by J-L Heylen
Chapter 4
As it turned out, Charlie didn’t need an excuse to extract her from the date with Julia. She had no desire to break off the event. Julia was scintillating company, and apart from one awkward moment where Julia had prevaricated about giving details of what she did for a job, Charlie couldn’t fault her. Neither of them drank too much, and when it became obvious that the restaurant was closing, both seemed reluctant to bring their date to an end.
Charlie had already decided that she would refuse any offer of coffee (or anything else) that might follow, but was grateful when Julia seemed content to put her in a taxi.
As a cab pulled up outside the restaurant, and Charlie moved to get into the back, Julia grabbed Charlie’s arm to pull her back and into her arms. Charlie gave a little ‘oh’ of surprise, which was soon stifled by Julia bending her head until her lips met Charlie’s. The kiss was intense and full of promise. It left both of them wanting more, and hinted at an unspoken agreement that more would be forthcoming soon.
“I’ll call you,” Julia said as strong arms moved Charlie back towards the taxi. The driver smiled.
“You better,” Charlie replied.
There’s that giddy feeling again, Charlie noticed.
XXXX
Julia’s phone message alert buzzed again as she walked into her hotel room and threw her keycard and wallet onto the kitchen bench. This was the third message, and this time she decided she would answer it.
“So?” said her boss.
“So, I’m not convinced,” Julia answered.
“You’re not convinced, or you like her too much already to believe she could be a stooge?”
“Can’t it be both?” Julia asked, pointedly.
“Look, Haynes, you told me yourself she was our best prospect. Everything points to her. She’s got the skills, and the opportunity. The report I sent this morning backs up everything we thought already.”
“You don’t have to tell me, Marcus. I know. It’s just that now that I’ve met her, I’m not convinced.”
“Did you plant the tracker?”
“Yes, I did. It’s on the back of a pendant she says she wears all the time. I asked to see it close up during dinner, and stuck the sensor-film on as I admired it.”
“What a romantic!”
“Well, that’s why you chose me for the assignment, wasn’t it? I’m convincing. My targets think I’m genuinely interested in them, until I turn. By the way, how exactly did you wangle it so that I was on the same plane, the next seat, and the same hotel as her?”
“What? I didn’t.”
“You didn’t?”
“I did not. I was going to ask you how you managed to get so thick with her so quickly. I know what you are capable of, but I still thought it would take days, weeks even.”
“What about the name for the false profile? Who came up with that?”
“That was someone in the documents team, I think. As you recall, you received that profile to study before we suspected the real Parish of illegal activities.”
“Huh! Weird. Maybe I was right when I said it was meant to be,” Julia mused, more to herself than to Marcus.
“Well,” Marcus answered seriously, “if it is fate, it’s certainly working in our favour. I was hoping we could detain her before she went back to Canberra so we’d get a few days before the Australian Federal officials got involved. Everything is looking good for a pick-up tomorrow. Why don’t you call her first thing in the morning and tee up a lunch date?”
“There’s no reason to wait any longer, I suppose,” Julia agreed.
Marcus could hear the reluctance in his operative’s voice, but he knew she would comply.
“...But tell them I don’t want any rough stuff,” Julia continued. “If she gets skittish and tries to run, let me handle it.”
“What, you think she’ll trust you once the muscle makes an appearance?”
“Maybe not, but I’ll take that chance. They answer to me as soon as the operation starts. That’s my proviso. You chose me for this gig, Marcus. Let me run it my own way.”
“You got it, Haynes. We’ll play it by your rules. Let me know when you’re ready to move.”
“Sure. Tomorrow I guess, but Marcus, I don’t mind telling you these serendipitous interventions are worrying me. When I thought affairs had been organised to intentionally take advantage of Charlie’s known modus operandi, I was comfortable to play along. Now you tell me you know nothing about it, I have to wonder what the hell is going on. I’m almost beginning to think Charlie might have orchestrated it all. Could she know who I am? Is she planning a double-cross?”
“If she is, she’s a bloody good actor. Playing the secret agent comes naturally to you, Haynes. Charlie doesn’t seem like that type to me.”
“No, you’re right. I don’t think she is either.”
“You really are smitten, aren’t you? I’ve never seen you get involved with a mark like this before, and certainly never so quickly. In fact I don’t think I’ve seen you get this hooked on anyone this quickly even in your private life.”
“I know. I am usually more cautious, but she captured my attention from the moment I set eyes on her. I read the briefing and looked at the photos but they didn’t do her justice. I was checking her out on the plane without really being entirely sure it was Charlie Parish until she said her name. I even hoped that I was wrong, and that the woman I had admired in the airport queue wasn’t the same person I had been ordered to bring in.”
“I can put someone else on the job to collect her, if you want?”
“No, I’ll do it. I’d rather do it. I want to make sure it’s done right.”
“Okay, it’s up to you. See you tomorrow.”
Ah well, Haynes decided, it will come to nothing, no matter what I feel. But I won’t forget that kiss for quite a while.