Deadly Secrets, page 8
“Smart.” Fergus turned to Jana. “And how did you hear about Ms. Silva?”
“Captain Bennett Carlyle of the Greensboro Police Department is a friend. I mentioned the incident of last week, and she referred me to Rafe.”
Fergus nodded. “The Carlyles are good people. I knew her father and grandfather, both excellent cops. What branch of the service, Ms. Silva?”
“Army.”
“I was army as well. Any special unit?”
“Combat Application Group,” Rafe said.
Jana enjoyed the mini interrogation that afforded her a glimpse into Rafe’s background.
“You were Delta Force?” Fergus nodded and leaned back in his chair. “That’s a tier one anti-terrorist unit.”
“As a soldier yourself, you know I can’t comment on that.”
“Well, you obviously know your stuff. The security company we’re using apparently has no concept of what the word means. We’re in merger negotiations, so I look forward to your rapid assessment.” Fergus stood and shook Rafe’s hand again, neither of which he ever did with Jana. “Welcome aboard. If you do a good job, I’ll refer some of my top-tier clients to get your business started.”
Jana clenched her teeth at Fergus’s condescending tone. As if Rafe would need any of his cronies to establish herself, but Rafe’s expression didn’t change.
“Thank you, sir, I’d appreciate that.”
As they neared the door, Fergus added, “Oh yeah, good initiative, Jana. By the way, did you bring the item we discussed yesterday?”
“The box?” Fergus nodded, and Jana continued. “No sir. I haven’t had a chance to look inside it yet with this security breech and finalizing the Kitamura paperwork. But I’ll get it to you as soon as possible.”
She hurried Rafe out the door before Fergus could respond and then diverted into the restroom. She checked they were alone, locked the door, and leaned against the cool tiled wall. “I need a second to process. You may be used to this clandestine business, but I’m not.”
“I thought it went well,” Rafe said, her voice cool and confident.
“It went like clockwork, until he asked about the box. You totally own him.”
“I researched him while you were sleeping this morning. Once I found out he’d been in the army, it was easy.”
“Why?”
“People who’ve served share a bond. I knew if his first impression was good, we’d be fine. Army strong. Hooah!”
Without thinking, Jana grabbed Rafe in a bear hug. “You are totally awesome. Thank you.” Her body caught up with her impulsiveness and warmed against Rafe. She felt good—strong, dependable, sexy as hell, and more than a little tense. Rafe was holding her breath. “I’m sorry.” She backed away. “I’m just so relieved.”
“Shall we get started?” Rafe exited the restroom without waiting for an answer.
Camille perched on the side of her desk when they entered her complex. “Jana, I was thinking maybe I could show Rafe around while you catch up on phone messages.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ve got plenty of time.” When Rafe turned to survey the complex, she waved her finger back and forth at Camille in a no-no motion. “We’ll start in my office. Would you please bring us coffee? My usual and one black.” She caught her mistake immediately, and Camille did as well.
“Will do, boss.” She winked and sashayed toward the break room.
“She’ll have questions,” Rafe said from so close that Jana jumped.
“I told you she’s sharp. Knowing how you like your coffee when we supposedly just met will be interesting to explain.”
“Tell her the truth. She knows the employees, and I’ll need her for access to your calendar and such without bothering you every time.”
Jana settled on the sofa overlooking the eastern skyline and motioned for Rafe to join her. “That sounds perfectly reasonable unless you know Camille. She’s very protective, which I love about her, but she’s not trained or discerning in threat assessment like you. She’d insist on vetting and body searching everyone who wants to see me.”
“Would that be a problem?” Rafe followed the question with an evil grin that nearly took Jana’s breath. “The glass surrounding your office makes visual surveillance easy, but the problem will be audio coverage and walk-ins. I assume you have employees drop by with and without appointments.”
Jana nodded.
“With access to your calendar, I can check the scheduled ones but not the others.” Rafe swept the hair away from her forehead, and Jana caught another glimpse of the untanned scar near her hairline. “Any suggestions of how I might handle them without inside help?”
“Huh?” Jana was busy trying to find a way to ask about the injury. “Oh. Well, like I said before, I don’t think anything is going to happen at work. Who sends a hitman into an office full of witnesses?” The thought sent a shiver up her spine, but she smiled to cover her discomfort.
“You’d be surprised. Could you set me up in there and allow audible access to your meetings?” Rafe pointed to the adjacent conference room with clear line of sight into Jana’s office. “I’ll sign an NDA if you prefer, though my contract will cover anything I see and hear during the course of my employment…assuming you employ me.”
“After that performance with Fergus, of course I’m employing you. And yes, I’m fine with that arrangement.”
Rafe studied her for a few seconds before asking, “Are you sure you don’t want to wait and see if anything else happens before jumping into a protection detail? It’s been several days since your office was searched and nothing since.”
“Except Fergus’s attempts to get his hands on that shoebox. Peace of mind is worth whatever it takes. So stop trying to talk yourself out of a job.” Was protection necessary, or did she just want to keep Rafe close until she figured her out? Without thinking, she blurted. “How did you get that scar on your forehead?” The lines around Rafe’s mouth tightened, and her hand automatically went to the injury. “Sorry. I obviously have no filter around you.”
“Knife fight.”
“Yeah, right.” Jana almost laughed, but Rafe’s expression didn’t change. “Really?” When Rafe nodded, Jana plowed forward. “Have you killed people?” She wanted to know and didn’t.
Rafe’s mood turned as black as her hair, and she crossed to the window. “The army was my life for twenty-five years. I served in almost every war-torn country on the globe. What do you think?” Jana started to answer, but Rafe held up her hand. “It’s not something I’m proud of. It took part of my soul. But when I joined, I wasn’t even aware I had a soul, much less anything to offer the army. Honestly, I think I wanted to die, and going to war was the quickest way to accomplish that.”
Jana stared at Rafe’s back, unable to believe how candid she was about her past and how much her admission affected Jana. She wanted to reassure Rafe and encourage her to say more but didn’t speak for fear of breaking their intimate bubble.
“But life is a jealous mistress that holds on to you. If you’re lucky, she gives you hope. If not, she rips you apart bit by bit and feeds you to the dark side, which is what happened to me.” Rafe turned to face her. “And on that uplifting note, that’s all I can say about my former career.” She glanced toward Camille’s desk. “Maybe your assistant should show me around.”
“I’m sorry I upset you.” She watched helplessly as Rafe walked toward the door. “I don’t have any appointments this morning, so I’ll be here returning calls.”
“Consider telling Camille the truth or at least afford me the opportunity to feel her out about it,” Rafe said.
Jana cringed at the feeling out part but nodded. “I trust your instincts.”
“Let’s hope you’re as agreeable with everything I say going forward.”
Jana wrinkled her nose. “Not likely.”
When Jana turned Rafe over to Camille and excused herself to make phone calls, she felt restless, no longer comfortable in her hallowed space. She delved into Rafe’s past, got shut down, and distanced a potential ally. She needed a friendly voice, not one that constantly told her how terrible things could get.
Kerstin answered on the first ring, and Jana’s voice caught in her throat. “Kerst—”
“Oh, honey, are you all right? What happened? Do you need me to come over? I can drop everything and be there in five minutes.”
Jana fought back tears. It was so Kerstin to key in on her feelings with a single word. “No, I’m okay, but thanks for the offer. I’m at work.”
“Well, you sound like you’re about to cry. Tell me. Is it Rafe? I noticed her bike has been in our driveway all night. Did the two of you—”
“Nope. Nooooo.”
“Sorry. Not the priority. So, what’s got you so upset?”
When was the last time someone asked that question and actually wanted to know the answer? She bit her lip to keep from crying as the feelings of the past few days caught up with her. “I’m…I’m not sure. One minute I think I’m imagining any threat at all, and the next, I’m certain I’m being followed. And Rafe doesn’t help. She’s all about worst-case scenarios.” She pulled a long breath and started again. “Does she ever talk about anything but problems, plans, and outcomes?” Kerstin’s hearty laugh caught Jana off guard. “What?”
“You’re talking about a retired army major. A member of Delta Force, the most elite group in the army. Most of what she’s done throughout her career is classified. It’s hard to share a life of experiences you’re forbidden to discuss. I get the impression from Ben that the army has been Rafe’s entire existence, and she retired less than a week ago. Maybe she doesn’t know how to be any other way in the world.”
“That’s painfully obvious. I’d hoped to feel safer while I figured out what’s going on at the company, but so far, she’s made me even more paranoid and confused. You know me, I like to talk, get to know a person, but it’s either our strategy or silence.”
“I’m sorry, Jana. She’s really pretty awesome when she’s not working, but when she is, she’s one hundred percent focused.”
“I do believe nothing will get past her. Guess I just needed to hear a friendly voice and vent. Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime, my friend. Maybe we can all have dinner and help her open up a little.”
“Okay, but I’m not interested in her, just trying to communicate.”
Kerstin stifled a chuckle. “Sure, I mean who’d be interested in a tall, olive-skinned woman with killer good looks and a body to die for? Really, Jana, have you checked your standards lately?”
“Stop it. I have to get back to work. At least you made me smile. Love you.”
“Love you more.”
Jana hung up and imagined a date with Rafe—gorgeous eye candy but no conversation. What would she be like as a fling? She shook the idea from her mind and refocused on work, but the office she’d fashioned into her personal comfort zone seemed unwelcoming. Someone had violated her space, searched her things. Were they still watching or listening? She disliked being alone here now and wanted the security of Rafe’s presence. Were her fears getting the best of her, did Rafe really make a difference, or did Jana just like having her around, conversation or no?
Chapter Ten
I’d like to start on the ground floor where the breach occurred,” Rafe said as she held the elevator open for Camille. “How long have you worked here?”
“Ten years, all of them as Jana’s assistant, and I couldn’t imagine working for anyone else. She’s the most thoughtful, accommodating person I’ve ever known. Angie and I love her so much we asked her to be godmother to our daughter, Skylar.”
When they exited the elevator, Rafe listened while surveying the entrances and exits of the building including maintenance and delivery points. “She seems like a decent boss.”
“Decent?” Camille stopped and placed her hand on Rafe’s arm. “Jana is the best. Totally awesome, always taking care of everybody. And that’s why I need to know what’s going on. We usually share everything, and I do mean everything from work to dating details…but not clothes.” She flicked the sleeve of Rafe’s jacket. “She doesn’t share her wardrobe with anyone.” She didn’t wait for Rafe to reply. “The past few days, she’s been jumpy as a neurotic cat and avoiding eye contact. And then you come along all hot and gorgeous, but she’s not looking at you like a date. You’re something else. I don’t want to ask her outright because I’m afraid it will upset her more.”
Rafe studied the drawn expression on Camille’s face and the sheen of tears in her eyes and pulled her into the stairwell. “Okay. I’m going to level with you, but you have to swear you won’t share what I’m about to tell you with anyone.”
“I swear, not even Angie.”
“Jana received some threats and asked me to look into it. Before you ask, we don’t know who or why yet. Since you’re closest to Jana, you can be my first line of defense. Keep your eyes open for suspicious mail, phone calls, or visitors. Will that be a problem?”
“I open the mail and screen her calls anyway. Walk-ins are harder to manage.”
“But you know almost everybody in the company who would want access to her, right?”
Camille nodded, and Rafe continued. “If someone you don’t recognize shows up, stall, forward their details to me in the conference room, and I’ll do a quick background check while they wait. One of the most important things is for you to act normal. Don’t panic, treat people different, or let on anything has changed. If you can do that, I think we’ll make a good team.”
They arrived back on the top floor after checking each exit door to assure it was secure and alarmed. Camille stopped beside her, breathing heavily from the climb. “Thank you…for telling me. I’ll…do whatever you need…to keep…her safe.”
“Is there anything you can tell me about Jana’s personal life that might help me do the same? People she sees on a regular basis. Places she frequents. Stuff like that.”
Camille hesitated. “Well, she…I’m not sure I should answer that.”
“She’s already warned me that she enjoys her friends and wants to feel free to have women over for…to—”
“Yeah. She has a healthy appetite but not a strict diet, if you get my drift.”
“She likes variety.” The words tasted bitter, and Rafe wasn’t sure why. What difference did it make how many women Jana dated?
“Definitely,” Camille agreed.
Before they reached Jana’s office, Rafe stopped. She didn’t want to see Jana after verifying such an intimate detail of her life. It bothered her but strictly from a security perspective. “Tell Jana I’ll be back at four thirty and not to leave without me. I have to pick up some things.” Camille started to walk away, but Rafe caught her arm. “And remember, act normal. I’ll inform her that I’ve briefed you.”
On the short walk back to Bennett’s to retrieve her bike, Rafe texted Jana that she’d told Camille about the threats, nothing about the flash drive or her suspicions about the company. A sound strategy dictated that the person closest to the target be in on the plan if possible.
Next, she called Kerstin and asked for recommendations of a reasonable place to buy business clothes. Since her employment was now official, she needed to look the part. Typical Kerstin, she offered to handle everything. After relaying her measurements and payment information, Rafe got the address and promised to collect her purchases when they were ready. Perfect. Knowing the right people solved most problems.
Rafe skirted through downtown traffic on her bike and edged into the flow when she hit the interstate. She hadn’t breathed easily since meeting Jana Elliott, too busy focusing on her safety and ignoring the attraction. She desperately needed to decompress aka test her limits. She shifted gears, gunned the throttle, and maneuvered in and out of vehicles like stationary obstacles. The acceleration forced her hips back into the supporting pads like the welcoming thighs of a lover. She revved faster, certain no vehicle could catch her, not even the enhanced highway patrol cars that frequented the interstate.
In less than thirty minutes, she pulled onto the lot where her Airstream rested. With a few taps on her watch, Rafe disabled the security system and walked her bike in before resetting the alarm. No matter the mission, the outcome, or the next one looming, she always loved returning to the nest. She shucked off the unfamiliar clothes before setting a timer for fifteen minutes. A short rest and she’d be right again. She collapsed across the bed, all the tension and hypervigilance draining away. She’d survived on short naps while sitting, standing, or leaning on deployment, so her bed was like sleeping on a cloud. When the watch vibrated against her wrist, she woke refreshed, but her thoughts turned again to Jana. Damn it.
Rafe dressed in her own clothes, packed her go-bag, and headed back to the city. As always, en route to the assignment, she wondered if she was ready? Did she have all the intelligence on the job? Was she aware of the possible hazards? Had she planned enough? This time, she also questioned if she could succeed without the support of her team. She’d failed to protect an innocent once, and that time had almost killed her. An equally important question, could she focus on the task without being distracted by the woman?
During her career, she’d concluded that fate was cruel, now she understood it also had a sense of humor. Why else put Jana Elliott in her path, a woman she couldn’t possibly ignore but had to for the sake of the mission? Jana’s curious mind and nurturing nature threatened to pry Rafe open. And Jana’s selflessness compelled her to risk her life for the sake of others. Why this woman? Why now? She scaled the stairs two at a time searching for answers she’d never find.
When Rafe burst through the stairwell door at Jana’s office, Camille rushed toward her. “She’s gone. I told her what you said, but—”
