by Becky Harmon
Chloe laughed again. “You think she’ll buy that?”
“Thanks for your encouragement.” She stood. “I think I’ll walk and rehearse the words in my head.”
Chloe’s laughter followed her down the hall and into the stairwell. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but it was worth the effort. This solar plant would be the largest in Africa. It would allow the country to be more self-sufficient. Rather than being dependent on fishing, the locals would have the ability to support livestock and agriculture outside the city.
Dealing with Angel had not been her only concern. Farook had not been back with an update since he had advised her a week ago that two of the cars needed repairs. She could ask Sam to check in with him, but her legs needed a stretch and she wanted to know now.
The sound of her heels clicking on the concrete stairs made her think of Angel’s comment on her shoes. She realized, sadly, that was the last time they had shared a comfortable banter. Angel was back to her rigid posture for briefings again, and part of her was relieved. The almost-kiss in the hallway was not something she could forget, but remembering the heated conversation that followed did dampen some of the thrill.
Pulling open the fire door to the garage, she stepped inside. The smell of oil and gasoline hit her hard, and she paused to let her senses acclimate to the odor. Farook, she saw, was standing behind one of the embassy sedans with the trunk open. He was listening intently as a man she didn’t recognize spoke. The man’s skin was light and his Arabic was broken. American? She could tell Farook was angry, and she strained to hear their conversation. As the fire door banged shut behind her, both men turned in surprise.
“Madam Ambassador?” Farook walked toward her as the other man quickly left through the door into the employee parking area at the back of the motor pool.
“Who was that?” she asked.
“No one. He was going to do some of the repairs on the broken vehicles. His prices are too high. I will find someone else to do the work. What can I do for you?” He moved them toward the stairs as he talked.
“Will we have vehicles ready by Monday?”
“Oh, yes.”
Ellie frowned. Farook was always anxious to please, but today his brow was furrowed in displeasure. He was clearly upset at her for interrupting. His change in moods made her curious, and she wanted to question him further.
* * *
Angel’s gaze strayed from the camera monitor to the tablet. Ellie’s light was on the move, and she frowned as it continued to travel down the stairs toward the parking garage. When it reached the motor pool, she stood and grabbed her tablet. Where was Ellie going? She walked quickly to the stairs, struggling not to run. Ellie was safe within the building and she was confident she wouldn’t leave. Wasn’t she?
She had been trying to keep her distance from Ellie to avoid any more confrontations or awkward moments. Other than her briefings, which she was keeping short, she had purposely avoided being alone with her. She had isolated herself and now she was paying the price. Ellie was handling things on her own and it was her fault.
She pushed through the fire door, pausing to observe the scene in front of her. An angry scowl covered Farook’s face as he turned to glare at her. He wasn’t happy to see her. It shook her a little to see that he may not have been completely happy with the conversation he had been having with Ellie either. She saw a glimpse of relief on Ellie’s face before she concealed it and was glad she had not hesitated to join them.
“Your appointment has arrived, Madam Ambassador,” she said firmly.
Ellie looked confused and then nodded. “I’m coming.” Turning to Farook, she smiled. “So, we’re all good then.”
He nodded.
Ellie turned and walked into the stairwell. Angel’s gaze drifted between Farook and Ellie. Then she followed Ellie through the door.
“What the hell are you doing?” Ellie whispered angrily.
“Watching your back.”
“I’m not a child. It’s bad enough that we’re all locked inside this building, but now you want to tell me there are places inside I can’t go?”
“Farook didn’t look happy.”
Ellie shrugged, walking ahead of Angel. “I can make it back to my office without an escort.”
She stopped and let Ellie continue to climb the stairs alone. She wasn’t trying to upset her, and yet somehow she always managed to. She wasn’t sorry that she had tracked her down, though. Farook’s behavior made her apprehensive. She sent a text to Sarah to dig deeper into his background.
* * *
Ellie slowed her pace once she realized Angel was no longer following her. She wasn’t sure why her temper had flared again. She had wanted to tell Angel about the conversation, but she didn’t want to admit that something might be going on under her nose. She was still too angry to confide in her.
Chloe looked up as she entered the office.
“Can you ask Sergeant Miller to stop by?”
The surprise on Chloe’s face was obvious. She realized she hadn’t met with Shane since the day Angel had arrived.
Chloe didn’t ask any questions, though, and immediately picked up her phone.
She sat at her desk and thought about the conversation she had overheard. The other man had looked and sounded like an American. She was sure he had said that the Conex was ready and that they were waiting for Farook to provide what he had promised. What would Farook have to do with a shipping container or anything being exported?
Shane tapped lightly on her door before stepping inside.
“Come in.” She motioned him to a chair. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I need you to check on something for me.”
She ignored the concerned look on his face.
“Sam’s busy and Angel’s too new in the country.” She knew her excuses were lame. “You still have some customs contacts at the docks, right?”
“I have a few friends that work there,” he answered hesitantly.
“It’s nothing important, so I’d rather you not mention it to anyone here. Can you ask around the docks about what shipments are ready to depart?” She shrugged. “I overheard a conversation between Farook and another man, possibly an American. It piqued my interest.”
If Shane was surprised by what she was telling him, his face didn’t show it. She made a quick decision to tell him everything that she had heard.
He stood when she finished. “I can ask around. Do you want me to question Farook?”
“No, not until we know more. I appreciate your checking this out. Let me know what you find out.” She hoped her last statement didn’t betray her anxiety about the request. She knew she could trust Shane, but she didn’t doubt that he would share everything with Angel if he thought he should.
Chapter Sixteen
Ellie towel dried her hair as she dressed. She had delayed the conversation with Angel about the trip on Monday long enough. It was now two days away, and Angel would be even angrier if she wasn’t given enough time to prepare. This wasn’t going to be a debate anyway. She had made her decision.
The solar panel farm was too important to the people of Mauritania. The current system was powered mostly by diesel generators, which resulted in severe energy shortages. If people had the ability to move outside the city for farming and to have livestock, it would decrease the overwhelming demand on the already strained Nouakchott electrical grid. Not to mention how much carbon dioxide output it would reduce.
She had no doubt that Angel would be able to understand the importance of this, but whether it would be enough to override her views regarding her security obligations would remain to be seen. If that didn’t work she was resigned to calling Vince. Force wasn’t the path she wanted to take. She wanted cooperation and maybe even agreement. She had considered asking Sam to sit in on the meeting. It would feel good to have someone on her side as she fought this battle, but she didn’t want to back Angel into a corner.
She skipped breakfast and headed straight to
her office. Her stomach was in turmoil as her mind played and replayed the words she would say. Chloe wasn’t at her desk yet so Ellie started the coffeemaker and waited while it brewed. Taking her steaming cup, she walked to the window overlooking the front of the embassy. Lately she had been watching Angel’s blinking GPS tracker far more than she had the crowd below.
She counted about thirty men moving among each other and chatting like it was a social gathering. Since Angel’s arrival their numbers had not grown and there had not been any gunfire. Had she been wrong to resist a show of additional security? She watched the men as the city was called to prayer by the local mosque. They knelt in the direction of Mecca, the direction where the sun would eventually appear, but for now the sky held barely a hint of light. The words echoing throughout the city were muffled by the building surrounding her, but she had heard the beginning of the prayer enough times to know the words. Allahu akbar or “God is great.”
She turned as Angel knocked lightly on her doorframe. She wasn’t the only one starting her day early.
“Come in,” she said, turning back to watch the men below.
Angel crossed the room and joined her at the window. Silently they watched the men stand and return to their previous conversations. Ellie could feel Angel’s body lightly touching against her own. She leaned slightly against her, and Angel wrapped an arm around her waist. She savored the moment for a few seconds, drawing strength from their connection. Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from the warmth of Angel’s body and met her eyes.
“What?” Angel asked.
“We need to talk.”
She dropped into her chair and waited while Angel took up her regular position in front of her desk. The questioning look on Angel’s face forced her to drive forward.
“I need to confirm something on my schedule with you.”
She almost faltered as Angel’s eyes narrowed.
“I have a trip scheduled for Monday to see the new solar panel farm.”
“I saw it, but I thought we had an understanding. It’s not safe for you to leave the embassy right now.”
She stood, shoving her chair back, and began to pace. “This plant is costing over thirty million dollars. Sam has been out there twice, but the last two progress reports have been vague and provided no date of completion. A private company is doing the construction and they are being secretive about their production and imports. I fought hard to get this visit. Since it’s a US-based company, I consider it more of an inspection than a visit. If I don’t show, it will say that we don’t care if they screw the Mauritanian government and its people.”
She stopped in front of Angel and leaned against her desk. “Can you see how important this to me and for the United States?”
Angel’s eyes pierced into her and she could feel every breath Angel took. She hadn’t realized how close they were standing. Angel’s gaze was intense, and she realized she wasn’t sure if she was waiting for Angel to grant her approval or kiss her. When Angel finally spoke her voice was deeper than she had ever heard it.
“I understand,” Angel said hoarsely.
She started to speak and Angel held up her hand.
“For your safety, though, I cannot allow you to leave the embassy. We don’t know what’s happening out there. What if this is the opportunity they’ve been waiting for? What if the plan is to kidnap you?”
“I don’t ca—”
She squeezed her eyes shut as Angel’s fingers touched her lips before sliding across her cheek and into her hair.
“I do,” Angel said softly.
Angel gently guided their faces closer and Ellie stared into her dark eyes. Any thought of her office and the anticipated site visit disappeared as she leaned into Angel’s touch. She wanted nothing except to feel Angel’s lips on hers.
Angel didn’t disappoint her. Their first touch was soft and gentle. She pulled Angel even closer, encouraging her to deepen the kiss. With permission given, Angel responded immediately. She eagerly met Angel’s tongue as it traced her lips before exploring her mouth. Relief at finally giving in to the desire coursing through her made her head swim.
The intercom on her desk buzzed. She froze, breaking the kiss, but Angel did not release her. She rested her forehead against Angel’s chest while she worked to find her voice.
“Yes, Chloe?” Angel answered for her.
She felt the vibration of Angel’s husky voice surge through her body.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, but Sam’s on his way over. He says it’s urgent,” Chloe answered.
She lifted her head and used all of her strength to step away from Angel. Her office door stood open, but Chloe had chosen to use the intercom instead. Her face flushed as she realized what Chloe might have observed. She gathered all of her dignity and crossed to her office door.
“Send him right in.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Chloe responded as she studied the computer screen in front of her.
She returned to her desk and forced herself to remain standing. She picked up her coffee cup and shakily set it back down. She placed her hands on the desk and leaned on them, giving her head a shake. When she finally looked up into Angel’s eyes, she was instantly lost again. The dark swirling depths called to her and she longed to forget everything around them.
“Should I apologize?” Angel asked.
“Do you want to?”
“No.”
She shook her head again. “Then don’t.”
Angel’s mouth quirked in a mischievous grin. Ellie pulled away from the dark depths of Angel’s eyes as Sam burst through the door.
“Ellie, we need to send someone to the fish market.”
“What happened?”
“Another fishing boat was rammed. There’s still one man missing.”
“Okay. Get Gina.”
Sam spun on his heel and was gone.
She avoided looking at Angel, but from the corner of her eye she could see the curiosity on her face. She pulled up her log to brush up on the exact date of the last “mishap,” as the Chinese government was calling it.
“Want to fill me in?” Angel finally spoke.
She looked up. “A pirogue, that’s a—”
“Small boat, I know.”
“Well, when a troller rams a pirogue, it slices it in half and dumps the crew in the water. This is the second time in less than a month and someone is missing. We’ve been fighting to get the government to enforce the zone restrictions.”
“Right. I was in the meeting you had the other day.”
“Then you know that above and beyond trying to do something to help the man who’s missing, this is important to our relations with the locals.”
“You can’t leave the embassy.”
“I know.” She sighed.
Angel paced the length of the room and then back before speaking. “What if this is a ploy to get you or someone else on the staff to the docks? We’ve already confirmed that these are dockworkers outside.”
“It’s two different things, Angel. Fishermen are not dockworkers and they don’t bring their boats into the docks. The deep water port is where the dockworkers are from. The fishermen move in and out from the beaches or the marketplace.” She took a deep breath. “This is a country that struggles to feed its own people. They can’t afford to lose fishing boats or lives. We have to show our support.”
“Gina’s ready.” Sam confirmed as he entered, glancing at Angel. “I should have asked first. Are you going to let her go?”
She could see the struggle taking place inside Angel. She met Sam’s eyes as Angel pulled her phone from her pocket. After shooting an inquiring glance at Ellie, she said, “Gina Stewart?” Ellie nodded, and Angel tapped two buttons on the phone.
“Eric, can you do an escort? Meet Gina Stewart from the public relations office on the first floor and she’ll give you the details…Take Falls or Staples with you. Call me when you arrive and before you return.”
“Thank you,” she
said softly as Angel pocketed her phone. “I know that doesn’t make you happy, but it’s important to us and the work we’re doing here.”
Angel nodded. “I’m going to go meet with Eric before he leaves, but when I come back I want to hear all the details for this excursion you want to take.”
“I’ll be ready,” she said, trying not to sound too excited. She couldn’t believe Angel was agreeing to the solar panel visit so easily.
She met Sam’s eyes as Angel left the room. He lifted his eyebrows. “It sounds like you’ve talked her into it.”
“I’m working on it. Though security is her first thought, I think she’s beginning to understand our challenges.”
“I guess we’ll see when she comes back.”
* * *
Angel watched the two agents leave with an embassy driver and Gina. She wasn’t comfortable with any of this. She knew she would feel better if she was the one going. Which was why she planned to accompany Ellie on her trip to the solar panel farm. There was no way she was letting her out of her sight outside the embassy. She didn’t really want to let her out of her sight at all.
Their kiss was burned into her memory and would take more than a lifetime to forget. Ellie’s lips had been as soft as she had imagined and the way she had responded had pushed her far beyond any measure of control. If they hadn’t been interrupted by Chloe, she wasn’t sure if she would have stopped. The thought was a bit frightening considering she had spent the last week working hard to keep their relationship on a professional level. One kiss and her job was all but forgotten.
She climbed the stairs and returned to Ellie’s office. She was surprised to find Ellie alone, drinking tea on the couch. She took a seat across from her and opened her tablet.
“Where is the solar panel site? And what time do you need to be there?” she asked.
“It’s between Akjoujt and Atar. About a five-hour drive. I don’t plan on staying long and we can arrive anytime. The entire day has been reserved for us.”