During the two weeks they’d spent together leading up to the mission in Gaza, Jarrett had fallen hard and fast for Adael Dayan. After years of traveling the world alone as a Marine Corps sniper, Jarrett had wanted to connect with another person and have a meaningful relationship instead of going from one backroom hookup to another. He wanted to fall in love. He still believed that had their mission not failed and sent Jarrett into an emotional tailspin afterward, he might have fallen in love with Adael. He thought the Israeli had similar feelings but during the tabun case, he’d come right out and told Jarrett that he didn’t believe gay men could be monogamous which was just insane in Jarrett’s mind. From the moment he met Thayne, he’d never wanted another man.
“Thanks for coming, Jarrett,” Adael said as he stepped aside, letting him pass by him into the office. “Thanks for coming alone.” Adael shut the door behind him, throwing a bolt into place to keep them caged inside. Jarrett stared at him for a few seconds, taking in the rakish figure in front of him. He was dressed all in black wearing a black trench coat that made him look like either a detective or a spy. All he needed was a black fedora and a cigarette to complete the persona.
“Tell me why I’m here, Dayan,” Jarrett said, frowning at him. Adael took several steps closer until he could reach out and touch him. The Israeli held out a hand to shake, letting his gaze roam all over Jarrett’s face. Jarrett took his hand but Adael didn’t let go. He stepped closer and leaned in.
“You get better looking every time I see you, Jarrett,” he whispered.
Adael’s breath washed across Jarrett’s cheek. He knew the rest of his team, including his husband, had heard the whisper but he’d expected as much from the Israeli. He’d already told Thayne to expect Adael to make a pass at him. It was typical for him. He had no regard for his relationship with Thayne and he was a bold bastard. Shamefully, at one point in his life, Jarrett had welcomed the man’s aggression with open arms. It had been a turn-on and one of the things Jarrett had appreciated most about the Israeli. These days, it was just annoying.
“Thanks,” Jarrett said, stepping back. Adael refused to relinquish his grip on Jarrett’s hand, though. The Israeli grinned and Jarrett frowned. “Let go.” He pulled on his hand and Dayan finally released it. “Why am I here? What couldn’t you tell my whole team, Dayan?”
“Pushy. Pushy,” Adael purred, turning his back and moving over to a desk. He sat down on the edge of it, spreading his knees and resting both hands on the edge. He stared at Jarrett, giving him an up and down inspection and openly leering at him. Twin dimples appeared in his darkly stubbled cheeks. Grudgingly, Jarrett had to admit, the man was gorgeous. Four years ago, Jarrett would have ripped his clothes off and fucked him on the desk but now, he just felt sorry for him. The way he’d come on to Jarrett in his office, telling him he didn’t believe gay men were suited to be with only one man for the rest of their lives was bullshit and he’d told him at the time. Jarrett reminded himself not to think too hard about his annoyance with the man. He was there to do a job and there had to be some reason Dayan had chosen to meet in person, other than proximity to make another pass at him.
Jarrett glanced around. The office seemed to be some sort of reception area. It wasn’t very large and had two well-used metal desks and wooden chairs that were probably made decades before. Two rows of filing cabinets were against the walls and the desks were strewn with invoices and stacks of file folders. It looked like a typical outer office for a warehouse and Jarrett was unsure why the Israeli had chosen it except for the fact that it was near Stryker-Dunn and empty at this time of night. He glanced around again, specifically searching for security measures. The lock on the door hadn’t been broken so Jarrett figured Adael had picked it unless he had a key for some reason. There were no visible security cameras and the computer monitors on the desks were large, bulky CRTs, not flat-screens like in most modern offices. Whatever the warehouse stored didn’t require enhanced security which meant the goods weren’t high-end.
“You look really fine, Jarrett,” Adael tried again. “I heard you got married. Thayne’s a lucky bastard. I guess I should have pushed harder to get a piece of that.” The man looked positively amused by what he was saying as he waggled his eyebrows and reached down to grab his crotch. Jarrett felt his jaw tighten as his teeth ground together.
“Can I kill him now?” Jarrett said out loud. He heard snickering in the earwig he wore.
“Your friends are listening in, I take it,” Adael said, losing his sexy smirk. “Take out your com. I have things to say to you that you won’t want them to hear.”
Jarrett opened his mouth to tell the Israeli to go fuck himself when his boss’s voice came over the ear piece.
“Take out your com or we’ll be here all night, Evans. This guy’s going to be an asshole whether we listen in or not.”
“Fine,” Jarrett said, reaching up and pulling the earwig out of his ear. He shoved it down into his jeans pocket and turned back to Adael. “Now, why the fuck am I here?”
Adael pushed off the desk and stood before stalking toward Jarrett with an animal prowl. He was sex on two legs but Jarrett ignored that. He was here for one reason only and it wasn’t to flirt with this guy. When Adael got within a foot or so, he stopped but he lifted a hand to brush a finger over Jarrett’s jaw. Dayan watched the finger curl an imaginary lock of hair behind Jarrett’s ear and then brought his gaze up to meet Jarrett’s. His brown eyes were blazing with lust as he licked his lips.
“I have some information for you that’s important to this case but I have to admit…” He cocked his head to the side, clearing his throat and staring hard at Jarrett. “I have to admit, I wanted to give it to you in person.”
Jarrett crossed his arms over his chest. “Ya said that. I assume we’re gonna get to it one’a these days… or are ya plannin’ on flirting with me for the next hour. You got things to do and I know I’m on the job… so just spit it the fuck out, Dayan,” he said, knowing he sounded exasperated. “It’s been a long tirin’ day, and I ain’t in the mood for yer shit.” He swatted at Adael’s hand and the Israeli chuckled, dropping his hand and taking a step back.
“Jarrett, Jarrett. Such a disappointment. Once upon a time, you’d have jumped at the chance to blow me.”
Jarrett growled.
“Fine. Fine. I just thought we could have one last fuck for the road.” When Jarrett said nothing, Adael leaned forward and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I brought lube and condoms…” he singsonged as he pulled two condoms out of his pocket, waving them in the air.
“For fuck’s sake!” Jarrett said, raising his voice. “I’m married, in love with Thayne, and runnin’ outa patience.” He turned and started back toward the door. He’d reached out and put his hand on the doorknob when Adael spoke up.
“I’m pretty sure Drake Archer knows Nico Devecchio is an imposter.”
Rage flooded through Jarrett as he turned to face the Israeli. “What the fuck did you just say?” He watched Dayan plant his feet, preparing for a blow as Jarrett strode forward.
“I said…”
“I know what the fuck you said, ya bastard. What do you mean Archer knows Devecchio’s an imposter?” Jarrett stopped in front of Adael and reached up, circling the Israeli’s throat with one hand. A second later, he felt something poke into his stomach. He looked down and saw the barrel of a Walther PPK flush against his belly. How very James Bond of him. “Put the fuckin’ gun away,” Jarrett said through bared teeth.
Adael clucked his tongue, looking straight at Jarrett with eyes that flashed fire. “Are you going to play nice?”
“I ain’t gonna fuck you if that’s what you mean!”
Adael chuckled and his lips turned up in a smile. “Fine, get your hand off me and step back then. Calm your tits and I’ll tell you what I mean, baby.”
Jarrett wanted to strangle the man. He infuriated him but it was one of the things that made Adael Dayan a fucking great spy. He could drive anyone
nuts. Jarrett took a deep breath and forced himself to drop his hand and walk back a few steps. Dayan dropped the hand with the gun and put it back into his pocket where Jarrett assumed it had been at the ready. Jarrett crossed his arms.
“Fine. Tell me what you meant that Drake Archer knows Devecchio is an imposter,” he said in a barely controlled voice.
“You’re such a drag, man.”
“Hey, fuck you.”
“More empty promises, I fear,” Dayan said sadly. He stared a few seconds more and sighed, standing straighter and sobering, waving a hand dismissively. “Put your fucking com back in so the rest of the wild bunch can listen in,” Adael said. “I’m not repeating myself.”
Jarrett grunted his displeasure and then reached for the earwig, screwing it back in his ear. “I’m back and it’s not good news,” he almost shouted. “The Israeli has just informed me that he thinks Drake Archer knows that Devecchio is an imposter. Devecchio, are you on this party line?” Jarrett asked over the exclamations of his friends and the two SACs.
“I’m here,” Nico said.
“Son of a bitch! How does he know?” That was Mac’s voice. Everyone started talking at once and Jarrett almost had to remove the com since it nearly broke his eardrum.
“Quiet!” he yelled. The buzzing in Jarrett’s ear instantly ceased and he spoke again. “I wish I could put y’all on speaker phone but I know Nico and Mac can’t do burners in that fuckin’ building so please just listen to what Dayan has to say. I’ll convey questions y’all have.” He looked up at Adael and nodded. “Go on. Everyone’s listening now.”
“Fine. Like I said, it’s my belief that Drake Archer knows Devecchio is an imposter because I think he killed the real Josiah Flynn,” Adael said.
“Explain,” Jarrett said.
Adael went on. “Two days ago, I happened to be in Archer’s office dropping off a file when he got a call from his second in charge, a guy named Titus Kerr.”
Jarrett nodded. “Yeah we know of him. What did he say?”
“I don’t know what was said between them because I was dismissed the moment he got the call. I heard him greet Kerr by name and then he shooed me out of the room.”
“So, how do you know what was said?” Jarrett asked.
“I don’t know what was said but I waited until Archer left that night and followed him from the parking garage. He went to Josiah Flynn’s flat and I watched from outside. Several minutes later, Archer came back to the parking lot and left. He was carrying a messenger bag like you’d put a laptop in. When all was clear, I let myself into Flynn’s apartment and the apartment had been tossed,” Adael said. “There was no computer in the apartment. I can only assume I’d been right and Archer had taken Flynn’s laptop. I let myself back out and closed up the apartment.”
“Besides your suspicion that it was Archer who stole Flynn’s computer and tossed his apartment, did you see any other evidence of foul play?” Jarrett asked.
“No but then last night, I heard Archer telling one of the guys I know who runs black ops for the company that he was expecting their IT guy, Josiah Flynn, in the morning. The man seemed interested but that’s all I overheard. I know if I’d tried to get closer, I would be exposed. Since I suspected Flynn was missing or dead, I wondered what the hell was going on until Devecchio showed up this morning. I thought it was weird that the real guy would show up after his apartment was tossed and his computer taken, so I guessed that you guys had disappeared him and replaced him with your own guy.”
“What made you think we were involved?” Jarrett asked.
Adael scoffed. “You guys are always up in my business.”
“Oh, fuck you, Dayan,” Jarrett growled. “You’re up in ours!”
“Jarrett!” Stanger’s voice came over the com. “Stop antagonizing him and ask him how he IDed Devecchio.”
“My boss wants to know how you IDed Devecchio after your little hunch.” Jarrett could hear the skeptical tone in his own voice.
“I made sure I was assigned to the security control center when Devecchio checked in this morning and ran him through facial recognition. I told you I fill in there all the time when guys need breaks etcetera. The only photo that came up was an old academy photo from the NYPD. I assume the FBI created his identity and overlooked that photo when they purged the government data bases of everything else and I immediately suspected he was FBI.” Adael took a breath and shrugged.
“And how did you know the ATF was involved or that it was safe to pass Devecchio a note?”
“Like I said, I IDed him as NYPD. Besides, Mossad follows you guys,” Adael said, shrugging.
“Why?” Jarrett growled.
“Jeez, Jarrett. It’s nothing bad. We’ve worked together before and since I know the ATF and FBI are in each other’s pockets here in LA, I figured you would be involved. I knew I had to make contact with the fake Flynn right away so I arranged to be the person to greet him in the lobby. I slipped him the note with these coordinates in the elevator so we could all have this charming meeting. All I can tell you is that I believe Devecchio walked in there this morning with a target already painted on his back so you’ll understand why it was necessary to have this meeting. When a new bodyguard also appeared this morning, I figured the big guy was Devecchio’s backup. What’s his name?”
“Mac,” Jarrett supplied.
Adael smiled. “Mac is Black. How rhymie rhymie.” He frowned when Jarrett glared at him. “Come on, that’s funny, Jarrett.”
“Yeah, fuckin’ hysterical, Dayan.”
“Oh, poo. You’re so not fun anymore,” Adael said with a smirk.
“Because I hate you,” Jarrett said. His friends chuckled in his ear.
The Israeli went on. “When did you get the email inviting Flynn to the office?”
“The email was dated the night before last,” SAC Diaz said into the earwig.
“Night before last,” Jarrett repeated so Dayan could hear.
Adael nodded. “The same night Flynn disappeared then. Archer must have suspected someone was monitoring Flynn’s email and would send in a spy. He’s probably already set a trap for him so I guess that means our excursion into his office to get at the Minnow disks is off, Devecchio,” the Israeli said.
“No, it’s not. Now that we’re pretty sure where they are and that the list is on his computer, we have to move on it,” Nico said.
Jarrett repeated what Nico said to Adael. “And not only that, Dayan, you’re assumin’ Archer is the one who tossed Flynn’s apartment and stole his computer. We don’t even know if it was stolen for sure. The messenger bag you saw him carryin’ might have been empty for all ya know.”
Before Adael could answer, Jarrett heard his friends begin to argue. “Stop talking all at once,” he said. His com went silent. He looked up at Adael. “Devecchio says he wants to go through with your plan. Since I don’t know what that is, maybe you want to elaborate.”
“We were gonna update you,” Devecchio said.
Jarrett put his hand up to his ear. “Let Dayan answer, Devecchio.”
Adael sighed. “Devecchio says he has some super memory or something. Archer told him that he moved the Minnow disks out of his vault and we speculated that he must have hidden them in the dust jackets of some of the fifteen thousand or so record albums he has in his office. We also think he has a list of the albums where he hid the disks on the computer in his office. We decided that Devecchio will break into his office and search for Archer’s social circle while I go to the control center and place a loop on the hallway cameras outside his office and the office itself. That way, Devecchio can have the time to find the list, pull the disks, and go down to the server room which is where we believe he has the disk reader.”
“What’s that about his social circle?” Stanger asked.
“What the hell does Archer’s social circle have to do with anythin’?” Jarrett asked, frowning deeply.
Adael shrugged. “I’m not exactly sure. I believe it has
something to do with monkeys.”
“You’ve become quite the little freak,” Jarrett growled.
“I’ll tell you about it later, Jarrett,” Devecchio said as the others chuckled.
“The plan is fine, Jarrett,” SAC Diaz said.
“They like the plan,” Jarrett said, nodding.
Adael sighed again. “I just find it hard to believe anyone can memorize what’s on the disks. He’d have to be a human computer.”
A cacophony of chuckles began in Jarrett’s earwig along with shouts of “He is!” Jarrett grinned.
“No one believes it unless they see it but he can do it. Archer will be expectin’ to catch him in the act of stealing the disks which is probably why he locked Nico and Mac down.”
Adael nodded. “Okay, yeah, that all makes sense now. I’ve never seen him do that with an outside contractor before; I assumed it had something to do with Devecchio being Flynn’s imposter.”
“I don’t like this,” Mac said. “We gotta get out of here now. Nico’s in grave danger. Archer can have him killed at any time. He might be on his way with goons to arrest him right now.”
“I don’t think so,” Jarrett said.
“What?” Adael asked. He couldn’t hear what Jarrett could.
“Mac wants to find a way to get Nico out right now. He’s afraid Archer will arrest or kill him,” Jarrett said.
Adael shook his head. “He’s not gonna do that. It would be stupid to tip his hand too early. He wants to make an example of him and more importantly, figure out who sent him.”
“That makes sense,” Thayne said in Jarrett’s ear.
“They agree,” Jarrett said.
“Devecchio, as long as ya play it cool and get the info we need to back up Rios’s testimony that Stryker-Dunn is dirty and in the murder-for-hire business, we’ll worry about breakin’ y’all out later,” Jarrett said. “There’s no way Archer could possibly expect anyone to be able to read and memorize what’s on the disks.”
Endings and Beginnings (Death and Destruction Book 8) Page 22