Had her imagination conjured up a hero scenario?
He didn’t drift away or disappear in a poof of fairy dust. This was real.
She almost plowed him down with a huge hug. Instead, she stepped out of the car and jumped into his open passenger side as he held the door.
“You are an answer to prayer!” Not that she’d actually prayed, but she wasn’t going to turn away a rescue when she needed one. “I might actually make it to work on time, thanks to you.”
“First day?”
“Can you tell? Princess Buttercup thought she’d make it interesting.”
“It might be time for the princess to retire.” Michael chuckled.
Dani tried to ignore the sweet warmth it ignited inside. “Never! I suppose I could’ve called a rideshare, but it would’ve taken them a while to get out here, so thank you. Now the only thing I need is a strong cup of coffee, and my day will be back on track.”
“Here, take mine. I have one I’ve already started, as well as my backup.”
“You have backup coffee?” Typical Michael move.
“Don’t you? I don’t have any creamers or anything, just half-and-half, but it’s all yours if you want it.”
“Really? You don’t mind? I don’t need it sweet, and I promise I’ll get the cup back to you.” She took the warm travel mug he handed her and breathed in the scent of roasted coffee. The smell alone helped her shake off the last of the morning blahs. Maybe things were turning around for her.
Michael dropped her off at the downtown office complex and offered to call a buddy to tow her car and have it looked at. The world could use more Michaels. He even had her keep his umbrella. She shook the rain off it and walked inside the lobby of the five-story brick building. She was only two minutes late.
It took another fifteen minutes to get her security clearance figured out, but soon she was riding the elevator to the top floor. This was it. Time to show her new office, her new boss, the kind of agent she could be. The kind that could take on the big cases. The kind that should be assigned to a bigger city.
She stepped into another lobby, this one much smaller. A thirty-something man in a blazer and tie stood behind the counter.
“You must be Danielle Kim.” He held out a hand and smiled. “I’m Atkins, security division of the Renegade resident agency.”
“Call me Dani.” She shook his hand and returned the smile. See? This wasn’t so bad.
“Welcome to the Renegade office. Let me show you around.” Atkins led her behind the front desk and into the maze of cubicles and offices. He pointed out three other agents, all working together around a smart board.
“These guys are running an undercover operation at one of the military manufacturing plants.”
Undercover? Here?
“What kind of case? Are they leaking trade secrets?” Dani asked.
Atkins nodded. “That’s what we’re trying to confirm. Our enemies are clamoring for this tech.”
For a moment, Dani imagined herself undercover, trying to ferret out a mole selling military technology to China or Russia, like she was the next Black Widow. “So they’re not having the Denver office run lead?” Maybe her time here wouldn’t be as dull as she’d thought.
Atkins shook his head. “We’re keeping it local. We know these businesses and contracts.”
And here she thought only in the big metro areas would she be able to take on cases like this. Being in a smaller office, she would have a better chance of showing what she was capable of and hopefully getting in on a case and moving up the ranks.
“I’d better finish our tour and get you settled.” He moved away from the group. “The break room is across the way over there, bathrooms are down the hall at the back. And here we have our Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Caroline Kumar.” He knocked on a closed office door. “She’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“Enter,” a voice from the other side of the door called.
Atkins led her inside a small but pristine office.
“Dani Kim reporting, ma’am.”
Atkins stayed in the doorway while Dani stepped in.
