“Whoa, whoa whoa! That’s totally unfair, Ned. Honestly, I’m offended.”
Ned took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. “Thank God. So you’re saying my sources are wrong. That you weren’t across the border last night?”
“No, that’s pretty much right. Except she wasn’t just some prostitute, Ned! Honestly I thought we had a pretty good connection for one night. And damn, if you woulda seen how gorgeous she was you’d have brought her home yourself. Beautiful dark brown hair, banging body. And this cream-coffee colored skin. It was so soft I actually felt bad that she had to deal with my stubble. And I don’t usually feel bad, Ned. About almost anything.” I took a pull of my coffee and made an audible slurping noise. “Oohh. That’s the perfect temperature. Finally.”
Ned looked at me blankly, jaw open. Clearly he was used to his agents obeying his every order without question. He brought his hand to his forehead and massaged it with his thumb and forefinger. “We’re out here trying to catch Luis Reyes—the biggest drug dealer of modern times—and my fucking double agent is more concerned about getting his rocks off than taking this seriously. I swear to God.”
“Hey Ned, buck up, pal,” I walked over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. The guy looked like he needed some serious comforting, and not just about the mission. “I’m just trying to fit in, okay? If I’m going to go undercover, I figure I better stick with my old habits in the outside world so I don’t arouse any suspicion. Me having a one-night stand with a girl isn’t suspicious. You know what is suspicious? If I get out of prison and I stop partying like I used to. I just need you to trust me, okay? I’m staying in character. It’s all an act.”
Whatever I had to say at this point to get Ned off my ass, I’d say. But at the same time, he knew I was right.
Ned leaned back on his solid oak desk and folded his arms. “That’s exactly the problem Corbin. I don’t know if I can trust you. Is this really an act? Or are you just unreliable and unpredictable? I was already skeptical. And after the shit you pulled on your first night out, I have my doubts.”
I rubbed my stubble with my hand. Two years in prison and a lifetime of crime hadn’t exactly turned me into an ego-assuager who would grovel before his superiors. Especially given the dire straits the DEA had to be in to make a deal with a guy like me in the first place. They’d been trying to catch Reyes for years without any luck. “So what are you going to do? Put me in jail and find another ex-con who has years of experience working with the Reyes gang? Who spent a year in the same cellblock with one of the Reyes cousins? Get real, Ned. I’m all you’ve got.”
“Maybe. But I’m going to take the necessary precautions,” Ned cleared his throat, “Which is why I’m bringing one of the DEA’s top foremost psychological evaluation specialists to interview you. If you’re lying—we’ll find out. And we will put you back in prison if you’re not on our side. She’ll be coming in this afternoon to deal with you. So head out, get some lunch, whatever, and make sure you’re back here later.”
I took a large gulp of my coffee and swallowed. “She. A girl, huh?”
“Yes Corbin, a girl.”
I sat back down and smiled as I held on to my coffee mug. “Alright, I’ll do your little interrogation thingy.”
Who knew? Maybe she’d be cute.
Last Thing…
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Ten Night Stand Page 50
