Read Online It Takes a Spy...: A Secrets and Seduction book by Sheridan Jeane - Free Book Online Page A

resting on the small vanity until she spied the one that fit the trunk. She plucked it out and stuffed it into the lock. “People do all manner of evil when following orders, Officer Rafferty. That does not excuse your bad manners.”
    “I’m afraid I must insist,” he replied. “We have the hotel’s master key and will use it if you do not willingly grant us access to your room.”
    Although his threat angered Cecilia, she wasn’t surprised by it. As she stormed toward the door, she stuffed the trunk key down her bodice. Seconds later, she flung open the door.
    “As you can see, my sister and I are the only people in the room.” She made a grand, sweeping gesture. “Will that suffice, or do you need to inspect under the beds as well?”
    The man appeared unimpressed by her anger. “I’ve been ordered to complete a thorough search of every room.” He stepped forward, and Cecilia moved to one side so that he wouldn’t trample over her. “And that’s what I intend to do.”
    “This is most outrageous,” Evangeline said. “I was just about to retire for the evening.”
    Cecilia glanced at her sister and noted that she’d unpinned her hair so that it was now tumbling down around her shoulders. She did, indeed, look as though she were preparing for bed.
    Officer Rafferty had the grace to redden. “I’ll be brief.” He leaned over to look under each bed and then looked behind the tall bathing screen in a peremptory fashion. He was so casual that it quickly became obvious that he didn’t expect to find Devin in the room. Even so, he was being thorough.
    He unlatched each wardrobe to look inside, but one of the doors popped open and almost hit him in the face. He seemed embarrassed to be looking at their gowns, however, and only gave the wardrobes a cursory search.
    His gaze traveled around the room, focusing on the balcony doors. He opened them, letting in a damp breeze, and stepped outside. When he leaned forward to peer down the side of the building, the hairs on the back of Cecilia’s neck stood on end.
    If Devin had still been out there, he’d have been captured.
    Rafferty came back inside and scanned the room, but his gaze focused on the worst place possible. “And the trunks?” he asked, sauntering toward them.
    “Yes, those are ours,” Cecilia said, being intentionally obtuse.
    “Can you open them, please?”
    “Open them?” Evangeline’s face reddened. “Open them? Are you suggesting that we’ve hidden Mr. Montlake in a trunk? That’s outrageous! I refuse to allow you to paw through my garments.”
    “My patience is at an end,” Cecilia said, stepping forward to position herself between the trunks and the policeman. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”
    Officer Rafferty thrust out his chin in a determined-looking fashion. “Not until I’ve inspected these trunks.”
    “Go get Father,” Cecilia told Evangeline in her most imperious tone. “This man is overstepping his bounds. If Officer Rafferty won’t listen to us, perhaps he’ll listen to a viscount.”
    Following Cecilia’s lead, Evangeline turned her nose up at the policeman in a most haughty manner and then hurried out the door in the direction of their parents’ room. Cecilia knew Father would have escorted Mother upstairs to rest after such an emotional ordeal. She could only hope he’d remained there.
    Her sister knocked loudly on the door down the hallway. Officer Rafferty took a step closer to Evangeline’s trunk, but Cecilia stepped in his path to block his progress and glared at him. If he wanted to open either of those trunks, then he’d bloody well have to push her to one side.
    She locked gazes with the officer, hoping he couldn’t tell how much he frightened her. Instead of giving in to her fear, she gritted her teeth and dug down a bit deeper inside herself to dredge up the sense of outrage she needed to propel her through the next few minutes.
    “What!” Father shouted in a tone of shock and anger