Read Online Operation Proof of Life by Misty Evans - Free Book Online

him.
    Like Michael, Con had enemies in Washington. Enemies waiting to ambush him, to implicate him in illegal or immoral activities if it served their purpose. He’d been a rogue agent once and the shadow hung over his head. These days, he had to go above and beyond proper protocol or be suspected again.
    Acknowledging the truth in his statement with a nod, she still refused to give in. “I’ll tell you what we were doing if you promise not to reprimand Zara.”
    He drew in a deep breath, as if reining in his impatience. “Why are you so damned protective of my spy?”
    “She’s been kidnapped by a Mafia drug lord, held at gunpoint by a psychotic terrorist and injected with a deadly virus all in the span of the past four months. Being one of your secret army has hardly been a walk in the park for her.”
    “Well, if you don’t come clean about your covert activities, Zara will lose her secret decoder ring before the day’s over. Maybe you can put in a good word for her with your boss. Get her a job with FBI. Oh, wait.” He snapped his fingers. “If you’re involved with what she’s doing, you’ll lose your job too.”
    “Are you threatening me?”
    “Hell, yes, I’m threatening you.”
    Julia kept all emotion off her face and locked her mental energy with his. This was the problem with their marriage. Neither of them was ever willing to concede. “Clichéd as it sounds, we’re trying to save the world,” she said. “Save innocent people from dying.”
    Conrad crossed his arms over his chest as he appeared to analyze her tone and body language for sarcasm. Finding none, he said, “I applaud that. But vigilante antics will only get you fired. Who you gonna help then?”
    After all his reckless behavior, it sounded funny to hear Con preach following the rules. Once again, however, Julia had to admit he was right. She glanced out the patio doors, watched a bird peck at some seeds that had fallen from the bird feeder onto the railing. “Zara followed three members of the Sisters of Liberation group from London to D.C. She turned the mission over to me unofficially so she could continue to track them and uncover what they’re up to.”
    “The woman you met at the construction site. You know who she is?”
    Julia’s defenses shifted. She didn’t know why, but she sensed the need to tread carefully. “Her ID said Brigit Kent. DHS.”
    Conrad resumed his seat, shuffling the scattered papers into a neater pile. “So our government claims. Whoever and whatever she is, though, you and Zara both need to keep your distance.” He closed the laptop and pulled a flash drive in the shape of a Lego brick from a USB port. “Got it?”
    “Why?”
    He smirked at her, standing up again to shove the zip drive into his pants pocket. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
    The old spy joke. Now Con was being the evasive one.
    Like a cold breeze brushing against her skin, Julia’s instincts told her Brigit Kent was involved in something important. Something important to Conrad.
    She glanced at the pile of papers next to his laptop, then made a production out of checking her watch. “I’ve got to get a shower. I have duty for the O’Bern ceremony today.”
    As she walked out of the kitchen to head to the bedroom for fresh clothes, Conrad followed her. “I thought you might offer to work the Pennington kidnapping.”
    Julia stalled at the dresser. Michael’s niece was a top priority case at the moment, and she would have given anything to be part of it. She still respected and admired him immensely. Somehow, though, she’d known how inappropriate it would have been to ask for the assignment. She wouldn’t have gotten it anyway. “Kidnappings are outside the scope of my training.”
    Con was silent as she tugged at the dresser drawer and snagged a pair of underwear. She chanced a glance at him as she crossed to the closet.
    “That the only reason?” he asked.
    Facing him, she saw the uncertainty in his eyes.