“Good.”
“What happens with us once this contract is fulfilled?” Alexa asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we could go back to Hawaii, but I’m growing tired of hotels and want to settle down somewhere.”
“You want to buy a house?”
“Yes, or rent, but where should we settle?”
“You mean live together?”
Alexa stared at him.
“Am I assuming too much?”
Tanner kissed her.
“No, we’ll give it a go and see where it leads. I like being around you.”
“It’s mutual, so why don’t we buy a house?”
Tanner gave a small shrug.
“I’ve lived most of my life in various motels and hotels, but I’ll settle wherever you want to live.”
“I guess we’ll try the east coast, since you might be working out of Burke for awhile. But not a city. I want to live somewhere more... suburban.”
Tanner laughed.
“What?” Alexa said.
“I was just imagining myself as a middle-class homeowner. I haven’t used a lawnmower since I was a kid.”
“I just want to live a calm life for a while. Can you understand that?”
“Yes, and I could use some normal in my life as well, but first, first I kill Adams.”
***
While Tanner and Alexa were talking, Sara was speaking with Deke.
“I filled out an application for an apartment in your building before we left Connecticut, the woman who showed me around, Mrs. Kearns, she said that she would be in contact soon.”
“Cool, we may be neighbors.”
“Mrs. Kearns showed me the apartment that she said was right beneath yours, and I really like it.”
Deke turned in his seat until he was facing Sara.
“Are you seeing anyone, Sara?”
“Why? Are you asking me out on a date?”
“Hell yes, if you’re available.”
“I’m flattered, Deke, but I’m off the market. I’ve had such bad luck in the romance department that I’ve decided to stop dating, at least for now.”
“Just my luck. I meet two incredible women and they’re both unavailable.”
“You’re talking about Alexa, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, but she only has eyes for Tanner. Is that why you two don’t get along? Did Tanner get with her after you two dated?”
“Tanner and I were never together.”
“No? But there’s a history there, yes?”
“Yes, and it’s complicated, but don’t give up on Alexa forever. I think she likes you.”
Deke blew out a sigh and leaned back in his seat.
“This romantic shit is a pain in the ass.”
“And the heart as well,” Sara said.
***
The jet landed at Heathrow Airport. Sara, Alexa, and Deke used their own names, but Tanner was traveling under the false identity of Richard Alban.
They were ferried by a limo to a hotel in the heart of the city. After unpacking in their respective rooms, they each showered and changed clothes.
Afterwards, the limo delivered them to Burke’s corporate headquarters in London, where they were met by a young woman named Candace Oliver. Oliver, who was a natural redhead, had an incredible body and dressed to show it off, as her skirt rode high and her neckline plunged to reveal a freckled cleavage.
After handing out thick envelopes that contained a small amount of currency in both pounds and euros, along with cell phones, Candace told Sara that she was there to assist her in any way she could. She then looked Tanner up and down and made an observation.
“Mr. Alban, you give the impression of being a ruffian with that black eye, and you’re a handsome sexy devil aren’t you?”
“I see that not all Brits are staid, Miss Oliver,” Tanner said.
“Call me Candace, and if you need anything, just ask and it’s yours.”
Alexa stepped forward.
“I’ll see to Mr. Alban’s needs.”
“Whatever you say, sweetie, but Mr. Alban, my number is in that mobile I gave you.”
Deke held up his phone.
“Do I have that number as well?”
Candace smiled at him.
“Yes you do, big boy, and don’t hesitate to use it. I love American men.”
Deke grinned.
“Expect a call.”
After Candace Oliver exited the conference room, Alexa pointed at the door.
“That woman is a shameless slut.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Deke said, and Alexa frowned at him.
***
Deke had told Conrad Burke what he needed and Burke arranged to have it waiting for him in London. The materials and weapons Deke requested were illegal, but so was contract murder.
Deke’s workshop was located behind three locked doors in a corner of the building’s lowest level, and only Deke knew the codes to open them once he reset the locks.
Tanner joined Deke in his workshop. while Alexa went off with Sara to speak to Candace about arranging discreet transportation for everyone while they were in the UK.
Deke flipped the lights on in his workshop and locked the door behind them after Tanner entered.
“They didn’t give you much space, did they?” Tanner said.
The workshop was one room that was only about two-hundred square feet. It contained two tables, a refrigerator/freezer, a folding table and two chairs, along with a workbench that had matching vise grips attached at either end.
There were also a number of cartons, many of which were still sealed.
Deke nodded as he looked around the room.
“It’s small, but Burke didn’t skimp on supplies. Most of those cartons contain gun parts and tools, but that white carton atop the bench is the one I wanted you to see.”
Deke led Tanner over to the workbench and unsealed the carton. Inside were several bundles that were about half the size of a brick and covered in thick plastic.
Beside the white carton was a smaller gray carton. Deke opened it and revealed small tubular devices with wires sticking from one end. Tanner knew what he was looking at.
“That’s C4 and a box of fuses.”
“That’s right,” Deke said, while smiling. “Do you think that you might find some use for them?”
Tanner smiled back at him, he liked Deke, and the man was handy to have around. They were physically similar as well, and the same height, although Deke was more muscular than Tanner.
“I’m certain we’ll be using it, but I’m not sure how yet,” Tanner said. “First we have to verify that Adams will be on that yacht soon.”
“There’s enough C4 here to blow up that yacht twice, so once we know he’s aboard, we have to wait until he goes out to sea and then set it off.”
Deke’s use of the word, “We”, startled Tanner a bit, as he had primarily worked alone since becoming a Tanner. However, the Burke Corporation’s assistance in the form of Sara, Deke, and Garber had been beyond valuable. Tanner had to admit to himself that it was nice to have allies.
“Let’s go join the women,” Tanner said. “We need to come up with a plan of action.”
***
Sara was using a small conference room as an office. Tanner and Deke found it empty and decided to wait there for Sara and Alexa to return. While they waited, Deke told Tanner about his time in the Marines and revealed that he had worked as a mercenary after leaving the Marine Corps, and that he had been living in California.
“The money was good, but it seemed like all I ever did was protect dirt bags and drug smugglers. That’s why I went to work for the Burke Corporation when the offer came in, and so far it’s been interesting. I hope you keep taking contracts for Burke.”
“I might, but first I still have to kill Adams.”
Sara and Alexa returned with coffee, along with the news that they had gotten cars for everyone but Alexa,
who would ride with Tanner. The cars weren’t new, but they were anonymous and could be discarded if the need arose.
Tanner took the keys from Sara and thought that the car was just one more perk that came with working with partners. Had he been on his own, he would have had to waste time stealing a car and then switch plates with another vehicle.
Deke looked over at Alexa.
“Why didn’t you get a car for yourself?”
Sara laughed.
“You should have seen her as I took a car for a test drive. She was just sitting in the passenger seat, but being on the left side of the road seemed to freak her out.”
Alexa shrugged.
“I couldn’t help it. It was weird. Every time Sara made a turn I felt as if we were headed into oncoming traffic. I’ll be all right to drive in an emergency, but I won’t do so unless I have to.”
“We need a plan of attack, Blake,” Tanner said, in order to bring the conversation back to the subject at hand.
Sara suggested that they all sit at the small round conference table and talk.
“The first thing I have to do is to make contact with Cole McManus. If he is the mole in Adams’ organization, then he’ll be invaluable.”
“Did you two separate on good terms the last time you saw him?” Tanner asked.
Sara hesitated before answering, but then let the words out in a rush.
“We were lovers and I dumped him. He took it hard at the time, but it was years ago.”
“What do you mean when you say he took it hard? Was he violent?” Tanner said.
“No, but he didn’t want to accept it. We were serious, that is, until I found out that he was married. He left his wife when I dumped him so that we could be together, but I no longer trusted him, and so it ended, mostly.”
“Mostly?” Alexa said.
“He stalked me, nothing too creepy, but he would sit in his car outside my apartment. He had an older partner that he respected and the man talked some sense into him, after that, we ran into each other twice. I was working exclusively on my career and he was back with his wife, who was pregnant. We ended as friends. This all happened years ago when I was still a rookie agent.”
Tanner leaned back in his seat.
“Do you think he’ll be willing to help?”
“I do, as I said, despite everything, we ended as friends.”
“Are you certain that he’s still with the CIA?” Tanner asked.
“I have no way to verify that, but he must be if he’s really the mole we think he is, and he is using an alias.”
“How soon can you make contact?”
“Tonight, if he’s on that yacht, they’ll be docking soon. I’ll make contact with him when he leaves it, after days at sea, the crew will want some time to relax in the city.”
“Carry a gun, Blake, just in case.”
“Are you worried for my safety, Tanner?”
“Not really, I know better than anyone that you’re hard to kill.”
“I could say the same about you.”
Tanner and Sara smiled at each other, while sitting between them, Alexa frowned.
CHAPTER 21 – The lies we tell ourselves
Sara made contact with Cole McManus while the man was having a pint with his mates from the Sea Beast inside a pub near the dock.
McManus looked surprised, and then alarmed, when he spotted Sara sitting at the bar, as he feared that she might blow his cover. However, Sara sent him a smile and made no move to join him at his table.
McManus walked to the bar and looked her over.
“Good God, Sara, you’re even more beautiful than I remember.”
“Thank you,” Sara said, as she stared back at McManus, who was ten years her senior. McManus was blond, muscular, and handsome, although he displayed signs of being a heavy drinker. There were also laugh lines upon his face that hadn’t been present when Sara had known him well years ago.
They had become lovers when she was still somewhat naïve and he had been her first love as an adult. After it ended badly, Sara threw herself into her work and didn’t become involved with anyone until she met Brian Ames.
Given that the three most intense romantic relationships in her life all ended badly, and even tragically, Sara’s decision to remain alone seemed her best choice, although she did feel lonely at times.
McManus leaned closer and whispered.
“I’m working undercover and going by the name of Shamus Breen.”
“You’re also working as a mole in Julien Adams organization,” Sara whispered in return, and watched as Cole’s eyes widened in alarm.
“We’re leaving,” Cole said, and he took Sara by the arm and headed for the door. As they passed the table where his friends sat, Cole sent them a wink. “Me and the lass are going somewhere to talk in private, boys. I’ll see you all in the morning.”
He received winks in return, along with wolf whistles of appreciation directed at Sara, and then they were out on the street.
“I’m not here to hurt you, Cole,” Sara said.
“Do you have a car?” Cole asked.
Sara answered by taking out her key fob and unlocking her car, which caused the vehicle’s lights to blink. Cole moved towards it while still gripping Sara’s arm.
She was annoyed by the rough treatment, but didn’t try to break free of his grip, as she hadn’t wanted to cause a scene that would bring attention to them.
Once inside the car, Cole held up a finger and spoke through gritted teeth.
“What the fuck are you up to? I know that you’re no longer with the Bureau.”
“I’m with the Burke Corporation, Cole. I’m the one running the Adams operation.”
“Really?” Cole said, as his anger dissipated. “All right, you’re with Burke, but that still doesn’t explain how you knew where to find me, and don’t try to give me any shit about this being just a coincidence.”
“No, I’m making contact with you because while searching for Adams I stumbled across the fact that you’re the mole in his organization.”
“How did that happen?”
“I saw you aboard the yacht in Greece, and later realized that the boat was connected to Julien Adams.”
Cole gasped and then smiled.
“The attempts on Adams’ life on the island, that was Burke’s assassin?”
“It was.”
McManus laughed.
“My people told me that Adams was blaming a man named Omar Ali Rashid, because Rashid was the only one who knew that Adams was living on that island. And your asset failed, you know? Adams is still alive, but I don’t know where he is now.”
“He’s on that yacht, or he soon will be, that’s our guess.”
Cole rubbed his chin as he thought that over.
“Yeah, it makes sense. They use me and another man to ferry the yacht around, but they always give us some time off when Adams is due aboard, and we’re not to report back tonight. My guess is that they’re securing the boat by checking for listening devices, bombs, that sort of thing.”
“Have you ever been near Adams?”
“Hell yeah, several times aboard the yacht.”
“If you’ve been in such close contact with the man then why haven’t you killed him yourself?”
Cole’s eyes flashed with anger.
“It would be suicidal to try and kill the man on that yacht. He’s protected at all times and doesn’t even leave the stateroom until we’re at sea. Besides, I’m kept pretty busy with my work aboard the vessel. It was luck that I was able to get this close at all.”
“The man is using body doubles; we’ve confirmed it.”
“That explains why that former Navy SEAL, Cameron Bonds, said he had blown Adams head off. I nearly fainted when I saw the man walking around fine the next day, and then I was unable to get in contact with Bonds again.”
“Our man killed another of the doubles and now he’s here to kill the real Adams. I need you to let us know when he boards that bo
at.”
“The man may not even come on board. Adams owns more than one yacht, although, I’ve never been on the others, and from what you say, he may send a body double as a decoy.”
“I still need you to let me know if Adams or a double comes aboard.”
“I can’t. I have no way of knowing, and besides, once I’m back on that yacht, we’ll be setting sail for parts unknown.”
Sara let out a sigh.
“Why are you undercover as a deck hand? You would have been better placed as a bodyguard.”
“Tell me about it. That was what we tried to do, but the guards are all hand-picked by a man named Suernos over in France. He runs mercs, used to be one himself and he doesn’t use anyone that he doesn’t know or that one of his men can’t vouch for.”
“This Suernos, what’s his first name?”
“Who knows, Sara, you know how that works. Some guys just use one name and no one knows who he really is, no one but the people he’s close to.”
Sara thought of Tanner and the fact that, despite studying and tracking the man for over a year, she still had no idea who he really was. But Alexa knew Tanner’s true name, and that bugged Sara. In fact, it pissed her off.
“What’s wrong?” Cole asked her. “You looked angry all of a sudden.”
“It’s nothing, but listen, our man not only killed one of Adams’ doubles, he also killed a number of bodyguards. Does that mean that Adams will be looking to replace them before leaving on his trip, or will he be understaffed with protection?”
“I have no way of knowing, but if he’s getting new bodyguards, that probably means that Adams is in Paris, or nearby.”
“We have to get him, Cole.”
“Tell me about it. I’ve been playing Shamus Breen the deck hand for months. I’m sick of it and I just want to get back to New York City.”
“Back to your wife?”
“No Sara, we divorced. She finally wised up and dumped me. But what about you? I heard about your meltdown and that you were kicked out of the Bureau, but what’s going on in your personal life?”
“Work, Cole, just work, and that’s how I like it.”
Cole raised up his hands.
“Chill, I wasn’t coming on to you, but if you change your mind, I’m willing, and there will be no strings attached. I always liked you Sara, you know that.”
The TANNER Series - Books 10 -12 (Tanner Box Set Book 4) Page 36
