Page 103 of High Treason
“Are you making fun of me?”
“I’d be a fool to admit that to an operative.”
“Oh yes, keep my fearsome reputation in check.”
He turned toward the area of the court buildings and down the street where Coffee Gone Dark thrived during the day. He parked a block away. They exited and walked in silence to the café. The few people on the street appeared harmless.
Monica and Kord stood in front of the store. She unlocked the door and trotted back to silence the alarm. “It will lock behind you,” she called over her shoulder.
Kord yanked on the door to be sure and followed her to the rear. An overhead light showed a neat and upscale business, glistening stainless steel equipment, and a coffee mug selection featuring Houston sports. A wall held signed photos of featured players.
In a small, messy, and very coffee-smelling office, Monica sat behind an industrial-style desk and brought the computer monitor to life. He peered over her shoulder as she pulled up camera footage. Stopping at a frame and time stamp, she studied the man talking to a young woman.
“Do you know him?” Kord said.
“Yep.” She scooted back the chair and bent beside the desk to a small safe. After tapping in several numbers, it opened, and she eased out a napkin.
“He wrote his number on a napkin?”
“It’s not his phone number.”
“Must be CIA code stuff.”
She didn’t acknowledge him but typed something into her phone. Thewhisksound told him it was a text message. She glanced up and smiled. How could one woman look so beautiful in the middle of a no-sleep, dangerous assignment?
“This has nothing to do with Prince Omar. I’m finished here unless you want coffee,” she said.
“When this is over, I’ll drink my weight. Be here every morning at six. Drive you crazy.”
He observed the red rising in her face, the emotional color of blondes. “Monica, how long are you going to deny us?”
“It’s not that easy. You know about Liam. I’m a mess. Then there’s the faith—”
He bent and brushed a kiss against her lips, soft and warm. “I’m calling in a favor.” He touched her lips again.
She broke away. “What favor?”
“I’m sure you owe me for something. In case you haven’t figured it out, Ali has competition,” he whispered.
“Can we table this until the mission is over?”
“I keep trying, but you’re irresistible.”
She stared at the computer screen. “You and Ali are full of yourselves.”
He grinned. “We’ll see. Want another kiss?”
“Put it in my bank.” Rain beat against the roof, and she groaned. “The ground is saturated. We’ll need to trade in our cars for boats.”
“You’re an expert on changing the subject. Shall we get back to the mansion?”
She coughed into the crook of her arm and rose from the chair.
“That sounded like it came from your toes.”
“And by kissing me, you’ll get it too.”
“I have a great immune system.”
