Tangled Mark

by Becky Harmon

  Her phone vibrated and she shifted to pull it from her pocket. Brad’s number displayed on the readout. “What’s up?” she asked without a greeting.

  “I just talked with Josh and he needs a courier pickup before we head back tomorrow.”

  “No shit.” Nikki’s head swam with the information. This is what Liam and Mel had been hoping for, but things had changed with Mel’s injury.

  “Liam talked with his boss, and they’re going to send backup for them.” He paused. “But they can’t be here until about seventeen hundred hours tomorrow and the pickup is at fifteen hundred.”

  “So, Mel’s going to have to do it.” Nikki made it a statement rather than a question.

  “Afraid so. Is she awake? Liam is asking.”

  “No, she’s been asleep since you guys left. She didn’t take the pain pills though, so I would imagine she’ll wake up in a few hours.”

  “When she does, fill her in. We’ll touch base with you guys in the morning, and you can meet up with us after you drop off the senator.”

  “Okay.”

  “Hey, Nik,” Brad paused before continuing, “Robin has my number on speed dial so get some sleep. Liam and I are taking turns too. We’ll need to be alert tomorrow.”

  “I hear you.” Nikki clicked off the phone and tucked it back into her pocket. As long as it was tight against her body, she would wake up if it rang again. She slid lower on the couch and wrapped her legs around Mel’s, pulling the bottom of the throw around them both. She wanted to sleep, but her mind kept turning over reasons why Daniel Abbott would shoot Mel. Clearly he felt pressure, but what was he hiding? And was he working alone?

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Mel heard moaning. Someone was in pain and she needed to help them. Her eyes were glued shut and her body wouldn’t respond to her commands.

  “Mel, wake up.” Nikki knelt beside her and stroked her head. “Wake up.”

  Mel moaned and the realization hit that she was the one in pain. Her arm ached when she tried to sit up.

  Nikki slid an arm behind her and braced her into a sitting position. “I guess I don’t need to ask how you’re feeling.” Nikki gently tucked Mel’s hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek.

  “I feel like crap and I have to go to the bathroom.” Mel pushed herself to her feet and moaned again. “Good thing I don’t need my left arm for this mission.”

  Nikki laughed, following close behind her. Mel stopped at the door and turned, putting a hand to Nikki’s chest. “I can take it from here, cupcake.”

  Nikki rolled her eyes. “Did you really just call me cupcake?”

  Mel closed the door in her face, but her laughter continued. When she opened the door, she rested against the frame. “Do you have any painkillers?”

  Nikki pulled from her pocket the two pills the senator had given her earlier and Mel frowned. “Anything less intrusive?”

  “Maybe but don’t you think you should take these?”

  “It doesn’t hurt enough for me to be knocked out. I just need something to take the edge off.”

  “Oh, so that wasn’t you who woke me moaning.”

  Mel stepped into Nikki’s space, forcing her to take a step back. She repeated this until Nikki’s back ran into the wall. Then she angled her body to protect her left arm and pushed her chest into Nikki’s, holding her in place before kissing her hard. She broke the kiss and stared into Nikki’s face. “I might have moaned, but it wasn’t because my arm hurt.”

  Nikki pushed her backward and stepped away from the wall. “Right. And,” she put a finger to Mel’s chest, “you can’t do that here.” She tossed Mel a bottle of over-the-counter pain pills from her bag. “Since your arm doesn’t hurt, see if you can open that bottle.” She left the room as Mel struggled with the bottle. Nikki returned and took it from her, dumping two pills into Mel’s palm before handing her an opened water bottle.

  Mel downed the pills and then smiled. “Thanks, cupcake.”

  “I’m starting to think you had a head injury. Lose the damn ‘cupcake’ already.”

  Mel settled back onto the couch and sipped her water. “I vaguely remember you talking to Brad earlier. Did they find Abbott?”

  Nikki slapped her forehead. “I forgot to ask. He called to tell me that Josh wants a courier pickup before we leave tomorrow.”

  “No way.” Mel breathed out. “After tonight I really thought I’d blown it. If it is Josh, he’s really stupid or he thinks he’s still fooling everyone.”

  “I can’t imagine he thinks you guys are in the dark.” Nikki frowned, sitting down beside her. “Does he know you are Flagler Internal Investigation or does he think you are CIA like we did?

  “I don’t know. Weird thing is, we never identified ourselves and he never asked. Of course, Lewis knew the truth so he might have told him.”

  “Or maybe he didn’t.” Nikki shrugged. “We made the assumption you were CIA because of the mission, and then we never questioned it. Even after you showed up at Flagler. We were confused, but it didn’t occur to me that you might not be who we thought you were.”

  Mel grinned. “I do like to keep you guessing.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “When you came out on the porch all sweaty, that’s when I knew I was in trouble.”

  “I knew in the bar when you kissed me. I couldn’t think right for days. My head was all filled with you and your hard body.” Nikki slid to the opposite end of the couch and leaned her head against the cushion.

  Mel raised her eyebrows, questioning the distance between them.

  “I can’t be close to you, right now,” Nikki stated. “In fact,” she lifted her head from the couch, “you should sleep in the bedroom.”

  “I’d rather sleep here with you.”

  “Fine, but I’m setting my alarm for zero five thirty so I can shower before everyone starts moving around.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and set the alarm before laying her head back down on the cushion.

  Mel closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. The painkillers were starting to work. She could feel Nikki watching her and knew she was still worried. Her eyelids fluttered as she tried to open them. “Are you watching me?” Mel mumbled sleepily.

  “No. Now go to sleep.”

  Mel could hear the smile in Nikki’s voice and knew she had been right. “Good night, cupcake.”

  “Good night, Carter.”

  Mel smiled and let the lethargy she’d been fighting sweep over her.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Nikki woke five minutes before her alarm was set to go off. She slowly disentangled her legs from Mel’s and crossed to the bedroom. Showering quickly, she dressed in a clean suit. She towel dried her hair and then ran her fingers through it. When she walked back into the living room, Mel was sitting with a cup of coffee balanced on her knee. Nikki fought the urge to drop her gaze to Mel’s chest. She had pulled the burgundy shirt on her good arm and the bloody sleeve hung limp against her body. None of the buttons were fastened and the shirt hung open to reveal the black sports bra and a hard stomach.

  Mel held up her cell phone. “Liam says everything’s okay with them.”

  Nikki nodded as she handed Mel two pain pills from the bottle on the table. “I told Brad we’d give them a call after we drop the senator at the airport.” She poured herself a mug of coffee and took a sip before combing through the cabinets. Under the sink she found a small trash bag and she used her fist to push a hole in the bottom of it. She slipped the trash bag onto Mel’s left arm and pulled it up until it covered the injury before tying it around her arm.

  Mel smiled. “Thanks.”

  Nikki kissed her. “Go take a shower and then get back over here so we can brief everyone before we head to the airport.”

  “Be back in a few. By the way, I ordered a bunch of stuff from room service. See if you can save me something. I’m starving.”

  “Good idea. Thanks.” Nikki checked the hallway before holding the door open for Mel to exit. She intr
oduced Wayne to Mel and then watched her until she was safe inside her room. She held the door open and Wayne stepped in. Nikki pointed at the coffeepot and he nodded, quickly filling his cup before sitting at the table.

  “Robin’s in the shower,” he said as she sat down across from him. “I understand there’s been a slight change in plans.”

  “Yes, Mel was injured last night so she and Brad have switched positions.”

  “How bad is her injury?”

  “It was a grazing shot so just a flesh wound. The senator fixed her up. Right arm still works fine and she’s only taken over-the-counter painkillers.”

  “Thanks.” Wayne nodded. “I appreciate being kept in the loop.”

  “It’s hard to cross agencies. Can Mel return your car to the embassy and then wait with our vehicle while the three of us escort the senator to her flight?”

  “I like that idea.”

  Nikki hoped Mel would see it that way too. She had no doubt in Mel’s ability to do whatever came up, but since the car had to be returned anyway, it seemed the best plan in putting the senator’s safety first.

  The senator was the first to appear a few minutes later. “How is Agent Carter this morning?”

  “Better. Thank you for patching her up last night.”

  “I thought I was having emergency room flashbacks.” She smiled as she poured the remaining coffee into a mug and started a new pot. She looked at Nikki. “She was lucky. Why don’t you guys wear vests?”

  Nikki shrugged. “We do sometimes, but they were only doing surveillance last night.”

  “Surveillance can be brutal,” Wayne cut in.

  Nikki and Wayne both approached the door when room service knocked. Robin, Mel and Carrie came in ahead of the carts full of food. There were six plates of eggs and fruit as well as a variety of breads. Everyone ate quickly and with little conversation. Nikki was able to get Mel to the side and discussed the new plan with her. She was agreeable and claimed she didn’t need any assistance with directions to the embassy. Wayne left and returned with a luggage cart. Once everyone’s bags were loaded, Wayne and Mel took the bags to the parking garage and loaded them into the car. Wayne conducted a thorough check on both vehicles and Mel left for the embassy in his car. Wayne contacted Robin when he arrived in front of the lobby and she herded everyone out.

  Robin sat beside Wayne as he drove, and Nikki scanned the iPad looking for the least congested streets to get them to Route One, which would take them to the airport. The senator was quiet and even Carrie didn’t seem to have anything to say. Nikki was fairly sure Carrie was the only one who didn’t know about Mel being shot, and it was probably best that she didn’t. The senator had waved Mel into her room before she had left with Wayne, taking the opportunity to check her wound before they departed. She hadn’t had a chance to ask Jan how it looked, but she had to trust that Mel would let her know if there was a problem. At least she hoped she would.

  As they were pulling into the departure lane to check their bags, Mel texted that her cab had cleared the first airport checkpoint. By the time the luggage was unloaded from the car and tickets were obtained, Mel had arrived to take possession of the car and move it away from the terminal until Nikki returned. Nikki was able to locate the supervisor she had spoken with previously and obtained permission to accompany the senator to her gate again. Once there, Carrie and the senator sat immediately and began discussing the agenda for the day. Nikki sat close to them with her back to the wall and the ninety minutes passed quickly. The senator’s voice was smooth as she rolled through her key points for the next meeting. Nikki had admired her dedication before she met her and, now that she knew a little more about the personality behind the professional, she liked her even more.

  Robin and Wayne stood on opposite sides of the room. Their postures were relaxed but their eyes were vigilant. When the gate attendants began preparing the walkway for boarding, Nikki approached first Robin and then Wayne. She thanked each of them for their assistance before saying sincerely that she looked forward to working with them in the future. Wayne was professional and distant as he nodded his agreement. Robin glanced at her quickly before returning her gaze to the senator and surrounding area. “Take care of your friend,” she said softly.

  Nikki smiled. “That’s not an easy task.”

  “I got that idea.” Robin returned her smile as they approached the senator. “Ready to board, Senator?” Robin asked, all trace of her smile having disappeared and the stoic look that matched Wayne’s having returned.

  “Give me just a minute, please.” Jan placed her hand on Nikki’s arm, turning them away from the group. “If you can, check that wound again before you leave tonight.”

  Nikki’s surprise at the senator’s knowledge of their itinerary did not show on her face as she nodded her understanding. “Thank you for your assistance and your discretion.”

  Jan nodded. “Josh Houston is not my normal contact at Flagler,” she stated. “This desire for additional protection was made to Josh at Agent Carter’s request.”

  This time Nikki couldn’t contain her surprise. “You knew Agent Carter before last night?”

  Jan grinned. “How do you think I knew not to argue with her about going to the hospital?”

  Nikki shook her head in disbelief. “Because you patched her up before?”

  Jan winked at her. “I know many secrets about Agent Carter.” She glanced at Wayne and he nodded that it was time for her to board. “Ask her about Germany.” Jan smiled devilishly, “Or better yet, maybe I’ll get the chance to tell you the story when we aren’t on foreign soil.”

  Nikki was still shaking her head as she watched them board. She knew she wasn’t Mel’s first lover and she would never be jealous of past affairs, but she couldn’t believe the senator had implied there might be a story there. Nikki pulled out her phone and texted Mel that she was headed back to the car. Putting aside all thoughts of Mel’s past, she turned her attention to the afternoon ahead of them and sent a short text to Brad. He replied with their location and told her to call when she was in the car.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Nikki dropped into the seat beside Mel and sighed. “Time to shift gears.” She pulled out her iPad and punched in the coordinates Brad had given her before dialing him on the car’s Bluetooth.

  “Greetings,” Brad said cheerily.

  Mel rolled her eyes at his chipper tone and Nikki smiled. She was used to Brad and happened to like his quirky ways.

  “Our fine senator has boarded her plane safely and we are ready to focus on Daniel Abbott,” Nikki responded.

  Liam’s voice was heard on the line as he began explaining where things stood. “We ordered him a pizza right after midnight. He wasn’t happy, but he did answer the door so we could confirm his location.”

  “And since he refused the pizza, we got to eat it,” Brad said happily.

  Nikki could hear the laughter in Liam’s voice as he continued. “This morning he left his apartment and came down to the street. He looked around for about ten minutes and then disappeared back upstairs.”

  “Yeah, it was weird,” Brad chimed in again. “I wanted to order him another pizza since it appeared he was waiting for something.”

  “And you didn’t want him to be disappointed?” Nikki asked.

  “Right, and I was hungry.”

  “Do you need us to grab you guys something to eat, and coffee?” Mel asked.

  “No, Liam finally gave in to my whining about thirty minutes ago so I should be good for another hour at least.”

  “Honestly, Nikki, how do you manage him on missions?” Liam chuckled.

  “With lots of energy bars.”

  “Oh please no,” Liam exclaimed. “Don’t give him any sugar. The caffeine is bad enough.”

  Mel laughed and Nikki tried to talk as she joined her. “Do you want to trade partners?” She placed a hand on Mel’s thigh. “I have something here I could trade.”

  “No, we’re fine
,” Brad answered before Liam could and they could hear Liam laughing in the background. “Seriously though…Liam is about to take his first nap of the night and is already tucked into the backseat.” Brad paused. “I see you guys. Go past us and park on the other side of the street.”

  Mel executed an illegal U-turn and pulled to a stop on the curb.

  “Let’s switch to earwigs,” Brad suggested. Nikki pulled two cases from the glove box, handing one to Mel. She inserted her own earpiece and switched on her lapel microphone. “Testing.” She heard Brad’s voice in her ear.

  “Loud and clear,” Nikki said as Mel nodded her agreement.

  “Liam has elected not to join us for the moment,” Brad explained. “He thinks hearing voices in his head will interfere with his sleep.”

  “Yeah, I hate these things too,” Mel complained. “That’s why I transferred to internal investigation. I work alone so I only have to listen to myself.”

  Nikki and Brad laughed.

  “I’m going silent for now, Mel, so you won’t have to hear me in your head,” Brad stated.

  The silence stretched as Mel and Nikki got comfortable in their seats. Nikki motioned for Mel to turn off her microphone. They would still be able to hear Brad if he spoke, but he didn’t need to hear their conversation.

  “So,” Nikki stretched out the single syllable word for several seconds. “You knew Jan Wyatt before yesterday?”

  “Is that a question or a statement?” Mel asked, giving her a quick glance.

  “Both, I guess.” Nikki smiled. “I thought you might want to elaborate.”

  Mel wrinkled her face. “Nope.”

  Nikki laughed. “Oh, come on.” Mel shook her head so Nikki continued. “She suggested I ask you about Germany.”

  Mel rubbed her face. “Yeah, she would suggest Germany.”

  “So.” Nikki waited patiently.

  “It was years ago, before I started with internal investigations. I was assigned to protect Dr. Wyatt for a week in Germany. She was attending a conference with several other doctors from various countries.” Mel shifted in her seat, placing her hand on Nikki’s knee. “And we slept together.”