Alfric nodded. “I’m counting on you to do just that, pretty lady.” He took hold of her elbow and started her walking again. “Believe me, these guys don’t know what kind of hornet’s nest they’ve opened. Between what you know and the Honeybun network, Jon-Luc Raia is toast with bugs.”
Pleasance wrinkled her nose. “Ewww. What a visual.”
Clancy trotted up to them wagging his tail. A long, skinny tail stuck out one side of his mouth. Alfric patted him on the head. “Let it go, Clanc.”
The dog’s tail drooped but, after one last look at his retreating friend, he lowered his massive head and opened his mouth. A soggy and slightly dazed mouse dropped to the floor. “Come on boy. Wanna go in the car?”
Clancy gave the mouse one last look before turning and loping off after Alfric and the pretty lady that smelled so good.
After a minute the mouse jumped to its feet and hurried off, most likely wondering when his house had become infested with big, hairy monsters.
As they approached a silver Mini Cooper, parked in front of a large door with a heavy metal gate over it, something crashed behind them and Alfric grabbed Pleasance’s hand. “They’ve gotten through, hurry.”
They started running and the car bleeped as Alfric hit the button to unlocked it. Alfric ushered Clancy into the small back seat before climbing behind the wheel. “Seatbelt,” he told Pleasance before inserting the key and turning the engine of the powerful car over.
The gate was lifting slowly as Alfric put the car into gear. He gunned it as the first bullet pinged off the back of the car and they headed toward the gate, which was only halfway raised.
Pleasance braced her hands on the dash and glanced at Alfric, her eyes wide with alarm. As the small car tore toward the gate she became ever more certain that they weren’t going to clear it “Alfric!”
He glanced over his shoulder and screamed, “Hold on!”
They shot under the gate to the tune of bullets pinging all around them and a horrendous screeching sound as the sharp metal spikes of the gate scraped across the car’s roof. Alfric winced, “There goes the paint job.”
They emerged into a littered, grassy area and Alfric took a hard left, heading toward the nearby street. Pleasance turned in her seat and saw three, tall, dark shapes emerging from the gate, guns pointed in their direction.
The back window splintered but didn’t shatter as a bullet found it. Pleasance ducked instinctively, whimpering as she tucked herself into the crash position. The little car swerved several times. Pleasance assumed Alfric was performing evasive maneuvers but no more bullets connected.
When they hit the street, Alfric turned into the warehouse district rather than heading for the nearby highway. He wove through the rabbit warren of buildings. Pleasance slowly sat back up and looked around. Alfric turned into a parking lot and headed for a loading dock. He pressed a button on his key chain and one of the doors opened. He drove the car inside and pressed the button again to close the door.
They sat silently for a long moment, Alfric stared straight ahead, panting from built up adrenaline, and his hands were wrapped firmly around the steering wheel. Finally he turned to her and, amazingly, grinned. “This guy’s hard on my tighty whities.”
Pleasance burst into laughter, tinged with hysteria. Alfric joined her and they allowed the tension of the last few moments to slide away under the laughter. It felt good.
“Now what?” Pleasance asked. She was perched on top of a tall stool at a tall table in a room that was furnished with a lot of computer and electrical equipment. Alfric was pushing buttons and checking monitors and generally forgetting she was even there.
Clancy snored softly by the door.
Alfric picked up what looked like an oversized cell phone, which Pleasance recognized as another satellite phone. “Now I make a couple of calls.” He glanced up at her. “There are drinks in that little refrigerator over there. And snacks.” He grinned. “We kind of got interrupted before we could eat.”
“Twice,” she agreed with an answering smile. “Once by our libidos and once by the bad guys.”
Alfric chuckled and started pressing buttons on the phone. “I’ll take a bottle of water,” he told her.
Pleasance opened the small refrigerator and crouched down to look inside. She pulled two bottles of water out of the refrigerator and grabbed some veggies and dip.
“Come on Brenner! Tell me what you know. Somebody on the team had to have given me up!”
Pleasance handed him his water, cocking at eyebrow at him. Alfric lifted the bottle to her in thanks, his dark blue eyes flashing with temper. He looked as if he’d like to hit something or throw someone. She’d seen that look often enough, on her own father’s face. She settled herself back at the table and opened her bottle of water. She sipped and crunched carrots and celery sticks while Alfric argued with the person on the other end of the phone. Finally, he hung up and slammed it down on the counter, swearing.
Clancy lifted his head and stared at Alfric for a few beats, then yawned and flopped back down, stretching mightily.
“I take it you didn’t get any information.”
He dropped into the chair across from her and shook his head, taking a long swig of his water. “Stubborn bastard.”
“Isn’t there somebody else on the team who might open up to you?”
Alfric started to shake his head and stopped. Pleasance could almost see the light bulb coming on over his head. “Not me…but I know somebody they won’t be able to blow off so easily.”
He set his water down and punched some numbers into the phone. “Clovis, it’s me. Is he there?” He gave Pleasance a thumbs up and sat back, crossing one arm over his chest and tucking the hand under his other arm in a classic waiting pose.
Pleasance crunched carrots and enjoyed the view.
It was a damn good view from where she sat. At somewhere over six foot tall, Alfric Honeybun was long, leanly muscled, and elegant. His dark red hair was cut short, FBI style, and his dark blue eyes were almond shaped, with a thick fringe of dark red lashes. His chin was square and masculine, covered with a dark red shadow at all times, even when he was clean-shaven, and his nose was long and straight. He dressed in crisp button down shirts and jeans that looked like they were made for him. His shirt was open at the throat, exposing a few soft, dark red curls and the sleeves were rolled up to just under his elbows. The exposed length of his arms showed well sculpted but not bulky muscle. His hands were large and looked as if he knew how to do manual labor. Pleasance decided he was probably much stronger than he looked.
Jack Bauer style.
She shivered with sudden lust.
Alfric stood up and moved to a cabinet on the wall, reaching inside. “Brick, you old reprobate. How are you? Clovis takin’ good care of you?” He was smiling, obviously pleased to be talking to the person on the other end of the line.
Alfric’s hand came out of the cabinet holding something. He laughed as he crossed the room toward her and laid the sweater he’d collected over her shoulders.
His hands stayed on her shoulders for a beat. His warmth and the possessive way he touched her made Pleasance shiver again.
Alfric briskly rubbed her shoulders before stepping away.
“I’ll bet. Don’t you go corrupting my older brother now, Brick. He’s got lots of rules to keep track of. And there’s always that stick up his ass to consider.” Alfric listened for a second and then started laughing. “I expect you to fill me in later on all that.”
He nodded and frowned. “I need your help on something.” He glanced at Pleasance. “I need to find out if one of my team has been compromised.”
Pleasance looked down at the cardigan sweater he’d placed over her shoulders. It smelled like flowers and was pink. Not exactly Alfric’s style. She realized the thought of his having another woman’s sweater in his hidey-hole made her uncomfortable.
Really uncomfortable.
“I can’t. I’ve been cut loose.” Alf
ric nodded and sipped his water. “I’ll tell you all the details when I see you. But I need to find out what Raia knows about me.” Alfric stood back up, as if he had too much energy…or was too jumpy…to sit still for long. He walked back to the monitors and bent over the console, peering carefully at them. He tucked the phone between his ear and his shoulder and dropped into the rolling chair at the console, punching buttons to change the view on the screens. “Thanks Brick, I owe ya one.”
Alfric disconnected and swiveled in the chair to look at Pleasance. “If anybody can find out how Raia got my location, Uncle Brick can.”
Pleasance frowned. “Does he work in your organization?”
Alfric shook his head. “He’s higher up.”
“How high up?”
“Way high up. He’s a US Senator. A ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.”
Chapter Eleven
“But why won’t you tell me where she is? I gave you what you want.”
He wiped a cloth handkerchief across his forehead and took a deep breath. He didn’t want the man on the other end of the phone to know that he was nervous about the operation. He couldn’t afford to show weakness. If Raia thought he was getting cold feet he’d be dead. “You’ll get her back. But we’re not working on your timetable. We’ll tell you where she is when the time is right. Not a minute before.” The caller on the other end disconnected.
He hung up the phone and dropped his head into his hands.
His hands were sweaty too, and his heart pounded in his chest. Homeland Security was getting close, really close, and he needed to get out before they found him. He’d gotten a call from a damn Senator that morning.
The man had left a lot of questions on his recorder.
He didn’t much like answering questions. Especially when the answers would land him in prison. Maybe even on death row.
A soft knock sounded and he jumped. The handkerchief made another foray over his wet face as he stood up, wondering what he should do. He picked the revolver up from the top of his desk and took the safety off, checking the chamber to make sure it was loaded. Then, he walked over to the door and looked through the peephole.
A dark face with cold, dead eyes stared back at him. He opened the door just enough to stick his face through, holding the gun up by his cheek, hidden by the door. “What are you doing here? I told you I don’t want us ever to be seen together…”
The man in the hallway lifted his hand. The muffled sound of two bullets were the visitor’s only response. Blood blossomed from a small hole between the man’s eyes and in the exact center of his no longer beating heart.
The man in the hallway planted his foot in the center of the dead man’s chest, sending him flying backward into his apartment before his body had time to collapse into the hallway and create complications. Then, he reached inside and turned the lock on the doorknob, pulling the door quietly shut. He stripped off the surgical glove as he turned back the way he’d come and slid it into his pocket. Sliding the Smith and Wesson .38 Special into the same pocket, he strode casually down the hall and climbed into a waiting elevator.
Pleasance bent over the large sketch-pad, her hand skimming the surface quickly and efficiently as she attempted to recreate, from memory, the paintings she’d done for Raia. She’d only been able to reproduce parts of three of them so far. But Brita was sending them around the country to the different law enforcement agencies for verification of their identities.
The Seattle police had, of course, already verified the University Bridge drawing.
Alfric set a hot cup of coffee in front of her. She looked up and smiled. “Thanks.”
He sat down across from her, his own mug of coffee cradled in his hands on the table in front of him. “How’s it going?”
Pleasance put her pencil down and sat back, hunching her shoulders with weariness. “To tell you the truth I’m a bit frustrated. I know I’m missing important details on these.”
Alfric stood up and walked around the table, placing his hands on her stiff shoulders. He began kneading them gently. “You should take a break. You’ve been at it for hours.”
Pleasance closed her eyes and let her head droop forward, groaning with sheer pleasure. “Oh god that feels good. Don’t ever stop.”
Alfric chuckled. “I’d be happy to keep my hands on you all night…but why should my fingers have all the fun.”
Pleasance’s eyes shot open as she felt his hot breath on the side of her neck, followed by the electric touch of his soft lips. She closed her eyes again and melted under his touch. “Okay, don’t stop that either.”
“Your wish is my command.” His voice was husky with pleasure and it made Pleasance shiver. Alfric stopped. “Are you cold?”
She stood up and turned toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck with a smile. “Far from it.” Then her lips found his and her body melted bonelessly into him.
Alfric’s response was a low growl. He met her kiss and raised the heat level from smoldering to raging in an instant, passionately ravishing her lips. He reached under her butt and lifted her onto the table, nestling himself between her legs without lifting his hungry lips from hers.
Pleasance pulled away with a whimper, reached for the buttons of his shirt, and started tugging them open. “You have way too many clothes on, Agent Honeybun,” she gasped.
“Not what you’re used to I’m sure.” He gave her a devilish smile and she snickered. “Watch out, I might paint you in the nude while you’re sleeping.”
Alfric’s chuckle sent shivers of lust spiking through her body and she suddenly felt as if she’d die if they didn’t both get naked fast.
The sound of throat clearing brought their frantically grasping fingers to a sudden stop. Before Pleasance could even turn to see who had invaded their privacy, Alfric had already moved in front of her and had a weapon drawn.
A well-built man with reddish blond hair and Honeybun features stood staring at them with one eyebrow lifted.
Alfric’s muscles loosened immediately and he lowered his gun. “Clovis! You almost got yourself shot.”
The other eyebrow lifted to join the first one. “I stomped up the stairs like a buffalo. I can’t imagine why you didn’t hear me coming.”
Pleasance watched the back of Alfric’s neck redden and lowered her head to hide a smile. Under the circumstances she was really glad Alfric hadn’t managed to pull any of her clothes off.
“Is Brick with you?”
Clovis jerked his head toward the bank of monitors, where they could see that a big man with bright red hair was just climbing out of a black SUV. Two men dressed in black suits and white shirts stood on either side of the car door, their heads swiveling to take in the area.
Pleasance guessed that would be Uncle Brick, the US Senator and his Special Forces bodyguards.
“It’s clear. Send the Senator up alone please,” Clovis spoke into a bluetooth earpiece.
Pleasance watched one of the men say something to Brick Honeybun and then settle back into his spot alongside the car. He didn’t look happy to be left behind.
Clovis went to meet Brick, waiting at the top of the stairs. Pleasance grinned at Alfric, her cheeks coloring in embarrassment. Returning her smile, he buttoned his shirt back up and shrugged.
They listened to the surprisingly light footsteps of the Senator on the steps as he climbed to Alfric’s little hidey-hole in the abandoned warehouse.
A moment later, Brick Honeybun entered the room, stopped just inside the door, and looked around. His wide, craggy face split in a toothy grin when he spotted Alfric. He walked over, moving with the grace of a large cat despite his size, and embraced his nephew, patting him hard on the back. “Alf, you look good considering what you’ve been through over the last few days.” His light blue eyes landed on Pleasance and he lifted a bushy red eyebrow in surprise, stepping back from Alfric. “Are you gonna introduce me to the beautiful woman? Or will I have to take i
t upon myself to charm her away from you?”
Alfric shook his head, chuckling. “Remember, Brick, you left your bodyguards downstairs. You don’t want to do anything that might endanger your well being.”
Brick Honeybun threw back his head and laughed heartily. “I guess that answers the other question…the one I was reluctant to ask in front of the young lady.”
Pleasance felt heat flooding her face.
Alfric walked over and put an arm around her shoulders. “Uncle Brick, this is Pleasance.”
Brick smiled. “Oh yes, she certainly is.”
Clovis walked past the older man, muttering, “Behave yourself you old dog.”
Pleasance stood up and extended her hand. “Senator. I’m honored to meet you.”
Brick Honeybun took her hand. “Nonsense. It’s entirely my honor to meet such a lovely and talented young woman. I understand you’re an artist.” He sat down in the chair Alfric had vacated. “What do you specialize in? No, let me guess, portraits?”
Pleasance gave him a wide smile and glanced at Alfric and Clovis. “Got it in one, sir.”
Alfric handed his uncle a mug of coffee. “Thanks, Alf. I don’t suppose I could get you to do my portrait could I, lovely lady?” Brick leaned close and waggled his bushy eyebrows at her.
Clovis spit coffee across the room.
Alfric laughed outright.
Brick, obviously sensing he’d been had, turned to them with a frown.
“I’d be pleased to paint you Senator,” Pleasance said, all business. “I’m planning on doing Alfric later…”
This time Alfric’s coffee became mist and Clovis’s bellow made her jump.
She cocked her head and gave the Senator a devilish smile. “Shall we do a preliminary sketch?”
Brick grinned, obviously thinking he was making real progress with her. “Absolutely. Where do you want me?”
She shook her head. “You can stay there, that’s fine.” Picking up her sketch-pad and the pencil she’d been using she forced herself not to smile. “Now if you’ll just strip, we’ll get started.”
Life Liberty and the Pursuit of a Honeybun Page 9
