“Settle down? Are you out of your mind? He’s a cheat, a liar, probably a money launderer, and who knows what else?” She placed a hand on her stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
Chase reached out and grabbed her hand in his, squeezing a little too tight. “You’re not going to be sick. Suck it up.” She tried to jerk away from his grip, but he refused to release her.
“How can you defend him?” she moaned, stepping into his personal space. He dropped her hand and moved away.
“Because he was scared out of his mind. He thought he was buying diamonds for you at a discount and didn’t think about what the woman might really be up to. I swear I’m not sure how the two of you survive in this world. If he hadn’t been so gullible, I’d have offed him there on the spot.”
Tessa gasped. “You’re despicable.”
“I most certainly am, and you love it, so stop pretending to be outraged with me. Focus on your pathetic husband who doesn’t have enough sense to come out of the rain.”
“That is quite enough, Chase.”
He laughed again and straightened to his full six-foot-one height. “I couldn’t agree more. What do you intend to do with this news? Do I need to send Zoric to your house to remove all sharp objects? Of course, I can’t promise he won’t take matters into his own hands.”
“If you’re trying to intimidate or scare me, it won’t work.”
“I’m hoping you’ll blow off steam here, and when we go back in with the others, you’ll be the professional I believe you to be.”
“How can I? He cheated on me.”
Chase huffed a sigh and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. “He did no such thing.”
“I can’t believe you’re sticking up for him.”
“Neither can I, but the facts say he was only flirting with trouble. Besides”—he moved back to grasp each of her arms to make sure she didn’t try and escape— “I want to remind you of what you’ve done the last couple of years.” He watched a rosy glow move up her neck then to her face. “In bed with me—”
“Not what it sounds like.”
“No. But what if Robert got wind of it? Then there’s D.C., and oh yeah, a certain tribesman who carried you off into the wilds of Afghanistan. I’m sure you made some compromises there.” Tessa dropped her gaze to stare at her feet. “Sleeping on my couch. The list is growing longer every day you spend at Enigma. Have you lied to him about the work you do here?”
“No. Not exactly.”
“Hmm.” Chase couldn’t resist moving a blonde curl off her forehead. She didn’t shy away anymore from his touch. “There are always secrets. You have so many, it would make his head spin.”
“You’re enjoying this a little too much.” Tessa dared meet his gaze. “Thank you for saving his worthless body.”
Another chuckle escaped Chase’s throat. “You’re welcome. Although he may have been in more danger from Sam than everything else going on.”
“Sam?”
“She came unhinged when she realized who he was. I had to restrain her.” Chase pushed out his bottom lip. “What is it with you two? This love-hate relationship is driving me crazy.”
“Complicated.”
“Physics is complicated. You two are disturbing on so many levels. I think you enjoy taunting each other.”
“Maybe,” she said with a shrug then let her eyes search Chase’s face with a little more tenderness than he expected.
Chase moved toward the door to put some distance between them. She would be his undoing. “Whatever is going on with Robert, he may know more than he thinks. Daniel hacked into the firm’s computers and left a trail the men followed to you and Robert. They were probably going to make sure he was on board with whatever they had planned. I’m not sure how, but Vern took care of all the computer stuff. Time to make Vern and Daniel friends so we know what is going on.”
“No. Enigma and family are not to be connected.”
Chase walked to the door and opened it. “You don’t have a choice if you want them to stay safe. We won’t be invasive. Trust me.”
Chapter 16
H andsome Jones entered the conference room like a suspicious Goliath ready to wipe out an invading army. He filled up the doorway after Chase walked in ahead of him. Each person followed his slow appearance into the doorway. None of the Enigma team trusted the man or his past. There had been discussion at the warehouse of how typical it was for the CIA to recruit a loose cannon like Handsome.
When Chase realized the man hadn’t entered the room, he appraised him from head to toe. “Take a seat,” he ordered then found his own across the table from Tessa who smiled at Handsome like a long-lost friend.
The director rolled out his chair then waved an open palm to the table. “Sit anywhere you like, Mr. Jones. Thanks for coming.”
He pushed into the room, circled the table, and flopped down in a chair next to Tessa. It squeaked with his bulk. “Not like I had a choice. Who are you?” he snorted at the director.
“This is Director Clark, Handsome.” Tessa jumped in the conversation with a voice laced with honey. Handsome frowned over at her but, like a trouper, she kept smiling. “It’s good to see you again so soon.”
Once again, she proved a valued asset to the team as Handsome let one corner of his mouth twitch up into a grin. “Kids okay?”
“Yes. Thank you. They’ve ask about you the last few days.”
He nodded as if the information pleased him before shifting his attention to the director with a renewed expression of apathy. “Why am I here? I’ve done nothing wrong, and yet you keep me like a criminal.”
The others fixed smirks designed to intimidate Handsome.
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
Zoric took out his switchblade and popped it open to whittle away at something under his fingernails. “He was our guest at the warehouse.”
“The warehouse,” Tessa gasped. The place served several purposes. “Why?”
“He needed a place to stay where we could talk without interruption.” Chase shrugged as he rested back in his chair and began a casual rocking motion.
Handsome glanced over at Tessa. “He doesn’t think screaming from other interrogations counts as interruptions.”
Tessa’s lips parted in a sudden exhale as she laid a hand on Handsome’s forearm. “Are you all right? I’m sorry. If I’d known—”
“Stop babying him, Betty Crocker,” Sam sniffed. “He’s a big boy. We didn’t hurt him. We needed some information.”
A chuckle escaped Handsome. “How’d that work for you?”
“We’re trying to find out what is going on in Botswana,” Chase clarified.
“Why?” Handsome snapped. “And what makes you think I know anything about it? Because I’m African American? Please.”
“Don’t play the race card with us, Handsome. You’ve been in and out of southern Africa ten times in the last three years.” Chase propped his elbows on the table after pulling his chair forward. “You said as much over the last few days. What is your interest there? Those weren’t CIA sanctioned trips, and your bank account doesn’t indicate you had the kind of money that would allow travel to exotic locales. You certainly don’t have frequent flyer miles. Are you working for President Baboloki?”
“Ahh. Why didn’t you ask me these questions when we were not having an interrogation?” He took his time to survey each person in the room before letting his attention fall on Tessa. “No. I am not working for Baboloki.” He shrugged and squirmed in his chair that seemed too small for his bulk. “I am an orphan, so it pleased me to try and find out where I came from.”
Chase’s eyebrows went up.
“I can give you my Ancestry.com password. You’ll see it has become an obsession; no different than many who go to play there.” Handsome smiled.
“When you said your mother named you Handsome, you were lying to me?” Tessa couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice.
“Yes. I’
m sorry. Unlike these other people”—he raised his nose in the air as if sniffing something rancid— “you seem like a nice lady. I won’t talk to Captain Hunter, but perhaps we could have dinner tomorrow night, and I can explain.”
“Like hell,” Chase grumbled.
The director stood in a show of dismissal. “Sounds like a reasonable request, considering your stay at the warehouse may not have been up to our usual hospitality.” Although he spoke to Handsome, he leveled a deep scowl toward Chase. “You make the reservations, Captain Hunter, since you seem to have a knack for entertaining these days.”
~~~
Robert glanced at his watch and realized he needed to run by the deli to pick up his order for tomorrow night’s poker game at the house. The kids would already be in bed by the time the guys showed up. Putting only a couple of dimes in the parking meter would give him plenty of time to run in without fear of getting a ticket. When he rushed out, he saw a familiar face inside the jewelry store across the street. Reeva Kaplan.
His gut knotted as he slipped the deli tray onto the front seat of his Lexus. He then dodged a couple of cars crossing the street. By the time he jerked the door of the jewelry store open, he couldn’t see her. Taking another quick glance outside then back inside, a clerk approached him.
“Can I help you?” The man spoke with an accent. Robert wondered if it were British or South African.
“I thought I saw someone I knew a minute ago. A woman.” He raised his hand to show height. “About so tall. Shoulder-length blonde hair. Attractive.”
The clerk shook his head. “I’m sorry. There is no woman here except for our employees. Maybe it was one of them. Greta?” he called to someone behind the curtain. A well-dressed woman with gray hair pushed the curtain aside and stepped out. She offered a smile to him. “Is this the woman, sir?”
“No.” Confusion washed over Robert. A woman stared back at him from between the open curtains. Reeva. She offered him a condescending gaze then disappeared into the dimness of the back area. “Wait. It’s her.”
“Who, sir? There is no one else here.”
Robert was heading toward the door leading to the back when another man emerged and blocked his path. “We meet again, Mr. Scott.”
“You,” Robert gasped. FBI Agent Martin from his nightmare in captivity.
“Let’s take a walk.” The agent pointed him toward the door and gently nudged his elbow.
Once across the street, Robert saw a parking ticket on his windshield and snatched it off. “Great,” he snapped.
Agent Martin gently relieved him of the ticket and tucked it into the pocket of his overcoat. “I’ll take care of this, Mr. Scott. Go home.”
“I saw Reeva Kaplan in there. You said she was dead,” he fumed.
The agent nonchalantly took inventory of his surroundings. “It’s best if you keep your voice down, Mr. Scott.”
Robert jabbed the agent in the chest with his index finger. “You said she was dead.”
He recognized his mistake when the agent narrowed his eyes then focused his attention on the finger pressed on his chest.
“Guess I got it wrong.” The agent’s smile reminded him of a predator ready to pounce on his next meal. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his overcoat. “Run along and get ready for your poker game and leave all this—whatever ‘this’ is, to me.”
“How did you know I had a poker game? Have you bugged my house? My office?” Outrage overwhelmed his fear and confusion. “Do you have a warrant?”
“A warrant?” Agent Martin took another quick survey glance at his surroundings. “I didn’t need a warrant, Mr. Scott. You posted tonight’s game on Facebook.”
Robert dared sigh in relief as the agent pushed his face closer.
“But if I need one”—he patted Robert’s lapel— “I’ll get one. The FBI is a law enforcement agency, Mr. Scott. We do things by the book.”
Robert fell back against the hood of his car. “And when you can’t?”
Agent Martin walked around the car and opened the door. “Then we get someone who doesn’t need a book.” As Robert slipped into the seat, the agent said, “If you know what I mean.”
~~~
“Is something wrong, Tessa? You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder all evening.” Robert really wasn’t in the mood for her temperamental time-of-the-month attitude. Running into Agent Martin had nearly pushed him over the edge. “Spill it.”
Tessa threw her dish towel in the sink and whirled on him. “Nothing. Nothing is wrong.”
He threw his hands up in the air. “You always say that when something is wrong. I’ve had a long day, rough couple weeks, so, please—please, for once, tell me whatever is bothering you so I can set things up for tomorrow night’s poker game.”
For a couple of seconds, she disappeared into the laundry room then marched out carrying a white shirt. She tossed it to him and took the pose of a disgruntled pit bull. “Lipstick. On. Your. Collar. And it reeks of cheap perfume.”
Lifting the shirt up to his nose to sniff, he tried to think. “I agree. Stinky.”
Tessa’s jaw dropped as her eyes widened, and she tapped her foot on the floor, reminding him of Thumper from Bambi. Letting a light chuckle slip, he moved toward her only to have Tessa take two steps away and hold her hand up.
“I’m flattered you think another woman would want me, Tessa, but, seriously. There is no one but you. There never will be.”
“Explain the lipstick.”
“I met a new client for dinner while I was at the conference. She was South African. You know how those foreigners are: all kissy face and ‘darling’ this or that. She was clingy and gave me a big ole smooch to boot.”
“Was she pretty?”
“Yes. But not as pretty as you.” Knots formed again in the pit of his stomach. “She was a bit forward and—now, don’t freak out—I let her come to my room to show me some diamonds.” For a second, he thought he detected steam coming out of her ears. “I told her I wasn’t interested but would be happy to represent her mining company’s business in the US. I thought I was going to have to call security to get her to leave.”
Tessa cocked her head and snarled. “So how did you get her out?”
“Some friends dropped by and sort of tied things up. She didn’t have much to say after the interruption, so we went our separate ways. I know it was dumb to not think about how it looked or what it might lead to. Seriously, Tessa, I’m more embarrassed than you can imagine. Nothing happened.” He stepped close enough to run his hands up her arms. “I love you. I’d believe you if something like that happened to you.” He tried to kiss her, but she dodged him. “Come on. You are everything to me.”
“Okay,” she sighed. “Stop being so flirty and charming.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Except with you.”
Chapter 17
T he restored Old Town of Sacramento remained one of Tessa’s favorite spots to take out-of-town guests for dinner or for a quaint tourist experience. Reminiscent of the Old West, the restored buildings, covered-wagon rides, and singing cowboy who strolled the streets, managed to bring an almost-giddy warmth to her, no matter how many times she visited. Since it stood less than a half mile from her apartment, Tessa often liked to walk here after she finished work or prepared to leave for State Department business.
She’d spent the day doing more research for Enigma, a never-ending job, it seemed. Because she’d dropped her car off at the repair shop, Vernon picked her up in a rental then took her to the apartment to freshen up. The two had a special brother-sister kind of bond, although she felt more motherly at times toward the twenty-something genius. He reminded her of her own son who also showed a great deal of promise in the world of technology. Even though he dressed like a hippy snowboarder, Vernon’s ability to break through any firewall gave the NSA and the Pentagon plenty of concerns. His gulping down a glass of milk with a hint of Oreo crumbs on his upper lip only endeared him to Tessa.
&nbs
p; A long wolf whistle broke the silence when she entered the open-concept kitchen adjoining her tiny living room. “Mrs. Scott, you are one pretty lady.” Vernon blushed as he diverted his eyes back to the empty glass.
Shyness around women kept the young man from any real relationships. For some reason, he felt comfortable around her and dropped an occasional sweet compliment. Everyone knew he held a major crush on Sam, who exploited the kid whenever it suited her. Unless he sat in front of a laptop, when the agent asked him a question, he would stutter or get tongue-tied.
“Guess you are never going to call me Tessa,” she said, searching for her small evening bag.
“I’ll try.” He put the glass in the sink and twirled his keys around his index finger. “Did you confront Robert about San Francisco?”
“Yes. He swears it was all innocent. There was a little bit of twisted truth coming out of his mouth, but I think he didn’t want to scare me. I pouted the rest of the night, and he tried to be sweet. The man drives me crazy. I really wanted to tell him I knew the whole story.”
“Not a good idea.”
“I know. No worries. Hopefully, he’ll not get into any more trouble tonight. I told him I have an early class in the morning then a meeting. I also said I’d be picking up my car from the repair shop.”
“You really are getting good at this. Ready?”
Chase had ordered Vernon to be her chauffeur for the evening and keep track of her movements. After parking her rental, he walked her to the Gold Rush Saloon and Restaurant where Chase waited.
“Nice of you to choose my favorite restaurant.” She smiled up at Chase’s serious face, hoping to put him in a better mood. The menu consisted of a variety of steak and potato dishes with names like The John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Jesse James Train Wreck, and even a petite steak called The Belle Star, her favorite. “Will you be joining us?” Since this particular restaurant catered to a suit and tie dress code, she gathered his attire of jeans, boots, and denim jacket meant no.
The Enigma Series Boxed Set Page 114
