“True.” I lean against the kitchen table, so I’m half sitting, half standing. “Does that mean I should expect a Christmas card from you this year?”
“I know you want something from me. Just spit it out.”
“Okay, fine. I need you to send me full details on a Mary Bradshaw, living in Leavenworth, Washington.”
I consider having Derek send me full details on Lacee Warren, too—just for the fun of it—but decide it’s not necessary. We’re just two people casually kissing through the holidays. Besides, anything I want to know, I can just ask her about.
“Do you have security access for that information?” Derek asks.
“Well…” I shift my weight, scratching the back of my head.
“I’ll take that as a no.” The sound of typing on a keyboard rings in the background. “Just like how you didn’t have security access to cancel that rental car this morning.”
“I promise it’s all for a good cause.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s for a good cause. After the leaked nuclear codes last year, you can’t afford to make another mistake, or you’ll permanently be on desk duty, sitting next to me. You’re a field agent, Park. You’d hate sitting at a desk all day.”
Derek’s not wrong. The last few months of smaller assignments have been rough. I can’t imagine how unsatisfied I’d be if I were benched for good. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about the third party that crashed my mission. I’m still planning on getting to the bottom of that.
“Look, I’m helping a friend out.” I switch the phone to my other ear. “It’s important.”
“Are you sure you’re not just inserting yourself into someone else’s assignment because you’re bored?”
I am bored.
Maybe that’s why I didn’t think twice when Sienna asked me to help her, even though I could lose my job over it.
“All I’m saying is you need to be careful. Todd’s been breathing down everyone’s neck lately.”
“That’s nothing new.” The CIA director isalwaysbreathing down everyone’s neck, especially mine after I let the nuclear codes get stolen. But just so we’re clear. I didn’tletthe codes get stolen. I was trying to get them when an unexpected team of fifteen men showed up and crashed my recovery party. I was a one-man show and underprepared for their ambush. There was no way I could get the file and get out of there safely. So I had to abort the mission. The codes were taken by a third party and sold to an independent weapons dealer in Russia, and Todd blames me.
Since then, all I’ve wanted to do is clear my name. I’ve been obsessed with finding out who that third party was and how they knew the nuclear codes were there. But Todd said I was too close to the project and had lost my edge. That’s why he pulled me from the mission, putting me on inconsequential cases.
“No, seriously.” Derek’s voice goes lower, like he doesn’t want anyone to hear what he’s saying. “I think there’s something big going down. I don’t know what it is, but everyone’s on high alert.”
Does it have to do with Sienna and the computer chips? I’ve wondered why she came to me for help instead of reporting directly back to Todd. Maybe she’s in more trouble than I thought. And maybe that computer chip is more valuable than I originally thought.
“Just be careful, okay?” Derek says.
I smile. “If you’re telling me to be careful, we must be friends.”
He ignores me. “I just sent Mary Bradshaw’s file to you.”
My phone vibrates, alerting me.
“Thank you, Derek. You’re a lifesaver. I’ll be anxiously awaiting your Christmas card in the mail.”
“It’s not coming,” he says, then the phone goes silent.
I pick up my suitcase and walk down the hall of the house, peeking in each room. I place my belongings in a spare bedroom. It doesn't feel right sleeping in Mary’s room. I know I’m an intruder, but I like to think of myself as an intruder with respect for people's personal space and belongings.
I wash up and heat a Tupperware of chicken noodle soup that Gina Warren sent me home with. She says I can never leave her empty-handed. I eat as I read through the information on Mary Bradshaw. Kind of a fascinating read—the woman was a big Broadway actress for thirty years. And she does have a son, Peter. But sadly, Peter died of cancer eight years ago.
After going through everything on Mary, I decide there's not much else that can be done tonight. I'm at a standstill for the next few days while I wait for the computer chip to be delivered. Once I have it, I can focus on figuring out what assignment Sienna’s been working on. I think back to the last time I worked with her. Two years ago. Amsterdam. I was assigned to gain intel on terrorists hiding out there, and Sienna was my virtual co-operative gathering information. But then she got reassigned to something else, and I started working with Todd on the leaked list of nuclear codes. I hadn’t heard from Sienna until a few days ago when she sent me that package.
I walk to the bedroom and flip open my suitcase, digging for the Amazon Prime package she sent me. I examine the envelope and the address label one more time, still noting the wrong house number. I slide the pig book out from inside and flip through it, searching for more clues, but there’s nothing. Sienna only wanted me to know what she told me in her audio message. All I can do now is get the computer chip and wait for her to find me.
Until then, I might as well enjoy Leavenworth and the company here. My mind wanders to Lacee and our plans for tomorrow, and I automatically smile.
