by Devi Mara
Abby was smiling when he looked back at her. “She grows on you.”
Chapter Eight
A Devious Shadow
“When truth is replaced by silence, the silence is a lie.”
-Yevgeny Yevtushenko
“Have a nice day,” she called to Candace’s retreating back.
The other woman waved over her shoulder without turning or slowing her pace. Abby watched her round the corner to ascend the stairs. After Edric left the day before, Candace had gone up to her bedroom. She had not come down for dinner, even though it was her idea to order in. Abby was not sure what to make of it.
When Abby tried to make conversation over breakfast, the other woman had given her one word answers or none at all. Abby shook her head and headed for Agent Jackson’s office. Candace had insisted on coming to the White House earlier than usual, going so far as to call a taxi instead of waiting for the usual black sedan.
Agent Jackson would be thrilled to see her. She snorted under her breath and nodded to a guard who gave her a funny look. As she walked, her right hand drifted up to touch the lily tucked behind her ear. A bright orange tiger lily. She smiled at the feel of the cool petals under her fingertips.
The door to Jackson’s office was still closed, not an odd sight, but as she approached she heard raised voices from within. She slowed and finally stopped a few feet from the door, glancing around. The hallway was empty aside from the guard leaning against the wall five doors down. He sent her a bored look.
She inched closer, casually leaning against the wall in a mirror of the guard’s pose. If he cared about her actions, his blank expression did not show it. She sent the stoic man a small smile, as she focused on identifying the two voices speaking. The voices were low in pitch, one of them with a slight southern accent. The President, then.
That left Agent Jackson as the other speaker. No surprise. The conversation paused and a desk drawer slammed shut. The chair, the uncomfortable one in front of Jackson’s desk, squeaked when the president sat. A throat cleared.
“It was supposed to be quick,” the president said.
“Our information was incomplete, sir.” The chair behind the desk squeaked, as if Jackson had shifted uncomfortably.
“What’s the problem? You said he agreed to give us the antigravity tech in return for conjugal visits from his little girlfriend. I fail to see where the disconnect happened.”
Jackson sighed. “She’s not cooperating.”
“How so?”
“She is participating in the courtship. I doubt she’s intelligent enough to intentionally sabotage our efforts. It’s, most likely, a case of a woman being charmed by the promise of a big payoff.”
She was not sure who he was talking about, but she was offended on the woman’s behalf. He made her sound like an idiot, at best. A gold digger, at worst.
“That’s easy enough to fix. Don’t allow her in the White House on days he will be here.”
“It’s not that simple, sir. Our intel on the bonding was incomplete. He will become violent if he suspects we are intentionally separating them.”
“How would he know?” There was a brief silence. “What about the other?”
“Moved in with the woman from upstairs. She checks clean and she’s been here for two years.”
“Good. Any push back?”
“None.”
“I want to continue to create the friction with the Dorn,” the president muttered.
“Of course, sir. The tech they have supplied?”
The older man made a noncommittal sound. “Not as good as the scraps we get from the Ghadrikans, but…”
“Understood.” Abby heard the faint shuffling of papers. “Our sources say the prince was at her apartment. He planted flowers.”
Abby barely heard his derisive snort past the ringing in her ears. Her. They were talking about her. She froze. Her mind went back to the first time she met the prince in the president’s office. His intense stare, the way his tone softened when he spoke to her. She felt her eyes widen.
Like a film reel, she saw each passion-filled glance he had sent her. The way he continued to meet with the president even though he clearly disliked the man. It was all for her. Warmth bloomed in her chest, as her lips curved.
“…will not hesitate to take her there against her will if he suspects we are interfering in the bonding.”
Her smile slipped.
“Our overseas sources say he was partially responsible for the terrorist cell on the Russia border.”
“Reliable?”
“Very. The Dorn have a great deal invested in the conflict, but the Ghadrikans helped to stir the pot, so to speak.”
“Interesting.”
Abby stared at the wall across from her, her smile gone.
“And does the girl know enough to pose a threat to security?” she heard the president ask.
Jackson scoffed. “She’s only here as bait, sir.”
The president hummed thoughtfully. “And what of Caern’s interest in her?”
Papers shuffled. “According to the Dorn, the ambassador has a deep-seated hatred toward his father.”
“And do you believe that explanation?”
Jackson paused. “Hatred has a way of motivating people.”
“Where pure lust fails?”
“Exactly. We’ve had little success in loosening the prince’s iron grip on his tech using the girl, alone. Perhaps, what we need is old-fashioned rivalry to urge him along.”
“And the girl?” The president’s tone was uncaring to the point of insulting.
Abby scowled at the wall. Waitressing was starting to sound really good.
“People go missing every day. Do you intend to actually give her to the ambassador?”
The president let out a short laugh. “No. She can distract him until our plans come to fruition, but I have no intention of allowing a U.S. citizen to shack up with an alien.”
Abby inhaled sharply at the disrespectful description, before her eyes narrowed. If he thought he had any say in her actions, he had another think coming. Both chairs squeaked as the conversation ended and the men stood.
“I have a meeting with Caern in ten minutes,” the president said from just on the other side of the door.
Abby leapt away from the wall and turned to flee, only to come face to face with Lord Caern. Her breath caught in her chest, as she stared at him with wide eyes. His lipless mouth curved up into a dark smile.
“Abigail Ashley, listening at keyholes.” His tongue slithered out and flicked in her direction. “How very common.”
The door opened behind her before he could say more, and his black eyes moved to take in the men behind her.
“Agent Jackson, President Anderson.” His gaze moved back to Abby and swept her from head to toe. “I was just speaking to your secretary.”
“Administrative assistant,” she said, before she could stop herself.
Jackson cleared his throat. “You are early, Miss Ashley. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
The two men stepped into the hallway and Jackson pulled his office door closed behind him. He gave Abby a hard look.
“Not really.” She glanced at the president to see him watching her closely.
“She was most entertaining company during the wait,” Lord Caern said.
She felt a surge of irritation at his obvious amusement, but she forced a smile. “I’m glad I could be of service.”
“Thank you,” Jackson said abruptly. “Now, if you would excuse us.”
She was going to give him a piece of her mind one day. As it was, she gave him a tight smile. “Of course, sir.”
The moment she was out of their sight, she let her calm façade fall. The confusion and anger she had been suppressing rose to the front of her mind and she felt herself scowling. As she walked past guards, they turned to stare at her. She ignored them and stalked to Candace’s office.
“Can I talk to you?” she demanded, before
the door even closed behind her.
Candace raised her head slowly and raised her eyebrows. “About what?”
“Men.” She thought she saw Candace’s lips twitch.
“Any man in particular?” She returned her gaze the paperwork on her desk, causally marking with a red pen.
“Several. What are you doing?”
Candace glanced at her. “You might as well sit down.” She gestured to the chair next to her desk. It was far more comfortable that Jackson’s. “New policies that need to be looked over.”
“Thanks.” Abby collapsed into the offered seat and frowned when her dress clothes made it impossible to slouch as she would like. “What policies?”
“White house staff relations with members of foreign governments.” Candace raised her eyes to meet her gaze pointedly.
“That’s part of what I wanted to talk about. Can-” she paused and stared at Candace hard. “Can I trust you?”
The other woman appeared thoughtful. “Depends on the information. I can’t guarantee I will be impartial, but I will keep it to myself if that’s what you’re asking.”
Abby nodded. “Okay.” She took a deep breath and released it with a flood of words. “The president and Agent Jackson are playing the Dorn and Ghadrikans against each other to get military technology. Prince Edric thinks I am his Arammu, he is apparently courting me, and I’m being used as bait.” She paused to glance at Candace’s face.
The woman’s eyebrows were hiding behind her bangs. “Oh.”
“Right. And the president said Edric is helping terrorists.” She noticed Candace’s expression change at her causal use of the prince’s first name. “And when I was on Ghadrik I saw countless examples of technology that our military would kill to have, but I didn’t tell Jackson when he asked me. I don’t know why, but it just didn’t feel right.”
“You have feelings for him, don’t you?” Candace asked tonelessly.
Abby looked at her quickly, then away. “I think so, yes.” She could feel the other woman’s stare on the side of her face.
“You realize, by hiding information, you’ve committed treason.”
Abby jerked her head to stare at Candace. “I-”
“And have probably given away information without realizing it. It could be a breach of security. You realize the ambassador is using you.”
Abby paused. It did not sound right. “What reason could he possibly have for pretending to be interested in me?”
Candace sighed. “Abby.”
“No, really. I mean, I know I’m not a great catch, but he seems to genuinely like me. So, what do I have to offer that is important enough to go through all this trouble?”
The other woman gave her a pitying look. “Think about it. How much do you know about him? Next to nothing, right?” At Abby’s hesitant nod, she continued, “But you hid information about his world from your own country. What will you do for him once he romances you a little?”
A sinking feeling in her stomach, Abby rose from her chair to pace. “But why me?”
“Maybe, you seem like an easy target.”
That stung. Abby scowled, but did not argue. “The job was offered to me because…”
“Didn’t you say you recognized the kitchen staff from where you worked before?”
Abby glanced at her. Had she mentioned that? “So? They told the prince I would be easy to sway and he made sure I got the job?”
Candace stared at her.
“That’s…” She shook her head. Really messed up is what it was. “Do you think I should tell Jackson what I know about Ghadrik?”
“No.” Candace shook her head. “What’s done is done.”
The answer did not sound quite right, but Abby nodded. “Alright. I think I’m going to go back to the apartment. I’m not really feeling today.”
Candace, already focused back on her paperwork, nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll be back around four.” She glanced at the clock near the door. “I have a meeting in about twenty minutes. Will you be okay riding back alone?”
“I’m taking a cab. The silence creeps me out,” she said, thinking about the government driver who barely ever spoke.
The older woman gave her a long look. “Be careful.” The words came out with a strange cadence. When she spoke again, it was gone. “Don’t pay more than twenty. The cabs like to price gouge.”
“Got it.” Abby started to turn away and paused. “Thanks. For not turning me in, I mean.” She glanced at Candace to see she had paused in her work, her gaze on the desktop.
“You’re welcome. I have to get back to work.”
Abby took that as her cue and left the office, closing the door quietly behind her. She took the main stairs to the ground floor and shuffled into the crowd of tourists. She followed the group of elderly women out the north side of the building and down the driveway. None of the guards gave her a second look when she left the grounds through the north east gate.
She wandered down the tree-lined sidewalk behind the chattering ladies, trying to ignore the pinch of her shoes. They reached fifteenth street and she could not hold back a sigh of relief when a taxi sped by. She quickly separated from the rest of the group to walk the sidewalk beside The Treasury.
A cab pulled up only seconds later. The thirty-something in the driver’s seat leaned over the center console to look out the passenger window at her.
“Need a ride? Look like your feet hurt.”
She smiled and hurried over to duck into the backseat. “You have no idea.”
The car began moving the moment the door closed.
“I’m Terry,” the man said, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. “Are you from D.C.?”
She shook her head. “A little further west.”
“You been here long?” She noticed he was headed north in the direction of Candace’s apartment.
“Not really. Do you want the address?” He made another correct turn.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m just used to sightseers. Not really sure where they’re going, you know?” He made a left turn and continued in the right direction.
“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.” She did not make eye contact. “I’m heading to the twenty-two hundred block of Decatur Place.”
“Is that right?” He did not sound surprised. “We’re already halfway there. I must be psychic or something, huh?”
“Or something,” she muttered under her breath.
“You off work early today?”
She glanced at him to see him watching her in the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry?”
“Don’t mean to the nosy, you just look like you dressed for work and it’s the middle of the morning.”
“Yes. Just had a few things to do.”
He nodded thoughtfully and slowed down near the parking lot to the triplex. “Are we getting close?”
She kept her face carefully blank. “Turn right here.” He was already following her directions before she finished her sentence.
“Here you go. It’s ten.”
The price was far too low, just compounding the impression that something was off. She forced a smile and popped open her door.
“Thank you for the ride, Terry.” She pulled a folded twenty dollar bill from the small pocket of her dress pants. “Have a good one.”
She walked to Candace’s front door, feeling the weight of the man’s stare on her while she retrieved the spare key and entered the apartment. The car was gone when she glanced out the front window.
…
“She has been in the Human Resources Department of the White House for two years.”
Edric frowned, staring out the palace window with his back to the room. “And before that?”
Konani moved up to stand beside him. “What is this about, Your Highness?”
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “Abby is sharing living space with her.”
“Would you like me to look into her personal history?”
He considered it. “Abby would co
nsider that an invasion of privacy.”
“So, work history only?”
He smiled.
“I already made arrangements,” she said, returning his smile with a sly grin of her own. “They are expecting you in half an hour.”
“And who am I?”
“William Jones. You heard about Ms. Johnson from a mutual associate.”
“Candace Johnson.”
“Correct.” She looked him over. “You should change.”
He nodded. The robe would not fit the part he was to play. He excused himself and quickly changed into one of the suits he had made by an Italian designer. The expensive brand was useful when he needed to impress one of the humans. He smiled and straightened his tie.
Konani scanned him when he returned to the meeting room and nodded. “Very fitting. You are expected in ten minutes.”
After a quick discussion, it was decided she would go as his assistant. He was to be the Human Resources Hiring Director of a major pharmaceutical company. Konani was playing the part of Jessica Davis, his personal assistant. The two of them left Ghadrik, arriving in the alley behind the building with two minutes to spare.
Edric led the way down the sidewalk, holding the door open for Konani to enter the lobby before him. She started to bow her head and aborted the movement, murmuring a quick ‘thank you’ instead. He followed her gaze to the counter where a perky, blonde smiled at them.
“Hello and welcome to Kennet. Do you have an appointment?”
Still several yards from the counter, he cocked his head to the side. She was clearly very pleased with her job. He gave her a small smile.
“Yes. William Jones and Jessica Davis. We have an appointment with Richard Turner.”
If possible, her smile got even wider. “Wonderful. I’ll call up for you, William. May I call you William?”
The way her eyes flicked over him, made him think of Abby. She would not be pleased with this human. He raised his chin.
“Mr. Jones will be permissible.”
Her smile wilted, before returning. “Of course.” She tapped a button on the phone on her desk and muttered a few words, nodding a couple times. “Okay, go on up.”
He gave her a stiff nod. “Thank you.”
He could feel Konani’s amusement as they crossed the lobby to the elevators. She stood beside him silently, but he could see her smiling from the corner of his eye. He let her step into the elevator before him and she pushed the button for the fifteenth floor. The moment the doors closed behind them, she turned her head to look at him.