Desperate Play

by Barbara Freethy

  "What's Wyatt like?" Kim asked. "He's so sexy. Does he have a girlfriend?"

  "I don't know. Let's talk about the show, about today's events," she said, desperately needing to change the topic.

  Thankfully, Beth took the hint and they got down to business.

  After reviewing the schedule and their various responsibilities, they made their way down to the first-floor auditorium. Avery stepped up to the stage, made sure everything was ready to go and then asked the ushers to let the media in. She saw Bree in the first group of people. She took a seat in the second row, offering Avery a warm smile.

  She didn't really know what to think about Bree. Clearly, she and Wyatt were the best of friends, and while she'd said earlier she wasn't jealous, maybe she was—a little. Maybe because Bree seemed to know the real Wyatt, and she didn't. But she couldn't think about Wyatt now, and she was happy to have Bree in the crowd.

  Nothing was going to happen here. She was in the middle of a huge crowd, but she felt a little safer knowing there was an FBI agent nearby.

  * * *

  Wyatt checked in with his security team when he arrived at the command center. All the monitors were up. There were extra personnel on site, both at the exits and entrances but also walking the halls. Some of that security would leave at the end of the day and make the ninety-minute drive to the desert facility where Nova Star would launch their new satellite early tomorrow morning.

  It would be a big day for the company, an important step forward in the space race. But someone was determined to mess with that. He just wished he knew what the end game was. Did they want to stop the launch, steal the defensive technology, destroy the satellite, shoot down some other country's satellite? There were many possible scenarios, but the one that seemed most likely involved destroying the satellite itself, proving that the technology didn't work, which would send Hamilton and Nova Star from the top of the race to the back of the line.

  He'd thought the threat was coming from China because of the connection to Jia Lin. Now, he wondered about the Russians. But the Russians and the Americans had worked together in space for a long time. It was China who had been the odd man out, who was desperate to get in the race. So where was the tie between a Russian thug and the Chinese government? There had to be a connection somewhere.

  He grabbed his second work phone out of his desk and went up to the sixth-floor rooftop deck to call Flynn. Hopefully, the team had come up with something based on the information he'd sent earlier.

  "What have you got for me?" he asked.

  "We pulled footage from the hotel security camera where you stayed last night," Flynn replied. "We got a few images of the shooter from the roof of the hotel restaurant. Facial ID identified him as Ran Ding, a former soldier for the PLA."

  Wyatt sucked in a breath. There was his China connection. The PLA stood for the People's Liberation Army of China. "Do you have him yet?"

  "No. But I can tell you that he arrived in LA four days ago and was staying at a downtown hotel until yesterday. We're searching for him, but he could be anywhere."

  "Has he had any contact with our persons of interest?"

  "Still looking into that. We also ran financials on Larry Bickmore. He has a tremendous amount of debt, underwater on a couple of real-estate deals, living way beyond his means. His wife also did a stint in a very expensive rehab center about six months ago."

  "That clearly didn't work. She was very drunk last night." He could hardly believe it had been just last night that he'd been sitting at a dinner party with whoever might have ordered someone to take him and Avery out.

  "Unfortunately, we found no evidence that he has come into any money recently. He could be keeping it off the books or it's buried somewhere we haven't discovered yet."

  "What about Carter Hayes?"

  "Joanna wants to handle Hayes. She said she'd talk to him today."

  "It had better be today. We're running out of time. But I'd rather we were doing the questioning."

  "So, would I, but Joanna was pulling rank on me, and she was asking a lot of odd questions about you. Something is going on with her. I don't have a good feeling about it."

  "What kind of questions about me?"

  "Like whether you were checking in with me regularly. Was I concerned you might be getting into bed with Avery Caldwell? Were you following up on her father, whose ties to China are worrisome?"

  "I'm doing my job. That's all she needs to know."

  "I agree, but I wanted to give you a heads up. The woman does not like you. Where are you now?"

  "At Nova Star."

  "And Avery?"

  "She's putting on a show for the press." He hadn't told Flynn that he'd broken his cover for Avery. It was a calculated risk, but he didn't believe Flynn needed to know, and it would only complicate matters. "I'll talk to you soon."

  As he put his phone into his pocket, he checked his watch. It was almost eleven. Avery's show would be letting out soon, and he wanted to be in the lobby when she came out of the auditorium, but he had time to stop by Carter's desk on his way downstairs. Joanna might want to lead that interrogation, but he was on site, and if he could get any information out of Carter now, that could only be helpful. If anyone was going to break, it would probably be Carter.

  Unfortunately, when he reached the legal offices, Carter's desk was empty, and an admin told him that Carter had called in sick for the day, which, of course, was completely understandable considering the fact that he'd just lost his girlfriend.

  He didn't doubt that Carter was heartsick; he just didn't know if it was for Noelle or for whatever part of the mess he was involved in.

  He got back on the elevator and went down to the first floor, eager to see Avery again. Even though she was perfectly safe in the auditorium, he felt a little lost without her, and that was a feeling he didn't want to examine too closely.

  When he reached the lobby, there were dozens of people milling around the display cases and the gift shop. The show had obviously just let out, and there was a buzz of excitement in the building. He could practically feel the sizzle in the air. It would be even greater tomorrow on launch day, not that the launch would happen here, but there would be a viewing in the auditorium again for members of the press and also VIP guests who would not be making it out to the desert.

  As he neared the auditorium doors, he saw Avery come out. She was speaking to a man wearing a press badge, and they were having quite an animated conversation.

  His gut tightened as she smiled, then laughed, and the other man touched her on the shoulder with some gesture of affection.

  Did she know this guy? Were they friends? And why the hell did it bother him?

  Frowning, he pushed the unexpected wave of jealousy down. It was ridiculous. She could laugh and smile with someone else. And she probably would—lots of times. They were done, and he couldn't be surprised. He'd always known as soon as he told her the truth that she would feel betrayed and hurt, which was exactly why he shouldn't have gotten involved with her. He could have kept his foot on the brake. He just hadn't wanted to.

  But he couldn't take back the last few days, and if he had nothing else, at least he had some hellishly good memories.

  His job had gotten in his way before with women, but not like this. He'd never fallen for anyone while he was undercover. He'd had to play a role on occasion but what he'd felt for Avery was real. Unfortunately, she would never be able to believe that.

  He saw Bree hanging behind Avery. She gave him a subtle nod and a somewhat knowing smile. He had a feeling too much was written across his face.

  Avery gave the man a hug as they said good-bye. Then her gaze moved to his. They were standing at least twenty feet apart and there were dozens of people around, but all he saw was her. And there was something in her eyes that made him question if it was really over. Maybe there was some chance they could get past the lies. Or was he just being a fool?

  A commotion at the front entrance broke their conn
ection.

  He swung around, his instincts back on high alert, shocked to see Joanna Davis and two male FBI agents, all wearing FBI jackets, walk into the lobby.

  Had something happened that he didn't know about?

  He started forward, planning to play the scene out in his role as security director, and Joanna immediately zeroed in on him.

  She stopped in front of him and gave him a hard, cold look that he couldn't begin to interpret. "I'm glad you saved us the trouble of coming to look for you," she said.

  "What's going on?"

  "Wyatt Tanner, you're under arrest," she said.

  "Are you serious?" He could not fathom what was happening, but the two agents flanking Joanna were now closing in on him.

  He heard someone let out a shocked gasp, and he suspected it was Avery, but he couldn't turn around to look. As his gaze met Joanna's, he felt a chill run through him. This wasn't out of the playbook.

  "Hold on. What's this about?" he asked, trying not to blow his cover but unsure where this was going. He told himself he had to trust she was doing this for a reason. But why hadn't she informed him that she was going to make a very public arrest?

  "It's about national security, Mr. Tanner," Joanna said. "You're going to need to come with us."

  As one of the agents cuffed his wrists, he glanced over his shoulder, seeing a troubled look on Bree's face. He didn't think she knew what was going on, either.

  Avery also looked confused and worried.

  But it was Hamilton Tremaine striding across the lobby who really caught his attention.

  "What's going on?" Hamilton demanded.

  He didn't know where Hamilton had come from, and he wasn't sure if the presence of the billionaire owner of Nova Star was a good thing or a bad thing. Probably bad, he thought, as camera lights flashed in his face. The media was all over the lobby, and his arrest would be on the news before he left the building.

  "Mr. Tremaine," Joanna said, intercepting Hamilton. "I need to speak to you in private."

  "Where are you taking Wyatt? He's my top security guy. You can't just come in here and arrest him without explanation."

  "That's what I'm going to talk to you about—but not here," she said pointedly.

  "Wyatt?" Hamilton asked, giving him a confused look. "Do you know what this is about?"

  "I don't," he said honestly. "But I'll get it straightened out. Don't worry."

  As Hamilton and Joanna walked away, the agents escorted him out of the building and into a dark SUV. He didn't know these men, and neither one was inclined to speak to him.

  What the hell had just happened?

  He wasn't worried so much about his arrest, but by the fact that Avery was now cut off from him. She might not want him in her life, but he needed to be there to protect her. His only hope was that Bree could step in for him until he could figure out why Joanna had made this abrupt and bewildering move.

  Twenty-Two

  "What's happening?" Avery asked Bree.

  "Take me to your office," Bree said, an urgent note in her voice.

  As she and Bree entered the elevator, they were followed by a half-dozen people, several of whom were muttering about what had just happened. Wyatt's arrest had certainly been dramatic, and she had no idea what was going on.

  How could he be arrested by the agency that he worked for? It didn't make sense. Was it part of the game, some part no one had prepped her for?

  When they got to her floor, she led Bree down the hall, smiling and giving quick, positive answers as some of her colleagues asked her how the event had gone. Apparently, news of the drama that had occurred downstairs had not made its way to her floor yet.

  When she got into her office, she closed the door behind Bree and said, "I didn't think there was anything else that could surprise me, but I was wrong."

  Bree nodded as she finished tapping in a text on her phone.

  "Who are you talking to?" she asked.

  "Hopefully someone who can find out what's going on," Bree returned, a clipped, worried note in her voice.

  "Does that mean you don't know?"

  Bree raised her gaze to meet Avery's. "I don't."

  "But I thought Wyatt works for the FBI. Why would that woman arrest him?"

  "Wyatt is part of a special task force, separate from Agent Davis's department. But she's very aware of his role in this operation. I can't imagine why she would pull him out of his job in such a public way. It doesn't make sense."

  A cold chill ran through her. "She said something about national security. Does she think Wyatt is…" She couldn't even get the word out.

  "She knows what Wyatt came here to do," Bree said shortly, glancing back at her phone.

  Whatever text had just come in obviously disturbed her, lines creasing her forehead as she frowned.

  "What did they say?" she asked.

  Bree looked back at her. "I need to go down to the field office, so I can get more information." She paused. "But I'm reluctant to leave you here alone. I know Wyatt would want me to stay with you."

  "I'm not alone. I'm in a building filled with people. And I think Wyatt needs your help more than I do right now. You don't believe he's a traitor or a double agent, do you?"

  "No possible way. Wyatt could never be bought."

  She liked Bree's definitive answer. "I didn't think so."

  "Good," Bree said sharply. "I don't know what went down with you two, but I know this—Wyatt is a good man. And he cares about you."

  "Because I'm his job."

  "No, because he has feelings for you. I've seen him on the job before. I know how he acts. He's not acting with you. He probably should have been, but somewhere along the way, he stopped."

  "He told me about his parents," she said. "His father and brother going to jail."

  Bree's surprised reaction told her that story was true. "He doesn't tell just anyone that story."

  "That's what he said, but I don't know what to believe. He also told me he was a Marine."

  "That was his way in to Hamilton's circle. But the other story is true. Wyatt hated the spotlight of his father's criminal activities. I don't know if he told you, but the media were relentless in writing stories about his family's downfall. Wyatt couldn't walk down the street without someone snapping a photo of him. He needed to get away from all that. He also wanted to right the wrongs in some way. That's why he came to the bureau, why he likes to work in the shadows, why he is devoted to taking down criminals, who never see him coming."

  "To do penance for his father," she murmured.

  "And because he hates when the wrong people have power. He's one of the best people I've ever known, Avery. He would literally lay down his life for you."

  "You don't have to tell me that."

  "I just want you to know that he's an amazing guy, and I consider him to be a great friend."

  "Then go and help him," she said. "I'll be fine here."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Positive."

  "I'll check back in with you. Give me your number."

  "Wyatt threw my personal phone away, but I have a work phone." She walked around her desk and pulled her other phone out of the drawer. She'd had all her business calls forwarded to her other phone, so she wouldn't have to carry two phones around, but she could change that. She gave Bree her number and then said, "Tell Wyatt…Just tell him not to worry about me. Tell him to take care of himself."

  "I will do that. Stay here in your office. Don't go outside, Avery. There's a chance that this happened to separate you and Wyatt."

  "And they were able to use the FBI to do that? Who is this person?"

  "That's what I'm going to find out."

  * * *

  Wyatt had been released from his cuffs but locked in an interrogation room at the FBI field office for almost thirty minutes before Joanna Davis came in.

  Finally, he would get some answers.

  She sat down across from him and gave him a smug smile. "Hello, Wyatt."

/>   "Why am I here? Why did you arrest me that way?"

  "I had to." She took a file out of her bag and put it on the desk between them.

  "What's this?"

  "Bank records from an offshore account in your name."

  "I don't have any offshore accounts."

  "Take a look," she said.

  He opened the file, his gaze running down a statement from a bank in the Cayman Islands that did bear his name, along with a series of deposits dating back two months. "This is fake."

  "It's not fake. The money is there. The account is in your name. Your signature matches the one we have on file for you. But that's not all. Read the second page."

  He did as she asked, trepidation growing inside of him. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to set him up, and he didn't think they had started just yesterday.

  "The deposits were made in the form of wire transfers from a company by the name of Walken Industries," she continued.

  "I've never heard of that company."

  "Well, it's a shell corporation with ties to the Chinese government. They've been paying you to act as a double agent, to protect their theft of secrets from Nova Star, to implicate Jonathan Tremaine as a traitor and a spy, and to infiltrate Hamilton Tremaine's inner circle to gain more access to proprietary information."

  "This is all doctored." He closed the file and gave Joanna a hard look. "You have to know that, Joanna. This is just an attempt to discredit me and probably to separate me from Avery."

  "I also know that you've provided very little information back to the task force," she said, her gaze unwavering.

  "I've provided everything I had. Where's Flynn? Why isn't he here?"

  "I assume he's now being informed of your arrest, probably by Bree. I hope you didn't get her involved, too. When she asked to move to your task force, I almost refused. I hate to see good female agents go down the wrong path, but I could see she was bored with her current duties, so I said yes."

  "I had nothing to do with Bree's request to join the task force, and I don't know what she's doing with Flynn. I've been a little busy running for my life." He pulled up his shirt, revealing his bandaged wound. "I was shot this morning outside of a hotel by the airport. I barely got Avery to safety. I could have been killed. You think that's part of my cover?"