Eyes Of Danger

by M. Garnet

  JB turned away from the man and looked at me.

  “Did you see that new movie they are bringing out with Bruce Willis?”

  I could see over his shoulder that the guard was busy on the phone.

  I played along. “Is that the one that has all the old timers in it as old spies? It sounds really good to me.”

  By this time, another man had joined the two guards. He leaned over and tapped JB on the shoulder.

  “Mr. Cortland is it?” He looked at the card to get the name correct. “Someone will be right down to escort you.”

  JB just nodded his head, but continued to look out the front of the building. He took my elbow and escorted me away from the desk. “I have a feeling that there are a couple of black SUV’s with sirens and lights blaring on their way in from the field with Tim and anyone attached to your case rushing through the traffic right now.

  I looked out the windows with him as if something important was out in the street. “So who is here?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, the big boys. These are the ones who don’t like people dropping on unannounced.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two men in suits approach the desk and we were pointed out. They rushed over to us.

  “Miss Tompson?” The first one approached, holding out a badge and ID billfold. I just looked at him as if he had a booger on the end of his nose.

  JB stepped in front of me. “You are?”

  The man stopped. He looked at JB and then presented his ID to him. “Agent Stentson, and this is Agent Marks. We will take Miss Tompson in custody.”

  “Really?” JB spoke loudly and people in the entrance looked over. “For what reason?”

  The two agents looked at each other. Then, Marks stepped back and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket.

  JB continued. “We understand that Ms. Tompson has been requested to answer some questions regarding an ongoing investigation, and as her counselor, I have agreed to accompany her so that she can help you to get this out of the way so that she can continue with her normal life. Now, take us up to whoever would like to do the interview and let’s get this over. My time is very expensive, as the Government, especially your division, is going to find out before this is all over.”

  I decided Sharon Stone would step back and stand on one leg with her hip out, and look around at the people passing. This let the slit open and when I looked back, Marks who was on the cell phone was looking at my leg. I looked him right in the eye and stuck my tongue out to moisten my lips. I thought he was going to drop his phone.

  He jerked his head, snapped his phone shut, and tapped Stentson on the shoulder.

  “If you would come with us, the Agent in Charge would be glad to talk to both of you right now.” He even waved his arm for us to precede him.

  We went to the turnstiles and JB laid his briefcase on the belt to go through the scanner. We both walked through the metal detector. I set it off.

  I looked at JB, but he laughed.

  “I know you love those shoes sweetheart, but they have metal in the heels.”

  I pulled the shoes off and let them go through the scanner. Then, I waited for them on the other side. JB loaned me his arm and I stooped over, lifting a leg to slide on a shoe and as I looked up to take the other shoe being offered to me by Agent Marks, I noticed him looking at the lace peeking out of my blouse as I leaned over. I put on the other shoe and rose up. I gave him a big smile.

  Stentson nudged his partner and Marks turned, with a red face. He started towards the elevators. I held onto JB’s arm as we followed. I was aware of a lot of eyes following our progress. On the elevator, we went to the Thirtieth floor. The building had forty floors, so I guess we were a little bit important, but not up with the top guys. We were led down past a large room of workers whose desks faced each other with several drawing boards up at different spots. Further down the hallway were closed doors on rooms with no windows, so we had no idea at what or who was in them.

  We went to the end of the hall and a door opened to what seemed to be a normal conference room. JB stood for a moment before he went around to what he felt was the head of table to claim the chair and slammed his briefcase down on the table with a large bang. He stood there, leaning on the table with me beside him, looking at the two men.

  Stentson cleared his throat and finally said, “Agent in Charge Ken Bouden will be right with you.” He nodded at his partner and they left.

  JB looked around and saw bottled water sitting on a tray behind them. He got two bottles and placed them on the table. He then pulled a chair out and around beside him. He indicated for me to sit in the chair. This was on the side of the table where everyone came in and they had a clear view of my leg and all as they entered.

  He opened both bottles, smiled at me, and took a long drink. I was so nervous I didn’t think I could swallow, but I took a sip and kept the bottle close with my right arm on the table so that I could play with the bottle.

  “Well what did you think of my pool?”

  I almost jumped when JB spoke quietly next to me. Then, I realized he was putting on an act for whoever was probably listening.

  “It is beautiful. The stonework around the waterfall, is that natural stone?”

  “Yep, had it shipped in from Kentucky, of all places. Had to hunt for a month to find a guy who really knew how to lay out the stone in a natural way, but the guy was an artist. Did you try the spa?”

  “I was tempted, I had gone in au natural and just found the water so soothing that I didn’t want to heat up after the warm afternoon, so I took advantage of the privacy of your deck and soaked up the sun instead.” I rose up my exposed leg with the tint on it. He leaned over and admired it with a big grin, nodding his head.

  He started to say something else, but the door opened and a troop of people came in. There was a woman carrying a steno machine like the one you see in court. There were three men and one other woman. You would have been a fool not to recognize Agent in Charge Ken Bouden. First of all, it was the way the others deferred to him. Then, it was the attitude or look of him. I am in charge, and I can do what I want and no one better question me.

  He took the seat at the other end of the table. Okay, so he had been watching. He had already digested the fact that JB had his seat. The stenographer pulled a chair into the corner and set up her machine as well as pulling out a recorder and setting it up. The other three agents sat across from each other next to the boss laying folders on the desk in front of them.

  Agent Bouden looked at us and then started. “Ms. Tompson, I need to ask you a few questions.”

  “Excuse me,” JB spoke up. “We need to know what this is related to and how it might affect my client’s standing in the matter of law.”

  Agent Bouden looked at JB as if a cockroach had just crawled onto the table.

  “Sir, we are being polite to allow your presence. Under the Homelands Security Act, we can question Ms. Tompson without counsel.”

  “Well, I was just talking yesterday to my Senator from this great state that is on the committee who oversees the new bylaws on that very Act. It seems the Senate is a bit concerned about some misuse in the field, not to say that this has anything to do with that. But I think we need to know a little bit more before Ms. Tompson, who is more than willing to cooperate with her fine Government on Homeland Security problems, is questioned. It is just that she is a bit confused as to exactly what or who you might think she got involved with that she might be able to help you with, and how this would reflect on her.” JB’s voice sounded like he was in the courtroom.

  I watched at Agent Bouden took a deep breath. “Is your client willing to answer all questions truthfully today?”

  “Of course, under the right circumstances,” JB stated.

  “Is she willing to take a lie detector test?”

  “Of course, under the right circumstances”

  Agent Bouden glared at JB. “And exactly what w
ould the right circumstances be?”

  “Immunity from any crimes she might divulge that she committed unknowingly.” JB reached into his briefcase and pulled out some papers. He slid them part way down the table and one of the Agents stood up to retrieve them. He passed them to Bouden.

  Bouden picked them up and exited the room, leaving his people behind. We all sat there in silence. Bouden finally came back in the room. He set the paperwork down and asked one of his agents for a pen.

  “I talked to one of our legal representatives and they agreed with you. I have the authority to sign this.” He didn’t look up as he stated this, but when he did, he looked at me for a long moment. I knew what the butterfly in the net felt like. This isn’t going to hurt, I will set you free as soon as I put this pin in you and stick you on this board. I got the alarm and knew without a doubt he was lying. I didn’t know what the lie was about, but something was not right.

  I shifted around as an agent brought the papers down to JB. I laid my hand on the papers. JB looked at me as I pushed my hand up to make sure my hair was neat in the twist that swept it behind.

  JB looked down at Bouden. He sat back in his chair while a big smile formed on his face. “You know, Mr. Bouden, I would feel much better if you would have one of those legal representatives step in here and explain your position as a representative in signing this paper. After all, I am just an old lawyer, not up with all the new fangled stuff. What do you say?”

  Bouden looked at JB as if he was going to come across the table and choke him. “Look, let’s have it on the record. I don’t know what laws she has broken in the last sixty days, but for the recording, she is immune to any laws she has broken in the last sixty days. Does that satisfy you?” There was a lot of anger in Bouden’s eyes.

  “Why didn’t you just say so. Of course, we will take the disk with us, and you can have the typed notes from the charming stenographer and probably from whatever other recording devices you have. Now, what do you want to know?”

  Bouden looked over at me. “Ms. Tompson, do you know Timothy Myers?”

  I thought it was time for another Sharon Stone tactic so I shifted and crossed my legs. This exposed my top leg all the way to the fold at my hip. The two agents on my side of the table looked at the exposed thigh and even Bouden took a long look before coming back up to my face.

  “Yes, a very handsome man.”

  “Did you know he worked for the US Government?”

  I waited a moment. “I have no proof of that.”

  “But he told you he did, correct?”

  I rotated the bottle on the table. “I once had a boy tell me his father was the Governor of our State. Of course when I didn’t let him in my pants, he told me the truth and also said I wasn’t worth his time.”

  Bouden slapped the table. “Ms Tompson, quit playing games. Did Myers tell you he worked for us, I mean the Government in some manner?”

  I smiled. “Yes, Tim told me many things and that was one of the things he mentioned.”

  Bouden smiled. “What else did he tell you?”

  I uncrossed and crossed my legs the other way. “Well, he told me that jade brought out the green in my eyes, he told me to turn into a skid, he told me how to order in an Italian Restaurant, he—”

  Bouden jumped up. He came around the table, but JB was also up and moving around me. As for me, I didn’t move. I wasn’t going to show fear in front of a two-bit Government flunky in a three hundred dollar suit. But at this moment the door opened and two men came in. One was an older man, casually dressed, but neat, and behind him was Tim. Oh, God, I wasn’t sure I could hold it together with Tim in the room.

  First, the older man gave one crisp order. “Clear the room, everyone. Turn the recorder off.”

  Bouden turned and looked at him. He even looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. He grabbed his folders and all the people left, even the stenographer with her equipment.

  The man sat down where Bouden had been sitting. He had a legal pad and a pin that he laid on the table. He pulled out a couple of business cards. He handed them to Tim who brought them down to JB and then went back behind him. Tim leaned against a cabinet with his ankles crossed.

  “I am Field Agent in Charge, Paul Burroughs. Now, I am a busy man, I have a lot of people under me and I answer to a lot of important people. We have some really serious problems in this country that I need to be attending to right now.”

  He looked over at JB for a long moment and then looked at me for a longer moment.

  “You two just made a complete fool out of an Agent whose career has been in some trouble to begin with. JB Cortland, I know who you are, and I know how smart you are. I know what kind of cases you have won. I applaud you for the fact that once you made your money, you spent your last litigation years defending the little guy.”

  Then, he turned his gaze on me.

  “But you, young lady, are a different story. I really don’t know who you are. I read your file. I have listened to Timothy’s reports, both the volunteered and the other type. You are what I would call a chameleon. I know part of the look I am seeing today comes from Rose’s Salon.” He raised his hand when JB started to say something.

  “But Rose can only put on a bandage. She can’t teach you to walk, to smile, to cross your legs at the right time. And before that, without training, no one taught you how to avoid some of the best trained detection and control squads this country has available. I’m told we had you pinned down in a public building, all sides covered by eighteen men including Tim, and all roads blockaded. You had no funds, no access to friends or family, and look.” He used a remote and a TV came on showing their arrival in the limo.

  “Who are you, Missy?”

  There was silence in the room. I finally looked up at Tim. I fought the deep feeling brought by those beautiful and deadly dark eyes, surrounded by the heavy lashes. I was grateful that he was not looking at me. The most important thing was that there was a heat in my stomach. I had to fight this. I could fight this.

  I looked at JB and he nodded.

  “I am only what you see, a plain US citizen who was accidentally swept up by something that, to this moment, I don’t understand and don’t really want to know anything about. I just want my old life back. I want my credit restored and I don’t want to see black SUV’s with tinted windows.”

  “Would you consider going to work for us?” this man asked in a calm voice.

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. It was just too funny. “I don’t even know who you are. In my world, I know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. There is a nice neat line. There is no grey line were some good guys can be sent to kill another good guy because it needs to be done. No, I can’t work for whoever you are because I need to be back in that world of clear, distinct good and bad.”

  He sat back and looked between JB and me for a long time. Tim was looking out the window, not moving, like a statue.

  “Okay, I understand. You can go, and we will not bother you. That will go into your file.”

  JB cleared his throat and Burroughs looked at him.

  “Okay Mr. Litigator, what do we have to do to make this all go away?”

  JB smiled. “Reverse the Credit Cards and her Credit Rating and put the money back into her checking and savings.” I saw Tim flinch and look around the room. “Then, deposit a quarter mil into my litigation holding account which I will pay her the two thirds we have already agreed upon for a fee. That should be fair for the inconvenience caused by your overactive Agent Bouden.”

  Burroughs sighed and nodded. “I will be able to get that back, as I am going to fire Bouden. I will have it all done by tomorrow morning.” He stood up, took the unmarked pad, and headed for the door.

  I stood with JB, but Tim turned around.

  “Can I have a moment alone with Ms. Tompson?”

  Both older men looked at me. I looked at Tim. I was not sure I could
do this. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this. I loved this man with every fiber of my being. But I now realized I still didn’t know him. Oh, I knew a lot about him. I had learned so much. I knew where a scar was low on his back. I knew what it felt to have him inside me. I knew his crooked grin. I knew he could kill with his bare hands. I knew more than I wanted to know. I also knew that I had heat burning in my stomach.

  Finally, I looked at Agent Burroughs.

  “It will be all right as long as Mr. Myers agrees not to touch me in any manner.”

  I raised my eyebrows.

  Burroughs looked at Tim and Tim shrugged.

  Both older men left the room and closed the door behind them.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Love

  I pulled out a chair half way down the table and sat down, sliding in to hide my legs and putting my elbows on the top to steady me. Tim went over to the window and looked out at the building across the street. He turned and leaned back and placed his hands on each side on the window ledge beside his hips.

  “You look different.” He said this in almost a sad way.

  I looked at him in the black ops gear. He didn’t have a weapon in the holster that was strapped to his leg, but he looked lethal. The sunglasses were hanging at the neck of the black tee shirt that showed under the black vest with all the pockets. I wondered for a moment what was in all those pockets, including the pockets in the black pants tucked into the black combat boots.

  “You look different, too,” I finally replied.

  “Michelle, Ma belle.” He whispered the words.

  “Don’t,” I shouted. I felt the tears building.

  “They have offered me a project.” He was still whispering.

  I looked at him, shaking my head. “Like in the movies, one you can’t refuse?”

  He came to the table and sat down opposite me. “No, not like that this time. They told me the problem and did give me a chance to say no. It is out of the country. It is with some men I have worked with before. I needed to talk to you before I went. To try to explain, but Bouden screwed things up. I am so sorry about that. I had no idea what he had done.”