The Secrets Duet

by Brownell, Rachael

  “Why? What is so important about her information?”

  “Taylor is looking for her. That’s part of the reason you are undercover. He’s part of the operation which was attempting to kill her family. They didn’t succeed and they were all killed, except Taylor. He managed to somehow escape. We’ve been looking for him for almost five years. We know he’s laundering money again and we want to take him down for that, but I know he’s still looking for Kat and I need to make sure he never finds her.”

  “So, how does this change the original plan? Should I be doing something different?”

  “No. This doesn’t change the plan. Every detail is important. You might not even realize it at the time. Every move he makes is calculated and everything he does is for a specific reason. We’re going to find a way to get a bug in his office so we can listen to what he’s doing, but mainly we need to rely on you for most of our information. Just follow the plan as it’s written. I want you to have this information so if you hear something or see something which pertains to Kat you can give us a heads up.”

  “I get it, I do, but why do you think he’s still looking for her?”

  Davis and Montgomery share a knowing look, but neither says anything so I take that as a sign to continue.

  “Look. I’m going to need complete disclosure if you expect me to complete this assignment. I can tell there is something you’re keeping from me and not knowing that one thing might make or break this case for all of us. I need for you to tell me.”

  Without a word, Davis leaves the room. I expect Montgomery to start talking, but he doesn’t. He takes a seat and sits quietly. I want to say something, but don’t get the chance before Davis walks back in with a file box and drops it in the center of the table.

  “I don’t think you’re ready for this, but you’re leaving us no choice. This is everything we have on Taylor, his whole operation. You’ve seen some of it when you were in Europe, but not all of it. This goes all the way back to before he was in charge. This goes back to before Montgomery’s wife was involved. We’ve been through this box over and over again, looking for the one piece of information we overlooked, some piece of evidence we missed. We can’t figure it out. Maybe you can. Maybe all of this will bring an end to the operation. No one else on the inside has been able to bring them down.”

  I remove the lid and scan the contents. I’m in for a shit ton of reading. It will take me the rest of today and probably most of tomorrow. There’s no way I’ll be able to finish it before my plane is scheduled to take off tonight and I doubt I’ll be allowed to take anything with me.

  “I don’t understand why no one else has been able to effectively infiltrate the operation and bring them down.” I let out a long breath with the realization of what I’m really in for staring at me from inside that box.

  “Neither do we. They have a way of figuring out who’s working for us before we have a chance to pull them out.”

  I know exactly what he’s saying without him having to say the exact words. They’ve all died. No one who’s attempted to bring this operation down has been able to finish the job and they’ve given their life as payment for trying.

  “Great. Maybe I should just quit while I’m still breathing.” I didn’t mean to say it out loud, but there was no taking it back now.

  “The reason we chose you is because you weren’t one of us,” Montgomery says this as a way of explaining it to me. I give him a look which says exactly what I’m thinking before he continues. “You’re not a decoy. You’re not being thrown to the wolves on purpose. We chose you because we know we have a mole on the inside. We need for you to get close to Taylor because it will keep you alive longer, long enough for us to pull you out if we need to. He won’t pull the trigger himself, and if he thinks you are worth saving it will give us enough time to get you out of there before he calls the hit.”

  “At least you hope so.” The uncertainty is evident in my voice. Am I really going to go back to Seattle, knowing I might never walk back into this office again? Knowing I might not live to see my next birthday? Knowing I might see my parents again before I see Montgomery or Davis again? Shit!

  “He won’t kill you, Maggie. Take my word for it. If he was heartless like most criminals are then my wife would be dead. We would have never been married. He has a heart, we’re banking on it. That’s why we chose you – we knew he would fall for you and we knew he would fall hard.”

  I take a seat and rest my head in my hands. I need to decide right now. I need to make my decision before I look at all the crap in the box on the table. I need to figure out what I’m going to do before I look at Montgomery again and let him talk me into this.

  I can do this, I know I can. I can get Taylor to fall in love with me, to spare my life if necessary. I can infiltrate the entire operation undetected. I can bring him down and the rest of the organization. I can do this. This is what I trained for. This is why I was handpicked. I. Can. Do. This.

  “Fine. I’ll go back, but there’s still one question you haven’t answered and I’m pretty sure the answer is not somewhere in this box,” I say, trying to muster some confidence and gesturing at the box with my shaky hand.

  “What’s that?” Montgomery looks like he’s won, but I haven’t asked my question yet.

  “Why do you think he’s still looking for your wife?”

  I watch his face fall briefly before he composes himself again. He sits up a little straighter in his chair and clears his throat. His demeanor tells me he doesn’t want to answer my question. He’s been doing a fantastic job of changing the subject and avoiding it all together, but I feel like this is the missing piece of the full disclosure I need.

  “She saw him last year, right before you came back from Europe. She said he was in the lobby of her work, watching her as she was speaking with a client. He never made a move, just watched her. She pretended not to notice him, acted normal and then left out the back door to avoid going back into the lobby. We moved the next day, she quit her job, and we’re pretty sure he didn’t follow us here.”

  “Pretty sure?”

  “Kat refuses to change her name.”

  “Why? If she knows he found her…”

  “She’s tired of running. When we got married she took my last name. She swore she would never change her name again. I can’t get her to budge on the issue.”

  “So, what? Now it’s time to take him down? Since he knows where she is? Since she’s in danger again?”

  “No. His operation had already been under surveillance. We spent years looking for him. Now, we just need to keep our eyes and ears open to see if he’s still looking for her, or if he already knows where she is.”

  “Look, Maggie,” Davis starts, but I shoot him a look which causes him to stop talking.

  “First of all,” I say, glancing between the two of them, “this all would have been nice to know in advance. I have a feeling neither of you were planning on telling me any of this if you didn’t have to. Secondly,” now I’m looking directly as Davis, “no one calls me Maggie. I’m Agent Becker. Now, if the two of you will kindly leave me alone, I have a lot of reading to do before my plane leaves.”

  They leave the conference room without a word. Once I hear the door click shut I start to pull the contents out of the box. There are at least a dozen files, a different name on each one. There are bank statements and numerous other documents which I can’t make heads or tails of. The one thing which stands out above everything else is the picture I find at the bottom of the box.

  I see Taylor, a much younger version of him, with a beautiful blonde on his arm. In the background is a chubby boy looking at the camera in disgust. I flip the picture over to see if any names are written on it. Courtney, Taylor, and Thomas. Who is Thomas?

  I rummage through the files to find one on Thomas Kensey. I wonder what he has to do with all of this. I flip it open and find out I’ll never have to wonder – he’s dead.

  4.

  Maggier />
  I hear my phone ringing. It feels like I’ve only been home for five minutes. My plane was delayed and the ride was rocky. We didn’t land until 6:00 am. By the time I arrived home, I was beyond exhausted. Who in the hell would be calling me this early in the morning and why?

  I pull the covers down and catch the rays of sun shining brightly through my windows. I squint and reach blindly for my phone on my nightstand. It falls to the floor and stops ringing. Good enough for me. I roll over and pull the covers back up. I let out one relaxing breath and then my phone starts ringing again.

  I am going to kill whoever is on the other end of the line.

  “Yeah,” I grumble into the phone as I pull it to my ear.

  “What did I say about looking at your caller ID before answering your phone?”

  What. The. Hell.

  I look down and almost drop my phone when I see his name on the screen. I’m so fired.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Taylor. I was asleep. How can I help you this morning?” I sit up and try to sound alert. My brain is still foggy from lack of sleep.

  “Well, first of all, it’s no longer morning.” I glance over at my alarm and see he is, in fact, correct. I’ve been asleep for almost seven hours. “Second, I was going to see if you would like to have a late lunch with me this afternoon, but maybe dinner would be better since you are still in bed.”

  Oh!

  “Um, sure. Dinner sounds nice. Where should I meet you?”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven. Is that enough time?”

  I think for a second. I may need to get a new dress. “Where are we going?”

  “I can’t tell you that,” he says. I can hear the amusement in his voice and know instantly my cover is still intact.

  “Well then, can you at least tell me what I should wear?” I try to sound flirty, but my voice is still harsh from sleep.

  “Nothing fancy. Just be…you.” My heart tries to melt at his words, but I think about the photos I viewed back at the office and it stops instantly. Nothing says “I can’t fall in love with you” like photos of dead people, especially when the one you want to love pulled the trigger.

  “Fine. Seven it is. See you then,” I say and quickly hang up. My phone starts to ring and I almost answer it again without looking. Why is he calling me back?

  “Yes,” I say, drawing the word out.

  “Ms. Becker, please do not ever hang up on me again.” He’s trying to keep the anger out of his voice, but he’s failing. There’s one button that I can push.

  “So sorry, sir.”

  “What did I tell you about calling me sir, Maggie?” There’s that anger again.

  “Well, I figured if you were calling me Ms. Becker, then I better be professional when I responded.” I’m not trying to play games with him, but I have to admit, this is a little bit fun. I’m turning his world upside down around him and he has no idea.

  “Fair point. I’ll see you at seven tonight. Please be ready.” His playful tone is back.

  “I will. May I hang up now so I can get ready for dinner?”

  “You may. I’ll see you soon, Magdelyn.”

  The way he said my name, like he was dancing with each syllable, left my mouth agape long after he hung up. I sit on the edge of my bed and stare out the window for far longer than necessary before getting up and starting a pot of coffee. I can’t stop thinking about the way Taylor makes me feel. My heart yearns for his sweet words. My body wants to be close to him. It’s scaring me, these feelings. I know he’s a horrible person. I know I shouldn’t feel the things for him that I’m feeling. I know my body shouldn’t want things from him which it craves the moment I hear his voice.

  It has to be from my lack of emotional relationships over the years. I’ve never let anyone in. I’ve never let myself become emotionally involved with a man. I’ve never let myself feel loved or let myself love someone else. It was always my way of preserving myself from the inevitable hurt which would follow. The loss. The emptiness.

  I’ve had enough loss to last me a lifetime. I still feel empty most days. I still feel the loss of my parents and the loss of my brothers. I still have nightmares, not just when I’m flying. The smallest things trigger my flashbacks. The last one I had, aside from the other day on the plane, was in Europe. Someone dropped a book and the sound, bouncing off the walls of the room, brought me back to that moment in the car. I relived every second of the accident over.

  It’s always the same. I always open my eyes and my brothers are dead, my parents are gone. I pray one day the nightmares will end, but in my heart I know I will always mourn their loss and will always be tormented by the fact I was the lone survivor. Post-traumatic stress disorder. I didn’t need a doctor to tell me, even though quite a few of them confirmed it for me.

  I shower, dress and pull my curls into a messy bun low on the side of my neck. When I glance at myself in the mirror with fifteen minutes to spare I almost start to cry. I’ve put on minimal makeup and minimal jewelry. The dress I picked is simple. Looking at myself in the mirror, I am the spitting image of my mother.

  I push the tears back and spray myself with perfume just as there is knock on the door. I pause instantly, slip my heels off and tiptoe to the door. I listen for a moment before I look out the peephole. Taylor. How did he get in here without being buzzed through the security door? Montgomery is not going to like this and I know I need to tell him.

  I slip my shoes back on, wipe my sweaty palms down the side of my dress and unlock the door. I open it slowly for effect. I know I shouldn’t be playing with fire, but I can’t help myself. When I catch my first glimpse of him, fire is the best way to describe him.

  He’s wearing gray slacks and a black button up shirt. It’s something he would wear to the office except he’s missing the coat and tie. His sleeves are rolled up and a hint of a tattoo peeks through from the inside of his forearm. I knew it was there, I’ve seen pictures of it. Seeing it in person makes it more real. It confirms a lot of things for me. Mostly, the fact the man standing in front of me is bad news.

  I let out the breath I was holding and sigh louder than I want. I’m rewarded with a sexy grin which causes me to inhale sharply. I wish he didn’t have so much control over me. He’s not even trying.

  “You look beautiful,” he says, handing me a bouquet of flowers I hadn’t noticed he was holding.

  “Thanks. You look nice, too.” Really? Nice is the best I could come up with?

  I take the flowers and motion him inside. I’m not comfortable having him in my apartment all of the sudden. What if I’ve left something out which could blow my cover? No I’m too cautious for that. If it’s not in my hands then the information is hidden away in my safe, along with all my credentials and my gun. I wish there was a way for me to have my gun accessible right now. Just in case.

  “I’m going to put these in some water and then we can go. Give me just a minute.” I’m nervous and I know he can hear it in my voice. I turn quickly to head to the kitchen but stop suddenly when his hand takes hold of my elbow.

  “Maggie, is something wrong? You sound scared.”

  Shit!

  “No just a little nervous I guess. I haven’t been out on a date…not that this is a date…in a long time. Ever.” I’m stuttering. I can’t even force myself to turn around and look him in the eye. I want to, so that he believes me, but my body is physically frozen in place.

  “Do you want this to be a date?” I can’t get a read on his voice. It’s flat. I have no idea what he’s thinking right now since I can’t see his face. I was hoping his voice would give him away.

  “I don’t know. I shouldn’t.”

  He doesn’t say anything else. He lets go of my elbow and I quickly make my way to the kitchen to put my flowers in water. Coral roses? I’ve never seen them before. I’m sure they have a meaning. I’ll have to remember to Google it later.

  I set the vase and the flowers on the breakfast bar. I stare at them for a moment before turning
to find Taylor only a few feet behind me. I didn’t even hear him come in the kitchen.

  “You’re stealthy like a ninja. I had no idea you were standing behind me.” I try to sound unaffected by the fact he snuck up on me. I don’t want him to know how freaked out I am right now.

  He takes a step towards me and I want to step back, but I know I have nowhere to go. The counter is pressed against my back. When he reaches me, he leans down and whispers in my ear, “I have moves you’ve never seen before, but if you’re lucky I might show you one day. Just make sure you ask nicely.”

  Damn if my panties have not just melted off my body. His words are dripping with sex and promises which I want him to keep even though I shouldn’t. I can feel the heat coming off of his body. My breathing has increased and I feel like I’m starting to pant a little. I need for him to take a step back. I don’t want to jump him. I mean, I do, but not yet. I need him to want me more. I need for him to fall into the trap I’m supposed to be setting for him. I’m supposed to be seducing him, not the other way around.

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Mr. Taylor,” I say as I push him gently on the shoulder so I can get around him. “Shall we go to dinner?”

  I look over my shoulder to see him devouring me with his gaze. Pure lust is all I see when his eyes meet mine. I watch as he brings his body under control and the storm calms.

  Without a word, he grabs my hand and pulls me to the door. I lock up behind us and head towards the elevators. Once we are safely inside, I ask the only question I can think of to break the silence lingering between us.

  “So, how did you get into the building without me buzzing you through the security door? Do you have magic powers I don’t know about?” I laugh a little so he knows I’m joking and he laughs along with me.

  “No, Maggie. I own this building. I can come and go as I please.”

  Oh. My. God. Does Montgomery know about this? Did he know this when he set up my lease? Does Taylor know who I really am? All I can think about the entire drive to dinner is how Taylor Donovan may have the upper hand. How in the hell did this slip past Montgomery? I’m going to kill him if I don’t get killed first.