Read Online Trust No One by Diana Layne - Free Book Online

there’s no evidence Tasha is in Russia? It’s always possible she could go in a back way.”
    “No, we have every reason to believe she’s in the states,” Jeff said, but didn’t expound further.
    Making Dave even more curious, but he tucked that bit information away for when he could explore it on his own. “And you’re worried about this Nikolai because. . .”
    “We didn’t send him to Russia. He took some time off and went on his own. And then he just disappeared.”
    “Any contact with the Russian government?”
    “No. We’ve sent out queries but no answers. I want you to follow up. Find him. Learn why he’s there.” Jeff met Dave’s gaze. “Learn if he’s still alive.”
    With a grim set to his mouth, Dave determined he’d learn more than that.

 

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 5
     
    At the moment, revenge was on Ben’s mind. Bamboo shoots shoved under fingernails, water boarding, caning, sleep deprivation . . . the rack. During a brief respite while the waitress, Paula, went for the order, Ben entertained himself with ways to torture MJ for sending him to Roy’s in the first place. But he plastered a smile on his face when the waitress came back from the kitchen.
    “Here you go, sugar dumplin’s.” Paula handed Ben the white plastic bag filled with hot food packed in Styrofoam containers. “I put some extra gravy in there for the mashed potatoes.” She winked at him and handed him a smaller sack. “And you tell MJ I packed two big old pieces of chocolate pie. She loves Lily’s—that’s Roy’s wife—chocolate pie. And I put a sugar cookie in there for that little Angel.”
    “I’ll be sure to tell her.” Ben gave her another well-practiced smile, grabbed the two sacks and escaped faster than a mouse running from a cat. The chimes jangled as the door closed behind him.
    Once outside, he paused long enough to take a breath and enjoy the silence of the early evening. Ask for Paula indeed.
    The woman could talk the ears off a mannequin. But she had been a fountain of information, confirming that MJ had made herself fit into this small dinky town. A feat in itself considering her background. He wondered how long she planned to keep up the act. After all, how long could a woman trained as she’d been trained, stay in such a sleepy town and not die of boredom? That was the main reason he had never gone back to his small hometown in Oklahoma. Drinking seemed an easier way to be miserable.
    Ben glanced at his watch. If he didn’t hurry, he’d be late. All that time spent at the diner, and he hadn’t had a bite to eat yet.
    The smell of homecooked food flooded the truck. His stomach rumbled painfully as he pulled up in front of MJ’s building. He didn’t know if she would welcome food or not, but if she didn’t, he could probably eat it all himself.
    MJ opened the door, towel-drying her short dark hair, smelling slightly damp and now wearing white leggings and a body-hugging gray t-shirt.
    Angelina, propped on MJ’s hip, kicked her feet and gurgled some garbled greeting to him. The baby’s bouncy moves brought his gaze down to MJ’s sculpted thighs, clearly visible beneath the white leggings. Her quads contracted as she jiggled the baby.
    Even with the homey mommy-filled atmosphere, MJ still looked formidable and sexy, muscles as well as curves well-defined now that they weren’t hidden beneath baggy work coveralls. Something about muscles on a woman, Ben thought with appreciation. Yep, muscles were a turn-on for sure.
    She seemed to ignore his scrutiny with ease, no doubt intent on sending him on his way as quickly as possible.
    “You don’t have long. I have to feed Ang–” She stopped, sniffed. Her eyes widened, grew hopeful, making her look less intimidating, and more appealing. “Chicken fried steak from Roy’s?”
    He waggled his eyebrows with promise. “And chocolate pie.” Without waiting to be invited, he walked inside and set the sacks on the table. If