Tangled Mark

by Becky Harmon

  * * *

  Irritated that the agent had again gotten a rise out of her, and knowing she’d get no explanation, Nikki walked past her as coolly as she could and through the sliding doors into the hospital. She gave a wave to the familiar security guard sitting at his desk and continued down the hall to a small waiting room. Relieved to find it empty, she took a seat in the corner and the dogs immediately relaxed at her feet. She dropped the leashes and buried her face in her hands. Being able to maintain an even demeanor was something she prided herself on. This woman had pushed her through so many emotions in the last twenty-four hours, she didn’t even feel like herself anymore. The stalking she could handle, but her real discomfort came from the unshakable feeling of desire she felt every time she saw her. The burning need that she couldn’t quench. Some people might have those feelings of uncontrolled lust, but she never had. She had accepted years ago that she never would. It was just the way she was built.

  Soft footsteps approached from the doorway. “Nikki?”

  Nikki looked up into the dark eyes of her favorite nurse. “Hey, Rachel.” She smiled, hoping to clear her face of the previous anguish.

  Rachel sat down next to her, giving both dogs a pet before laying her hand on Nikki’s knee. “Did you already hear? I wanted to get to you first.”

  Nikki frowned. “Hear what?”

  “I told Carl to call me as soon as you arrived.” Rachel referred to the security guard at the front entrance.

  “Rachel, what’s going on?” Nikki fought to keep her emotions from bubbling to the surface again.

  “Tiffany died on Friday,” Rachel said softly.

  Nikki dropped her head into her hands again.

  “You didn’t know? She went during the night while she slept. She looked very peaceful.” Rachel gave her leg a comforting squeeze. “It’s just the way it happens.”

  This was part of the risk when dealing with cancer patients. Even with all of the breakthroughs, there were some who didn’t make it. Nikki rubbed her face. “How’s Lisa doing?” Nikki asked about another patient who had been friends with Tiffany. Both children were fifteen years old and the oldest of the patients Nikki normally visited.

  “Lisa is trying to stay positive, but she keeps asking when Riley and Bailey are coming to visit.” Both dogs lifted their heads at the mention of their names. Rachel patted Nikki’s leg and stood. “She’ll be happy to see you.”

  Nikki rubbed her face and forced her mouth into a smile. “Let’s go then.”

  Rachel touched her arm as they walked down the hallway. “You looked upset when I found you. Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, sure. Just work.” Nikki gave her a reassuring smile.

  Rachel frowned. “Sometimes I don’t like your work much.”

  Nikki laughed. They both knew Rachel had no idea what Nikki did for a living. She knew only that it took Nikki away for days at a time and, occasionally, Nikki would return with an injury. Rachel was always willing to refresh a bandage or check a wound if Nikki didn’t want to drive to Flagler on her days off. Rachel had learned quickly not to ask questions if she wanted to be allowed to help out.

  Chapter Ten

  Mel dropped back out of sight as the nurse and Nicole left the waiting room. She had heard enough of the conversation to know someone had died. She felt a twinge of sadness for Nicole. Mel watched the elevator light indicate a stop on the fifth floor and then punched the up button herself. As soon as the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, she heard the sound of excited children, all talking at once. Halfway down the hallway, she paused in the doorway, taking in the confusion. Nicole sat on the floor with her back to the door, surrounded by children. One dog sat with Nicole and the other one lay on the bed beside a teenage girl. Every inch of the dog on the floor was being petted by small hands. Mel watched the teenage girl on the bed stroke the dog’s head repeatedly with a look of contentment on her face. The dog appeared to be asleep with her head resting on the young girl’s stomach.

  Mel watched the interaction for a few minutes. She liked the way Nicole focused her attention on each kid as she or he spoke, addressing each of them by their name. When Nicole stood and approached the teenager on the bed, Mel drifted down the hall toward the elevators. There were times to apply pressure, and this was not one of them. She would let Nicole do her visiting without distracting her.

  Mel relaxed casually against the wall, watching people and hospital staff come and go. After about twenty minutes, Nicole stepped outside the room and leaned against the doorframe. Her head fell back and she stared at the ceiling. The nurse Mel had seen with her earlier stepped out of the room and placed her hand on her arm. Their heads bent together as Nicole listened to the woman, who was clearly more than an acquaintance. A flash of jealousy hit Mel as she watched their intimate exchange. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t make her head turn. The nurse’s eyes caught Mel’s as she turned to reenter the room behind them. She whispered something to Nicole and kissed her cheek before walking away. Nicole looked directly at Mel, who was shocked at the anguish in her face. Several seconds passed as they stared at each other before Nicole turned and followed the nurse back into the room.

  Mel couldn’t erase from her memory the look of agony on Nicole’s face. Wandering the halls of the hospital until she found the coffee shop, she purchased two cups of coffee and carried them outside to wait for her. It wasn’t long before she and the dogs exited the sliding doors. Mel fell into step beside her and handed her a cup before taking one of the leashes from her hand. The dog stayed glued to Nicole’s leg but walked easily between the two women. They veered toward a small pond beside the hospital. Once away from the hospital, Nicole unclipped the dogs, who immediately ran to the murky water for a drink before wading in for a swim.

  Both women stood silently and watched the dogs, their red vests now soaked with water. When they emerged from the water, both shook themselves violently and then returned to Nicole before leading the way along the path. She turned and began following the dogs along the edge of the pond.

  Mel followed, waiting until she caught up before breaking the silence. “They’re beautiful dogs. What kind are they?”

  “Retriever mix.” Nicole’s response was clipped.

  “Well, they are beautiful and well-behaved.”

  The silence stretched between them as they walked, and Mel could feel the tension in Nicole’s body starting to fade. Though her face still carried a hint of sadness, her shoulders were relaxed and her fingers aimlessly played with the leash in her hand. When she finally spoke again, Mel was surprised at the frustration in her voice. “I don’t even know your name.”

  Mel glanced at her. “Do you need to?”

  Nicole took a deep breath. “No, I guess not,” she said bitterly.

  Mel took a sip of her coffee, hiding her smile. It wasn’t necessary to keep her name a secret, and she had been about to tell her before her words slipped out. Now sensing Nicole’s frustration, she decided to hold out a little longer. There were no rules about getting to know her better though. “How long have you been making visits to the hospital?”

  The silence stretched until Mel wasn’t sure an answer was coming.

  “About four years.”

  “Was that the oncology wing?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you visit the adults too?”

  Nicole shrugged. “Not normally.”

  Mel remained silent, hoping Nicole would elaborate but when she didn’t, she asked the question she had been avoiding. “Who died?”

  Nicole rubbed her face. “A fifteen-year-old girl.”

  “Oh, that’s tough.”

  “Tiffany was a sweet kid. Always happy and upbeat no matter what was happening to her. She was diagnosed the first time before her fifth birthday. I didn’t know her then or even when they brought her back four years later.” Nikki sighed. “I met her for the first time about two months ago. It had spread so fast there wasn’t anything the doct
ors could do.”

  “How is that possible? Wasn’t she being tested regularly?”

  “She was.” Nicole gave the standard response Rachel always gave her. “It’s just the way it happens.”

  “Well, that’s just shitty.” Mel squeezed Nicole’s arm before running her hand comfortingly across her back.

  Nicole stopped and looked at her. The anguish on her face again tore at Mel and she longed to comfort her. Mel touched her cheek and Nicole tilted her head into Mel’s hand. After several seconds, she took a deep breath and stepped back. Mel let her hand fall back to her side.

  Nicole turned and tossed her coffee cup into the trash can before facing Mel again. The anguish was replaced with anger. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I like you?”

  “No! Why are you following me?” Nicole demanded.

  “Because I was told to.”

  “That’s what your partner said last night too. So, why is the CIA interested in me?”

  Mel frowned and shook her head. Handing the leash back to Nicole, she turned and walked toward the parking lot. Nicole clipped the leashes back on the dogs and caught up to her. “You’re not going to answer my question?”

  Mel sighed. “I like you and sometimes my job sucks, but I still try to do what I’m told.”

  “That’s convenient,” Nicole fumed. “Oh, and evasive.”

  Mel shrugged. “Have you ever noticed anything out of the ordinary with your job?”

  “My job is out of the ordinary.”

  “No, I mean something that wasn’t the normal. Like a package you were sent to pick up, but then you were told not to bring it back.”

  Nicole walked toward her car and this time Mel hurried to catch up with her. “Or something that simply seemed off?”

  Nicole continued walking. “I work for a secretive company. One of their rules is that I do not discuss my job with anyone! Even the CIA.”

  “But I work for—”

  “No!” Nicole interrupted her. “I don’t care who you work for. I’m not disclosing any information.”

  She opened the rear hatch and the dogs jumped in. She slammed it closed and turned to face Mel. “Something is really off here and I don’t know what it is. Until I find out, you need to stay the hell away from me!”

  Nicole climbed into her car and roared away. Mel returned to her car but didn’t try to pursue her. She was sure Nicole was headed home, and she would catch up to her there. She picked up a drive-through meal and then parked down the street from her house. Before pulling her food from the bag, she walked to Nicole’s garage and looked through its window to make sure her Edge was there. She returned to her SUV and unwrapped the cold hamburger. She thought about all the things she wished she could have said to Nicole to make her understand. Never in her life had she ever had a desire to make an explanation for her actions, but Nicole had touched her. She cared what Nicole thought, and it disturbed her to think she had caused Nicole any more pain than she had already experienced today. She opened the file on the seat beside her and stared at Nicole’s phone number. The realization hit her hard. She was about to cross the line again. She dialed Angela.

  “Hey, Angela. It’s Mel.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry to ask, but can you cover me early tonight?”

  “Sure. Everything okay?”

  “Yes, I’m feeling…I think I need a break.”

  “That’s cool. I was going to call you shortly because I was thinking about asking Garrett to cover the early morning hours anyway. He isn’t assigned a specific task and asked if he could help us out.”

  “That would be great. I’ll meet up with him tomorrow morning then.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you shortly.”

  “Thanks, Angela.”

  * * *

  Nikki plugged her iPod into the speaker box and cranked the volume. Sitting on the floor, she wrapped cotton tape around her hands, taking her time with each layer. She slid her feet into the black boxing shoes and pulled the laces tight. At the first punch into the hanging bag, both dogs bolted out of the room. Nikki laughed as she spun into a back kick. She pounded her fists into the bag as she ducked and weaved around the makeshift arms she had sewn onto it. She moved her feet to the rhythm of the music, punching harder and faster. Soon the sweat covering her body was running into her eyes, and she stopped to wipe her face. Movement on the street outside her window caught her eye and she stopped to watch the woman disappear into the dark SUV.

  * * *

  “Anything I need to know?” Angela asked, sliding onto the seat beside Mel.

  “Nope. She spent most of the day out with her dogs and returned about an hour ago. I haven’t checked in today. Can you do it?”

  “Sure. I’ll take care of it. Get out of here.” Angela opened the door and stood. “Well, isn’t that a sight?”

  Mel followed Angela’s gaze looking toward Nicole’s house and her breath caught. Standing on the front porch watching them was Nicole, dressed in shorts and a sports bra. The sweat dripped off her body and she stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Her gaze was glued to the woman behind the wheel. Angela leaned back into the car. “I think you’ve angered the beast. Better get out of here. I’ll call you tomorrow afternoon.”

  Mel gunned the engine and pulled away from the curb. Angela gave Nicole a wave as she returned to her car.

  * * *

  After a few moments, Nikki returned to her workout. The agent outside her house was as attractive as the one that had just left, but Nikki didn’t feel the same emotional connection. As she worked her body through a simple yoga routine, she concentrated on clearing her mind. Mission after mission flowed through her memory as she thought about which ones could be called odd. She knew her ability to follow instructions without asking questions could also allow someone to play her. Her problem was that she didn’t know the big picture. What might be unusual to her could be normal when combined with a mission from another team. Who was she to second-guess her instructions? Trusting Josh and the other OSLs was how the organization functioned. She was really looking forward to returning to work and getting a better picture of what was going on. Maybe it was time to talk with someone else. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Brad.

  “Peanut butter.”

  “What?” Nikki frowned into the phone.

  “I’m thinking cookies would make an excellent code.”

  “Oh.” Nikki laughed relieved to enjoy a moment without stress. “Chocolate chip.”

  “Snickerdoodle.”

  Nikki laughed. “You can’t say that fast enough to avoid getting shot.”

  “Snickerdoodle, snickerdoodle, snickerdoodle,” Brad chanted.

  “Hey, nimrod. I called for a reason.”

  “Oh, and I thought you had called to get a heads-up on the next code.” Brad laughed at his own joke. When she remained silent, he stopped laughing and cleared his throat. “Let me guess. You have company.”

  Nikki hesitated for a second. “Yes, and I’m getting very annoyed.”

  “I imagine you are, but play nice for now. I called Josh earlier, but he hasn’t called me back yet. I’ll let you know if he says anything useful when he does.”

  Nikki sighed. “Do you think we’re the only ones?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’ll ask when he calls me.”

  Nikki disconnected the phone and tossed it on the floor. She made a salad for dinner and added a grilled chicken breast to the top of it. Afterward she settled onto the couch with her dogs and tried to read a book. The character in the romance novel quickly became the chestnut-haired agent she couldn’t seem to get out of her head. Eventually, she gave up and went to bed.

  * * *

  Mel drove straight from Nicole’s to a local gym and bought a one-day membership. She changed clothes in the shower room and stretched quickly before locating an empty treadmill. She increased her speed and incline until her muscles screamed. Unfortunately, the fast pace and an hour of lifting weights
afterward did nothing to erase Nicole from her mind as she had hoped.

  She returned to her empty hotel room and took advantage of the hotel service that restocked her minibar each day. After draining the first bottle, she called room service and ordered a pasta dish. She only took a few bites before pushing it away. Food couldn’t satisfy what her body craved, and as long as Nicole danced in her mind, she wouldn’t be able to sleep. She sat on the balcony and watched the lights of the city below her. When the night air cooled her, she pulled the comforter from the bed and returned to her chair outside.

  Chapter Eleven

  For the second morning in a row, Nikki used the cover of the garage to load the dogs into the car before opening the garage door. When she reached the street, she purposely turned right, moving away from the dark SUV in front of her house. Accelerating fast and braking hard, she maneuvered around the first couple of turns as fast as her Ford Edge would allow. She hadn’t heard back from Brad yet, and she couldn’t decide if it was good or bad that he was being tailed too. She had planned to stay in today, but her foster mom had called and invited her to lunch. She refused to drag her family into this, whatever it was, so she needed to lose her tail before heading to their house. The CIA probably knew everything about them, but just in case, she wanted to keep this as far from them as she could.

  After several turns, she pulled into a parking lot and watched traffic for about ten minutes. When the black SUV didn’t pass, she pulled back into traffic and drove to the ranch house where she had spent her middle school and high school years. Her foster parents lived on a quiet street outside the city limits. They loved Bailey and Riley and had even fenced in their backyard so they could visit. Occasionally, they would doggie sit, but Nikki preferred to leave them with Barbara. Her parents were known for feeding the dogs table scraps, and after a rough case of pancreatitis, Riley was on a strict diet.

  Bob and Sandra were sitting on the porch swing when Nikki arrived. She parked on the street, checking traffic before letting the dogs out.