Page 16 of Deadly Alliance

Chapter Seven

It tooka lot of time and several detours which stretched Emme’s patience thin, but they finally reached Fortis headquarters. The entire trip from the Fayre had been made in silence. Shane’s full concentration was on the road and Emme didn’t want to disturb him by talking. Shane was burning hot and cold so fast that she didn’t know what to think. Less than an hour before, her body had been plastered against his, her mind turned to mush as his hands caressed her skin. The memory made her burn still.

When they both entered the conference room, Dee and Will were discussing something over a laptop as Beatrice finished a call on her phone. The rest of the team were on their way in from the festivities.

Ending the call, Beatrice let herself fall on a chair. “That was Zack. They’re making an extra round, trying to find that tail.”

Will let his head fall back, rubbing his eyes. “As soon as we saw him, Dee and I tried to get a clearer view but so far, no luck. We’re still checking the CCTV feeds, but there are so many people, it’s working against us.”

Dee pushed away from the table to stretch. “You want my cop’s input? Male. Average height, average build, ordinary clothes. That’s no coincidence. By the way he moved, the cap he was wearing, and clearly avoiding the cameras, either the guy is from the area, or he checked it out first.”

Emme refrained from sighing. “Any good news?”

Dee glanced at Beatrice before answering. “I think, and Bea agrees with me on that, you’ve definitely become a target, Emme. The plan worked. We followed him until you reached the Booth, but as soon as Shane appeared, he turned away and vanished.”

Shane cursed and ran both hands in his hair. “That means we were close. He was close. Any chance the team will catch him?”

“With such a vague description and in a crowd? The chances are slim.” Beatrice seemed grim but realistic. “But we’ve gotten a lead. If luck is on our side and he didn’t spot our guys, we still have a chance.”

“We need to tighten the net around him, find another opportunity for that freak to make another attempt.”

Shane’s energy was up, and Emme could imagine the wheels turning in his head. It was fascinating to observe, and very sexy.

Dee’s cell buzzed. “The team are on their way. Zin and Owen took lots of pictures and videos of the crowd and we need to go through it all. Will, I think we need more coffee.”

“Oh, man!” Will snapped the laptop closed and dragged his feet towards the door.

Shane turned to Dee as she opened the door. “What’s your clearest view of the man? Can you show me?”

Dee nodded, and they left the room with Will whining all the way.

Emme turned to study Beatrice who was currently typing something on her cell phone. Even sitting there, Beatrice oozed charisma, which was a bit intimidating. Emme could also see a wealth of knowledge and experience too, the same things she admired in Zack. At a level she genuinely aspired to achieve.

“If we are going to have a chat, maybe you should take a seat, my dear.”

It took everything in Emme not to jump at her voice and show how distracted she was, but when the women’s cat-green eyes glanced up, they gave the impression of seeing right through her.

Emme lowered herself onto a chair. “Am I that transparent?”

The older woman’s smile was kind, and her British accent was always a surprise to her as her team was mostly composed of Americans.

“You’re not transparent to ordinary eyes. And being young, beautiful and innocent works to your advantage. Nobody will see you coming.”

The unexpected compliment stunned Emme. She knew her skills and talents, but apart from Fortis, it had been an uphill battle to prove herself.

“And now you are wondering if I’m blowing smoke up your ass.” When Beatrice grinned, with definite mischief in her eyes, Emme realised she was gaping. “Don’t worry, my dear. I have my own ways of going under the radar too. Part of that is from being a profiler for so long and partly from leading Purgatory. Working with bull-headed men all the time, both clients and staff, will force you to find innovative ideas to get your way. And that includes Shane.”

At Shane’s name, Emme felt on very shaky ground. The last thing she wanted was for anybody to think that her attraction to Shane made her a weak link.

“So many ideas in your head, young lady. So many suspicions.” And her voice deepened. “You remind me of who I was … ages ago. Not just the looks. The fire, the promise. That was before my life took an unexpected turn.”

Somehow, this little impromptu talk was making her relax, turning her apprehension into curiosity. “What was your turning point?”

A softness slowly spread across her face. “My husband. James was the one who brought me something I sorely needed. Before him, I didn’t know what I lacked. I don’t mean professionally. My upbringing and career choice forged me, forcing me to play on my talents and my skills. What I lacked was perspective about myself.”

Emme let her continue, guessing the woman rarely offered details of her personal life.

“James was still a Navy SEAL at that time. They are an interesting bunch. Outstanding team workers, loyal to a fault, always thinking outside the box. But it’s their double standards that fascinates me the most.”