go be the eyes on the street, and we’ll be undercover as two friends enjoying a night out.”
“That’ll take a lot of work.” At his downcast eyes, she added, “Jackie, I was joking.”
“Oh, right,” he said with an awkward laugh. “Sorry.”
“Love being quicker than you are,” she said. “It only happens about once a year. Okay, so I just need to look over the paperwork that Mahmoud prepared so I know what’s up.”
“ I prepped the paperwork, Bee,” Jackson said shortly, crossing his arms and looking a bit put out. “It’s what I’ve been working on for the last few months. Mahmoud’s a great partner, but I did all the legwork. We’re working together. But make no mistake: I’m the one in charge. Finish getting ready. I’ll go make you a coffee.”
As he took off, she wondered if she’d insulted him somehow. Weird. What was up with him? And why was his attitude pissing her off even more? Tying her hair back in a ponytail, she put on some lipstick and grabbed her purse, making a mental note to find out what was going on with him ASAP.
‡‡‡
IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON in D.C., and the Boss had just landed at Dulles International Airport. He was at a loss, not quite sure whom they were tracking or why, knowing there was someone to save, someone to capture, and several someones to hide from. But he was lost. Normally, Fritz gave him the intel and he organized the plans. Now he was just a point person, a point of contact, an administrator over someone else’s case. Though he could seem easygoing, he wasn’t. Though he appeared unflappable, sometimes life got the better of him. And though he worked hard to project a type B persona, he was very solidly type A. He wanted to be in control. And he hated that he wasn’t. He’d been pissed off enough to leave and come back to his home turf. Now, at least, he could run a few cases solo while he waited to see what transpired. But since he was alone, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his team had been taken away from him.
There was only one person who could help when things got rough. There was a lady in his life, a woman he loved more than he loved working cases, more than he loved classic films. He’d been under her spell since they met ten years ago on a shared case, one in which a man who was involved in a Ponzi scheme was also leading a double life. They’d met then, and instantly had a connection. But their relationship had taken place in secret, in the dark, in hidden corners. She said it was because of her work, that she couldn’t be attached to anyone. That it would be “bad for business.” He agreed but secretly wondered if she were with someone else, or if she just wasn’t into it like he was.
He’d remained single all this time, hoping that one day they could be together. But who was he kidding? Babs Worthington was the toughest, smartest, coolest cat in the business. She was a lone ranger, a brilliant investigator who hunted alone, surrounded by a team comprised exclusively of women. Sometimes she called him when she needed an extra pair of eyes or backup on a tough case. And sometimes he called her for the same. But mostly, he called her to talk, because the truth of the matter was that she was the only person on earth who could even him out.
She answered on the first ring, and he could hear the sound of her lighting one of her customary Marlboro Reds. She inhaled deeply before saying, “What is it, Johnny? You sound stressed.”
“How can you hear that I’m stressed? I haven’t said anything yet,” the Boss responded, but he already felt more at ease, just hearing her voice.
She laughed, low husky laughter that warmed his insides. “I can hear your silence, Johnny. It sounds . . . tight. What’s up? New case?”
“Yeah, you could say that. Mind if I bend your ear for a bit?”
He could hear her stretch out on that creaky old twin bed she’d never get rid of. Babs lived in Maryland and operated out of her home,
“That’ll take a lot of work.” At his downcast eyes, she added, “Jackie, I was joking.”
“Oh, right,” he said with an awkward laugh. “Sorry.”
“Love being quicker than you are,” she said. “It only happens about once a year. Okay, so I just need to look over the paperwork that Mahmoud prepared so I know what’s up.”
“ I prepped the paperwork, Bee,” Jackson said shortly, crossing his arms and looking a bit put out. “It’s what I’ve been working on for the last few months. Mahmoud’s a great partner, but I did all the legwork. We’re working together. But make no mistake: I’m the one in charge. Finish getting ready. I’ll go make you a coffee.”
As he took off, she wondered if she’d insulted him somehow. Weird. What was up with him? And why was his attitude pissing her off even more? Tying her hair back in a ponytail, she put on some lipstick and grabbed her purse, making a mental note to find out what was going on with him ASAP.
‡‡‡
IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON in D.C., and the Boss had just landed at Dulles International Airport. He was at a loss, not quite sure whom they were tracking or why, knowing there was someone to save, someone to capture, and several someones to hide from. But he was lost. Normally, Fritz gave him the intel and he organized the plans. Now he was just a point person, a point of contact, an administrator over someone else’s case. Though he could seem easygoing, he wasn’t. Though he appeared unflappable, sometimes life got the better of him. And though he worked hard to project a type B persona, he was very solidly type A. He wanted to be in control. And he hated that he wasn’t. He’d been pissed off enough to leave and come back to his home turf. Now, at least, he could run a few cases solo while he waited to see what transpired. But since he was alone, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his team had been taken away from him.
There was only one person who could help when things got rough. There was a lady in his life, a woman he loved more than he loved working cases, more than he loved classic films. He’d been under her spell since they met ten years ago on a shared case, one in which a man who was involved in a Ponzi scheme was also leading a double life. They’d met then, and instantly had a connection. But their relationship had taken place in secret, in the dark, in hidden corners. She said it was because of her work, that she couldn’t be attached to anyone. That it would be “bad for business.” He agreed but secretly wondered if she were with someone else, or if she just wasn’t into it like he was.
He’d remained single all this time, hoping that one day they could be together. But who was he kidding? Babs Worthington was the toughest, smartest, coolest cat in the business. She was a lone ranger, a brilliant investigator who hunted alone, surrounded by a team comprised exclusively of women. Sometimes she called him when she needed an extra pair of eyes or backup on a tough case. And sometimes he called her for the same. But mostly, he called her to talk, because the truth of the matter was that she was the only person on earth who could even him out.
She answered on the first ring, and he could hear the sound of her lighting one of her customary Marlboro Reds. She inhaled deeply before saying, “What is it, Johnny? You sound stressed.”
“How can you hear that I’m stressed? I haven’t said anything yet,” the Boss responded, but he already felt more at ease, just hearing her voice.
She laughed, low husky laughter that warmed his insides. “I can hear your silence, Johnny. It sounds . . . tight. What’s up? New case?”
“Yeah, you could say that. Mind if I bend your ear for a bit?”
He could hear her stretch out on that creaky old twin bed she’d never get rid of. Babs lived in Maryland and operated out of her home,
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