Read Online Dangerous Defiance by Natasha Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natasha Knight
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“The desk job, that seemed strange for a decorated war hero.”
“Life’s a bitch sometimes,” he said, his tone casual. “I let go of that a few years back, Jess. What happened, happened whether it was wrong or right. It’s over and I want to live my life now, not in the past, not brooding over the injustice of it all.”
“That’s how Ben was,” she said, picking up her coffee. “He deserved better and he got a raw deal.”
“Well, let’s see what we can do to make it right,” he said.
They spent the morning going over things and sharing information. He made some calls, setting up meetings with two residents later that week. She had brought the note she’d received last night to show him but she hesitated. A part of her wanted to tell him about it, about her plans for that evening, but the note had said for her to come alone. She couldn’t take a chance on Jackson going with her or telling her she could not go and she expected him to do one of those two things. She would go meet with whomever it was tonight and she would just tell him the note had come that night and that she hadn’t had time to tell him.
Guilt settled in her belly. She was going to lie to him. She had lied already when she decided to omit telling him about it. It didn’t feel good to do it and more than once, she came close to spilling the news, but changed her mind. Now she was heading back to her hotel and when he had asked her to meet for dinner that night, she declined, complaining of feeling tired.
But when she got back to her hotel room later that afternoon, two cars were parked outside of her door, two cars she recognized. Before she even parked her car, the doors on the black Volvos opened and four agents climbed out. The last man to step out into what had turned into a very damp day was Assistant Deputy Director Wayne Hanson.
Chapter Seven
“God damn Georgia weather in July, huh, Agent?” Hanson asked when she approached him.
“Sir,” she said, unsure how to react. “It’s a bitch,” she said, recovering herself. She was only here to mourn her friend. That was all. He had no rights over her and he certainly couldn’t tell her where she was allowed to spend her leave.
“Get the lady’s bag,” he told the agent who quickly moved into action, taking her small briefcase from her. “Hurt yourself?” he asked, eyeing the crutch she had used to walk inside. Her leg hurt after the long day without it.
“It’s nothing,” she said.
He nodded, eyeing the bandage on her thigh.
“I believe this is your room,” he asked, gesturing to her door. He knew damn well which was her room. She was only surprised he hadn’t already gone inside.
She slid the key card into the slot and pushed the door open, then flipped the light switch.
She quickly picked up the discarded clothes she had left in a pile and set her purse down on the desk. Three of the men walked inside, closing the door behind them. The one who had her briefcase set it down beside the desk. Although the room wasn’t large to begin with, the space suddenly seemed more than a little cramped.
“Have a seat, Agent,” Hanson said, gesturing toward the edge of the bed. The other agents stood aside.
Jess sat down, placing her hands in her lap, trying not to look like she was trying to hide anything. Not that it mattered, she was sure they knew. Why else would they be here?
The silence was awkward as Hanson pulled out the chair and sat down. He kept his suit jacket on and didn’t seem to have broken a sweat. It was baffling as she sat sweating in much lighter clothing, even though the air conditioner was working.
“How are you liking New Hope?” he asked. “Strange place to vacation if you ask me.”
“I’m not vacationing, sir. To be honest, I wanted to see where Ben had died. Try to make some peace with it.” Give them a little bit of truth and they might buy her lies.
He nodded. “Tragedy, what happened to him.” The way he said it made her
“Life’s a bitch sometimes,” he said, his tone casual. “I let go of that a few years back, Jess. What happened, happened whether it was wrong or right. It’s over and I want to live my life now, not in the past, not brooding over the injustice of it all.”
“That’s how Ben was,” she said, picking up her coffee. “He deserved better and he got a raw deal.”
“Well, let’s see what we can do to make it right,” he said.
They spent the morning going over things and sharing information. He made some calls, setting up meetings with two residents later that week. She had brought the note she’d received last night to show him but she hesitated. A part of her wanted to tell him about it, about her plans for that evening, but the note had said for her to come alone. She couldn’t take a chance on Jackson going with her or telling her she could not go and she expected him to do one of those two things. She would go meet with whomever it was tonight and she would just tell him the note had come that night and that she hadn’t had time to tell him.
Guilt settled in her belly. She was going to lie to him. She had lied already when she decided to omit telling him about it. It didn’t feel good to do it and more than once, she came close to spilling the news, but changed her mind. Now she was heading back to her hotel and when he had asked her to meet for dinner that night, she declined, complaining of feeling tired.
But when she got back to her hotel room later that afternoon, two cars were parked outside of her door, two cars she recognized. Before she even parked her car, the doors on the black Volvos opened and four agents climbed out. The last man to step out into what had turned into a very damp day was Assistant Deputy Director Wayne Hanson.
Chapter Seven
“God damn Georgia weather in July, huh, Agent?” Hanson asked when she approached him.
“Sir,” she said, unsure how to react. “It’s a bitch,” she said, recovering herself. She was only here to mourn her friend. That was all. He had no rights over her and he certainly couldn’t tell her where she was allowed to spend her leave.
“Get the lady’s bag,” he told the agent who quickly moved into action, taking her small briefcase from her. “Hurt yourself?” he asked, eyeing the crutch she had used to walk inside. Her leg hurt after the long day without it.
“It’s nothing,” she said.
He nodded, eyeing the bandage on her thigh.
“I believe this is your room,” he asked, gesturing to her door. He knew damn well which was her room. She was only surprised he hadn’t already gone inside.
She slid the key card into the slot and pushed the door open, then flipped the light switch.
She quickly picked up the discarded clothes she had left in a pile and set her purse down on the desk. Three of the men walked inside, closing the door behind them. The one who had her briefcase set it down beside the desk. Although the room wasn’t large to begin with, the space suddenly seemed more than a little cramped.
“Have a seat, Agent,” Hanson said, gesturing toward the edge of the bed. The other agents stood aside.
Jess sat down, placing her hands in her lap, trying not to look like she was trying to hide anything. Not that it mattered, she was sure they knew. Why else would they be here?
The silence was awkward as Hanson pulled out the chair and sat down. He kept his suit jacket on and didn’t seem to have broken a sweat. It was baffling as she sat sweating in much lighter clothing, even though the air conditioner was working.
“How are you liking New Hope?” he asked. “Strange place to vacation if you ask me.”
“I’m not vacationing, sir. To be honest, I wanted to see where Ben had died. Try to make some peace with it.” Give them a little bit of truth and they might buy her lies.
He nodded. “Tragedy, what happened to him.” The way he said it made her
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