Covert Alliance

by Linda O. Johnston

  “Okay,” she said huskily. “Let’s give it a try.”

  * * *

  A short while later, they were in his bed together. Alan had given Kelly a long gray T-shirt to wear since he realized she wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing nothing, especially when they had agreed to a hands-off policy for the rest of the night. Her dress—and her underwear—wouldn’t have worked well, either.

  He’d donned a comfortable pair of pj’s that also let nothing show on his part. At the moment, he was far from being turned on anyway. He was too worried about her.

  Now, she lay beside him in the dark beneath the blanket atop the plain beige sheets on his queen-size mattress. It was possibly as far away as she could get.

  Her short, sometimes uneven breathing, told him that she remained as awake as he was.

  “Kelly,” he finally whispered.

  “Yes?” Her response was immediate, almost as if she had been expecting him to say something.

  “May I hold you? I don’t mean in a sexual way. I’d just like the body contact. And if you feel uncomfortable, you can always pull away.”

  “Well, okay.”

  She turned toward him, and they both moved toward the center of the bed. He moved onto his side beneath the blanket and reached out, maneuvering so that he was nearly on his stomach against her, his arm around her.

  Did he dare kiss her?

  He figured that wouldn’t hurt, so he lifted his head and moved till his lips found hers.

  Their kiss wasn’t exactly chaste, but it didn’t evoke thoughts of further sensual pleasure. At least not too much sensual pleasure.

  And Alan was pleased to feel the soft rise and fall of Kelly’s chest, hear her breathing grow deeper and more steady, as she finally fell asleep a short while later.

  * * *

  Upon waking, Kelly had wished she didn’t have to go to work that day, but there she was anyway, starting to wait on customers for breakfast in the Haven’s crowded and noisy dining room.

  Alan had gently awakened her early enough for them to get his car back without the likelihood of encountering too many witnesses. Though even if they were seen, it would fit with the story they were encouraging about their alleged relationship. But Kelly didn’t want to have to deal with any suggestive or teasing comments from anyone she knew, so after Alan had showered and dressed for his job, she had dropped him off at the plaza.

  Then she had returned to her apartment in the dress she had worn last night, showered and changed into her Haven uniform.

  Right now, she was glad the restaurant was busy. That prevented her from thinking too much about yesterday. Their wonderful sex last night. Alan’s sweetness in helping her get to a peaceful sleep afterward.

  She also wanted to avoid thinking about all her admissions the prior evening about who she’d been, and a lot of what had happened that resulted, ultimately, in her being here this way.

  “Hey, you okay?” Tobi had just sashayed up to her near the tables closest to the door, which Kelly had been assigned. The attractive server was grinning and had a stack of menus in her arms.

  “I’m fine.” The question worried Kelly a little, though. She wondered if the strain she had felt yesterday evening was now imprinted on her face.

  “I figured. You look good, well rested, and I’m glad since we’re putting together a few tables soon for some of our favorite customers to come in for brunch.”

  “People from Government Plaza?” Kelly guessed. City council members?

  Stan?

  And would that mean their security detail would be present, too?

  Alan?

  “You got it. Our esteemed boss is on the phone now, but she called me into her office first to tell me and put me in charge of getting a prime table for eight ready.”

  “Great. I’ll help.” Not that Kelly wanted to get anything ready for Stan. But if nothing else, her ordeal in revealing her innermost turmoil underscored the need within her not only to help her nephew and bring down her brother-in-law, but to do it all as fast as possible.

  The last time a city council group had come here for breakfast, Alan had visited the restaurant first and requested that things be set up for them.

  That had been when she had met Alan for the first time. And when she had first seen Stan since her recent return to this area.

  Now she was an old hand at this, at seeing him and dealing with his obnoxious flirtation at times.

  But seeing him was far from her reason for being here. It was long past the time for her to bring him down and to help Eli.

  Would Stan be among the day’s diners from the council? Would Paul be with him, too? Would she be able to do anything helpful?

  Since the place was busy and they didn’t want to irritate any existing customers, she and Tobi enlisted strong and sweet Lang’s help, too, and in between taking other orders and serving food, they managed to pull a couple of tables together in the corner and get them set up as though it would be a meal for royalty.

  Or at least the closest thing to royal accommodations here at the Haven. A royal court with one member whom Kelly intended to dispose of. Legally, of course.

  As they finished setting the table, Ella appeared in the dining room. She examined what they had been doing.

  Her boss’s aqua dress today was similar in style to the one Kelly had worn to her pseudo-interview at the Blue View yesterday, and glancing at it made her feel a bit guilty. She just hoped Ella never learned of her apparent, although not actual, disloyalty.

  “Good job,” Ella said, and this was one of the times she sounded as if she meant what she said. “I gather from the phone call I was just on that a few council members intend to hold a brief meeting here over breakfast. They’re working on some plans, maybe something to do with another large meeting that we might be able to cater. You know what that means.” Her hazel eyes looked first at Kelly, then at each of her nearby colleagues in a manner that made it clear what she wanted. They all had to act in a completely efficient and caring manner, and make their diners truly feel like welcome guests who would want to experience that kind of customer service again and again.

  And thereby encourage them to have the Haven cater whatever their next big shindig was intended to be.

  * * *

  Alan wasn’t surprised that he, Dodd and Jorge were told by Nevil to accompany the small party of council members to the Haven for brunch in order to provide security to the group. What did surprise him, however, was who that party consisted of.

  Among them were Council President Regina Joralli, plus council members Stan Grodon and Susan Arviss, among a couple of others. No one unusual there.

  But with them was Grodon’s aide, Paul Tirths. He appeared to be fully back on duty helping Grodon, but was he, the only non-council member, there for another reason, as well?

  Alan tried to find a moment to sneak into a private corner long enough to text Kelly to alert her. But by the time he was enlisted, there was no way he could branch off to be alone.

  The whole group was walking there, and that included the security team.

  Nor was there a subtle way for him to impose himself into the middle of the group to eavesdrop on Stan and his assistant, or on anyone else for that matter. The security team was instructed to drop back and remain subtly behind them, to be there if needed but virtually invisible if they weren’t.

  The early October day was crisp and a bit cool, which felt good since they were pretty much all dressed in business suits. At least Alan felt comfortable as they strode along Main and away from Pacific. They soon turned onto Wallace, and quickly reached the Haven.

  Peering in through the large windows, he saw that the place was busy, as usual. But he wasn’t only scanning the restaurant for customers. He looked for Kelly, as well.

  It was too late to warn her about who was coming, but even so, he wanted to talk to her.

  To help protect her identity if Tirths was more likely to recognize who she was.

  With
his security colleagues, he followed the group of mostly politicos inside. Ella stood there as if awaiting the group, dressed as professionally as this crowd who’d just entered. She was apparently waiting for them, since she motioned for them to follow her among the filled seats in the place to the tables pushed together and set up in the back.

  As the council members and Tirths all settled into seats, Alan had to bite his tongue to keep from smiling when Ella said to the council president, Regina, “You are all so very welcome here. But you already know that. I’ve heard rumors you’re planning some kind of large event, and you also know we’ll do anything to help you out—even close the place for an evening, if that works best for you.”

  Regina Joralli, always all business, nevertheless offered a smile, lighting up her fiftysomething face in a way Alan had rarely seen. “I appreciate that, Ella,” she said. “But unfortunately it’s an afternoon event, and our plans are nearly already complete. We’re reserving another venue.”

  Alan watched Ella’s face fall. “Of course,” she said.

  “But you know we love this place,” Regina said hastily. “Why else would we be here now? And you can be sure we’ll be back, and also ask you to cater some future events we schedule at the plaza.”

  Ella looked slightly less sad as she said, “Thank you.” She quickly turned, as if to get as far from the group as possible. Alan wondered if she was prone to taking it out on her employees when they didn’t get business she was expecting. He hoped not, especially since he saw Kelly and a couple of others approaching from the kitchen just then.

  He watched her. He managed to catch her eye, and nodded his head slightly in the direction of where Paul Tirths had taken his seat at the table.

  Kelly’s eyes widened, but only for an instant. She gave a tiny nod, as if letting him know she got what he was silently saying. Her expression first grew grim, but then she pasted on a smile that he figured was not a Shereen Alsop smile, but one she was trained to use as Kelly Ladd.

  That made him want to smile more, too. Kelly was one smart lady, no matter what identity she used.

  Now, would her slipping into Tirths’s presence help them achieve the goals they had?

  That remained to be seen.

  * * *

  Yes, Paul was here. With Stan.

  Alan had come, too, of course, and Kelly couldn’t have been happier to see him. He had already gestured to her in an appropriately subtle manner, calling attention to the potential elephant in the room. She would have seen Paul anyway, but she appreciated Alan’s form of a heads-up.

  His presence would hopefully keep her grounded, ready to do what was professionally necessary to get the goods on Stan, even though that was Alan’s job and not hers.

  She also hoped having him here would help her keep her mind on the present, not the past.

  But the past was still there. And though Stan hadn’t recognized her, would Paul?

  Everyone from their group who was here had come from the plaza. Dora wasn’t among them. This appeared to be all city business, or at least this group might want it to look that way, even with Paul along. He was a city employee, after all, even though he wasn’t a council member.

  But what did Stan want him to do?

  Kelly knew what she wanted to do, so she made herself smile as she withdrew her notepad and pen from her pocket. Ella stood off to the side of the table, not appearing especially happy, and Kelly wondered why. In any event, her boss nodded toward her, and presumably also toward Tobi and Lang. She apparently wanted them to start taking the group’s orders.

  Kelly nodded back and headed to the end of the table where Stan and Paul sat. She didn’t look toward Alan to see if he approved. Even if he didn’t, she would still take the orders of those men. They were less likely to look at her if she was behind them, and she would be better able to eavesdrop if she was near them. That was the end of any unspoken debate, for her at least.

  Tobi and Lang moved at the same time, as if they were all in sync—and in a way they were.

  As she neared Stan and Paul, she saw they were talking to each other, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying—which made her want to know what it was even more. She bent down, holding out her pad and pen as if she just wanted to take their orders.

  “...get everyone to come,” Stan was saying. “It can only help ’em reach agreement on the funding.”

  “Of course,” Paul said. “It’ll work better if there are no holdouts, so it’s worth it to pay for lunch for everyone—including those at my level.”

  Kelly didn’t know exactly what they were discussing, but she figured it was the upcoming event Ella had mentioned.

  Stan glanced toward her then. “Hey, gorgeous, I didn’t know you were there.” When he reached out as if he wanted to touch her—possibly her breast, which wasn’t outside his potential grasp—Kelly stood up quickly and forced herself to smile.

  “May I take your orders, gentlemen?” She added a sensual tone to her voice, even though it made her want to gag. But she needed to keep Stan interested—and oblivious to who she was.

  “Sure, I’m ready to order,” he said. “How about you, Paul?”

  Kelly held her breath as Paul glanced toward her, using all she had been taught to exemplify her new persona. He gave her a once-over and grinned as if he, too, found her interesting, which continued to make her feel all squeamish and uncomfortable inside. “Sure, I’m ready, babe.” His smile at her just then was lecherous.

  But he didn’t appear to recognize her, and that was what was most important.

  She wished she could say something to him. Slap him or kick him where it hurt for turning against her the way he had.

  And here he was, still buddies with Stan, whom Paul had said had killed his wife. Then Paul had denied ever saying such a heinous thing, let alone giving Shereen proof that she could deliver to the authorities. Nor had he given her proof of who had then started trying to harm Shereen.

  “Who’s first?” she forced herself to ask, despite having the urge to do something retaliatory to Paul. She said it that way on purpose, knowing they could choose to take those words as suggestive. And they did, at least somewhat, elbowing each other and making some slightly off-color comments. But they finally ordered their sandwiches, and Kelly headed for the kitchen, despite wanting to stay and eavesdrop some more.

  Tobi and Lang had beaten her, but she was glad to let them place their customers’ orders first. It gave her a good reason just to stand there and breathe and restore her sense of self—as Kelly.

  Too bad she couldn’t just stay near them and listen. Or figure out some small measure of retaliation that she could take here against Paul.

  But after she placed their orders and returned with their soft drinks, she did overhear some of the general conversation at the table. She also saw Alan close by, appearing as if he was aware and on guard and doing his protective security thing. He caught her eye briefly, gave a quick wink and remained there listening.

  What he heard must be the same as what Kelly had heard. The city council, with the approval of the mayor, was about to hold a massive event for government employees and local businesspeople, an event at which they would ask those people what they hoped to gain in the next year that would help their businesses as well as Blue Haven.

  It was going to be held at the much more expensive Blue View, which told Kelly what she expected to hear. They weren’t skimping financially on this event.

  Everyone who was anyone would attend and speak their minds—possibly with their hands out. It would occur in the afternoon, two days from now.

  As part of his security mission, Alan would undoubtedly be expected to attend, so Kelly would be able to hear at least some of what went on from him later.

  And as she stood there, an idea began to percolate in her mind.

  Chapter 19

  Kelly continued mulling over the idea she had had at the Haven. It wasn’t a new idea. Not at all. Just a potentially more feasib
le way to attempt to extract vital information, now that her mind-set, and circumstances, would allow her to do it.

  Following through might not have the kind of positive result she craved, of course. It might not work at all. If it worked only partially, she could wind up feeling even worse, especially if it didn’t lead to a new way to attempt to help Eli. But she had to try. She’d been unable to do it before she had fled here as Shereen, but now a rare opportunity appeared to be presenting itself.

  She didn’t tell Alan what she had in mind. Kelly wasn’t sure he was convinced, but she had told him she needed more space, more alone time to work through the angst that had settled in after divulging so much to him before. He hadn’t fought her on it.

  She saw him during those days, though. He first popped in at the Haven for breakfast alone on Monday, so she had an opportunity to chat with him while acting as his server.

  Did he seem relieved that they had both backed off a bit in terms of their heat and intensity? Kelly hoped so...on one level. On all other levels, though, she incongruously felt hurt.

  No matter. It was better if they stayed apart, at least for now. She didn’t want to even give him a tiny unintentional hint about the plan she was working on. It was certainly not kosher—and it might even be violating the law.

  At the Haven on Tuesday, the morning before the crucial date, she smiled when she saw that the stack of local newspapers had been replenished. That week’s edition had just been printed and circulated the day after the brunch when the city council members, and Paul Tirths, had sat here eating and devising their plans for their fund-raising event at the Blue View. It contained an article on the pending event.

  The local TV station’s news hyped it, too. Everyone who was anyone in Blue Haven’s government and business communities was expected to be there, going over plans and ideas for next year.

  Kelly figured Stan wasn’t the only council member who’d try hard to impress those with funds to toss a bunch toward whoever appeared willing to help their businesses’ profitability next year.