And the last thing she needed right now was to have the gun-toting alpha stud shadowing her every move. Not when she had leads to chase. More importantly, she needed to keep under the radar while doing so. Making matters worse, the special agent was too damn good-looking for his own good. For anyone’s good, actually. It aggravated Josslyn that she wasn’t immune to his charm. She traced a fingertip along the skin on her wrist where he had touched her.
A flush of embarrassment spread over her body. Josslyn jumped off the bed. Tugging at the buttons of her blouse, she stripped the garment off in an effort to allow the air to cool her skin. She wanted to dislike the special agent on principle; she really did. But for a few hours two years ago, he’d been the only thing keeping her safe. Keeping her alive. And, truth be told, she hadn’t felt more alive in another man’s arms since.
And then he’d disappeared.
“Don’t go there,” she admonished herself as she stepped out of her skirt and pulled on a pair of khaki pants. “He was just doing his job. It didn’t mean anything to him.”
As spectacular as his kisses were, she’d gotten over him deserting her. Mostly.
Josslyn’s phone buzzed, startling her out of her pity party. The incoming text had her mouth relaxing into a smile. Dax had finally cleared quarantine. At least she could focus her attention on a different alpha stud for the time being. She’d worry about ditching the Tower of Testosterone once they got to the zoo.
True to his word, Special Agent Lockett was standing sentry outside her bedroom when she emerged twenty minutes later. She wished she hadn’t goaded him into changing his clothes because if he was sinfully sexy in a well-cut business suit, he looked downright edible dressed in his casual uniform. A long-sleeve golf shirt bearing the Secret Service emblem stretched tightly across his chest. The knit fabric perfectly outlined a wall of muscles she knew from experience felt as good as they looked. Gray cargo pants and a well-worn pair of combat boots that looked like he’d stolen them off a World War II veteran’s feet rounded out the ensemble.
Trying valiantly not to devour the man with her eyes, Josslyn swept past him, only to have his woodsy scent wind its way beneath her nose. She marched down the stairs, annoyed that now she was tempted to turn around and inhale him. As before, he followed discreetly at her heels, mumbling into the ubiquitous microphone hidden within his clothing. And just like that, Josslyn was visualizing stripping him naked just to uncover the damn thing. Another hot flush crawled over her skin as she stomped through the marble foyer of the North Portico entrance.
One of the marine guards silently pulled open the door for her. Aware that she was behaving like the spoiled princess the world thought her to be, Josslyn drew up short, meeting the younger man’s startled eyes beneath the brim of his hat.
“Thank you,” Josslyn said to him.
She never asked for the royal treatment. In fact, she wanted nothing to do with it. But right now, she didn’t have much say in the matter. The least she could do was be polite to those around her.
The young marine nodded, a trace of pink staining his cheeks.
Agent Lockett chuckled behind her as they resumed walking to the black SUV waiting at the bottom of the steps.
“Well played,” he murmured low enough so that only she could hear. “You’re wise to cozy up to the marines considering your adventures routinely require military intervention.”
She turned to glare at him, hating the sexy laugh lines fanning out from his eyes as he mocked her.
“Doolittle has exited the Crown,” a woman’s voice announced softly behind Josslyn.
Agent Lockett chuckled quietly again before donning the aviator sunglasses synonymous with Secret Service agents everywhere.
“Miss Benoit isn’t fond of her code name,” he explained to the female agent who appeared at Josslyn’s shoulder.
The other woman arched a blonde eyebrow, but there was a hint of sympathy in her blue eyes. “I’ve yet to meet a protectee who did like their code name.” She opened the back door of the SUV indicating Josslyn should get in. “I’m Agent Christine Groesch. I’ll be tag-teaming with Agent Lockett on your detail.”
Josslyn smiled at the other woman while quickly sizing her up. She’d obviously gotten the memo about their trip to the zoo. The agent was dressed similarly to Josslyn, wearing khakis, tennis shoes, and a light sweater. Unlike Josslyn, however, Agent Groesch had a powerful sidearm strapped to her leg. From the looks of it, the two women were close in age. Agent Groesch appeared to be capable, but she didn’t project the lethal arrogance of Agent Lockett. This was clearly an agent who would do her job while minding her own business. Josslyn could work with that.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Josslyn said as she slid into the back seat. “I hope my day-to-day activities don’t leave you too bored.”
Agent Groesch’s grin was sincere. “Are you kidding? I get to spend the day at the elephant house. How cool is that?”
The door quickly closed and Josslyn was disappointed when Agent Groesch took the front passenger seat next to the driver, leaving the rest of the back seat to the Tower of Testosterone. His thigh brushed against hers when he slid into the SUV. Josslyn told herself she flinched at the contact because of the Glock strapped there.
“Is it necessary to have your weapons so widely on display?” she snapped. “There will be children at the zoo, you know.”
Agent Lockett kept his gaze fixed on the pedestrians meandering near the White House. “Don’t worry. I haven’t aimed a gun at a kid since I left Afghanistan.”
His chilly response startled her. Not that she didn’t deserve it because she had started it. Shame burned in her chest.
Agent Groesch cleared her throat up front. “Is there anything special we should be aware of before we get to the elephant house?”
“Yeah,” Agent Lockett replied before Josslyn could. “Don’t step in their poop.”
The Uniformed Division officer driving the SUV laughed. Agent Groesch groaned before shooting Agent Lockett a quizzical look over her shoulder.
“Ignore him,” Agent Groesch said. “He’s still suffering the grumpy aftereffects from taking a hit to the head meant for the president.”
Josslyn glanced over at the man seated next to her. Harriett mentioned Agent Lockett was injured in the line of duty, but she was shocked to learn that whatever injury the Secret Service agent sustained was intended for the president.
“I don’t recall hearing anything about an attempted assassination,” she said, surprised by the terror she felt over what could have become of her brother-in-law. “What happened?”
Slowly, he turned his head but only enough that she was faced with his hard profile. It was impossible to read his expression with his sunglasses on. He and Agent Groesch exchanged a look. Their silent communication seemed intimate, and the thought rankled Josslyn more than she was willing to admit.
They stopped at a traffic light. Agent Lockett shifted his gaze back toward the window. “If you don’t hear about it, then we’ve done our job.”
Josslyn let his words sink in. She was well aware both agents’ role was to take a bullet for the president. She just never contemplated how close they came to actually doing so. But Agent Lockett was a sharpshooter on the president’s advance team. It was his primary job to ensure any environment the president entered was safe. And, on occasion, he rescued animal rights protestors from the marauding fisherman.
Josslyn opened her mouth to demand more information, but she never got the chance. Instead, she found herself pressed up against Agent Lockett when the Uniformed Division officer driving the SUV swerved suddenly. Through her window, she glimpsed a white van headed straight for her side of the car.
*
Adam acted on instinct, reaching around the seat belt to use his body to shield Josslyn from the impending impact. He felt as well as heard her sharp intake of breath when she caught sight of the Mercedes van barreling toward them. Connecticut Avenue was congested with ca
rs and pedestrians, leaving their driver little room to maneuver. But John was a trained professional with the agency or he wouldn’t be behind the wheel. He punched the gas pedal just before the Mercedes struck them, expertly slipping between two taxi cabs coming at them from opposite directions.
Through the back window, Adam watched as the driver of the Mercedes executed his own perfect pit maneuver, spinning around to follow them through the traffic. Adam swore under his breath as he realized this wasn’t a random accident. Whoever was in the van intended to do them harm. He withdrew his service weapon and unclipped the safety.
“Get down,” Adam commanded, pressing Josslyn’s head into his lap.
Christine was calling for backup as John steered the SUV between the vehicles in their way before making a sharp left onto N Street. The Mercedes followed suit ten seconds later.
“Metro PD will intercept us at Twenty-Third Street,” Christine announced.
The Mercedes was a half block away. Adam could see two people up front, one of them brandishing a rifle.
“Ben,” Adam yelled into his wrist. “Are you getting video? Who the hell are these guys?”
“The rearview camera is pretty jumpy,” Ben responded into Adam’s earpiece. “I’m running their images now.”
The sirens from the Metro Police cruisers grew louder just as the Mercedes closed the gap. Adam positioned his finger on the control to open the back window, hoping like hell he’d get a shot off before the guy with the rifle pulled his trigger. While still a Secret Service vehicle, the SUV they were riding in wasn’t as heavily armored as the Beast, the vehicle used by the president. Adam kept his other hand firmly on the crown of Josslyn’s head, keeping her down and out of harm’s way.
Flashing lights seemed to be coming from every direction when, just as suddenly as it appeared, the Mercedes veered into an alley and vanished from view.
“What the hell?” Adam said.
“Damn it,” Ben shouted in Adam’s ear. “I almost had them.”
“Metro has a chopper in the sky,” Christine said. “They’ll keep following them.”
Adam swore. “This whole block is a warren of covered back alleys and interconnected garages. It’ll be like finding a needle in a haystack. Tell me you got a license plate, Ben?”
“I did,” Ben replied. “But it won’t be much help. It’s an expired diplomatic plate. Probably stolen.”
John blew out a heavy sigh after pulling over behind a row of Metro Police cruisers.
“Nice driving,” Christine said to him before holstering her service weapon. “I’ll go coordinate with the locals and arrange a motorcade. I don’t know about you guys, but, after that, I’d rather make our trip to the zoo a party.” She carefully exited the car, closing the door swiftly behind her.
“Can I get up now?”
Josslyn’s breathy question came from somewhere in the vicinity of Adam’s crotch. Startled that he still held her in such a compromising position, he yanked his hand from her head. She slowly sat upright. He was immediately glad of the distance between them because the sight she made had him straining against his zipper. Her eyes were wide beneath a halo of bedroom hair—likely that way from having his fingers threaded through it. Her bottom lip was dewy and pink from where she’d been chewing on it.
Damn it. He needed to get his head back in the game. One hour into his protective detail and he’d nearly involved her in a shootout. Definitely not the way to show the director he was ready to return to his command.
“Stay low,” he ordered.
“There’s no need to wave your gun around at me,” she snapped. “I’m not some bimbo who’s going to go running from the car. This isn’t my first rodeo, cowboy.”
Adam sighed as he clicked the safety on his gun and placed it back in its holster. “True that, sister. You’ve likely amassed a long list of enemies during your career protesting for animal rights. Tell me again who you pissed off in Africa?”
“Me?” The disbelief in her voice nearly made him laugh. “What makes you think those guys were after me?”
“Because John and I are law abiding citizens. Agent Groesch, too.”
Her gray eyes were as dark as storm clouds now. “I’m a law abi—”
Adam wagged a finger at her. “You might not want to finish that sentence. Unless you’d like me to recite a laundry list of examples to refute that statement.”
She clamped her sassy mouth shut, her lips mulish, but she wisely didn’t finish her argument.
“Adam.” Ben’s voice in his ear reminded him that they had multiple audiences. “Still nothing on the facial recognition, but I’ve got two other databases to try. In the meantime, the license plate reported stolen from a car belonging to the attaché of the Zimbabwe embassy last month.”
“You don’t say?” Adam peered over his sunglasses at Josslyn.
She crossed her arms over her chest meeting his gaze head-on.
“Metro says it’s common for drug runners to steal diplomatic plates,” Ben continued. “Word on the street is there was a deal gone bad last night involving the exact make and model of the SUV you’re in. This could be as simple as a case of mistaken identity.”
“In other words, a coincidence?” Adam and his friends didn’t put much stock in fate or coincidence. Doing so could get those they protected, if not themselves, killed.
“As much as I hate to admit it, it looks that way,” Ben replied. “The director says it’s your call how to proceed.”
Adam didn’t like the idea of taking Josslyn to an area as wide open as the National Zoo without having definite confirmation of the identities and motive of the guys in the Mercedes. Still, he didn’t have a reason to keep her under lock and key at the Crown.
“Just to be safe, we’ll stay within the elephant house this morning,” he said to Ben. “Let me know as soon as you come up with anything.”
Christine was climbing back into the SUV when Adam signed off with Ben. “Where, to?” she asked.
“The zoo,” Adam said while adjusting his sunglasses. “Send word ahead to double the foot patrol.”
John fired up the engine and pulled back onto N Street, retracing their path back to Connecticut Avenue. The Metro PD cruisers flanked them at the front and the rear.
Josslyn harrumphed beside him. “Wouldn’t it be wiser to go in quietly? The sirens will only alert everyone on the grounds to be on the lookout for someone important.”
“You never practiced much stealth when you were playing activist and stirring up protests,” Adam countered. “Why start now?”
She snapped her jaw closed so tightly Adam could practically hear her teeth grinding. John turned onto Connecticut Avenue heading north the ten blocks to Woodley Park and the zoo.
“When we get there,” Adam instructed her. “Stay put until the foot patrol moves into place. The last thing I need today is for you to slip your leash and disappear into the crowd.”
Her eyes narrowed again. “You being the expert on disappearing and all.”
Christine glanced over her shoulder at him. Funny, but she looked a little squinty-eyed, too. Adam knew his partner was trying to decipher the She-Devil’s cryptic remark, but he wasn’t going to help her out by filling in the blanks. He shrugged at Christine who shook her head before facing front again.
They skirted around the parking lot to the area designated for employee parking. John pulled behind several yellow school buses where a golf cart with two Uniform Division officers waited on board. They would shuttle them down to the elephant house.
“Doolittle has arrived at the Serengeti,” Christine announced to headquarters.
Josslyn let loose another frustrated sigh. Adam bit back a grin.
“How about Babar instead of Doolittle?” he suggested.
Slowly, she turned to face him, a pained expression on her face. “No.”
Adam shrugged. “Back to the drawing board, I guess.”
He climbed out of the SUV half expecting her to igno
re his instructions and follow him. But, much to his relief, she stayed put. Adam scanned the surrounding lot with a trained eyed. People assumed they should look for something out of the ordinary, but in most instances, it was the ordinary that spelled trouble. Adam knew better than to trust a woman pushing a baby stroller. Or an old man with a dog. He’d honed his alertness at a young age. He’d had to.
“It’s a straight shot to the elephant house,” the Uniformed Division officer said. “The crowd is pretty light today. Mostly school kids running around.”
At Adam’s nod, Christine opened Josslyn’s door. Despite their run-in with a mysterious van driven by gun-toting men, she looked as cool and composed as the Queen of England when she exited. The woman didn’t rattle easily. But then, he knew that about her already. He begrudgingly admitted it was one of the things he admired about Josslyn. Not that he’d ever admit that out loud.
Christine accompanied her to the golf cart and, with a smile to the Uniformed Division officers, Josslyn climbed aboard. Adam and Christine took their positions on the back bumper, both of them keeping their eyes peeled. The cart navigated a line of school kids oblivious to anything but the bison in the field to their right. They were twenty-five yards from the elephant house when the She-Devil took off.
Chapter Four
The incident with the van rattled Josslyn. Not that she wanted to admit it to anyone, but she was actually grateful the Tower of Testosterone had her back. Especially since the guy in the passenger seat looked vaguely familiar. She needed to get in touch with Trevor and Hugh to make sure they were okay. Her brother-in-law wasn’t exaggerating when he’d said she’d stepped in a few hornets’ nests. But if that was what it took to out the leaders of the nasty animal trafficking ring, Josslyn was committed to doing so. According to intelligence the advocacy group received, the money fronting the ring came from within Washington, DC. She’d just have to hurry and find that connection before someone got hurt.
The trumpeting of an angry elephant startled Josslyn from her thoughts. She knew that elephant. Dax! At the sound of metal crunching accompanied by another frantic cry, Josslyn leaped from the golf cart and sprinted around to the back of the elephant barn.
Shot in the Dark Page 4