serena managed a smile and a brisk “Good morning” as she passed her colleagues.
With her blood roaring in her ears, she scarcely heard their responses, vague good-mornings. Thankfully they didn’t slow down but kept walking. Probably headed for the nearest coffeepot.
Serena took a right onto an intersecting corridor and walked as quickly as she dared to Dr. Charles Landon’s private office. Her much smaller office was right next door. It would take less than five seconds to move from one to the other…all she needed to know was when he left the conference room. She could set the monitor on his desk to observe the goings-on in the conference room, but there was a chance he might notice. A tiny red light came on whenever the viewing cameras were activated.
Did she dare risk it?
Maybe not.
She glanced at h
er watch again. Dr. Landon had been in the conference room for seven minutes. Surely she could count on at least twenty if not the thirty she’d originally estimated the meeting would take.
No more hesitating.
Serena glanced in both directions. All clear. She pulled her badge from her lapel, swiped it for clearance then opened the door in one smooth, swift motion that startled even her.
No more second thoughts. She had to do this.
She eased inside, squeezed her eyes shut and cringed as the door closed behind her with a succinct click of the heavy-duty lock.
It was done.
She was in.
She opened her eyes and her breath promptly evacuated her lungs.
Intense blue eyes stared directly at her.
Male.
Tall.
Longish brown hair.
No white lab coat.
Who was this man? How did he get in here?
She started to scream but he was around the desk and had his hand over her mouth before the sound her brain commanded her to issue left her throat.
“Don’t do that,” he growled.
Deep, husky.
Panic clawed at her as if her frantically racing heart had suddenly sprouted talons and wanted to rip its way from her chest.
He grabbed her right wrist with one hand while the other stayed firmly planted over her mouth, ultimately keeping her pinned to the closed door. He pulled her hand up and studied the badge.
“Serena Blake?” The recognition that flared in his blue eyes did nothing to relieve her rising terror. “Don’t scream, okay?” he urged.
Her head moved up and down, though she wasn’t entirely sure if her brain had actually ordered the move or if it was mere survival instinct.
“I’m Todd Thompson from the Colby Agency,” he explained quickly, his voice whisper-soft but still rough as if he, too, was scared half out of his mind. As he told her this, his hand loosened somewhat but didn’t move completely away from her trembling lips.
