Tangled Mark

by Becky Harmon

  Brad opened the trunk and then their combination lockbox. Taking out a mirror on a three-foot expandable handle, he began checking for foreign objects underneath their car. Nikki checked the pressure in each tire, then looked under the hood for fluid levels and foreign objects. Before closing the trunk, they each placed a shoulder holster under their jackets and secured their pistols in them.

  Nikki pulled her iPad from her backpack and settled into the passenger seat. She logged onto the secure network from Flagler and downloaded Israeli street maps. Brad slid behind the wheel and started the car.

  “Lead me, oh worthy one,” Brad joked.

  “Continue north on HaYarkon. The hotel is less than a quarter mile on the left.”

  “What if we left the car in the garage at the embassy? I could walk down and get it when we needed it,” Brad suggested.

  “We could, but there is an underground garage at the hotel too. In fact, let’s check it out now. I’m starving and London’s is within walking distance. They have a killer breakfast menu.”

  They parked at the Sheraton Hotel and walked a block toward the Mediterranean Sea before locating the London Resto-Cafe. It had a bar atmosphere and the tables were close together, but it sat on the boardwalk, or as the locals called it, the tayelet. The view looked out over the white sandy beach to the Mediterranean Sea and a bouquet of beach and salt water aromas drifted through occasionally. Nikki wasted no time ordering them both a traditional Israeli breakfast, and Brad’s eyes grew huge as the waiter set plate after plate on their table, along with fresh juice and coffee. The eggs were made to order and came with a variety of hard and soft cheeses, olives and fresh baked bread. Another dish contained an Israeli salad made of finely chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and olive oil. They ate in silence until all of the plates were empty.

  Nikki sat back in her chair and moaned. “It feels like it’s been a week since I ate anything. That was delicious.”

  “We can’t check into our room until this afternoon or I would suggest a nap.” Brad covered his mouth as he yawned.

  “Let’s get familiar with the roads and then we can sightsee until time to check in.”

  Brad stood. “Sounds good to me.”

  When they stepped out of the café, Nikki took a moment to enjoy the midmorning sun that was starting to warm the day. “Let’s walk back along the boardwalk,” she suggested.

  Brad shrugged. “A little more fresh air might help me wake up.”

  They joined the flow of tourists and locals as they walked south along the broad boardwalk. It was paved with pebbles and separated from the beach by a narrow strip of vegetation. At the end of the block, they crossed the street back to the parking garage in forced silence as bumper-to-bumper traffic raced past them.

  Back in the car, they ran a few potential routes back and forth between the embassy, the hotel and the airport in preparation for escorting the senator.

  “It’s hard to tell we aren’t in Pensacola, isn’t it?” Nikki asked as she glanced out the window at the people dressed in shorts and the palm trees lining the median that separated the four-lane highway.

  “Yeah, except for that.” Brad pointed to the streetlight they were stopped at as it flipped from red to yellow and then to green.

  “And the Hebrew and Arabic written on the street signs.”

  “At least there’s English too.”

  Nikki held up her iPad. “I can’t imagine going anywhere without GPS.”

  “How did we survive before it?”

  “Map and compass,” Nikki joked.

  After a while they began randomly driving streets just to see where the streets would lead. Nikki tracked their movements on the iPad.

  “I think we have a tail,” Brad said.

  Nikki looked up from her tablet and watched her mirror. “Cool. I was getting bored.” She began sliding her finger around the touch screen. “Give me a minute and I’ll find a dead-end street.” After a few minutes, she glanced at him. “Turn right in two blocks and then make another right at the end of the block. I’ll jump out as soon as you turn and wait for them to pass. The first alley on the right should be a dead end.”

  “Sounds good.” Brad tightened his fingers on the steering wheel.

  Staying in the right lane, Brad accelerated before making the turn and then slammed on the brakes. Nikki jumped out and dashed into a clothing store along the street. She watched through the window until the sedan tailing them had passed. She shielded her eyes to try to see the occupants, but the glare from the sun was too bright. As soon as it turned into the alley behind Brad, she sprinted to the corner. Pistol drawn, she crept into the alley. Brad was out of the car with his pistol pointed at the driver. Nikki moved to the rear of the car and, in a few quick steps, she wrenched open the passenger-side door.

  “Well, shit!” Nikki exclaimed.

  “Hola,” Mel said in her best Spanish accent.

  Nikki holstered her pistol and started walking back to their sedan.

  “Hey,” Mel yelled. “We need to talk.”

  “Fine.” Nikki turned. “But not in a dead-end alley.”

  “Follow us.” Mel closed her door and their car roared backward out of the alley.

  Mel’s vehicle turned into the underground garage at the Sheraton with Brad and Nikki on its bumper. They circled to a deserted section before parking. Mel exited the vehicle first, handling the introductions. “We checked in earlier so we can chat in our room if yours isn’t ready yet.”

  Nikki looked at Brad. “It’s almost check-in time so it should be ready. I’ll go check if you want to unpack the car.”

  Brad nodded and began removing their gear from the car.

  Nikki entered the brightly colored lobby and approached the front desk. The desk clerk, conferring with a guest by the elevators, was easily identified by his button-down shirt and name tag. The tie was overkill in a lobby filled with casually dressed tourists, but standard for the hotel. When he noticed Nikki approaching the desk, he quickly ended his conversation and resumed his post. She handed him her passport and waited while he processed the paperwork to check them into the room. Expecting a Middle Eastern accent, Nikki was surprised to hear a French inflection instead. Though his English was understandable she was pleased at his delight when he discovered she spoke in French as well. As she signed the last piece of paperwork and turned with room keys in hand, Brad entered the lobby with their luggage. He stepped into the elevator and Nikki pressed the button for the nineteenth floor.

  “Where did our friends go?” Nikki asked.

  “To their room. Apparently they’re right across the hall from us.”

  “How convenient.”

  “I told them we needed some downtime, but we would meet them for dinner,” Brad explained. “We should be able to get in a three-hour power nap.”

  “That sounds good. I’m in desperate need of a shower too.”

  Nikki passed Brad the spare key and opened the room door with the other. The entranceway opened into a spacious living area with a full-sized couch, two chairs and large television. Nikki appraised the view of the Mediterranean Sea through the sliding glass doors across the Club Suite. She crossed to the doors and slid them open, stepping onto the balcony. It was windy and she could smell the salt air on the breeze. Brad stepped out to join her.

  “There are only two bedrooms. Let’s each take one and we’ll just make sure they change the sheets before the senator arrives tomorrow.”

  Nikki smiled. “I like that plan better than sleeping in the same bed with you or on the couch.”

  Brad smiled too. “Once the senator arrives, we’ll be taking turns sleeping anyway.” His smile got bigger. “Unless…you want to sleep across the hall.”

  “I’m still pissed about them tailing us today.”

  “Let’s wait and hear what they have to say,” Brad suggested. “Maybe they’ve got a good reason.”

  “I doubt it. Did you see the smile on Carter’s face when I whipped open the ca
r door?”

  “I did and she looked happy to see you.” Brad gave her a playful punch on the arm before turning back into the suite. “I’m taking a shower and then a nap.”

  Nikki reluctantly turned from the view and followed Brad back into the room. She grabbed her bag and turned right into the second bedroom, closing the door behind her. A king-sized bed was centered between two wooden nightstands and took up most of the floor space. The headboard and nightstands were made of a blond wood that Nikki couldn’t identify. She threw her bag onto the luggage rack and removed her suits, hanging both in the bathroom. She turned on the shower to let the steam penetrate the material. She stripped, putting all her dirty clothes into a laundry bag and stowing them in her carry-on. The water was warm, and at times, Nikki’s eyes closed for longer than a normal blink. Calculating when she had last crawled into bed, she realized it had been almost thirty-six hours. She forced herself out of the shower and dried off quickly before climbing naked into the bed. As an afterthought, she opened her eyes long enough to set the alarm.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Aren’t you sleepy too?” Liam asked.

  “I slept on the flight over,” Mel replied without looking up from her laptop.

  “I couldn’t get comfortable.” Liam sighed. “It was nice of Mr. Flagler to give us a charter again. It sure makes a difference not having to change planes five times.”

  “Catch a catnap and I’ll wake you in two hours.”

  “Thanks. That’d be great.” Liam went straight into the bedroom and closed the door.

  Mel focused on the photo she was working on. Flagler’s technical department had pinpointed a phone call from the Pensacola office to a phone in Tel Aviv, and Liam had been able to pull this image from a traffic camera. She had enhanced the photo, adding some brightness to it, before running it through the US drivers’ license database—with no success. She punched the buttons on the laptop to start the scan again using the Israeli drivers’ license database.

  She turned on the television and surfed the channels, her mind elsewhere. Nikki had looked really good storming into the alley earlier. And now she was asleep across the hall. Probably curled under the sheets with a small amount of clothing. Or maybe no clothing at all. Mel sighed. Pull yourself together. This is a co-worker you’re thinking about and you need to get your head in the job. This is not a game, and until we figure out what Josh is up to, no one knows where the next path is going to lead.

  * * *

  Nikki’s alarm woke her from a deep sleep, and she would have bet only five minutes had passed. She rolled out of bed and into the shower. Her first conscious thoughts were of food and the woman across the hall. She liked being on the same team as Mel and looked forward to working closely together with her while they were in Israel.

  Time to find out what’s going on. She pulled on clean jeans and a T-shirt. Securing her shoulder holster, she slid her pistol into place and pulled a light jacket over the top of them.

  When she exited the bedroom, Brad was sitting on the couch with his eyes closed. His hair was still wet from a recent shower, and he looked refreshed even in sleep. Nikki touched his shoulder. “Are you really asleep?” she whispered.

  He grunted.

  Nikki gave him a shake. “Do you want food?”

  Brad’s eyes flew open. “Of course I want food.”

  Nikki opened the door into the hallway. “Well, come on then.” She held the door, waiting for Brad to catch up, then stepped across the hall and knocked.

  Mel’s smile widened as she openly appraised Nikki before calling over her shoulder. “Let’s go, Liam. Your date is here.”

  Nikki rolled her eyes and immediately began questioning Mel. “What are you doing here?”

  Mel gave her cocky smile. “I’m here to protect you, of course.”

  Nikki rolled her eyes again and Brad laughed.

  Liam joined them in the hallway and Brad headed toward the elevator. “Dinner?”

  “Where are we going?” Liam asked. “Not that I care. Food is food.”

  “The restaurant downstairs is open for another four hours,” Brad suggested.

  “I checked out the menu earlier and it looked good,” Mel added. “Mediterranean.”

  “The Olive Leaf it is then.” Brad punched the down elevator button.

  The restaurant had a panoramic view of the Mediterranean Sea and more of the blond-colored wood Nikki had admired in the room. The olive leaf motif ceramic tiles around the room paid homage to the name of the restaurant. They had hit a lull in the dinner rush and were seated immediately at a table in the corner. After a short discussion, Brad and Liam decided they needed appetizers and selected Frena bread with olives and nuts served with three dips and sliced marinated salmon served with crispy toasts.

  For a main course Nikki stuck with items she could recognize, sautéed chicken slices with grilled pineapple. She traveled a lot, but she seldom ventured off the well-beaten path where food was concerned. She wrinkled her nose at the caviar that came with the salmon appetizer when Mel offered it to her.

  Nikki bit her tongue, allowing the group to discuss food from other countries where they had traveled until their meals were delivered. Unable to contain her impatience any longer, she only took a couple of bites before leaning toward the center of the table. “Spill it.” She looked back and forth between Mel and Liam, waiting to see who would answer first.

  Liam broke the silence. “This mission was created by us, and we were sent to assist you in case Josh throws any kinks in your plans.”

  “So this is a setup?” Brad asked, surprised. “The mission isn’t real?”

  “Yes, this is a setup,” Mel answered. “But unlike your last mission, this one is real. The senator has received quite a few threats lately, but we made it appear worse than it was and asked her to request assistance from Josh specifically. She had heard good things about him from a friend of a friend.” Mel smiled. “We weren’t sure when the mission would come through, and we hadn’t planned on letting you guys in on the situation, but that changed when you called me.” She looked at Brad and then back at Nikki. “You guys had drawn the same conclusions that we had, and I convinced our boss that it would be beneficial to have you in on the details.”

  “So are we supposed to feed bad information to Josh?” Nikki asked.

  “No,” Liam said, looking at Mel.

  Nikki watched the exchange of glances between Liam and Mel and she wondered what he didn’t want to disclose.

  When Mel nodded, he continued. “Just follow the plan Josh laid out for you. What were you told your mission was, specifically?”

  Nikki glanced at Brad. Secrecy was ingrained in them too, and it still felt awkward to share details with another team. She wasn’t sure who could be trusted and who couldn’t, but she knew she had trusted Mel when they met at the coffee shop and she wanted to trust her now. She took a deep breath before speaking. “We were told to provide security for twenty-four hours to Senator Wyatt.”

  Mel nodded. “And that’s what you’ll do.”

  “Honestly,” Liam added, “we aren’t here to do anything more than see if we can get Josh to make a mistake or to show his hand.”

  “We’ve tracked quite a bit of communication from Flagler to a local resident.” Mel paused while their empty plates were cleared and Nikki placed her dessert order. When the waiter left the table, Mel continued, “Flagler has plenty of agents working in Israel so there’s always a chance the calls could be legitimate, but we haven’t been able to tie them to an active case. We think that if it is Josh, he may ask you guys to make contact with someone here before you leave. Since applying pressure to Josh and letting him know that you guys are all being watched, he hasn’t made any contact in the last week, so we’re hoping he’ll take advantage of the situation. Plus we dropped surveillance on the rest of your team.”

  Conversation paused again as the waiter returned with Nikki’s dessert. Everyone watched as Nikki took a
forkful of the chocolate cake with a wild berry sauce and roasted pistachios. “So what if he doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity?” Nikki asked after she swallowed the first bite.

  “We have other avenues we are exploring while we are here,” Liam explained.

  Mel sighed. “Speaking of working other avenues, I should get back to the room and check my scan.”

  Brad leaned in conspiratorially, “So what are you working on now, Agent Carter?”

  Mel laughed, giving him a smile before picking up her fork. “Let’s finish Nikki’s dessert and I’ll show you.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Nikki glanced around Mel and Liam’s room. Two laptops were sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch, one of the screens flipping through random faces. Mel took a seat in front of the active screen. “This software is running a facial recognition program to try to match a camera shot of the individual we believe was talking to Josh.”

  Liam opened the other laptop. “This program is recording all incoming and outgoing cell calls for the same individual.”

  Almost immediately Mel’s laptop locked on a photo. “There he is.” Mel began typing on the keyboard. “Daniel Abbott. I’ve got his home address. It’s not far from here.” She looked at Liam.

  “I’m on it.” Liam disappeared into the bedroom and returned wearing a jacket over his pistol.

  “Want company?” Brad asked.

  Liam looked at Mel and then shrugged. “Sure. I don’t see why not.”

  “Don’t make contact with him,” Mel reminded him as she pulled a copy of the photo from the printer and handed it to Brad. “Study and then shred. You don’t want to have to explain it if you get caught.”

  Brad nodded.

  “He won’t even see us.” Liam smirked as he turned and left the room with Brad on his heels.

  Nikki crossed to the couch and sat down. “What are they going to do?”

  “Probably just a little surveillance. Check out the area.” Mel opened the minibar and held up a bottle of scotch.

  Nikki shook her head. “Too much wine with dinner.”