THE SPY GAME
A Tanner Novel - Book 21
Remington Kane
Contents
Join My Inner Circle
Introduction
1. Yes!
2. Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
3. Somebody Wants Something
4. When A Legend Meets A Legend
5. A Reckoning
6. Unarmed, But Dangerous
7. The Plan
8. Reaching Out To A Friend
9. A Chance Encounter
10. So Much For The Plan
11. Contact
12. If I Could, I Would
13. Relentless
14. Show Time
15. Back To Zero
16. North To Alaska
17. Pointing Fingers
18. If At First…
19. Ambushed
20. Driving An Ape
21. Double Agent
22. The Question
23. A Shift In Power
24. Building Trust
25. A Voice From The Grave
26. Bidder Number Three
27. Wheels Within Wheels
28. Square One
29. Sole Survivor
30. The Truth Comes Out
31. Making Plans
32. Two For One
33. Abandonment Issues
34. Boom Times
35. Priorities
36. Invalid
37. Not Your Average Hood
38. Pain And Joy
39. The Eyes Have It
40. Let’s See You Handle This
TANNER RETURNS!
Afterword
Join My Inner Circle
Bibliography
Make Contact
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Introduction
THE SPY GAME - A TANNER NOVEL – BOOK 21
Tanner agrees to go on a mission for the CIA.
1
Yes!
PARIS, FRANCE
On the rooftop restaurant of the Terrass Hotel in Paris, Tanner and Sara were being served dessert.
The view of The City of Lights was impressive and unparalleled, and the brightly-lit Eiffel Tower dominated the stunning landscape.
Sara smiled at the decadent petit gateau placed before her. The chocolate fondant consisted of a warm chocolate cake with a soft, mellow filling and was served with vanilla ice cream. Tanner had chosen to indulge in a crème brûlée. The caramel custard looked delicious, nevertheless, he knew he wouldn’t enjoy it until he did what he had come to Paris to do.
Tanner was a man who could face off against dozens of armed men without feeling so much as a flicker of fear. During such encounters in the past, he’d had no doubts that he would triumph and emerge victorious. He felt no such confidence as he slipped a hand into a side pocket to grasp the small velvet box he carried.
He was about to ask Sara to marry him, and he believed her answer would be yes, but uncertainty caused him to experience an even rarer feeling, trepidation. As he placed the velvet box on the table, Tanner was amazed to realize his hand was shaking as he opened it to reveal the diamond ring it held.
Sara dropped the fork she was holding as her hand flew to her mouth and a look of surprise lit her beautiful face.
“I love you so much, Sara. Will you marry me?”
Sara gazed at Tanner, then down at the ring, then back at Tanner, as tears of happiness filled her eyes.
“I love you, too, baby. Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, and oh God, I love you so much.”
They stood, embraced, and heard the sound of applause as their fellow diners realized what was occurring. As the happy drama concluded, conversations in the restaurant returned to normal as Sara tried on her ring.
“It’s so beautiful, Tanner, thank you.”
“I’ve had that ring for a while, but I had to wait for the right moment to give it to you.”
“Thank you for doing it here, in Paris, it makes the moment even more memorable.”
They ate their desserts amid happy chatter that included plans for their wedding. At a lull in the conversation, Tanner made a request.
“I want to meet your father.”
“Okay, but why?”
Tanner shrugged slightly.
“The usual reasons. I did just ask you to marry me.”
Sara leaned back in her seat and grinned at Tanner.
“Are you saying you want to ask him for my hand in marriage?”
Tanner grimaced.
“It sounds archaic when you put it like that, but yes, I guess that is why I want to meet him.”
“Despite everything, you’re still a country boy at heart, Mr. Parker.”
“There’s some truth to that.”
Sara cocked her head, as something just occurred to her.
“What name do you plan to use at our wedding?”
Tanner looked at her blankly. The thought had never occurred to him. Although he was using the name Thomas Myers and could certainly get married under that identity, it was just another in a long line of aliases.
“I hadn’t considered that aspect, just the same, you’re right. I’ll need to choose a name.”
Sara reached across the table and took his hand.
“I want to be Mrs. Cody Parker. I want our marriage to be real.”
“The world believes Cody Parker died a long time ago.”
“I understand, but there must be a way to resurrect yourself now that Alonso Alvarado is dead.”
“Maybe, still, it would still be a risk if the wrong people put two plus two together. Also, I don’t know if we could have a traditional ceremony.”
“Don’t get me wrong, Tanner, I’ll marry you under any circumstances. However, I do want children someday, and I will not have them living under an alias.”
Tanner gave Sara’s hand a squeeze.
“I’ll make it happen somehow.”
“Thank you, and it will be good for you too. I know you love being a Tanner, but you’re a man first, and you were cheated out of a normal life. I want you to have that life again, baby, and I’ll make a home and a refuge for you to return to when you’re not working.”
Tanner ran his thumb over the diamond in Sara’s ring.
“There are a lot of changes ahead for us.”
“Yes, but they’ll all be good.”
“I love you, Sara.”
“And I love you too.”
They leaned close and kissed, then resumed eating their desserts. Tanner finished his, however, Sara ate but half of hers.
“Do you plan to invite anyone to the wedding?” Sara asked.
“I’ll ask Caleb to come, along with Spenser and Romeo. And what about you, will you invite your mother?”
Sara’s lips formed into a tight line at the mention of her mother. Lily Blake, who was currently living under her maiden name of Lily Taylor, had run off with her father’s law partner when Sara was fourteen. Sara had only seen her mother twice since then. Lily had shown up at Sara’s high school graduation and Sara had all but ignored her. Their most recent meeting took place at her father’s house in Connecticut. Sara had been shocked to see that her father had forgiven her mother’s betrayal. She also learned her mother had moved to Manhattan, after having traveled around for years.
Her parents weren’t dating, and there was no chance of reconciling, but Sara’s father, Warren Blake, told Sara she shouldn’t cut her mother out of her life. Sara disagreed.
“I don’t want that woman anywhere near our wedding.”
“I can understand that, anyhow, I’d like to meet her someday.”
; “Why?”
“She’s your mother, so I’m curious what’s she’s like.”
“I resemble Lily a great deal, but I’m nothing like her.”
“You call her by her first name?”
“She stopped being my mother when she abandoned me to run off with my father’s partner. As far as I’m concerned, she might as well have died.”
Tanner leaned over and kissed Sara, as he attempted to lighten the mood again.
“When would you like to get married?”
“I’m not sure of when, however, I do know where I want to get married.”
“Name the place and I’ll book it.”
“You won’t have to book it. You already own it.”
“Our penthouse?”
“No. I want to get married at the Parker ranch. Didn’t you say your parents were married there?”
“They were, as were my grandparents and great-grandparents.”
“As much as I love our penthouse, I also adore the ranch. I can’t imagine marrying anywhere else.”
“All right then, we’ll marry at the ranch.”
“And I’ll be Mrs. Cody Parker.”
Tanner shook his head in amazement.
“Who says miracles can’t happen.”
2
Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
Sara’s father, Warren Blake, was a distinguished-looking and fit man in his fifties. Until recently, he was one of the most sought-after defense attorneys in the country. He had stopped practicing law in order to run for congress in a special election, which was held to fill a seat that had suddenly become vacant. Warren Blake had lost the election by a slim margin.
Tanner sat across the desk from the man in Blake’s study. The walls were lined with books and graced by several tasteful paintings depicting nature scenes. There was a wide window to the left of the desk; through it, Tanner could see the corner of a swimming pool and a tall wooden fence.
There were also photos on the walls of Sara and Jennifer, along with pictures of various airplanes. Sara had mentioned that her father was a pilot. Perhaps it was an area where they could find common ground.
Tanner wasn’t a pilot yet, just the same, he had completed the required schooling and aced the written and oral exams, while clocking in over thirty hours of solo flight time. He would soon take the FAA practical flight test to qualify for a license.
The Blake family home was located in Connecticut and sat on more than ten acres. Blake had bought the land and built the house when Sara was still a toddler. Tanner learned from Sara that her father was a self-made man who grew up poor and put himself through law school, afterward, he founded his own firm at twenty-four.
After Sara’s mother ran off with Warren Blake’s younger partner, Blake had the man arrested for embezzlement. The charges were substantiated, although only technically, as Warren Blake’s former partner had absconded with a paltry six-hundred and thirty dollars. The money had been used on the spur of the moment to buy plane tickets when Lily Blake left her husband.
Blake saw to it that his former partner did six months for the crime. However, it took thousands of dollars and over two years of wrangling in court to accomplish it. The partner also lost his license to practice law. While the man was in jail, Lily Blake moved on.
Tanner realized, that like his daughter, Warren Blake knew how to hate. And yet, he had never done a thing to his ex-wife, whom he had apparently forgiven. Perhaps the man still loved Sara’s mother.
Blake was staring at Tanner, and unlike most men, he seemed unfazed by Tanner’s intense eyes.
“I know who and what you are, Tanner.”
“I understand. Sara said Jennifer filled you in on me.”
“Yes. Jennifer looks out for her sister, and I’m surprised she has mixed feelings about you.”
“That surprises me as well. I thought Jennifer disliked me.”
“You saved her life when she was taken hostage in Guambi, so I suppose that counts for something. She’s also convinced that you love Sara, but neither of us is thrilled with your… profession.”
Tanner said nothing, because there was nothing new to say. Warren Blake knew he was a paid assassin. Tanner never expected Sara’s father to approve of him, however, he thought the man should have the opportunity to voice his displeasure. Regardless of what Warren Blake’s opinion was, he and Sara were getting married.
“I’m told you speak several languages and are well-read, is that true?”
“I speak many languages and I routinely study a variety of subjects such as chemistry, medicine, architecture, and different philosophies. I’m also on the verge of becoming a pilot.”
“Impressive, and shocking, given what you do for a living.”
“Despite what you might think, Mr. Blake, I’m not a street punk or a common hood. I am a highly-trained assassin and the latest in a line of men like myself. I’m able to excel at what I do because of the men who came before me and passed down their experiences and knowledge. My profession is unusual and illegal, yes, nonetheless I take pride in my professionalism.”
Warren Blake absorbed Tanner’s words and looked as if he were holding back a smile.
“I should have known my daughter wouldn’t become involved with anyone common, and you say you’re a pilot?”
“I’ve yet to take the test, but I expect to pass it.”
“Do you love Sara?”
“I love your daughter more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”
Warren nodded.
“She loves you too, although I understand that wasn’t always the case.”
“She tried to kill me on several occasions, and damn near did it.”
“My daughter is, to say the least, headstrong. You not only survived her wrath, you somehow managed to turn it into love. I find that amazing.”
“So do I,” Tanner said.
“You’re a remarkable man. That is, if any of the stories I’ve heard about you are true, and I suspect they are. You’re also a criminal and a man with many enemies.”
“I can’t deny that.”
“Will marrying you endanger my daughter?”
“Possibly.”
Warren smiled slightly.
“You’re not a bullshitter; I like that. All the same, I still worry about my daughter’s safety.”
“Sara is capable of taking care of herself, and I promise you I’ll do everything I can to keep her safe.”
Warren looked up at a photo on the wall that showed Sara as a young girl. In the picture, she was sitting in a row boat and holding a fishing rod while smiling.
“I couldn’t stop this wedding if I tried. We both know that, yet, if I could do so, I would.”
“I can understand that. Will you come to the wedding anyway?”
“Of course.”
“Good, otherwise Sara would be disappointed.”
“Treat her right, Tanner. I love that girl with all my heart.”
“She’ll be cherished,” Tanner said.
They left the study and found Sara, Jennifer, and Jake Garner staring at them with faces full of curiosity. Jennifer, who had recently given birth, was holding her daughter, Emily.
Warren laughed at their expressions.
“You all look like you expected us to emerge with angry faces.”
“Is everything all right?” Sara asked.
“No. Everything is not all right. You’re marrying a hit man. However, I learned a long time ago that you’ll do as you like.”
Sara went to her father and hugged him.
“I don’t expect you to understand this, but Tanner is a good man.”
Warren kissed the top of his daughter’s head.
“As long as you’re happy. That’s all I care about, honey.”
Baby Emily had been fed and had fallen asleep by the time they sat down for dinner. There was a live-in housekeeper named Mrs. Johnson. She was a stout woman with a pleasant face and manner who had been tending to the house for nearly ten years.
Mrs. Johnson had prepared the meal of steak and lobster, and Tanner found it to be exceptionally good.
After the plates had been cleared away and everyone was sipping on coffee, a bell chimed.
“Were you expecting a visitor, Daddy?” Sara asked.
“No,” Warren said. “And you know I hate it when people just drop by without calling.”
Moments later, Mrs. Johnson appeared in the doorway. With her were two people, a man and a woman. Both were dressed in business attire and wore stern expressions.
Feds, Tanner thought, and had it confirmed when Jake Garner, himself an FBI agent, recognized them.
The man was Agent Driskell, while the woman was Agent Monroe. When they stated they were there to investigate the attempted murder of a federal agent, everyone stared at Tanner.
Their stares turned to looks of surprise when Agent Monroe approached Sara.
“We need you to come with us, Miss Blake.”
“What’s this about?” Sara asked.
“We have it on good authority you attempted to murder Special Agent Garner three years ago while in Las Vegas.”
“What? But those charges were dropped.”
“They’ve been reinstated,” Driskell said. “Now, do we have to cuff you, or will you come in voluntarily?”
The Spy Game Page 1