Matt had been grounded and Rand had come over to play. He’d been on the cusp of puberty. Sarah was still a gregarious child. They’d played with the cabin pieces, building a house using all the available parts they could fit together.
He’d promised to build them a real house some day, one where they could live together. After they got married, of course, because back then that was where his childish logic took him. For a long time after that, probably into high school, he’d always looked at Sarah as a piece of his life, now and forever. She fit him in a way no one else ever had, maybe because they’d grown up together, or maybe because he wanted to believe it.
“Is it time for a nap yet?” Sarah asked. She’d curled up in the chair, knees tucked up against her chest.
“You can sleep. I’m going to go over the surveillance setup.”
“That’s not fair.” She cracked an eye open, glaring at him. “When’s the last time you slept?”
“I napped this morning.”
“Napping is not sleeping. I can’t let you do everything.”
“And like I said, you’re no good to me dead on your feet. Sleep. Besides, you’re the one that knows Mandarin, so I need you awake and ready for when Wei gets here. If he’s coming here at all.” He stood and held out his hand.
She peered at his palm for a moment before stretching out her arm. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and hauled her to her feet and straight into his arms. She flattened her other hand against his chest but didn’t shove him away.
They were supposed to play at being whirlwind lovers, right?
He stared down at her, the woman from his past and his dreams, and knew this was going to be the easiest role he’d ever played. The question was, was he faking it? Or was it real?
“Are we going to talk about us later, too?” she asked.
“You’ve never been on a surveillance mission, have you?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll tell you this—we’ll have all the time in the world to talk. Sleep. We’ll get everything figured out later.”
Rand sorted their bags, what stayed here and what he needed to take over to their other room. H e’d scored them a room here, allowing them to move around the Chinese delegation freely. It was a weak lead, but right now it was all they had. Sarah had rolled her eyes at the concept of their cover, but that was the only protest she’d made.
Once he had her tucked in bed, Rand exchanged his jacket for a blue workman’s coat with a patch for a made-up electrician company. He put on a matching hat, sunglasses up on his brow, and headed out to where they’d really be staying. The honeymoon suite was just a front, part of their cover story.
Hector had organized all of this through third-party channels he could trust. There was, hopefully, no chance that Mitch’s or Irene’s people were involved in their sting. If all went well, they’d catch word of the briefcase and call in the real law enforcement to put the stolen property back in American custody. From there they’d have to sort out who was behind burning Sarah. As long as the case was locked, she was reasonably safe.
And then what? When all of this was over—what then? Was there an us to think about?
He’d have to finally face Matt. Ask his forgiveness for what’d happened. And then…his permission. Because if Sarah was the least bit interested, Rand was going after her.
“Okay, let’s see what you’ve got going on…”
It was time to focus his thoughts. Sarah was right. Whatever would happen between them came after this.
He plugged the laptop in the surveillance kit into the Ethernet cord sticking out of the wall the set-up team had been kind enough to locate for him. The big chunk of drywall missing would be hard to explain, but that wasn’t his job.
Once he was hardwired into the system, Rand had access to all of the security cameras in the hotel. Recent upgrades and renovations meant that each and every room was outfitted with voice activated valets, or consoles, which could do a number of things from ordering new towels to changing the TV channel. They were also easy to hack into, turning every single valet system in the rooms into a listening device.
Rand wouldn’t need to plant a bug.
The hotel had done it for him already.
Man, he loved technology.
Back in the old days, he’d be waiting around for the suite to empty so he could get in and try to leave something that wouldn’t be noticed. Now, his biggest concern was where were the damn snacks, and when would something worth watching happen?
…
Zhang Wei strolled through the entrance of the Carlyle Hotel, scanning the people loitering in the lobby, the guests at the coffee bar. It was still early, but he’d already received confirmation that the Chinese delegation had arrived and wanted to inspect the briefcase. The upcoming festivities were the perfect cover for bringing together potential buyers for the information held within the case, should they chose to auction off what they didn’t need. If they could get the case open. That was currently their biggest hurdle, one he hoped to solve in the near future.
No one would like what Wei had to say about the package. The Americans had been thorough this time.
He took the elevator to one of the upper floors and followed the signs to the suite number. The door opened before he’d even knocked.
A fresh-faced young man in a well-tailored suit stood on the other side.
“They are expecting you.” The young man bowed, lower than Wei would have expected. If Wei smelled him, would he stink of fear? Probably so.
Wei’s mind was a network of information, faces, places. An image of a young attaché sprang to mind. Li Qiang. Of course. A paper-pusher. An assistant to the delegation.
“Thank you, Qiang.” Wei stepped over the threshold and left his luggage by the door.
The delegation was spread out through the spacious suite, but everyone’s focus zeroed in on him. They all wanted what was in the briefcase. The only question was, how to access it?
“In here.” Wang Ping, the leader of the delegation, waved Wei into another room set up to be an office. Normally, they would be at the embassy, but with the current renovations and planning for the welcome party for the new Secretary of State, their business was better conducted offsite.
Wei and a handful of the other men retired to the inner office.
“What have you learned?” Ping crossed his arms over his chest.
“The briefcase is more sophisticated than it appears.” He set the silver case on the desk. “If I attempt to open it, I risk destroying the documents inside of it.”
“How do you know that?”
“I had it scanned and X-rayed before I left. There is a liquid in the case lining. My guess is trying to force it open will release it, destroying the contents.”
“Then how do we open it?”
“Intelligence has made contact with the person who sold us information. Clearly they intended to charge more for this. I have provided confirmation of our possession of the case and the initial payment should be processing shortly. We will know how to open it before much longer.”
Ping began speaking to the others, dismissing Wei’s presence. That was how he preferred it, to be on the fringes, to do his job in the shadows.
Chapter Eight
Sarah groaned and swatted at the hands shaking her. She didn’t want to wake up now. Her dream was at the best part. She’d never dreamed of a grown-up Rand before. This was new, and she totally wanted to torture herself with her sick obsession.
“Sarah, you need to wake up right now, or I’m going to touch your feet.” A warm hand wrapped around her calf, just under her knee.
She flinched, kicking her feet away from potential danger, and sat up. The light in the bathroom was on and the room was dim. She blinked, clearing the sleep out of her eyes.
It was a Western-style hotel. She was not in her closet-sized room. This was not China.
The briefcase.
Charlie.
She focused her gaze on the man p
erched on the side of her bed. It was the Rand from her dream. The grown-up Rand.
The real Rand.
Sarah sucked in a breath. She swung her legs off the bed, dangling her feet off the side, and gripped the edges.
“You okay?” Rand rubbed her back, the same way he had when they were kids and wanted to comfort her, but didn’t know how.
“Yeah, just give me a second.” She took another deep breath.
Her friend Charlie might be dead, and Rand was back in her life. She’d flown across the world to get the briefcase back. With Rand.
“Sarah, we don’t have a second.” His tone was soft—and demanding.
“Okay, what’s up?” She cleared her throat and smoothed her hair back. They had a job, one she couldn’t sleep through.
“The Chinese delegation arrived early. We must’ve gotten here a little after they did. Surveillance is up, but I can’t tell what they’re saying.”
“Let’s go then.”
“No, hold on.” He grabbed her wrist. “They called down to the restaurant and made a brunch reservation.”
“I can’t go down there. What if they recognize me?”
“Nothing indicates these people know who you are. They went after the case, not you. Besides, you live here, remember?”
“True.” Sarah bit her lip. It sounded reasonable coming from Rand’s lips, but then again, he was also the guy who’d told her jumping off the garage into a pool was a great idea, too.
“I can’t remember everything they say and recite it back to you. If we’re going to identify the voices and know what they’re talking about, you have to go with me. It’s built into our cover story, remember?” He slid his hand down to hold hers.
They were supposed to be a couple. She swallowed. So many teenage dreams were coming true. Because of work. Not because Rand felt anything for her. This wasn’t real. If he’d ever truly loved her, he wouldn’t have stayed away so long. He’d have come back. For Matt or her, it didn’t really make a difference.
“So, brunch?” She pulled her hand from his and tightened her ponytail.
“Hungry?”
“Starving, but…” She gestured to her sweatpants.
“I picked you up something.” He nudged a few brown delivery boxes at their feet. “Can you be ready in five, ten, minutes?”
She pushed up to her feet. “I’ll make it happen.”
“I put the bag from the camp in the bathroom,” Rand said.
“Thanks.” She entered the spacious bathroom and closed the door.
She needed a moment to pull herself together, to remember what it was she was doing and why. Peoples’ lives depended on her doing her job. Maybe even Charlie’s life, if he was still alive.
It was hard to imagine him being taken without incident. The agent was a stocky man, a little rough around the edges, but she’d liked him. Sure, they’d had their moment together, but it wasn’t meant to be. She couldn’t look at Charlie, talk to him, or even pretend it might work. Because, and this was the kicker, he’d reminded her of Rand in some ways. And it wasn’t fair to Charlie to sit and smile at him while she was thinking about someone else.
Who was on the other side of that door.
Who she had to pretend she was in love with just enough to be convincing—but not enough to let him know he already had her heart.
Sarah unzipped her suitcase and pulled out her toiletry bag full of things she’d taken from her room. Things were tossed in haphazardly. Thankfully, she had enough to wash her face and brush her hair and teeth. There was no makeup, so she was stuck looking exhausted and a bit haggard.
She was supposed to be a woman in love.
One who didn’t believe the man she was with would disappear.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“Sarah? I’ve got the boxes open. You ready yet?”
“Yes, just about.” She spritzed herself with a body spray she’d found, likely something the previous occupant had left. She opened the bathroom door and nearly walked straight into Rand’s chest.
“Sorry.” He sidestepped her, boots in hand.
“Do we know who’s here?”
“I’ve heard the name Ping said a lot. The rest is unclear to me.”
“Wang Ping?” She sat on the edge of the bed and examined the clothing Rand had picked for her.
“I guess.”
“That’s…that could be good.”
“Why?”
“He’s an official from the Henan province where I live. We’ve met at some functions. He doesn’t hate me. And I could be wrong, but I think I know some of his people.”
“Why could it be bad?”
“It would, if he were involved with all of this. If he knows about Charlie, it could mean he knows of my connection to the company. Has anyone heard from Charlie yet?” She picked out jeans and a nice, simple black top. He’d managed to even get her a bra and underwear that didn’t look like they would be uncomfortable.
“No, nothing yet.”
“Okay. Let me get dressed real quick.” She ducked back into the bathroom for a bit of privacy.
Yes, he’d seen her naked and stripped bare, but she didn’t have to put herself out there again. She dressed quickly, surprised the clothes more or less fit. She sucked down a deep breath, straightened her spine, and stepped out, ready to play her part.
Rand was waiting for her. He reached for her, gripping her shoulders, his gaze boring into hers.
“How sure are you about these men?” he asked.
“I’m…not. But I’m here, and this is my job.”
“Then let’s go while we can still get a table.” He held out his hand.
They were lovers, or pretending to be. She gingerly put her hand in his.
This was never going to work. They didn’t know who they were now. Strangers could not pretend to be lovers. She couldn’t, at least. Heck, when was her last date? Had it been Charlie? That had been years ago.
“Relax. You look like you’re going to be sick.” Rand eased the suite door shut and squeezed her hand.
“Sorry, just waking up still.”
“Don’t think about it. Don’t talk about. We’re here to have a good time, remember?” He bumped her shoulder with his as they strolled toward the elevators.
“You’re right.” She blew out a breath and wiggled her fingers.
“I am.”
The elevator dinged, letting out a couple as Sarah and Rand approached. He deftly slid into the car after the people and held the door for her.
She could do this. It wasn’t all that much different from what she was already doing. Except she was actively participating in surveillance. And all they had to rely on was her knowledge.
This was going to fail.
Rand turned toward her, caging her against the wall between his arms, and leaned in close.
Her breath caught in her throat and her skin tingled from his nearness.
“You’re tense. Relax.” He dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. The simple gesture sent her head spinning.
It was too soon, too close to her dream Rand. The kiss didn’t mean anything. It was a show, a warm-up.
“Come on.”
The elevator doors slid open.
It was time to act. To pretend. And hope that when it ended she could tell the difference between reality and her dreams.
…
Rand stroked Sarah’s fingers. Ice cubes would have been warmer.
“Can we get the table by the windows?” He nudged Sarah with his hip and glanced at her, doing his best to smile. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, if it’s not too much trouble.”
The host was a perky twenty-something with a generous smile. She collected two leather-bound menus and gestured into the restaurant.
“We can make that happen. Right this way.” She turned and led them to the only unoccupied table surrounding the Chinese delegation.
Two, maybe three, tables were pushed together to accommodate a gr
oup of six men. They hardly spoke while they flipped through the breakfast options.
Rand stepped in front of Sarah and pulled out the chair that would put her back to the table. The better to hear anything that might be spoken. Leaving him the chair across from her, giving him an opportunity to observe the group, their body language, the comings and goings.
“How’s this?” the hostess asked.
“Perfect. Thanks.” Rand scooted Sarah’s chair in and circled to take his own while the hostess left them to peruse the menu. He leaned forward and whispered, “Relax. Smile. Act like you’re having fun.”
“I’m sorry.” Sarah laid the menu down and put her hands over her cheeks. “I don’t think I was ready to wake up yet.”
“We’ve had a rough couple of days.” He reached across the table and took one of her hands in his. She hesitated for a moment, then allowed him to envelop her palm between his. “I’m not sure you’ll have much time to sleep while you’re here.” He kissed her knuckles.
The perverse side of him enjoyed the multilayered expression playing across Sarah’s face. The innuendo wasn’t lost on her. He’d been an ass earlier, and he knew it. Sometimes he couldn’t help it. She twisted him up inside, even after all these years. She knew his buttons, how to tweak him. He’d be lying if he didn’t admit, at least to himself, that he wanted to find his stride with her. Be with her again.
“You’re terrible,” she said in a stern voice.
Sarah. Stern. There was a joke.
“That’s why you love me.” His stomach clenched, and for a moment, he wanted to catch the words and shove them back in his mouth. They were playing at being in love, and yet it hit far too close to how he felt about her.
Sarah blinked at him, her lips parted. Shocked he’d said it?
He picked up the menu and pretended to glance at it. The Chinese were still not speaking, their posture tense.
“Do you have to be so frustrating?” she whispered.
“That’s what you love about me.” The more he said it, the easier it would be to use the word in any context in the future. He’d wear her down.
“I’m reconsidering my feelings.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
That was the Sarah he knew.
Spy Games (Tarnished Heroes) Page 10