Guardian Angel

by Becky Harmon

  “I need to think on it,” he said, glancing up.

  “We’ll be right back.” She led the way to the elevator.

  As the doors slid closed, she squeezed Ellie’s arm gently. She wasn’t upset and she wanted her to know it.

  “Why is it that you always take the stairs unless you’re with me and then it’s the elevator?” Ellie asked teasingly.

  She glanced down at Ellie’s shoes.

  “Really?” Ellie raised her eyebrows. “You think I can’t take the stairs in these shoes?”

  The elevator doors opened and Ellie stepped out.

  Through the rush of wind, she faintly heard Ellie’s words.

  “You’re wrong, very wrong.”

  She quickly stepped in front of Ellie, bringing them both to a stop. There was only one nearby building that was as tall as the one they stood on now. She pulled her binoculars from her pocket and quickly scanned the other rooftop. Seeing no one, she motioned for her agent on that side of the roof to keep an eye on the building. She quickly glanced around to see if there were other risks to the ambassador that she needed to evaluate. Seeing none, she moved forward until she was prone at the edge of the roof.

  Following her, Ellie showed no concern for her blue dress pants or her cream-colored shirt. They lay on their stomachs, taking turns looking through her binoculars. She looked around at the other agents and the marine. Each was focused on their own position and showed no surprise at having the ambassador on the roof with them.

  After a few minutes, Ellie handed the binoculars back to her and crawled back into a standing position. Angel patted Arden’s leg as she moved to join Ellie. The wind whipped Ellie’s hair across her face, masking whatever expression she was wearing. Ellie opened the fire door, and she followed her into the stairwell. It was hard not to notice that Ellie had chosen the stairs over the elevator.

  Sam was waiting on the couch in Ellie’s office and she took a seat across from him. This was going to be a long conversation and probably not one she was going to enjoy. Ellie paced behind her desk, finally coming to rest on the edge of her desk. Angel wasn’t surprised that Ellie chose to remain standing.

  * * *

  Ellie wasn’t afraid to tell Angel that she had gone behind her back to ask Shane for help. She was, however, not sure how to prepare for Angel’s definite disappointment.

  Sam looked back and forth between them. “I’ve seen this guy.”

  “Where?” Angel asked.

  “He was on the docks the day I met Inspector Asker about maintaining their customs requirements.”

  “Did you talk with him?” Angel asked.

  “No. He was with a group of guys. I assumed they were dockworkers. They seemed interested in knowing if Asker would agree with us or not.”

  Angel’s intense gaze zeroed in on her. She felt her palms begin to sweat.

  “Let’s hear it,” Angel demanded.

  Ellie took a deep breath and explained exactly what she had overheard in the garage. She glanced at Angel a few times, but her face was unreadable so she focused on Sam.

  “I knew Shane had contacts at the docks so I asked him to look into it,” she finished.

  Angel rubbed a hand across her face.

  Sam spoke first. “Ellie, why didn’t you come to me? You know the dockworkers are the ones outside. Maybe this is all connected.”

  She grimaced. Sam was right. She should have brought everyone in on what she heard. She was so upset with Angel that day for following her that she had forgotten to put everyone’s safety first.

  “Have there been any problems with the solar panel farm?” Angel asked. “Any regulations you’ve pushed to enforce or anything that would make them unhappy?”

  Ellie searched her memory. She would love to be able to make the connections and put all of this behind her. “I can’t think of anything.”

  “Me either,” Sam agreed. “It’s actually been surprisingly smooth. The same company installed a smaller version of this field at the edge of Nouakchott about two years ago so they already knew all the ins and outs.”

  “Okay. Then why is this site visit so important?” Angel asked.

  “The last two progress reports they submitted to the Mauritania government not only failed to include a completion date but also lacked important details,” Sam explained. “The main item missing was documentation showing what items have been imported. The Mauritanians aren’t pushing back since it’s a US-based company and they don’t want to upset us or the company doing the construction. The plan was for Ellie to casually ask them to fill in the missing details. Just a friendly chat, no arm twisting.”

  Sam paused and Ellie jumped in. “My predecessor pushed hard for the small solar farm here in Nouakchott. Blackouts were a common occurrence because the city planners didn’t account for how fast the city would grow. Severe droughts over the last ten years have also forced people into the city. Even the nomadic Arab-Berbers. Because of its location outside of Akjoujt this solar farm will allow farmers to cultivate crops and raise animals again.”

  “Okay. I understand, but why can’t we postpone your visit?” Angel suggested.

  “No,” Ellie insisted. “It’s taken hours of coordination to schedule this visit. Their supply trucks are moving back and forth to the docks every day, and our visit disrupts their work as well as that of the men on site. The management gives most of the workers the day off when we visit and that has to be worked into the flow of supplies arriving. I will not cause them to lose more than one day of work by rescheduling.”

  “I have to agree with Ellie,” Sam added. “The efforts made to allow us to visit are extensive. It would hurt our relationship with them if we didn’t show up when we said we would.”

  “It doesn’t bother either of you that the man outside is connected to the company building the facility? This man or whoever he’s working for is unhappy with something you guys are doing.”

  “Maybe he’s one of the paid dockworkers being used for hire. Maybe he doesn’t have anything to do with the bigger reason,” she argued, watching Angel rub her face again. The few hours of sleep that she might have gotten earlier in the day had done nothing to ease the fatigue from her eyes.

  “Fine. We’re done here then.” Angel stood. “Ambassador, I’ll see you Monday morning. Sam, stay in close contact with Sergeant Miller while we’re gone.”

  Sam nodded.

  She watched Angel disappear from the room, wishing she would stay. Even though Angel was upset with her, having her nearby was comforting. She wished they could spend time together without the pressure of their jobs. She had almost forgotten Sam was still in the room when he spoke.

  “You guys need to clear the air between you before your trip.”

  “What?”

  Sam stood and walked toward her. “I like to think we’ve become friends during your time here, so please don’t be upset that I’m sticking my nose where it might not belong. I’ve seen plenty of nice men pass through here, and no one even turned your head. And although I haven’t seen anything unprofessional from you or Agent McTaggart, it’s clear that there’s something between you.”

  She shook her head. “There’s nothing between us. How could there be? She’s here to do a job. I can’t get in her way.”

  Sam took her hand and led her to the couch, his fatherly concern melting her resolve. “Let’s have some tea and talk about all the reasons you should get in her way. After this mess is cleared up, of course.”

  * * *

  Angel descended the stairs slowly. She wasn’t even sure Farook would be available at this hour, but according to his GPS light he was still in the motor pool. This was not a visit she was looking forward to. What she really wanted to do was tie him up and interrogate him, but she was fairly sure Ellie wouldn’t like that. So she would play the diplomat.

  She pushed open the heavy fire door into the motor pool and looked around. Three black Toyota SUVs sat in a single line directly in front of the closed ro
ll-up door, apparently waiting for their trip on Monday. There was another SUV and two sedans along the far wall, but all the other vehicles were gone. She didn’t see Farook so she crossed the room to his office. The door was open and she stuck her head inside as she knocked on the frame of the door.

  Farook’s head flew up at her knock and he quickly stuffed the papers in front of him into his desk. He stood, blocking her from coming into his office.

  “Why are you here?” His frown faded into an eerie smile as he adjusted his question. “How can I help you?”

  He slid around her and out the door, leading her away from his office. Whatever he had been doing at his desk was not something he wanted anyone to see. And she wanted to see.

  “I wanted to check with you about the ambassador’s trip on Monday. Are the vehicles ready?”

  “Yes, yes. I have them all lined up.”

  “We’ll be down about six thirty Monday morning to load up. Please let me know if there are any problems.”

  “Yes, yes. Everything will be ready.”

  She debated her next move. Showing Farook the picture of Barnes could show their hand and make things worse, but she really wanted to hear what he would say about their connection. She pulled the picture from her cargo pocket.

  “Do you recognize this man?”

  “No. No.”

  “You’ve never seen or spoken to him before?”

  “No. I don’t know him.”

  She stared at him for a few seconds before folding the picture and placing it back in her pocket. “I’ll see you Monday morning.”

  She walked across the concrete floor to the stairway door. She wasn’t sure about her course of action now that he had flat- out lied to her. She didn’t know him very well, but she did know body language. His actions when she arrived and the sheen of sweat now covering his forehead made her believe he was up to something. However, that something might have nothing to do with the ambassador or their trip.

  She texted Miller and Eric the details of her conversation with Farook. She had no doubt that Farook wouldn’t make it two steps without one of them following him. It was the best she could do for now. She would tell Ellie about his denial tomorrow, and they could decide together how to have him removed. For now, she felt more comfortable keeping an eye on him.

  She made one more swing around the embassy, checking in with all of her agents. Eric and Sarah had fully briefed everyone, but she needed to keep moving a little bit longer. When she finally returned to her room, she kicked off her boots and stripped quickly. She took a hot shower and dressed in her standard uniform. Stretching out on her bed, she checked on Ellie’s GPS light. She had noticed earlier that Ellie had returned to her suite, but she needed to see that again before she could relax. The importance of Ellie in her life was not something she wanted to think about. She had never needed anyone, except maybe Vince. Though they had a professional relationship, he was still very much like a father to her.

  Thoughts of Ellie’s gentle touch during the movie made her stomach flutter, sending chills throughout her body. No woman she had ever met before could compare with Ellie. Not that she would ever compare Ellie to anyone. It wouldn’t be fair. Ellie was strong and determined. She had accomplished things in her life that few women had dared to attempt. Ellie had been in this country as a teenager. She knew the challenges she would face, and she had volunteered to come back here anyway even though it meant fighting for respect from men who considered her from a lower class. And it was all to make changes for their good, not for herself.

  Ellie was certainly a better person than she was. She was quick to write people out of her life if they didn’t agree with her. Ellie rose above that to prove that the people she worked with could be better people too.

  She tried to block the personal thoughts of Ellie from her mind and play the scenario for their trip. She mentally traced their course to the solar farm and their safe return, trying to anticipate possible security and natural hazards.

  Those were not the only things she had to worry about, of course. Ever since Ellie had mentioned this trip, she had been fighting to avoid thinking about being trapped in a car with her for ten hours. It horrified and thrilled her at the same time. There would be no walking away from any conversation, and she couldn’t even think about how close they would be to one another in the backseat.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Angel’s eyes flew open, shocked to see she had slept through the night. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept as late as seven. Jumping out of bed, she grabbed her phone and checked for messages. There were none. Apparently Miller had everything under control. She quickly showered and made her rounds, checking in with Eric and Sarah before appearing promptly at eight in front of Ellie.

  The same as it had been the previous Sunday, the embassy was surprisingly quiet considering the number of people living inside it. As if it were any other day, Ellie was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit with her jacket hanging over the back of her chair. She closed the folder in front of her and stood when Angel arrived.

  “You look refreshed.” Ellie smiled.

  She returned her smile. Whatever had Ellie in this jovial mood seemed to have reset their relationship once again. “I got a few hours of sleep. How about you?”

  “I slept. I assume everything is quiet outside.”

  “It is. Shepherd and Barnes are still out there together.” When she had left Sarah moments ago, she was wiring an amplifier to see if she could pick up any conversation between them. She would provide Ellie with details if it yielded any information.

  “Did you meet with our marine escorts?”

  She removed her tablet from her cargo pocket and pulled up the meeting notes from the previous night. Ellie walked around her desk and motioned her to take seat. Angel took her usual seat at the end of the couch and was surprised when Ellie sat beside her. She was hit by a subtle yet intoxicating smell of coconut and something else. Maybe lavender.

  “Are you okay?” Ellie asked, the hint of a grin playing on the corners of her mouth.

  “What? Yes.”

  She placed the tablet on her knees so Ellie could see as well and quickly covered each point, the warmth from Ellie’s body slowly seeping into her. She pushed against it. Today was her day to focus on their trip, not to lose herself in the feel of Ellie’s body. The pressure of Ellie’s thigh against her own sent her into overdrive, pushing her closer to the edge. The smell of coconut reminded her of the beach, which reawakened lingering thoughts of Ellie in a bathing suit. She fought the images flashing through her mind and stood. Her mind was at war with her body and she needed to be alone.

  “I’ll have more information this evening,” she choked out, moving toward the door.

  “I’ll be here.”

  She hurried from the room. She had forgotten to mention Farook’s denial, but she definitely was not returning now.

  * * *

  Ellie couldn’t remember ever seeing Angel move so fast. She hadn’t thought of what sitting beside Angel might do, only that she wanted to be close to her. The last two weeks had been an emotional roller coaster. Keeping secrets and holding back feelings was starting to take its toll on her. She wanted to feel their connection again. To relax in the safe and comfortable net Angel cast around them. To shed her ambassador skin if only for a moment and be herself.

  She poured a cup of tea from the pot in front of her and leaned back into the couch. Angel was such a mystery. The dossier that she had shredded one night after Chloe had left might have offered some clues, but nothing came close to providing the kind of information she was after than firsthand observation could.

  She wondered if she would be so intrigued if she wasn’t so desirable. Sam was convinced they would be perfect together, and she thought about how her life would change if she was dating someone. It wasn’t something she had ever considered before and it made her a bit nervous. She certainly wouldn’t be able to move a partner or spouse into t
he embassy, but Angel would never be that person anyway.

  Tying Angel to one spot wasn’t going to happen anytime in the near future. Even though her body reacted to Angel each time she was near, it didn’t mean they could have a future. Their bodies were in sync, not their lives. Every inch of her craved to give into the temptation. Could she convince Angel to spend the day in bed instead of preparing for tomorrow? She gave a rueful laugh. The way Angel had bolted from the room moments ago, she wasn’t sure she could convince her the sky was blue much less to give in to her desires.

  She sat her teacup on the coffee table and stretched out on the couch. She had tossed and turned most of the previous night, and this was supposed to be her lazy day. In a few minutes, she would return to her suite and change into something more comfortable. She had a book she had been wanting to read. Something about women and romance, of course, and the life of an LA movie star, but for a moment she allowed herself to think about Angel. How their bodies had fit together when they kissed. How she had wanted to wipe her desk clear and let Angel take her right there. She closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild.

  * * *

  Angel followed the sidewalk around the four-story embassy building. Stepping close to the building, she ran her fingers over the jagged stone of the exterior wall. It was rugged and unaffected. The opposite of her reactions to Ellie’s touch. She shook her head. She needed to block all distractions from her mind while she prepared for tomorrow’s trip. She took a deep breath. The fresh air and sunshine coursed through her body, giving her strength.

  She tracked the roving patrol on her tablet and intercepted them behind the barracks. A quick discussion with them told her everything was going smoothly. She circled the maintenance building, taking the long way back to the gatehouse. A check of all posts hadn’t revealed anything amiss, so she made her way to the break room outside the barracks. She filled her coffee cup before sitting at the table to work on tomorrow’s plan. She was thankful for a quiet day in which to review everything on her tablet and get familiar with the course. After an hour, she was starting to feel comfortable with her plan. She stood and stretched, relieved for the break when Miller walked in.