Covert Alliance

by Linda O. Johnston

  She had hoped to have something useful to report to him, though, about Dora’s knowledge of Eli. But what she’d learned hadn’t been especially helpful, only that Stan introduced his son to people he met, at least sometimes. Maybe if Dora and Stan were more of an item she’d have gotten to know Eli better, but the restaurateur’s attitude toward her potential romantic interest’s child didn’t seem especially positive.

  Kelly’s contact with Dora was turning out to be a dead end, although she would continue to cultivate it in case something more came of it later—perhaps if Stan and Dora were actually more of an item than she believed.

  The narrow mountain roadway was ending, and Kelly would soon be on a more substantial road. Where should she go now?

  She wasn’t scheduled to work. She certainly wasn’t getting together with Alan.

  And she unfortunately had no legitimate reason to drive past Stan’s—and Eli’s, and formerly Andi’s—home, although she might do that anyway and just claim to be sightseeing in her new town if anyone noticed.

  For now, though? An idea came to her, not that it was likely to be particularly useful. But it wouldn’t hurt to remind herself what that piece of property looked like that Stan had been trying to help real estate broker Jerome Baranka sell to the National Ecological Research Administration, and see if it appeared any different from the last time she had seen it. After all, it was near the water and not far from here.

  Well, maybe it would hurt. It would remind her a lot of Andi, and her sister’s fight with her husband...

  But it was a reminder that she could live with, since her sister’s disappearance and likely death had been the result.

  At the intersection at the base of the hill, she turned right on Coast Road, in the direction of that property.

  The road here curved some since it followed the shoreline, but was much straighter and wider than the one up to the Blue View. It was a commercial area, with restaurants and beach clubs, grocery stores and places that sold beach clothing.

  The site that Andi had represented was a short distance away, and Kelly reached it fairly quickly. It was on the water side of the road and remained empty. Apparently not even Andi’s employers had found an appropriate buyer for it after NERA had passed on it.

  Kelly drove by more stores, offices and small businesses—and stopped at the traffic light at the corner of the site that had been the subject of such contention way back when.

  A long, two-story office building was located there. It appeared under construction and not yet occupied. Some of the internal structure still showed, and wood was nailed over what would be the windows.

  But a sign posted in the front said it was the future site of the National Ecological Research Administration.

  Kelly drew in her lips and glared, as if the building were alive and responsible, somehow, for what had happened to Andi.

  There was a parking lot on the near side of the building that contained a few cars. She drove past slowly. Fortunately, although there was traffic on the other side of the road, there was no one behind her.

  As she drove by, she noticed three people exit from the building’s front door, all men.

  And Kelly gasped as she recognized each of them: Stan Grodon, Jerome Baranka and Paul Tirths.

  Paul. Initially her friend and helper in learning what Stan had done with his wife... Kelly’s sister.

  And then nearly as much of an enemy as Stan.

  He’d been away when she first arrived here. Now he was back.

  Was he more likely to recognize her than her own brother-in-law? They had spent a lot of time together collaborating and commiserating about Stan, who he was and how murderous he had become.

  Until Paul had become his boss’s biggest advocate once more. His being here with Stan and Baranka indicated where his loyalties still lay...for now.

  He might have the information Kelly wanted, the information Alan was after that would provide evidence against Stan, and perhaps lead to Andi.

  But how could newcomer to Blue Haven, restaurant server Kelly Ladd, extract any of that from Paul?

  She had to let Alan know. And then she would work with him to get the results they both sought.

  Chapter 16

  Alan was in his car still in the plaza parking lot checking his email when his phone signaled he had received a text message.

  It was from Kelly. Would like to talk to you, it said.

  Why did he have a sense there was a lot of emotion behind those benign words? Maybe because he had seen Stan and Paul Tirths and intended to let Kelly know. Maybe he anticipated some kind of emotional communication with her.

  Or was he just considering how best to let her know? If so, he’d tamp down any emotion. He was on the job. His real job. Staying fully calm was the only way to go.

  Now’s good for me, he texted back. You?

  He wasn’t surprised when his phone rang almost immediately.

  “Hi, Alan? Is this an okay time to talk?” Kelly’s voice sounded breathless, as if she were running.

  “Sure. You all right? Where are you?”

  “In my car. How about you?”

  “Just leaving the plaza.”

  “How about if I come and pick you up? I need to talk to you.”

  He could hardly refuse, not that he wanted to. All the emotion he’d been anticipating, and even more, seemed to emanate from her at this distance, wherever she was. He needed to know why. And if he could help her, soothe her, then all the better.

  “Sure. I’ll wait on the corner for you.”

  “I’ll be about ten minutes,” she said.

  “That’s fine. Take your time.” He didn’t want her speeding, especially if she was upset. Better that she arrive here safely so they could talk than for her to get stopped by cops...or worse.

  “See you in a few.”

  * * *

  Kelly took Alan’s words about taking her time to heart. Even though she was no longer on mountain roads and the streets here were relatively empty, she’d been unexpectedly walloped by the sight of those three men, one in particular.

  She had to figure out, with Alan, what to do next.

  Before she picked him up, she needed to calm herself, determine how best to tell Alan what—who—she had seen and consider suggestions for their next steps.

  Alan. Alan, Alan. Damn it, but the man was now permeating her brain, in her thoughts, much too much.

  Yet there wasn’t a lot she could do on her own right now, in this alternate persona, to get Paul Tirths to open up about what he knew. Or to get Stan talking, admitting what he had done.

  No, someone trained in covert security operations like Alan was a much better bet. She had to remain a poor, scared restaurant server to protect herself by deception.

  But she, and not Alan, had to come up with a way to protect and save her nephew.

  She’d been driving slowly. It was early afternoon now, but she was finally downtown.

  In another five minutes she reached the plaza. She saw Alan nearly immediately, standing on the corner of Main Street and Pacific Avenue looking down at his phone. He appeared so businesslike standing there, even wearing a suit and tie despite the fact it was the weekend and the council was probably not meeting.

  He looked like one handsome, sexy businessman, standing out in the small group of pedestrians walking by on the sidewalk. If she hadn’t known who he was, she might have figured he was conducting some kind of lucrative transaction on his phone, even on a Sunday.

  More likely, he was either communicating with someone else at the CIU or checking for some piece of information that would help him achieve his undercover goal here.

  Either way, she felt glad. He was, indirectly, here for her. He would help her figure it all out.

  At least she hoped he would.

  Slowly, since there was more traffic here than closer to the shore, she inched her way to the curb near him, then turned on her signal to show she was stopping. Fortunately, although there w
as a yellow line at the curb, other vehicles could get around her. She lowered the passenger window, ready to call out to Alan, but she didn’t have to. He strode quickly in her direction and opened the door.

  “Hi,” he said, getting in.

  “Hi.” She knew she must sound relieved, even though she’d told herself to keep her cool, act like his completely professional colleague. “Thanks for meeting me.”

  “You knew I would.” Which was true. They had formed a bond, after all—one that was more than just professional. “What’s going on?”

  She couldn’t continue to sit here at the curb. But driving while they held this discussion of something that definitely spun her insides probably wasn’t a great idea.

  “Let’s go to my place, okay? I’ll make us some coffee, and we’ll talk.”

  * * *

  Of course Alan would have agreed to go someplace private, like Kelly’s apartment or even his own. But either would have taken a while, and just looking at her, watching her chest rise and fall at a much faster rate than normal—and he certainly enjoyed watching that part of her, even clothed—it was obvious that the sooner they talked, the better.

  “That would be fine,” he said, “but I’d rather we talk now. Here, pull into one of the metered spots on the street and I’ll pay for parking. We’ll take a short walk together and talk. And if anyone we know sees us, all the better for our cover story. Okay?”

  Her glance toward him appeared both amused and troubled, but she nodded and parked at one of the nearest spaces.

  He would have gone over to open her door, but she beat him to it. He used a credit card to feed the meter. He doubted they’d be there long, but he added enough to give them an hour, just in case.

  There was a surprising number of pedestrians around them, walking around this area that was all government buildings. Maybe some were tourists, which the Blue Haven government encouraged, and these buildings certainly had attractive exteriors. Most were of the same faux marble look as the main plaza building, with pointed roofs and rows of decorative windows beneath them.

  But few pedestrians seemed to stop and gawk at the structures. They walked by, perhaps moving to and from the nearest shopping areas only a couple of blocks away.

  That was also where the Haven was located. He started walking in that direction, and Kelly joined him without question or protest.

  “So tell me,” he said.

  * * *

  Despite Kelly’s rational thinking and her intention to remain unemotional as she talked about whom she’d seen, and in the blatant company of the man he had at one time accused of murdering her sister, it got to her. She walked beside Alan, staring at the mostly smooth sidewalk, trying to remain calm as she told him where she had been and why. “I only wanted to take a look at those properties again since I was in the area,” she said, knowing her voice was low and unsteady. “I didn’t imagine I’d see anyone I knew there, although perhaps seeing the real estate guy Baranka was no surprise. But Stan. And Paul.”

  Her voice rose on the final two names, and she bit her lip—only to feel Alan’s arm go around her shoulders. She turned to look up into his sympathetic gaze.

  “I saw Stan and Paul, too, a while ago at the plaza. They were getting into a car, and I had no opportunity to talk to them. But I’ll find a way. I promise.”

  “And can you promise you’ll get Paul to spill all he knows about Andi?” Kelly didn’t mean for her words to come out so emotional and almost accusatory. She trusted Alan—or at least trusted that he would do everything in his power to get the answers, and evidence, they sought.

  “I do promise, Kelly.” That surprised her.

  “But how can you? I mean—”

  “It’s my job. Remember?” His smile looked wry, and she had an urge to reach up and touch his taut lips. Better yet, kiss them—as inappropriate as that was.

  “Of course I remember. But—”

  “And now it’s more than my job. I want—no, need—to do it to help my girlfriend, don’t I? You.”

  Kelly felt her eyes widen. “But it’s all for show. I’m not—”

  Alan stopped, causing her to stop walking, too. “Some is for show, sure. But I like you. I care about you. And if doing what I was sent here to do helps you, then all the better. We’ll get what we’re after, though it might take a while longer. You’ll see.”

  Kelly inhaled deeply. She wanted to believe him. To trust him. But he wasn’t the only person involved in this.

  She didn’t trust those he needed to go after. And so far, he’d had no success since his arrival here.

  But now there were two of them working on it together. Surely that would make a difference.

  “Thank you,” she said, choosing to fully buy into what he was saying.

  “You’re welcome.” He bent down, and their lips met in a short but heated kiss. When he pulled back, he said, “We can talk about this more. I want to hear your thoughts. Let’s grab dinner, then go to your place.”

  The idea of that nearly made Kelly smile despite her mixed feelings. But she didn’t respond immediately, mulling the idea over for a moment. The idea of getting together with him for another evening—another night—sounded wonderful. It also sounded wrong.

  She didn’t want him to see the horribly confused and upset fool she suddenly was inside. Or maybe he had seen it—she hadn’t really been hiding it well—and that was the reason for his suggestion.

  “Let’s do dinner,” she finally agreed. “I think I need to be alone later tonight, though.”

  She wondered if he would try to convince her otherwise.

  * * *

  Alan suggested Juan’s, a popular Mexican restaurant that wasn’t far from the Haven. Kelly seemed fine with it, and she drove them there.

  One good thing about the place was that its walls and outer windows were lined with booths with high backs, so there was a feeling of at least a little privacy when they were seated.

  “Margarita?” Alan immediately asked Kelly, sitting on the wooden bench across from her. He intended to have one.

  “Strawberry,” she said with a nod.

  As at the Haven, the women servers all wore the same outfits, but here it was loose knee-length skirts in different colors, and white blouses with colorful embroidery around the neckline. After their margaritas were served, Kelly ordered a taco salad and Alan asked for a beef burrito.

  Then they were alone together.

  “I’d been planning on calling you later anyway,” he said, “and not just so we could make a date and be seen together.”

  “Really? I thought that was the whole purpose of our getting together.” Her smile looked sad, perhaps as though she actually believed that—despite what they had done in no one else’s presence.

  He had an urge to slip off his bench, move onto hers and hold her closely to him.

  But the timing didn’t feel right.

  “Only part of it,” he said without moving. But before he could give her the small bit of information he had, their server came over with some tortilla chips and salsa, placing them on the table.

  “Enjoy,” she said.

  “Thanks,” Kelly said with a big smile. Of course she would be more than polite to a server at another restaurant.

  She took a chip and dipped it into the salsa, then took a bite. “Good. Spicy but not overly so.”

  Keeping things impersonal and far from their common goal might be fine most of the time, but under the circumstances Alan believed that they really needed to talk, to trade information.

  He nevertheless grabbed a couple of chips and dipped them, too.

  Then he said, “When I saw Paul Tirths and Stan today, my first instinct was to follow them, but even though I was leaving the plaza I was still too far from my car. Now I know where they were heading. But I want to learn why.” He watched the expression on Kelly’s lovely face as he spoke.

  She looked as if she wanted to say something, although she didn’t at first. She reach
ed for her margarita and took a sip. “Me, too,” she finally said. And then, her eyes wide and sorrowful, she asked, “How are we going to do this, Alan? Are we going to do this?” She glanced around as if sure people were listening in.

  “We are,” he assured her. “But this isn’t the time or place to figure it out. However—” He paused, and she regarded him expectantly. “Stan told me about a big afternoon party the council is planning for its members and apparently some townsfolk, too. I suspect both our targets will be there, and they’ll be needing some security. Now that Paul is back, I’m going to get to know him, put into effect the plan I’d been devising when he disappeared. We’re going to become great friends.”

  “Really?” Her smile this time was bright but skeptical.

  “Oh, he’ll think so. Even if he doesn’t, I’ll get him to reveal all by talking to me about Andi—and also the attempts on Shereen’s life. I can probably get him immunity but only if he helps.”

  “That is so great!”

  Alan couldn’t help feeling proud that he’d caused Kelly to smile. She believed in him. Or at least she wanted to.

  Now all he had to do was deliver.

  Could he?

  Judge Treena would undoubtedly help with the immunity angle, at least.

  As Alan took a healthy swig of his margarita, their server returned with their meals. For the rest of their dinner, they talked mostly about their lives there, nothing relating to what they were really up to. Kelly seemed to relax, even tease him a bit with her sexy expressions at times, and allusions to their seeing each other in different ways, too.

  When they were finished, Kelly tried to pay the bill. “It’s my turn,” she said.

  “But I’m on an expense account for anything relating to my assignment, so it’s always my turn.” Plus, he knew he earned more than she did. And he hadn’t footed the expense of moving here.

  They soon left the restaurant. Alan regretted that they weren’t spending more time together that night, but he wouldn’t push Kelly.