Read Online Hard Target by Barbara Phinney - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Phinney
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like ducks in a shooting gallery. She doubted this man was stupid. He'd know if strangers were coming, even if they were disguised as locals.
No, she would have Tay accompany her. He wanted to be in the thick of things. Well, it didn't get much thicker than this.
Standing, she tore off her short nightgown. The maps she needed were in her filing cabinet at work. Might as well go in now. The extra hours would give her time to get caught up, without Tay breathing down her neck.
She'd call him later to wake him up.
When she arrived at the embassy less than an hour after Cabanelos had called, sunlight was just beginning to paint the westerly mountains a brilliant red against the dark blue sky. She waved to the vigilante on duty outside as he opened the vehicular door for her.
As she turned into the compound, she glanced to her right. The traffic was minimal, several vehicles still parked from the night before along the curb. One was a blue Toyota truck.
There were plenty of Toyota trucks here. Yet, how odd that she should notice that model and color three times since Tay's arrival. And more than odd was that the driver was sitting there. With her glimpse, she caught a rough detail of him. Male, white, youngish. Long, pale hair and light shirt. From the way he was slumped, she could only guess at his size, or even if he was awake. There were plenty of homeless in this city, even young male tourists backpacking through South America.
In fact, beside the truck, one of the city's many homeless was rousing from his cardboard bed, catching her attention as she moved through the gate. As a result, all she could remember was the Toyota's plate number ended with a forty-two.
She accelerated around to the rear of the embassy, annoyed the man didn't quite fit the description of Cabanelos. But then, having him so handy would have been too convenient.
A few minutes later, she punched in her code at the rear entrance and drummed her fingers while she waited for the green light. When it winked her on, she barreled into the mantrap and waited for the next set of sliding doors to open.
"Good morning."
She snapped her head up. Tay stood not more than a meter past the metal detector, sipping a coffee.
"You better not have slept here," she warned, stalking into the embassy's main corridor.
He lifted the mug he held. "To tell you the truth, I just got in. Haven't had time to do anything but accept a coffee from the vigilante on duty. Very good blend, by the way."
She glanced down at the mug he held. Her mug. He was drinking coffee out of her mug .
He lifted it up. "I borrowed it."
"So I see. Hope you gave it a good scrubbing. I never have time."
"Don't worry. I did." He turned as she brushed past him. "I guess you always do come in early. How's the head and knee?"
Throwing him a chilly look, she stalked down the hall. Her footfalls echoed in the quiet embassy accompanied by his. "The knee is better than I figured. I have a headache, though, so if you don't mind, don't talk to me until I've had a coffee and checked the map." She nodded to the vigilante who'd replaced Ramos earlier that morning as she passed his desk to head into her office.
Smiling, Tay followed her. "The map? Planning a sightseeing tour for me? How nice."
Dawna didn't appreciate the fact that he was obviously a morning person. "If I could get rid of you that easily, I would."
She dropped her briefcase onto her desk and returned to the security office, inhaling the strong, restorative smell of the local coffee the vigilantes made for themselves in the security office. She couldn't start her day without good Bolivian coffee, even though in the afternoon, she sometimes drank coca tea to help her with the altitude. She walked over to the coffee pot and scanned for a spare mug, all the while sensing Tay behind her, leaning against the door jamb. "Cabanelos called me this morning," she commented.
Even the vigilante swiveled around in his seat. Tay straightened and
No, she would have Tay accompany her. He wanted to be in the thick of things. Well, it didn't get much thicker than this.
Standing, she tore off her short nightgown. The maps she needed were in her filing cabinet at work. Might as well go in now. The extra hours would give her time to get caught up, without Tay breathing down her neck.
She'd call him later to wake him up.
When she arrived at the embassy less than an hour after Cabanelos had called, sunlight was just beginning to paint the westerly mountains a brilliant red against the dark blue sky. She waved to the vigilante on duty outside as he opened the vehicular door for her.
As she turned into the compound, she glanced to her right. The traffic was minimal, several vehicles still parked from the night before along the curb. One was a blue Toyota truck.
There were plenty of Toyota trucks here. Yet, how odd that she should notice that model and color three times since Tay's arrival. And more than odd was that the driver was sitting there. With her glimpse, she caught a rough detail of him. Male, white, youngish. Long, pale hair and light shirt. From the way he was slumped, she could only guess at his size, or even if he was awake. There were plenty of homeless in this city, even young male tourists backpacking through South America.
In fact, beside the truck, one of the city's many homeless was rousing from his cardboard bed, catching her attention as she moved through the gate. As a result, all she could remember was the Toyota's plate number ended with a forty-two.
She accelerated around to the rear of the embassy, annoyed the man didn't quite fit the description of Cabanelos. But then, having him so handy would have been too convenient.
A few minutes later, she punched in her code at the rear entrance and drummed her fingers while she waited for the green light. When it winked her on, she barreled into the mantrap and waited for the next set of sliding doors to open.
"Good morning."
She snapped her head up. Tay stood not more than a meter past the metal detector, sipping a coffee.
"You better not have slept here," she warned, stalking into the embassy's main corridor.
He lifted the mug he held. "To tell you the truth, I just got in. Haven't had time to do anything but accept a coffee from the vigilante on duty. Very good blend, by the way."
She glanced down at the mug he held. Her mug. He was drinking coffee out of her mug .
He lifted it up. "I borrowed it."
"So I see. Hope you gave it a good scrubbing. I never have time."
"Don't worry. I did." He turned as she brushed past him. "I guess you always do come in early. How's the head and knee?"
Throwing him a chilly look, she stalked down the hall. Her footfalls echoed in the quiet embassy accompanied by his. "The knee is better than I figured. I have a headache, though, so if you don't mind, don't talk to me until I've had a coffee and checked the map." She nodded to the vigilante who'd replaced Ramos earlier that morning as she passed his desk to head into her office.
Smiling, Tay followed her. "The map? Planning a sightseeing tour for me? How nice."
Dawna didn't appreciate the fact that he was obviously a morning person. "If I could get rid of you that easily, I would."
She dropped her briefcase onto her desk and returned to the security office, inhaling the strong, restorative smell of the local coffee the vigilantes made for themselves in the security office. She couldn't start her day without good Bolivian coffee, even though in the afternoon, she sometimes drank coca tea to help her with the altitude. She walked over to the coffee pot and scanned for a spare mug, all the while sensing Tay behind her, leaning against the door jamb. "Cabanelos called me this morning," she commented.
Even the vigilante swiveled around in his seat. Tay straightened and
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