The Spy Ring (Cake Love Book 4)

by Elizabeth Lynx

  Tiffany started to tell me how she showed up early because David was excited to be the groomsman. She didn’t notice anything unusual. The flowers were still being put in place when the first guests arrived. She recognized most of the people from the rehearsal dinner, except for one.

  “Who didn’t you recognize?” I asked.

  “Grace’s date. She mentioned she had a date a few weeks ago, but I didn’t expect her to bring him to the wedding.”

  She went on to describe him and I made a mental note to tell Tenn to ask the guy questions.

  “I think his name is Will,” she said.

  “Okay. Were there any items there that looked unusual? Even small things stuck to something. Specifically, small black plastic or metal objects that look like they fell off something or didn’t belong.”

  I wondered if Emma or someone she hired had planted any devices that we might be able to get information from.

  Tiffany creased her brow and started to shake her head. “No, I don’t think . . . wait.” Her eyes widened and she turned to me. “David was fiddling around with something small and black. He said he found it in our apartment though. He thought it fell off a blender I threw away.”

  “That wouldn’t help,” I said before the realization smacked me sideways and I had to smile. “No, that does help. I have to go.”

  I got up but turned before I opened the door. “Tiffany, I promise I will find your son and he will be safe.”

  She wasn’t convinced and I didn’t blame her. It’s not like I proved to her with my past actions that I’m a trustworthy guy. But with this information, I think I could help get him back. I just hope nothing had happened to David since he was taken.

  I ran out of the shop and up to Tenn. He was standing over the front of a car looking at the architectural layout of the building.

  “I think I may be able to listen in on Emma,” I said slightly out of breath.

  He looked up and frowned. “How? We don’t even know where she is in there.”

  I got out my cell and tapped it a few times. I took a deep breath before lifting the phone to my ear. There was silence.

  “Fuck,” I whispered.

  I shook my head realizing I had made a mistake. Just as I was about to lower my phone, I heard it. Faint, but it was there. Sounds of people talking.

  Holding the phone out, I handed it to Tenn. He took it and listened. His uncertain eyes began to widen with the realization I had figured out just minutes ago.

  “You bugged them?”

  “No. It’s one of the listening devices I planted in Tiffany’s apartment a month ago,” I said with a smile.

  Tenn straightened but still held the phone up to his ear. “So, they have escaped—”

  I waved my hands. “No. When I went to sweep for the devices there was one I couldn’t find. I had planted it in her kitchen. It must have fallen, and David found it. Tiffany just told me he was fiddling with it before the wedding.”

  Tenn shook his head. “Even your fuck-ups save people. Let’s just hope someone mentions something that will give us a clue as to where they are.”

  I was itching to grab the phone back and listen, but this wasn’t my case. I had to let Tenn take over. He yelled out for a headset and within a minute someone ran up with a pair. I hovered near him for what felt like hours but was probably a few minutes when he finally said something.

  “They’re in room twelve thirty-two.”

  I began to move toward the building entrance when a hand grabbed onto my arm. “Where do you think you’re going?” Tenn asked.

  “To get that kid.”

  “You don’t work for ITA anymore. You know I can’t let you inside,” Tenn said as his eyes softened.

  “I’ve got to do something, Tenn.”

  He held up my phone. “You have.”

  “No, that’s not enough. I can’t just stand down here and hope these guys don’t fuck this up. Because if they do, I have to go over there,” I pointed to the café across the street, “and tell a woman who has been through hell and back with her son, that he’s gone. I can’t do that.”

  Tenn looked down and wrinkled his forehead. After a few seconds, he shook his head. “There’s a fire escape in the back of the building. It only goes to the second floor. But if you get caught—”

  “Then I tell them you forbid me from coming in the building but I didn’t listen. Like usual,” I said with a wink before I took off.

  The escape was old and rusted but once I made it down the alley to the back, it was easy to spot. I had to maneuver a dumpster under it to reach up, but once it opened, I made it to the second floor. The door was locked but I knew how to pick a lock from my years going undercover with criminals.

  “Thanks, Jonsey,” I said with a new appreciation for the best lock pick in the Midwest.

  I got inside and immediately took off my coat and bowtie. Rolling up my sleeves, I knew it was going to be a workout making it to the twelfth floor. Especially since the stairwell wasn’t air-conditioned.

  Old buildings were the worst.

  Racing up the stairs until I thought my legs would fall off, I stopped to catch my breath.

  “I need to work out more,” I wheezed.

  When my breathing regulated, I stepped into the hall. Based on the numbers on the doors room 1232 was right around the corner. I moved along the wall and just as I was about to peer around to see if anyone else was there, something hard hit my head.

  It felt like an explosion inside my brain and it seemed like I was falling. I saw a pair of black loafers just before I passed out.

  THIRTY-ONE

  Jagger

  “Is he awake?” A woman’s voice filled the room.

  I tried to open my eyes, but they were heavy and damn, it felt like someone was attacking my head with a baseball bat from the inside.

  “He’s coming to,” a male voice said.

  I finally opened my eyes and saw I was in a living room, sparsely decorated with only a few chairs and a cheap white coffee table.

  “What is . . .” I trailed off realizing it was harder to speak than open my eyes.

  “Oh good. He is awake. Thank you, Will. You’ve been the most excellent of helpers today.” Emma Hawthorne finally came into focus.

  I glanced over at her as she handed the guy, Will, an envelope.

  “Where’s David? And Alex?”

  She smiled and it seemed painful.

  “I’ve had Will retrieve your tuxedo jacket and tie from the stairs. There will be a wedding today, just not the one you were invited to,” she said.

  I looked down and discovered I was once again, wearing my jacket and bowtie.

  My head fell back because it was hard to hold it up, but I laughed. I fucked this all up. I wanted to save David and give Tiffany back her smile, and all I did was get myself caught. I wasn’t in the building more than five minutes before Emma got me.

  It’s best I wasn’t an agent anymore because apparently, I’m terrible.

  “What’s so funny about being tied up?” she asked.

  I lifted my head and smirked. “Because you are so fucking crazy. You still want to marry your son off to that Dorton woman? Do you really believe he’s going to get elected to any office with you as his mother?”

  That woman was delusional. She wanted her son to marry into a political dynasty so he could one day become President and get back at the men who hurt her. She’s like a crazy ex-girlfriend times a thousand.

  “I’ve given up on the Dortons. Sure, they had some higher-ups in their family, but they’re not what they once were. The future is tech. And that’s why my son will be marrying a woman who will one day run a very powerful tech company. In fact, the bride is already dressed for her big day.”

  Shaking my head, I tried to get my brain to focus on anything Emma told ITA when she was caught back in June. Nothing came to mind. The only tech company she tried to mess with was Mimir. But, it’s not like Mimir is the leader as an Internet retaile
r. They’re only the third largest.

  “Are you talking about Mimir?” I asked as my head wasn’t working as quickly as I wanted it to.

  “Of course. Now I know what you’re thinking, it’s not number one. But that’s where you’re wrong. They made a deal this past spring that happened to propel the company to number one throughout Europe. And, if their numbers are right, they should be the number one online retailer, package delivery service, and employer in almost every country in the world within ten years. Except for the United States. But, with my help, we’ll make that happen too.”

  “But you have money. It’s not like you need more.”

  She shook her head. “Jagger, you government people can’t ever think outside the box. What influences the government the most?”

  “Rules? Regulations?” I was seriously lost and knew if my head wasn’t banged up I would have figured this out by now.

  “Wrong. Wrong. Jagger, it’s money. The more money a corporation or organization or association—basically, anything that ends with a T-I-O-N—has, then the more they can contribute to politicians. Even create special research foundations that make it look like it’s trying to do good, but secretly, it’s only existence is to influence government officials.”

  “But that’s illegal,” I said.

  She waved her hand at me. “Not if you do it right. So many loopholes and red tape. People complain about it, but the government doesn’t actually want to do anything to change it. I wonder why?” She put her finger on her chin.

  “Money,” I said with a groan.

  “Maybe you aren’t as stupid as I thought. With my money and this lady by my side,” she waved her hand at Morgana being pulled into the room by Will, “I will make the world a better place. At least, a world where men like my father-in-law can’t destroy lives anymore.”

  Tenn didn’t tell me Morgana had been taken.

  “You’re going to force Morgana to marry Alex?”

  Emma pursed her lips as she began fiddling with Morgana’s hair. I watched as a woman, on what should have been the happiest day of her life, sobbed in despair.

  “She can see her betrothed in secret if she wishes. It’s not the 1500s where she’ll have her head chopped off for adultery or whatever they did to women back then who didn’t submit to men. It’s the twenty-first century. It will be an open marriage. Alex can still see Aria and you, my dear,” she cupped Morgana’s chin, “can still see your Henry.”

  “Henrik,” Morgana said with a hiccup.

  “Doesn’t matter. Anyway. We need the others brought in.” Emma turned to Will.

  Once Will left the room, I tried to pull my hands out of whatever I was tied up with. But I soon realized that whoever did it used plastic restraints. I may be good at picking locks, but I wasn’t a magician.

  Emma pushed Morgana down on the chair next to me.

  “Now, wait here. I wouldn’t think about escaping. Will isn’t the only one I have helping me. As I said, money can pay for anything. Even government officials.” She winked at me. “Even former partners.”

  “Tenn?” I said and shook my head as blood rushed to my ears.

  “You didn’t think he kept your little spying secret because he was your partner? The juicy tidbit was perfect. I knew once he told his boss what you did, I would no longer have to worry about you.”

  “But he told me where you were? Even let me get in the building to—”

  “To save little David? Aww, how sweet you want to save your wife’s son. He informed me the moment you ran for the fire escape to keep an eye out for you. Which was wonderful because now you won’t be in our way anymore. And as for your wife, that was a fun twist I never expected to happen. But when you try to drug your son’s girlfriend and her friends get drugged by accident, you just have to chalk it up to bad luck.”

  My brain was starting to work again as all the pieces were falling into place. No wonder Tiffany or Morgana didn’t recognize me after Vegas. Emma was trying to drug Aria but got Morgana and Tiffany instead.

  “That was you? But I checked those drinks with my special nail polish that can detect date rape drugs,” Morgana said.

  “Not all. Like I keep telling you both, money can buy lots of things. Even brand-new drugs that haven’t gotten FDA approval yet.” She patted Morgana on the cheek and then turned to walk down the hall.

  I glanced over at Morgana as I heard her weep. “Morgana, can you see if there are any knives or scissors in that little kitchen?”

  She lifted her head with a sniffle and nodded. Wiping her nose on her arm she said, “That bitch is going to pay for what she’s doing.”

  Morgana raced over to open the drawers in the kitchen. Luckily, the kitchen was behind us so if anyone came strolling down the apartment hallway, they wouldn’t see Morgana.

  “It’s to cut me loose. Don’t try to go after Emma. She has too many people to help her. You wouldn’t get very far. But if you get me out, I might be able to help.”

  “Fine,” she said and I could hear the irritation in her voice.

  After a minute, she came back with an old battery and a plastic bag.

  “I’m not MacGyver,” I said.

  “There’s nothing there. This is all I found.”

  Shit. I scanned the room and realized anything sharp or anything that could be broken to be used as a sharp object was removed from the room.

  “I’ll try to do something when the ceremony . . . Wait, your earrings,” I said.

  Her hands went up to the diamond studs that sparkled on her ears. “What about them?”

  I shook my arms. “Try to poke a bunch of holes through the plastic at my wrists. Maybe you can make enough holes that I can pull the restraint apart.”

  She immediately took off her earrings and got behind me. I remained still as possible to listen for anyone coming down the hall.

  “I think I almost got it,” she said but when I pulled my wrists apart it still wouldn’t break away.

  Then I heard something.

  “Get back up here. Someone’s coming,” I said.

  Just as Morgana sat back in her seat, Emma strolled into the room with Alex and Will holding a gun to David’s head.

  “Let the boy go,” I said through gritted teeth. A part of me was relieved David didn’t appear hurt. The other part was pissed that I couldn’t save him.

  Emma pointed to David. “He’s to make sure you don’t try anything.”

  I felt helpless. No agents were coming to the rescue, Tenn would make sure of that. And I was trapped.

  “It’s time for the bride.” Emma clapped her hands as another man walked into the room.

  “The minister’s here?” Morgana asked.

  “They get paid, don’t they?” Emma asked but I was guessing she didn’t expect an answer.

  Emma arranged her son and Morgana like dolls she was playing with. Will stood closer to the front door with his arm wrapped around David, fingers curled onto his shoulder—the gun never wavered.

  I stared into David’s eyes trying to will thoughts of comfort to him. He had the same helpless gaze that my cousin had days before his death. Anger welled up inside of me and I decided I couldn’t do anything. I was trapped but if I was in David’s position, I could easily get out of that hold.

  And then I realized I had taught David one thing that could get him out of that hold during one of our sessions.

  Emma was arguing with the minister when I nodded at David. He creased his brow, but I directed my eyes to where Will was grasping his shoulder. I held my breath, hoping David would know what I was trying to tell him.

  David gazed around the room, but after a few seconds his eyes widened. He quickly reached up and grabbed Wills pinky finger, twisting it completely back. My mouth dropped open in shock and pride as I wondered if that boy had broken the man’s finger.

  Will screamed and fell to his knees. I don’t know how it happened, but when I pulled my arms apart this time the restraint snapped. I jumped to my f
eet and ran over to David. But Emma was running too.

  I dove for the gun and we wrestled. But she’s a spoiled rich woman who probably hadn’t lifted anything heavier than two pounds of caviar in her life. I easily took the gun from her. She made a break for the door and I shot.

  What I hadn’t realized was David was next to her. I thought he was behind me and I had pulled the trigger too soon. His eyes widened as I ran to him.

  Both of them fell but I only cared about one. The young man that had blood on his shirt.

  THIRTY-TWO

  Tiffany

  “Where are they?” I pleaded for answers for the twentieth time in the last hour.

  I kept glancing back at the wall of windows that looked out onto the street. All I could see were police, men and women in suits, and cars parked along the side. No pedestrians and no one driving by. It had been like that for a while.

  “I wish I knew,” Evaleen said just as her phone buzzed.

  She glanced down as her eyes widened. When her head lifted they were focused past me, out the window.

  “You got something. What is it?” I asked, grabbing her wrist.

  “It’s nothing. Just something about a coworker. I’ll be right back.” She scurried off to the front of the café and I watched her put her phone to her ear.

  Coworker? Evaleen worked for herself as an author. Did she recently hire an assistant?

  “I’m going to go check on Henrik. Oh, I forgot to give this to you yesterday at the rehearsal dinner. Jagger gave it to me over a week ago, but I haven’t had time pass it on.” Edgar removed a wrinkled envelope from his tuxedo trouser pocket and slid it toward me before getting up.

  “How’s Henrik doing?” I took the envelope but stared up at Edgar.

  Edgar frowned and shook his head before turning toward Henrik. I felt guilty. I was too lost in my thoughts and hadn’t asked about Morgana.

  Evaleen told me after she called Jagger that Morgana was missing. She tried to get as much information as possible from Tenn but was having a tough time. She wasn’t happy about that and neither was I.