Undercover Accomplice

by Carol Ericson

  She stalked to the end of the room, spun around and stalked back. “You said you arrived in DC just yesterday afternoon?”

  “Yeah, why?” His heart thumped against his rib cage. He recognized that look on her face—the flared nostrils, the pursed lips, the wide eyes, as if to take in everything in front of them.

  “I felt—” she rubbed her upper arms “—like I was being followed the past few weeks. That wasn’t you?”

  “Nope, but it must’ve been someone. Your instincts are sharp.” He rose from the chair and stationed himself by the window.

  “They usually are.” She aimed a piercing look at him from her dark eyes and he almost felt the stab in his heart.

  He cleared his throat. “Then I think it’s clear what we need to do.”

  “It is? And who’s this we?”

  “Me and you. We need to figure out why you were snatched in the first place and what it has to do with Denver.” He rubbed his hands together, the thought of being with Sue, of working beside Sue, making his blood sing.

  “I don’t think so, Mancini.”

  “What? Why? Major Denver’s life might depend on it, not to mention your safety.”

  “You and I working together? Spending days and nights together? Heads together?”

  “Yeah.” He couldn’t stop his mouth watering at the prospect, especially when she put it like that.

  “We both know that’s a prescription for disaster.”

  “Why is that?” He folded his arms and braced a shoulder against the window, knowing damn well why she thought his idea stunk but wanting to hear it from her lips.

  “I... We...” Her cheeks sported two red flags.

  He’d never seen Sue flustered before. Could he help it if it gave him a prick of satisfaction?

  A knock on the door broke the tension between them, and he silently cursed the hotel staff as Sue crawled back into bed.

  The knock repeated, accompanied by a male voice. “Housekeeping. Laundry.”

  Hunter stepped away from the window, his gait slow. Once Sue got her clothes and got the hell out of here, he’d never see her again. He knew how she operated.

  Denver had pegged the wrong man for the job if he wanted intel out of Sue. She wouldn’t give him the time of day—even after what they’d shared three years ago.

  He swung open the door. “Right on time.”

  The hotel worker charged into the room with Sue’s clothes bagged and draped over his arm. As he brushed past Hunter, the plastic covering the clothing crinkled.

  Hunter staggered back. “Whoa.”

  Before Hunter regained his balance, the clothes slid from the man’s arm...revealing a weapon clutched in his hand.

  Chapter Three

  Sue stared down the barrel of the .38. Her jaw tensed, along with every other muscle in her body.

  Hunter made a slight move, and the man with the gun leveled it at her head. “Stay back or I’ll take the shot, and it doesn’t have to end this way. We just want to talk to her.”

  “Who’s we?” Hunter’s voice came out in a growl that made the hair on the back of Sue’s neck stand on end.

  “You need to get lost. You don’t want to be involved with her—trust me.” The man’s lips curled into a lopsided sneer.

  Sue’s hands tightened into fists around the bed covers. She not only had to stop this guy from shooting her or abducting her; she had to stop him from outing her to Hunter.

  With his words, the man had made it clear he didn’t have the slightest idea he had a member of Delta Force looming behind him. Good. They’d use that to their advantage. She had to hope the same thought had occurred to Hunter at the same time.

  In one movement, Sue yanked the covers over her body and rolled off the bed, toward her would-be kidnapper’s knees. She barreled into his legs at about the same time she heard the whiz of his gun’s silencer right over her head.

  The man grunted and kneed her in the side of the face. Then she felt him go down with a thud, followed by a sickening crack. She yanked the bedspread from her head and came eye to bulging eye with the intruder as Hunter choked off his breath.

  The sleeper hold worked like a charm, and the man slumped to the side, his weapon inches from his useless hand.

  Panting, Sue scrambled to her feet. “Good work. I thought you’d take advantage of the situation.”

  “And I’m glad you made that situation possible, even though he could’ve shot right into those bunched-up covers and hit some part of you.” Hunter crouched beside the unconscious man and thumbed up one of his eyelids.

  “What now? He’s going to come to any minute.” And she didn’t want this guy talking. Sue dropped to her knees and reached across Hunter, grabbing the gun by the silencer.

  The man’s lids fluttered and he coughed. His eyes widened and his body bucked.

  Sue brought the butt of the gun down on the back of the man’s skull and he pitched forward again, a stream of blood spouting from his wound.

  Hunter cocked his head. “That’s one way to handle it.”

  “I’m the one he was aiming at. I didn’t want to take any chances.” She put two fingers against his neck. “I didn’t kill him.”

  “We definitely don’t want to leave any dead bodies behind.” He pointed at the gun, dangling from her fingers. “You wanna take care of that?”

  Rising to her feet, Sue kicked aside the last of the covers wrapped around her ankles and headed for the bathroom. She grabbed a hand towel from the rack and wrapped the gun in its folds.

  She returned to the bedroom, placed the gun on the nightstand and knelt across from Hunter, who was rummaging through the man’s pockets. “Any luck?”

  “A little cash and...this.” He held up a cell phone. Then he dropped it and tapped her cheek with his fingertip. “What happened? The side of your face is all red.”

  “He bashed me in the face on his way down.” The throbbing of her cheekbone turned into a tingle under Hunter’s gentle touch. “I’ll get some ice on it. Phone.”

  “I’m assuming you have no idea who this guy is or what he wanted?” Hunter’s blue eyes narrowed like a jungle cat’s.

  Had the man’s words advising Hunter not to get involved with her registered with Hunter?

  She shrugged. “No clue, but I’m guessing he’s connected to Jeffrey from last night or maybe the kidnapping in Istanbul or maybe even my suspension from the CIA.”

  Hunter’s head jerked up from the cell phone. “You didn’t tell me you’d been suspended. Why?”

  “Anonymous tips and emails. Sound familiar?”

  “Same tactics used against Major Denver.” He scratched his chin with the edge of the phone. “This is getting more and more tangled.”

  You have no idea, Hunter.

  She nudged the inert form on the carpet with her knuckle. “How much time do you think we have?”

  “That was a hard blow to the head. I think you bought us fifteen minutes at a minimum.” He jabbed his finger at the pile of clothes on the floor. “At least he brought your laundry.”

  “And look how you tipped him.”

  He held up one hand. “I just choked him out. You’re the one who delivered the lights-out.”

  Sue ripped the plastic from her slacks and blouse and clutched them to her chest as she backed up toward the bathroom. “I’m going to get dressed, and then we need to leave. I’m not going to explain this situation to hotel security.”

  “Neither is he.” Hunter made a move toward his suitcase parked by the door. “I’ll put the Do Not Disturb hanger on the doorknob to buy him some time. When he comes to, he’ll want to hightail it out of here.”

  “You’re right.” She tapped her cheek. “Can you grab some ice from the machine for my face while I’m getting dressed?”

  “I’m on it.”

 
As she stepped into her slacks, she heard the door open and close, and she eased out a sigh. Who the hell was that in the other room? Was The Falcon right? Had she been made?

  She wouldn’t put those strong-arm tactics past the Agency, either, so it could be someone following up on her suspension. Her life was becoming more complex than usual—and the appearance of Hunter Mancini had just added to the mayhem. But what sweet mayhem.

  Those blue eyes of his held the same hypnotic quality she hadn’t been able to resist in Paris—even though hooking up with Hunter had broken all the rules. She hadn’t given a damn then, and she didn’t give a damn right now.

  She needed someone on her side. Someone she could trust. Someone she could reach out and grab—unlike The Falcon, a nameless, faceless contact spitting orders at her.

  The banging of the door made her jump. She smoothed the blouse over her hips and straightened her spine. Time to get to work.

  She exited the bathroom and almost ran into Hunter, dangling a bag of ice from his fingertips.

  “You looking for another black eye?”

  “I don’t think I’m going to get a black eye, but I can see a bruise forming on my cheek.” She took the bag from him and pressed it against her face with a shiver. “You have toiletries in the bathroom.”

  “Thanks, I’ll grab them, and then we’ll get out of here.”

  “Did you check his phone?”

  “Password protected.” He patted the pocket of his button-up shirt. “We’ll figure it out.”

  Sue stepped over their conked-out guest on the floor on the way to her boots. Perching on the edge of the bed, she pulled them on. “You have everything? Do you need to check out?”

  Hunter stuffed his toiletry bag into his suitcase, along with the wrapped-up gun, and zipped it. “I’ll call the hotel later and tell them I had a change of plans. I don’t want housekeeping coming up here anytime soon, not until our friend wakes up and gets out of Dodge.”

  “Do you have another place in mind?” She strode to the credenza and grabbed her purse, her own weapon stashed in the side pocket.

  “Your place?”

  Her head whipped around and she swallowed hard. “No.”

  “From the outside, the place looks big enough for the two of us.” He drew a cross over his heart. “I promise not to undress you and put you to bed anymore—unless you need it.”

  She snorted. “I’m not going to need it, and staying at my place would be a bad, bad idea. You don’t think these goons...whoever they are...know where I live?”

  “Your building looks secure and we’re both armed.” He tipped his head at the man on the floor. “I think we can handle anything that comes our way.”

  Hunter wouldn’t be able to handle anything in that townhouse.

  “I think it would be best if you found yourself another hotel.” She hitched her purse over her shoulder. “I may even join you.”

  Hunter’s blue eyes darkened. “Does this mean you’re gonna work with me to figure out if the guys who snatched you are the ones working against Denver? ’Cause you were dead-set against that before this guy came along and pulled a gun on you.”

  “Exactly. He made me change my mind.”

  “Maybe I should thank him—or at least make him more comfortable.” Hunter returned to the bathroom and came out swinging a hand towel.

  He crouched beside the man and wrapped the cloth around his head, pressing it against his wound. Then he jerked back.

  “We need to leave—now.”

  “Is he coming around?” Sue lunged for the hotel door and plucked the hanger from the handle.

  “His color is coming back. It shouldn’t be too much longer now.” He stepped back from the body on the floor and grasped the handle of his suitcase. “Lead the way.”

  Sue held the door open for him as he wheeled his suitcase into the hallway. She eased the door closed and slipped the Do Not Disturb sign onto the handle.

  When they got to the elevator, Hunter punched the button for a floor on the parking level.

  “You have a car?”

  “A rental. Do you have any suggestions for my next stop?”

  “Is money a consideration, or no?” Her gaze flicked over his expensive suitcase, black leather jacket and faded jeans, which told her nothing except the man was still hotter than blazes.

  “No.” He lifted one eyebrow toward the black hair swept back from his forehead.

  “Then I’d suggest the Hay-Adams. It’s in the heart of everything, too crowded for us to stand out, too busy for us to be accosted at gunpoint in the parking lot, too expensive not to have security cameras everywhere.”

  “That’s where your friend, Dani, was taken last night.”

  “Exactly. Maybe we can do a little research on those two guys from last night.” She patted her purse. “I didn’t tell you I took a picture of Jeffrey.”

  “A selfie of the two of you?”

  Her brows snapped together. “Insurance in case he raped and murdered me.”

  “Quick thinking. I didn’t get a good look at either one of them when I snuck into the bar last night for surveillance.”

  “Not very good surveillance, then.” She clicked her tongue.

  “I didn’t want to out myself by staring.”

  The elevator dinged, and Hunter jabbed at the button to hold open the doors. “After you.”

  Once he loaded his bag into his rental car and pulled out of the parking structure, she directed him to the next hotel. He maneuvered through the busy streets like a pro, and they left the car with the valet in front of the hotel.

  She hovered at his elbow as he checked in, drumming her fingers on the reception desk. She’d played up her fear over returning to her own place, as there was no way in hell she could have him inside her townhouse, but she’d have to explain somehow that she felt perfectly safe returning home on her own. She couldn’t stay in this hotel with Hunter—not again.

  She had very little self-control when it came to this man—and she needed her self-control.

  “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts. Let us know if you need anything.” The clerk smiled as she shoved a key card toward Sue.

  Sue blinked and then swept the card from the counter and pocketed it.

  As Hunter wheeled his suitcase toward the elevator, she hissed into his ear, “Who the hell is Mr. Roberts? Or Mrs. Roberts, for that matter?”

  “That would be us, dear.” He winked at her. “You’re not the only one who knows how to play spy. I have a whole new identity for my stay in DC. I told you that I’m not here on official duty and I don’t want my actions to be tracked.”

  “You have all the credentials?” She tilted her head. “Driver’s license, credit cards?”

  “I do. Mr. Roberts even has a passport.”

  She held the elevator door open for him as he dragged his suitcase inside. “I feel so humbled now that I know how easy it is for anyone to fake a new ID.”

  “Spare me.” He nudged her shoulder. “As if you don’t know all about that. Half the time the Agency can’t locate someone, it’s because he or she adopted a new identity.”

  “Just like I’m sure Jeffrey on my phone is not really a Jeffrey.”

  “He must’ve followed us back to my hotel and notified the second shift...if he was in on it.”

  “I’m pretty sure that was no coincidence—passing out and then the attempted abduction this morning. They didn’t expect you to be there, that’s for sure.”

  The elevator settled on their floor, and they exited. Sue got her card out when they reached the room and slid it home. She poked her head inside before widening the door for Hunter and his bag. “Just making sure nobody is here before us.”

  “They were good last night, but not that good.” He wheeled his suitcase into the corner and then bounced on the edge of the k
ing-size bed. “Plenty of room for the two of us—your side and my side.”

  No time to burst his bubble now. She curled her lips into a perfunctory smile. “Should we get to work on the phone now before it’s deactivated?”

  “Do you have any tricks of the trade to find out or bypass the password?” He fished the would-be kidnapper’s phone from his pocket and tossed it onto the bed beside him.

  “I might have a few tricks up my sleeve.” She wedged a knee on the bed and scooped up the phone. “In the meantime, why don’t you have a look at Jeffrey’s picture just in case? We could send it in for facial recognition—if I were still in good standing with the CIA.”

  “Yeah, I was counting on you having all the Agency’s resources at your disposal. Now I’ll just have to do this the sneaky way.”

  She paused as she drew her phone from her purse, holding it in midair. “Are you telling me you have a contact in the CIA? Someone to do your bidding?”

  “Do my bidding? I wouldn’t put it like that, but yeah, I have a little helper.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “That agency has more leaks than a colander.”

  She tapped her photos to bring up Jeffrey’s picture. “Give me your number and I’ll send it to you.”

  “I can just look at it on your phone.” He snapped his fingers.

  “It’s better if we have a copy, anyway.” She held her finger poised above her display. “Number?”

  “Is this your sneaky way of getting my cell? You could just ask, you know.” He rattled off his cell number and she entered it into her phone.

  Actually, it was just her sneaky way of keeping him away from her phone. She didn’t keep pictures on her cell, but she didn’t need Hunter looking at her text messages.

  She tapped her screen with a flourish. “There. The picture is on its way. Now, I’ll get to work on this phone.”

  She dragged a chair to the window and kicked up her feet onto the chair across from it. She powered on the stranger’s cell, which they’d turned off to avoid any tracking, but turning it back on couldn’t be helped.

  “This guy your type?” Hunter held up his phone with Jeffrey’s mug on the display.