Devil in a Black Suit: A Shelby Nichols Adventure

by Colleen Helme

  “That should work,” Sloan said, checking her watch. “We have two hours before five o’clock. Why don’t we get started on those ID badges?”

  As they followed Noah to his room, Ramos could hardly believe that he’d agreed to help Sloan. Again. She’d barely given him a moment to think it through. And he’d agreed. What was wrong with him? In Noah’s room, Ramos glanced her way, watching as Noah set up his equipment and took her picture.

  It wasn’t just her beauty he admired, although he could get lost in the depths of her smoky eyes. She believed in something bigger than herself, and she was good at what she did. If they were on the same side, they’d be great partners. He liked that she knew how to fight and handle a gun. Beyond that, there was the physical attraction that pulled him to her and made him ready to throw caution to the wind just to hold her in his arms.

  He shook his head, finally admitting that he cared for her. That was a huge problem.

  Noah took Ramos’s picture and kept telling him not to scowl so much, but it was a lost cause. No way could Ramos even try to look pleasant with that on his mind.

  “While I get these ready, you guys will need to change into some business clothes,” Noah said. He glanced at Ramos. “Do you have some slacks and a nice shirt? I might have something if you don’t.”

  “I’ve got it covered,” Ramos said, not about to borrow anything from him.

  “Okay. Good.”

  Sloan left the room with Ramos following close behind. She stopped in front of her door and turned to him. “Come in for a minute. We need to talk.”

  Ramos didn’t like the sound of that. He also didn’t like the invitation into her room. What did she want? Right now, she had gotten more out of him than he wanted to give. Maybe it wasn’t too late to back out?

  “It won’t take long.” Her determined gaze held his, and Ramos knew she wouldn’t back down. With resignation, he nodded and followed her inside the room.

  As soon as the door closed, she began. “Look, I appreciate your help with this, but if you don’t want to go through with it, I understand.”

  Ramos twisted his lips and let out a frustrated breath. “If I thought you’d be okay without me, I wouldn’t be helping you.” It was the truth. This was her job, and getting caught up in it was the last thing he wanted to do.

  Sloan’s breath caught, and he was pretty sure he’d just insulted her. “Fine. I get it. You can just stay here.”

  “No,” Ramos said, grabbing her arms. “I’m coming with you, but this is the last time.”

  Sloan pulled out of his grasp. “Never mind. I can do it without you.”

  “No you can’t,” Ramos said. “You need me for this, and I’m coming. I just need you to understand the position this puts me in.”

  Sloan lowered her eyes and let out a breath. “You’re right. I am asking a lot. Once we’re done, I’ll never ask anything of you again.”

  Ramos nodded. “Good. I can live with that.” He turned to leave, but Sloan caught his arm.

  “Wait. Don’t go yet.” He turned to face her and she dropped his arm, then took a breath and glanced up at him. “You have to tell me how things went with Vincente. Did you find out what happened to your father?”

  It was plain to see that she wanted to know because she cared about him. A part of him wanted to push her away, but he couldn’t do it. He wanted her to know. He wanted to share this with her, because it was important to him. “Vincente wasn’t there, but I talked to his wife. I’m pretty sure my father’s dead. She told me to go home. I don’t think she would have said that if he was still alive.”

  Sloan nodded. “Do you think she knows what happened to him?”

  “Yeah, I do.” He let out a big sigh and shook his head. “She’s hiding something. It might be that Vincente was involved in my father’s death and she’s protecting him. I don’t know. I’m not even sure it matters anymore.” There was a part of him that would always wonder what had happened to his father, but looking into a past filled with pain was taking a toll on him.

  Sloan stepped close and put her arms around him, offering him comfort that took him by surprise. After a couple of seconds, he gave in to the temptation to hold her close, and inhaled the scent of her perfume that always made him think of moonlight and shadows. With reluctance, he let out a breath. “We can’t do this.”

  She sighed, but kept her arms around his waist. “Do what?”

  “You and me.” Whether they were in Cuba or not, being in a relationship with her was just asking for trouble. Look at the situation he was in now. He couldn’t live like this. He stepped away, but she wouldn’t let him go.

  “Ramos, wait. This is the last time I’ll involve you in my work. I’ll never ask for your help again. I promise. And it’s okay if we’re never together. I don’t want that, but I’d like to spend some time with you. I don’t expect anything permanent, but one night in Cuba wouldn’t be so bad would it?”

  He closed his eyes and huffed out a breath. “And you can just forget me?”

  Her lips twisted and she shrugged. “Does it matter?”

  “Of course it matters. What I do, what you do. It all matters.” He pulled her arms from around him and held them in a firm grip, wishing he could shake some sense into her, and gazed fiercely into her eyes. “I don’t want to care about you.”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but it was too much. He gave in to his desire and lowered his lips to hers in a searing kiss. She responded just as desperately, and they clung to one another, all that pent-up tension rocketing through them. The kiss deepened, and Ramos wasn’t sure he could stop, or even if he wanted to.

  Several loud knocks on the door brought their scorching kiss to an end, and they broke apart. Heart pounding and breathless, he let her go. Sloan took several deep breaths, then managed to glance through the peep hole.

  “It’s Noah,” she whispered.

  Ramos nodded and leaned against the door frame, then folded his arms over his chest and let out his breath. Sloan opened the door a crack to speak to Noah, but he barged inside. He nearly jumped a foot to find Ramos standing there.

  Before Noah could say a thing, Ramos straightened. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving.” With a glance at Sloan, he stepped out the door.

  “Wait,” she called. He turned back, and she grabbed the package holding the cigars and nunchucks from her dresser. “Don’t forget this.”

  She was trying to make it look like the package was the reason he’d stopped by. Ramos glanced at Noah, and knew it hadn’t fooled him. With a nod, Ramos took the package and headed down the hall to the stairs. He hurried down them to the floor below, using the physical exertion to help release his pent-up emotions. By the time he got to his room, he was back in control.

  That was close. What was he doing? He didn’t need the complication of Sloan in his life. Look where it had gotten him. Now was not the time to lose his head over a woman, especially one he couldn’t fully trust.

  He pulled the white shirt from his bag, along with the pair of black jeans that would have to do for dress slacks. Finding his dark blazer, he slipped it on, and decided to hide his passport and money in a separate place in the room.

  He secured them inside the lining of the ironing board, then checked his appearance in the mirror, pulling the mask of cold indifference onto his face. Satisfied at his success, he took his time heading back to Sloan’s door and knocked.

  She pulled it open and smiled, but one look at his cold expression drained the warmth from her eyes. As she beckoned him inside, he found Noah sitting on the chair in front of the little side desk, with censure in his gaze.

  The tension in the room crackled, and he knew that Noah had probably said something disparaging about him. He must have chewed Sloan out as well. Wasn’t that why she had a partner in the first place? Because she’d gone rogue one too many times, and Ramos was the person they blamed? And now, here he was again.

  Sloan handed Ramos his ID badge. She had changed into a s
kirt and blouse, with her hair pulled back into a low ponytail. She slipped a pair of glasses onto her nose, and he couldn’t help but compare them to the glasses Shelby wore when she first attended Manetto’s meetings.

  Right now, Ramos wished he was back home. His job with Manetto, and keeping Shelby alive, was a lot less complicated than being here in Cuba with Sloan.

  Noah went over the plan with them again, and Ramos realized that Sloan and Noah had been working it out far longer than he’d realized. They even had a backup plan in case anything went wrong. From their preparation, he could see that the odds were much better for Sloan with his help, and that was enough to keep him in the mix. Still, he’d be glad when it was over.

  Ramos glanced at the blueprint to set it in his mind, then checked his watch. “It’s time to go.”

  Chapter 13

  Sloan slung a purse across her shoulder, and Ramos followed her out of the hotel. Since the building wasn’t far, they had decided to walk. Noah wasn’t too far behind, and he followed them at a distance. His part in the plan consisted of keeping watch from across the street, and being ready to back them up or create a diversion if they needed it.

  It surprised Ramos that they’d planned to communicate with texts rather than using high-end ear pieces, but Sloan had explained that their mission wasn’t so big as to warrant all that spy-ware.

  Nearly there, Sloan glanced at Ramos. “I hope you’re not sorry I got you into this.”

  Ramos huffed. “I’ll let you know when it’s over.” He caught her gaze. “What did Noah say after I left?” Sloan shook her head and pursed her lips, but didn’t respond. It put Ramos on the defense. “Did he threaten you?”

  She sighed. “He’s not going to report me or anything. As long as we accomplish the mission, he’s willing to keep his mouth shut. In fact, I’ve convinced him to leave you out of the narrative.”

  “How did you manage that?”

  “Well, after destroying all of our weapons in Mexico, I’m sort of on probation with the department. Another slip-up and I’ll be back at a desk job. Noah’s a good guy, and he wants this to work, so I can count on him to keep his mouth shut. But, if I mess this up, he won’t be able to. Know what I mean?”

  Ramos sighed. “Yeah, I think so.”

  She turned to him with a desperate gleam in her eyes. “That’s why I’ve got to succeed. I’m really hoping that I can get my hands on the device. Wouldn’t that be something? I could solve this whole thing. It would boost my career and open a lot doors.” She placed her hand on his arm. “That’s why I’m grateful you’re here. With your help, I’m sure we can pull it off.”

  Ramos nodded, but his brows rose in surprise at how much she was counting on him.

  “I know we can do it,” she said, mistaking his surprise for uncertainty. “You know how to take care of yourself. It makes a difference.”

  Ramos figured she was referring to their time in Mexico. He had a contingency plan that had saved their lives back then. Was she thinking he had something like that now? That was too bad, because he didn’t have a damn thing to fall back on. A chill ran down his spine. What was he doing? So much could go wrong.

  She smiled at him, her gaze hopeful. “After this is over, I’ll make it up to you. I can take some time off. If we have to leave Cuba in a hurry, we can meet up in Miami. That might be better anyway.”

  Ramos let out a breath. She kept using that same old promise. So far, it seemed more like a one-way street. Of course, she had given him the information about his father. He’d met an aunt and cousin that he didn’t know he had. Still, he wasn’t sure it was enough.

  Then there was Sloan. He cared about her. More than he should. But he knew there could never be anything more between them, and he needed to let her go. “How about this,” he said, wanting to save her feelings. “Let’s get this job done. When it’s over, we’ll go from there.”

  She caught his gaze and smiled. “I’d like that.” The vulnerability he’d seen in her eyes vanished, and she tilted her chin in the determined angle he was used to. He smiled back. He had no intention of leading her along, but now was not the time to talk about their relationship.

  Coming closer to the building, they slowed their steps. With a quick adjustment, Ramos pulled his ID badge from the inside of his shirt, and Sloan did the same. Ready to put the plan into action, they walked the last few yards to the front of the building.

  This mansion was old, a lot like the mansions in The Vedado section of the city, but this one was well maintained. The tall columns and upward staircase to the main doors reminded Ramos of classic Roman architecture.

  As they climbed the stairs to the doors, they deliberately relaxed their shoulders to blend in, and spoke in Spanish about the weather and other mundane things.

  Inside, an atrium with a glass chandelier opened up above them. Thick columns supported the oval space, and marble covered the floor. A staircase on the left led to the upper and lower floors. A few people were visible walking along the upper balcony between offices, but there wasn’t a front desk with a receptionist. Instead, a man dressed in a uniform sat at a desk in the far right corner.

  He cast a casual glance at them, but they ignored him and turned toward the staircase with deliberate steps, like they knew what they were doing, and started down. At the bottom, the hallway continued forward, with another going off to the right. From the blueprint, Ramos knew they met in a square shape with rooms opening up on either side.

  The room they wanted was in the opposite corner from where they were, so they continued through the hallway, then turned right at the juncture. This part of the building seemed deserted, and every door they passed had a card reader in front of it.

  Hoping their luck held, they continued to the end of the hall where the door they wanted waited at the end. As they reached the door, voices sounded from the direction they’d come. Ramos quickly pressed his badge to the reader and held his breath. The flashing light went from red to green, and he twisted the knob to open the door.

  They hurried inside, and Ramos closed the door as softly as he could. Sloan flipped on the light, revealing an armory of some sort in front of them. The room was no larger than twenty by thirty feet. A cage-like fence, with a padlock and chain around the gated door, separated them from the large cache of weapons on the other side.

  Inside the cage, one wall was lined with metal shelves housing rows of AK-47s. Another held several handguns and boxes of ammunition. Along the back wall were a few black cases that Ramos knew could hold just about anything.

  “Can you see what we might be looking for in there?” Ramos whispered.

  Sloan set her bag on the ground and opened it up. “We’ll have to get inside for a better look.” She pulled her lock-pick set out of the bag and froze. The handle on the door behind them wiggled, and they heard muffled voices. Ramos pulled Sloan to the other side of the door and switched off the light.

  The handle jiggled once more, then the voices retreated. Ramos let out his breath and flipped the light back on. “We need to hurry.”

  Sloan nodded and handed him the picks. “Here, you do it. I’m not as good under pressure.”

  He took the set and examined the lock, then chose the right pick. A few seconds later, the lock snapped open. He uncoiled the chain and pulled the gate open. It let out a loud squeak that stopped his breath. Swallowing, he coaxed it open the rest of the way with hardly a sound, and they both stepped inside.

  “It’s got to be in one of these black cases,” Sloan said.

  Ramos grabbed a case and popped it open. Inside, rested a device that looked like a gun, but had a large speaker at the end of the barrel. Along the barrel were several round casings that connected together in a sophisticated sheath. A meter on one side showed a graph of numbers which ranged from zero to fifty-thousand.

  “That’s it,” Sloan murmured breathlessly. She reached in and pulled the weapon out of the case. “I think it will fit in my bag.” She opened her purse a
nd settled it inside. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Wait,” Ramos said, popping open another case. Just as he thought, another weapon lay inside. “It looks like we hit the jackpot.” He counted eight cases, but Sloan had already left the enclosure. He quickly moved the empty case to the back, hoping it wouldn’t be found anytime soon.

  Sloan reached the door and glanced back at Ramos. “I’ll get a head start. You cover me.” She pulled the door open and rushed out.

  Swearing under his breath, Ramos closed the gate and quickly pulled the chain together. He clicked the lock in place and hurried to the door. Turning out the light, he pulled it open and stepped into the hall. At the far end, he caught a glimpse of Sloan rounding the corner.

  As he followed her, loud voices came from behind him, and he stepped up the pace. Just as he made it to the corner, a voice called out, ordering him to stop. Ahead of him, Sloan took off up the long staircase.

  He knew he could make a run for it and catch up to her, but it would give her away, and they’d both get caught. Letting out a breath, he stopped and turned to face them, hoping he could bluff his way out.

  “Si?” Ramos asked, stepping toward them so they wouldn’t see Sloan’s retreating figure.

  The two men wore guard uniforms and carried guns. They spoke in rapid Spanish and asked what he was doing down there. He held up his badge and answered that he worked there.

  The man’s brows drew together with suspicion, and Ramos worried that he’d said the wrong thing. Questioning him further, one guard asked him what room he’d been in, and Ramos pointed to the room at the end of the hall. The guard motioned him in that direction, and Ramos shrugged, then walked back that way.

  By the time they reached the door, Ramos hoped he’d given Sloan enough time to leave the building, because he was ready to make his move. He held his ID badge over the card reader. The light turned green, and he pushed the door open, flipping on the light so they could see inside. He held the door open and invited them to take a look, claiming that he’d been sent to check on the inventory.