Page 39 of Rescued By the Operative

“I shot the last man who told me to calm down!”

I peer at the wound, and it’s still healing. Still no sign of infection. “I bet that felt good,” I say.

“It did.”

“I knew you’d say that. I could tell that about you,” I say, carefully sticking the bandage back over her stitches.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know you’re beautiful. I know you’re sweet. I know you care about people, Agent, or you wouldn’t have taken this assignment for the FBI.”

Her eyes flash wide.

“You have a tell.”

That was a dirty trick on my part. Caught her.

“How did you know?” Blondie asks.

“Come on.”

She throws an arm over her eyes. “I’m so fired.”

“Nah,” I say. You’re good. Stop anticipating the worst.”

“Hard not to when I get so little information from these people. I have to fill in the gaps.”

I shrug. “We can share resources.”

“You know that’s impossible,” she scoffs. “The Bureau isn’t going to do that with a band of citizen vigilantes.”

“Ah, but I also know you aren’t working with the local law enforcement on investigating those murders up on the mountain, so who are you getting your information from?”

She hesitates. “I’m becoming one of them. I talk to the women and find out as much as I can.”

“The problem is, Blondie, they aren’t going to tell you much. They’re all still brainwashed.”

“I don’t have many other choices,” she says.

“The solution to that is right in front of you.”

She shakes her head. “It’s too dangerous. We can’t work together.”

“I didn’t ask to work with you. I’m offering you information. I can get you access to women who’ve been on the inside. They can get Georgie to talk to you. But I need something in return.”

“No, you can’t have a badge,” Blondie says, rolling her eyes.

“Go on a date with me.”

“Jake.”

“A real date. Let me take you out to dinner. Dancing. Let’s be a normal couple for one night.”

“We’re not a couple.”

“We will be.”

“You don’t even know my name.”