Covert Christmas Twin

by Heather Woodhaven

  “You do realize all those things can be said about you, too, right? Well, except for the woman part.” There was laughter in her voice. “I guess we’re more alike than I realized. We just approach it differently.”

  “Then I guess I needed to hear those words, too. What I was trying to get at is our identity goes much deeper than our day-to-day roles.”

  “I can tell my brain all those logical things. It seems to take a lot more to get into my heart. Like the pastor’s-wife thing.” Her gaze dropped to the ground. “I know logically I’d be fine, but my heart still finds it scary.” She laughed. “Again, ironic, given our current situation, right?”

  His mouth went dry. Was she trying to tell him something or was his bias getting in the way again? “If we do get out of here, would you want to figure out that day-to-day stuff together?” The question slipped out before he could filter it.

  She twisted to face him and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him close. He wrapped his arms around her waist and steeled himself. He wouldn’t repeat the same mistake, as he had earlier in the day. After all, she hadn’t answered his question yet. She lifted her face and he felt her cheek brush against his before she whispered in his ear. “Let’s fight our way out, like we’re back in the boxing ring at the academy. Or die trying.”

  The door swung open. Joe loosened his grip but before he could turn around, his eyes caught something move, through the window, across the street.

  * * *

  “Sorry to break up the lovely moment.” Wyatt was flanked in the doorway by the two men, both of whom had their guns drawn.

  Joe didn’t fully let go of her as she spun around in his arms. His right hand slid down her arm to her wrist until he gripped her hand. She flashed him a look, but he faced forward, his jaw set. She had tried to make it clear they needed to at least try to fight their way out. In her experience, hand-holding wasn’t conducive to self-defense. Was he scared of her timing?

  “Well, one of you told the truth. You are Joe Rose,” Wyatt said. He turned. “But you are the woman who took down my communications network.” His eyes hardened and the polite man in the doorway morphed before her eyes into a cold-blooded leader of a crime ring. “I don’t negotiate with people I can’t trust.”

  He wasn’t entirely correct, but now wasn’t the time. “Then I guess you’re not getting your hands on the research,” she replied. “Because I made sure it’s secure and only accessible if both Joe and I are free.”

  He stepped into the room and the two men followed, the door closing behind them with a thud. “I don’t know what you did to yourself to look like Audrey but you failed to learn about the woman you’re pretending to be. Audrey Clark is a woman of science, a woman of integrity. She doesn’t have a devious bone in her body.”

  Oh, how Kendra wanted to reveal that Audrey had actually been the one to bring down Masked’s communications network just to see his smug smile drop.

  “It’s why I invested so much of my time with her all those years ago,” he said. “I knew she’d prove valuable someday.” He moved closer, scowling at her, but unfortunately not within striking distance. “And if you had done your due diligence on me, you’d know I don’t like to change plans. I choose them carefully and make sure we stick to it. So, if you want to live, you either hand over the research now, or you tell me what you did with Audrey, and I’ll go back to my initial plan. Your choice.”

  She didn’t need Joe’s expertise to know the man was lying through his teeth. He had no intention of letting her live. If he thought she was the one that took down the communications network, the only thing he’d want was revenge. A host of snarky comments jostled in her mind for the right to be said, but Kendra kept her mouth closed.

  As she anticipated, this infuriated him more. His eyes flashed with anger. “It seems our guests are choosing option C. Shoot them one body part at a time until I get what I want.”

  “Kendra.” Joe squeezed her hand hard. “It’s time to pray.”

  Wyatt laughed. “That’s a new one.”

  Kendra looked at Joe in disbelief. What about fighting? Her mind flashed back to his story in Afghanistan. Did he know something she didn’t? Or did he genuinely want to pray again? He dropped to his knees, and she joined him instantly.

  The sound of glass cracking reached her before the first gunman fell back, hit right in the shoulder. The second gunman moved toward Wyatt, presumably to cover him, but another pop sounded and he cried out, hit in the leg. He tripped forward as he fell to the ground but still had the gun. Joe released her hand and elbowed the man in the leg where he’d been shot. He hollered, and Joe twisted and locked himself on the man’s arm, fighting to get him to release his gun.

  Kendra jumped up into a lunge and, using the momentum, used her other knee to slam into the side of the standing man’s leg, aiming for the common peroneal nerve. She knew from experience it would send a shooting pain up and down his spine. He dropped instantly. While he was off balance, she twisted the hand that had a gun in it until he cried out and released it.

  Wyatt turned for the door. If he got away, she had a feeling he’d never be seen again.

  “Joe!”

  “Freeze,” Joe yelled at Wyatt. He had also succeeded in getting the gun from the man who was on the ground, hunched over his leg.

  Wyatt stooped down, arms over his head, but wrenched the door open, anyway. Joe ran after him and disappeared into the hallway. Kendra jumped up and followed, slamming the door behind her. The keys dangled from the outside of the doorknob. She twisted it to ensure their attackers weren’t going anywhere and then ran for the stairs.

  Thankfully, having grown up with all brothers, she knew a faster way. She hopped up on the railing and slid down the first flight. Her bones shouted at her that she was getting too old for such antics, but she couldn’t let Wyatt get away. She ran across the platform and hopped on the second railing. “Joe, stand aside!”

  He moved to the left side without question and she held her right leg out for balance as she slid down and slammed right into Wyatt’s back. The impact made her tumble off the railing, but Joe lunged and caught her arm before her head slammed into the cement wall on the other side of the stairs. Joe lifted her fully until she was upright and took the final step, holding down Wyatt.

  Approaching footsteps echoed from the stairs below. Joe pointed a gun in the direction of the noise. Around the next landing, a glimpse of the blond hair Kendra had spotted days ago came into view.

  “Beverly?” Kendra asked, her voice shaken.

  Joe turned back and grinned. “The answer to our prayer.”

  “Thank you for that,” Beverly said, and continued climbing the stairs, a rifle against her back and a Sig Sauer handgun in her grasp. “Was nice to have a clear shot.”

  Beverly pulled out a pair of handcuffs from her waist. Kendra accepted it and took over for Joe, who wasn’t as well-versed in arrest techniques. Wyatt remained silent while she recited his rights and handcuffed him. Joe pulled him upright.

  Wyatt’s eyes widened at the sight of Beverly. “You?”

  “You should’ve never threatened my daughter.” Beverly’s voice reverberated with such emotion it caught Kendra off guard.

  “We disarmed two men on the tenth,” Joe said. He moved to keep his gun aimed at the stairway above, in case others approached.

  “They’re secure in the room, though they’ll need medical attention.” Kendra dropped to her knee so she could look into Wyatt’s face. “How many other men are here?”

  Wyatt turned stone-faced.

  “He doesn’t like for many to see his face. If there are any more men here, they might not know he’s their boss.” Beverly grinned. “As soon as I spotted you through that window, I sent an SOS. A task force made up of Homeland Security, FBI and CIA should all be here in a minute to ensure this is done right.”

 
A burst of sound from below confirmed the backup had indeed arrived. DHS agents, hopefully real ones, as well as men and women in FBI jackets rushed forward. Beverly held up a badge. “With the help of the FBI agents Kendra Parker and Joe Rose, the head of the Masked organization is right here.”

  The next hour seemed to fly by in slow motion. They spent most of the time outside, waiting. An ambulance arrived and offered to take Kendra and Joe, but they both agreed that other than being a little dehydrated they were fine.

  Beverly finally approached and the question that had plagued Kendra burst out. “How? The bomb? How are you here?” She didn’t even know how to begin.

  Her biological mom smiled for the first time. “The bomb was a distraction to give us all time to escape. I had detonators placed on the top floor of that house for ages. I simply set off the south-side ones and everyone came running to check on the men on that side, which gave me ample time to escape on the north side.” She pointed at Joe but kept her gaze on Kendra. “As far as being here. I’ve always believed trust is earned. I placed GPS trackers on all Joe’s shoes since I first considered making him an asset. When his signal went cold all of a sudden last night, I knew something was wrong.”

  “They had us trapped in a building scheduled for demolition and used a cell-phone jammer.”

  Beverly nodded, as if unsurprised. “He enjoys using jammers when he’s scheduled an accident.” She held up her fingers in air quotes. “I traveled to where the last ping had been and saw the remains of the building.” She seemed to age ten years as she said it before she sighed and all trace of emotion disappeared. “Then I got a moving ping headed to the airport and finally here.”

  “You found us just in time,” Kendra said. “Thank you.”

  Beverly glanced at Joe. They appeared to have an unspoken language because he cleared his throat. “I’m going to see if anyone needs more from us before we can leave.”

  “Thank you,” Beverly said. She averted her gaze. “When you found me... Well, I couldn’t let myself imagine a life where I got to know you as my daughter without putting you in more danger.”

  Kendra’s throat tightened. “And now?”

  Beverly frowned, her eyes searching Kendra’s face. “I would like to know both of you. You have no idea how much.” Her voice cracked but she pulled back her shoulders. “Bad things tend to follow me around, though, and I couldn’t bear it if I hurt you more than I already have.”

  A knot in Kendra’s stomach dissipated. “How about you let us decide if it’s worth the risk?”

  Beverly’s eyes widened before she nodded. “Have you already told your sister?”

  Kendra shook her head. “I thought she deserved to hear it from you first, but I’m not going to keep it a secret I met you.”

  “Thank you. I would like a chance to be in your lives if...” Her face scrunched up. “Well, I’ll obviously understand if you don’t, but...”

  Pain and doubt radiated over Beverly’s features with such intensity that Kendra’s heart almost burst. Her mom wanted to know her. Kendra wasn’t ready to hug her, but she desperately looked forward to the day she could. “Yes,” she said simply. “I want that, and I’m sure Audrey will, too.”

  A man in a jacket approached. “Agent Walsh, we’re ready for you.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” Beverly said, studying Kendra’s face as if for permission.

  “Go.” She watched Joe approach. “I’ll be fine, but you should know Wyatt arranged for two murders and a drug frame in Audrey’s apartment.”

  Her face hardened again, and the seasoned agent returned. “I’ll take care of it. Tell your sister she’s free to come home in a couple of days.” And with that, Beverly joined the other agents.

  Joe placed a hand on Kendra’s back. “You have no idea how many reports to a bunch of agencies we’ll have to submit.”

  The paperwork would be atrocious. Necessary, though. She smiled at him. “But not right now. Can I ask you a question?”

  “Of course.”

  “Were you trying to kiss me earlier?” The moment the question was out of her mouth, she regretted her attempt at broaching the subject. He shifted uncomfortably.

  “I thought you...” He shrugged. “I don’t know what I thought.”

  “Are there a cluster of cues for when a woman wants a man to kiss her?”

  He looked up at the sky. “Well...obviously they can be misread, and every woman is different. In general, there are a set of subtle, unconscious behaviors a woman might display if she’s interested or flirting with a man.” He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ground. “I mean there’s the common ones like smiling and making your eyes bigger, but there are also lesser known...”

  “For instance...”

  He straightened and awkwardly gestured to no one. “Well, activity level can indicate interest. Like a bouncing foot.”

  Kendra bounced her right heel up and down, the sole of her shoes smacking against the pavement. “Oh?”

  He glanced down and laughed. “Not like you’re impatient.”

  “What if I am?” She closed the gap between them. “Let me be clear. No matter what my behavioral cues may or may not say, I love you.”

  He exhaled and all signs of nervousness evaporated. The confident man she knew flashed the mischievous smirk she’d missed. “That was about to be my analysis.”

  “Oh, really?” She was about to playfully argue in response, when his lips brushed against hers, tenderly, and her legs felt weak. She completely forgot her comeback line, but she didn’t care.

  He placed his hands on her waist and straightened. “I love you, too.” Something caught his attention over her shoulder.

  Kendra looked to follow his gaze. Beverly crossed her arms over her chest, smiling. “I knew you two would make a good team. You’re free to go. I’ll be in touch tomorrow.”

  Kendra turned back to Joe. “Okay. You were right. My mother is a genius.”

  EPILOGUE

  Kendra turned to Joe, admiring how he looked in a charcoal suit with a light blue shirt and silver tie. They made quite the pair as she wore a navy evening gown complete with a silver shoulder wrap. The entire event was decorated like an evening of snow and glitter, perfect for a Christmas wedding. “I’ve never felt so relaxed in my entire life, which is odd, because I’ve been wearing heels all day.”

  They sat on a padded bench in a tiny alcove of the hotel lobby, just taking a quiet moment alone before the reception for Audrey and Lee began.

  He placed one arm around her shoulders. “We’ve had weeks of nonstop debriefing that’s finally over. Your sister and Lee have their happily-ever-after. Your families have met and love each other. Your biological mom is retiring from the spy business for good.” He touched his fingers, as if checking off boxes. “I think the sentiment makes perfect sense.”

  She smiled. Her family had doubled in size, as Audrey’s parents had basically proclaimed honorary adoption on the spot. “I think Beverly was surprised that proclaiming we were NCS assets only helped a little in the aftermath of paperwork and interviews.” Kendra sighed. “I forgot to tell you. Given all the protocols breached, my handler let me know this morning that I’m demoted to the surveillance team for a while.”

  Joe pulled away from her and tilted his head. “You don’t seem too upset.”

  She grinned. “I’m actually thrilled. It’s not behind a desk. Ever since you shared that Proverbs verse with me about trusting and letting Him direct my paths, I’m trying to envision it like an adventure I wouldn’t want to pass up.” She reached for his hand, hoping he’d understand. “I’m a little nervous, but my head sort of cleared after I got the news. I decided that after my probationary period is over, I’d like to follow my old partner’s lead and transfer to recruiting. My handler said the request would likely be approved, as well as his recommendation that
I be on call as a crisis-response team leader. It’d be nice to make a difference without having to make arrests.” She studied Joe’s face for any indication of his thoughts, but he simply smiled. They’d spent every spare moment they had in each other’s company or talking on the phone since the incident, but they’d yet to broach the tricky subject of the future. “What about you? Any decisions?” She tried to keep the nerves out of her voice but failed.

  “Funny you should mention it.” He rubbed his thumb over her palm and placed his other hand on top of hers. “My handler seemed relieved when I turned in my resignation.”

  “You did it? You’re officially going to be a full-time pastor?”

  He looked up. “Actually, it turns out that there are a few organizations that need pastors on campuses. I think I’m going to start my quest to be a lifelong student by becoming an adjunct professor. I can handle a small class load, as well as part-time work as a campus pastor. I figure I’ll even have margin to volunteer as an FBI chaplain for a crisis team.”

  She laughed. She couldn’t help it. “Oh, is that all?”

  He flashed the contagious smirk she loved. “I love variety.”

  They had that in common. “It does sound kind of perfect for you.” She discreetly kicked her heels off underneath her dress and let her toes sink into the carpet. She hated the thought of saying goodbye after the wedding and going their separate ways. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we ended up on the same campus and ended up on the same crisis—”

  He slipped off the bench, still holding her hands, and dropped to one knee.

  The action took her breath away. Her insides shook. Had he dropped something or was he—

  “You’ve just described the mission I’ve planned. I will end up wherever you’re assigned and make that a reality because I love you completely. My intention is to spend the rest of our lives together, if you’ll have me. Kendra, will you marry me?”