Read Online Stone Cold Heart by Lisa Hughey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lisa Hughey
Tags: General Fiction
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jersey dress that took minimal space—the same dress she'd worn the night she'd hooked up with Colin six months ago—and the small bag of cosmetics in her backpack, just in case, seemed like serendipity. When she'd been in the FBI it had been standard operating procedure to be ready to change her appearance with a few quick moves and the habit had stuck.
Unfortunately she'd have to take her transmitter off, but she still had her earpiece in. Fortunately Colin couldn't yell at her since he was otherwise occupied.
Jess slid quietly down the debris pile and met Keisha at the base of what used to be the courtyard of the church. They quickly exchanged burdens, Keisha took Jess's backpack and Jess took the poison and taped it to the inside of her thigh.
Keisha gave her head a gentle pat. "Good luck...and thanks."
Jess headed for the back door of the mansion. She knocked on the back door authoritatively. When the cook opened the door, she shoved in, chattering away. "Oh goodness, thanks, I'm so sorry I'm late, can you tell me where I'm supposed go?" she beamed at the rotund cook. She was a large woman with a head full of cornrows and a bemused frown.
She opened her mouth as if to tell Jess to get out.
"I know, I know. I'm late. I got stuck at the security checkpoint." She pointed down at her feet then leaned in and whispered in the cook's ear. "They took my damn shoes. But luckily I had a friend close by who totally wears my size and I could borrow her shoes and then I practically ran all the way here."
The cook still hadn't said a word.
"Please, please let me in." She put her hands together in the prayer position, index fingers to her lips, as she begged. "I need the money." Jess let a little bit of sob trickle through her voice.
Finally, the cook pulled her into the kitchen and shut the door behind Jess. She looked Jess up and down and whispered. "Be careful, milady."
A shiver ran over Jess's spine as she realized that the cook knew something was up. And she was letting her in anyway. She grabbed the woman's hand, and said fervently, "Thank you so much."
"Kat-a-rine." A burly security guard stomped into the kitchen. "What'choo doing?"
"She's with the others."
But the guard had already caught on to Jess's purpose and he smiled slyly. "You're late, missy."
"I-I know," Jess stammered to make it look good but inside she was rolling her eyes. "I had a shoe emergency."
She hoped the silly statement would take him off guard. Instead he gave her a lecherous look. "What you gonna do to make it worth my while to let you in?"
Jess gulped. This situation hadn't been covered in the GHR employee handbook. Shit. She widened her eyes and glanced at his crotch. "Do I have time? I don't want President LeRoy to be mad at you. I thought the guests had already arrived," she said in a breathy voice, reminding the asshole that his boss would be less than happy if she were any later.
The guard peered over his shoulder. "No time now. After the party."
Sure, pal. Jess breathed a mental sigh of relief. One awkward situation down, who knew what?, next.
"Follow me," he grumbled.
"Is there a place where I can freshen up?" she smiled beguilingly at the guard. If she could just get into LeRoy's bathroom, she could unload the poison in the bath salts and get the heck out.
"No." The guard shook his head emphatically. "Guests only."
Dammit. That would have been too easy. Guess this would have to be done the hard way. Hopefully she could figure what the hard way was before she was picked up for the night.
Jess sashayed behind the guard through a massive wide hallway with hand-tied silk Persian rugs and gilded gold-framed portraits of former leaders. Crystal chandeliers hung from high arched ceilings and cast light on a door almost hidden by fancy moulding work. The guard whispered, "You can sneak in this way and no one will notice."
"Thanks," she smiled sultrily and tried to impart every drop of sensuality into the gesture. "See you later,
Unfortunately she'd have to take her transmitter off, but she still had her earpiece in. Fortunately Colin couldn't yell at her since he was otherwise occupied.
Jess slid quietly down the debris pile and met Keisha at the base of what used to be the courtyard of the church. They quickly exchanged burdens, Keisha took Jess's backpack and Jess took the poison and taped it to the inside of her thigh.
Keisha gave her head a gentle pat. "Good luck...and thanks."
Jess headed for the back door of the mansion. She knocked on the back door authoritatively. When the cook opened the door, she shoved in, chattering away. "Oh goodness, thanks, I'm so sorry I'm late, can you tell me where I'm supposed go?" she beamed at the rotund cook. She was a large woman with a head full of cornrows and a bemused frown.
She opened her mouth as if to tell Jess to get out.
"I know, I know. I'm late. I got stuck at the security checkpoint." She pointed down at her feet then leaned in and whispered in the cook's ear. "They took my damn shoes. But luckily I had a friend close by who totally wears my size and I could borrow her shoes and then I practically ran all the way here."
The cook still hadn't said a word.
"Please, please let me in." She put her hands together in the prayer position, index fingers to her lips, as she begged. "I need the money." Jess let a little bit of sob trickle through her voice.
Finally, the cook pulled her into the kitchen and shut the door behind Jess. She looked Jess up and down and whispered. "Be careful, milady."
A shiver ran over Jess's spine as she realized that the cook knew something was up. And she was letting her in anyway. She grabbed the woman's hand, and said fervently, "Thank you so much."
"Kat-a-rine." A burly security guard stomped into the kitchen. "What'choo doing?"
"She's with the others."
But the guard had already caught on to Jess's purpose and he smiled slyly. "You're late, missy."
"I-I know," Jess stammered to make it look good but inside she was rolling her eyes. "I had a shoe emergency."
She hoped the silly statement would take him off guard. Instead he gave her a lecherous look. "What you gonna do to make it worth my while to let you in?"
Jess gulped. This situation hadn't been covered in the GHR employee handbook. Shit. She widened her eyes and glanced at his crotch. "Do I have time? I don't want President LeRoy to be mad at you. I thought the guests had already arrived," she said in a breathy voice, reminding the asshole that his boss would be less than happy if she were any later.
The guard peered over his shoulder. "No time now. After the party."
Sure, pal. Jess breathed a mental sigh of relief. One awkward situation down, who knew what?, next.
"Follow me," he grumbled.
"Is there a place where I can freshen up?" she smiled beguilingly at the guard. If she could just get into LeRoy's bathroom, she could unload the poison in the bath salts and get the heck out.
"No." The guard shook his head emphatically. "Guests only."
Dammit. That would have been too easy. Guess this would have to be done the hard way. Hopefully she could figure what the hard way was before she was picked up for the night.
Jess sashayed behind the guard through a massive wide hallway with hand-tied silk Persian rugs and gilded gold-framed portraits of former leaders. Crystal chandeliers hung from high arched ceilings and cast light on a door almost hidden by fancy moulding work. The guard whispered, "You can sneak in this way and no one will notice."
"Thanks," she smiled sultrily and tried to impart every drop of sensuality into the gesture. "See you later,
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