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CHAPTER NINE

SPENCER

S pencer stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Taking time for a quick rinse had been a risk. She certainly didn’t want to miss a call, but she had an important in-person meeting this afternoon, and showing up looking like she’d just had sex seemed like a bad idea.

She wrapped the towel around her torso, dried off quickly, and towel-dried her hair. With practiced speed, she brushed it back and pulled it into a ponytail. She opted for a navy suit with a white blouse for the upcoming meeting, then leaned over the sink to apply makeup in the mirror.

Drake was just stepping out of the shower.

“Who are you meeting with?” he asked.

She met his gaze in the mirror, her belly tightening. “There’s a guy at the NSA.”

Drake froze. “You’re meeting with someone from the National Security Agency?”

“Yes,” she said, returning her attention to applying her mascara.

“And you didn’t think it was relevant to tell me that?” His tone said he certainly thought it was relevant.

“I’m telling you now,” she replied, trying to keep her temper in check.

Drake tossed the towel he’d been using into the hamper and stalked into his side of the closet.

“Do you want to work for the NSA?” he called.

Spencer frowned at her reflection. That was really the question, wasn’t it? Did she want to go back to that life? Her time at Homeland—some of it had been good. But she hadn’t been happy. Would the NSA make her any happier?

“I don’t know,” she said aloud, then turned as Drake walked out of the closet, tucking his shirt into his slacks.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing. It’s been driving me slowly crazy.

I need to work. I am so grateful that you helped Kathleen and me set up the network to help abused women escape.

It is gratifying that we can help, but now that we’ve got it in place, there isn’t much to do. ”

“You could have any job?—”

“No.” She shook her head. “I know I can work for you. With you. You’d set me up with anything I wanted. But...” She crossed the bathroom and placed her hand on his chest. “That’s not really what I want. At least, I don’t think it is.”

His mouth tightened into a flat line, as if he wanted to argue, but was trying to check himself.

And she seriously appreciated the effort.

With a shrug, she explained, “I want to work with an agency again, a team. I want to work on stuff that matters.” He cocked an eyebrow.

She tipped her head and quickly added, “Not that your stuff doesn’t matter.

” The last thing she wanted to do was insult the man she loved with everything in her.

“At least, I think I do. I don’t know for sure, honestly. I just know I don’t want a made-up job. I want something that’s meaningful to me and where I can have a substantial impact. Helping abused women made me feel fulfilled. Now I want something else. Something more in my field.”

Drake snapped his cuff links in place. “And you think being at the NSA will provide that for you?”

“Yes, I do. Or at least I am exploring the possibility.”

Drake frowned. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Finally, he said, “I’ll support you in anything you do. But the NSA... I worry about you working there.” He patted his chest, as if even saying that pained him.

She put a hand over his where it rested on his chest. “I know. I have concerns, too. It would mean you can’t talk about certain parts of your work, the ones in the gray areas. And I wouldn’t be able to talk about my work with you either. Because if I did…”

He snorted. “Then the NSA will have to kill me. I get it. Bad situation.”

She sighed. “It’s only one meeting. The first one. Let’s just see how it goes.”

Her phone buzzed. Spencer turned to grab it off the bathroom counter, answering with a swipe.

“Spencer,” came Carol’s voice down the line. Her contact with MI6 hopefully had information they could use. “You’re gonna owe me big for this.”

Spencer laughed. “Somehow, I knew that was coming.”

“I’m thinking it might involve a stay at one of your partner’s fabulous hotels.”

“That’s a definite possibility,” Spencer replied.

Carol’s voice turned serious. “So, I was spot on. Teddy B is in trouble these days. He’s been dealing with—like I said before—some African warlords, and some terrorist groups in the Middle East. But recently… he’s had a bit of a resurgence in the UK.”

Spencer paused. “What do you mean by resurgence?”

“I mean someone—don’t know who yet—needed help, and Teddy B was able to provide it. So, they’re slowly letting him back into the inner circle. I had a good long chat with my contact at MI5 since Teddy B is doing deals on British soil again, and apparently, he is being forgiven.”

“So, he’s best buds with his old crew?” Spencer asked.

Her friend made a dismissive noise. “I wouldn’t say they’re best buds. More like they’re giving him a little leeway, let’s put it that way. No one really trusts him. But it’s a small group, and he bailed someone out.”

Spencer frowned. “What does that mean?”

“Well, as for the situation with your friend… I don’t know exactly who Teddy B is working for or his specific role in all of it. But if I had to guess, it’s probably something to do with that circle…”

Spencer’s mind was already racing. “So… what you’re telling me is that you think someone in the British aristocracy, someone from that set, has something to do with Teddy B trying to put Gage in prison?”

“I don’t know the details. I don’t even know much about the Callahan guy. But my source says Teddy B is chatting it up with his old pals again. So yeah... my guess is, one of them is behind all this.”

“That’s just… truly bizarre.”

“I agree,” Carol said. “But no more bizarre than African warlords or any of the others.”

“Well, that’s true. Anyway, thanks, Carol. And let me know anytime you want to stay at one of our hotels. I’ll set it up.”

“I’ll do that for sure. Chat soon,” Carol replied before ending the call.

Spencer turned to find Drake watching her.

“So?” he asked.

“According to my source, Teddy B lent a helping hand to one of his old friends. They’re slowly letting him back into their circle. She says if Teddy B did this favor…setting Gage up… it was probably for someone from that crowd.”

Drake stared at her, a frown forming. “Someone in the British aristocracy wants Gage in prison?”

She shook her head. “I know. It makes zero sense. We’ve got one piece to a thousand-piece puzzle, and none of it’s going to make sense until we find the rest.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t,” Drake said, glancing at his watch. “I’ll pass this on to Gage—but it’ll have to wait. I have a call in two minutes.”

“I’ve got time, I’ll make the call,” Spencer said. “My meeting with the NSA isn’t for a little while. I’ll reach out to Lacy and the Callahans. Maybe they can shed some light on who Gage pissed off among the Royals.”

Drake came over and dropped a kiss on her lips. “I don’t know whether I should say ‘good luck or not,’ but I hope you get what you want from the meeting.”

“Thanks, me too,” she responded and watched him walk out the door.

She turned back to the mirror and gave herself a final once-over.

She looked good. Very professional. Dropping the mascara tube into the drawer, she turned and headed for the elevator.

Drake was going to work from his home office for the rest of the day, so no matter what, she was heading out.

As much as she loved the man, if they were both in the apartment, she found herself either in his office bugging him, or he came to her office to bug her.

They were better working separately, which was one of the reasons she wanted a career not linked to his.

If she were being honest, she wanted autonomy because she felt guilty.

He was providing everything for her. All the money, the apartment, the travel to anywhere she wanted to go…

She didn’t like not contributing, but worse, she loathed her loss of independence.

Not that Drake ever made her feel that way.

Nope —that fault was all hers. She needed to cut the head off that particular snake.

Earn her own keep. Do something that meant she mattered in the grand scheme of things.

She hit the lobby and glanced at her watch.

Her meeting wasn’t for a while, so she decided to take the subway and go to Callahan Security.

Might as well tell them in person. Plus, she wanted to see how the plans were going.

She was super excited about the wedding.

The fact that all this was happening now must have Logan stratospheric in his stress level. She grinned. Better Lacy than her.

Twenty-five minutes, and a crowded subway train ride later, Spencer was shown into the boardroom of Callahan Security. Gage, Logan, and Mitch were sitting around the table along with Alex.

“Hey all,” she said as she entered the room.

The guys rose to greet her, each in turn giving her a hug. Alex smiled. “Fellow shopper! We need a trip soon. I need some new summer clothes.”

Spencer nodded. “I’m down with that. I could use some new dresses myself. You tell me the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

Everyone sat down again.

“So,” Gage started, “I got your text. What did you find out?”

Spencer leaned back in her chair and filled them all in.

“Someone in the royal family is responsible for framing Gage?” Alex asked incredulously.

“No, not the royal family, but someone in that set seems to have asked a favor from Teddy B, or at least that’s the theory. The only other people Teddy has been working with of late are African warlords and the occasional terrorist group. Somehow, neither seems more plausible.”

“No,” Logan agreed. “They don’t, but it doesn’t answer the question of why someone would want to frame Gage either. This whole thing gets more mysterious with every fact we find out.”

Alex glanced at Mitch and then reached over to squeeze Gage’s arm.

“I am so sorry about all this.” She stood.

“I’m going to track down Leo. He’s been out of touch, but I promise I won’t stop until I reach him.

We have to know how all this began if we want to figure the rest of it out.

” She nodded to Spencer and left the room, her cell phone already in her hand.

“Well, thanks, Spencer. I’m not sure what we’ll do with that information, but anything and everything helps,” Mitch commented.

“It’s like we’re missing a few pieces of the puzzle so the picture doesn’t make sense, but with each piece we discover, eventually it will come into focus.

” Spencer glanced at her watch. She had to go if she was going to be ten minutes early for her meeting.

That would be expected. Twenty is too eager. Ten is considered on time.

She got to her feet. “I’ve got to run, but it would seem to me someone needs to talk to Teddy B soon. He’s the only person who can shed light on this at this point. Or at least, the only one we know of.”

“She’s not wrong,” Logan stated as he glanced at Gage. “We need to hear it from the horse’s mouth.”

Gage nodded. “I agree.” He turned to Spencer. “Do you think Drake would reach out to Teddy B? He shared the story, and I know it’s a sore spot for him and I don’t want him to do anything he’s not comfortable with.”

Spencer smiled. “Well, if you mean to ask if Drake might go and lean on Teddy B with the possibility of threatening not only destruction of any remaining reputation but physical violence, then I think that answer is a solid yes. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure he’d be thrilled to do it for you. ”

Mitch grinned. “I think it might be fun if we all went.”

“Agreed,” Gage said with a ghost of a smile.

“But first,” Logan interjected, “we have to deal with the pending arrest.”

“Arrest?” Spencer blurted. Things had obviously gone downhill. “Are they really going to arrest you, Gage?”

“Apparently, so our sources tell us.” He shrugged.

“We need to find out what they have that makes them so sure it’s Gage.” Logan stood. “There’s a rumor about a video, but we don’t know for sure. Until we can get our hands on it, we’re in the dark.”

Spencer bit her lip. This sucked and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do to help. It was outside of her area of expertise. “If there’s anything…”

“We know.” Gage offered her a smile. “Tell Drake we might need him to hit up Teddy B?—”

“Hit up or just hit?” She laughed.

The brothers laughed along with her.

“But it won’t be until after the wedding,” Logan said when he stopped chuckling. “We need that to happen first.”

Spencer glanced at her watch again. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll let him know. Gage, we’re pulling for you. See you all at the wedding.” With that, she turned and went out to the elevators.

This did not look good if they were already moving to arrest Gage. This whole thing seemed like one big shit show. Drake was not going to be pleased. Logan was right, though; there was no way to get to London and back before the wedding, so everyone was just going to have to hang tight.

Of course, if Gage were arrested, would they bother going through with the wedding? As the elevator doors opened, she found herself thinking she was glad she wasn’t the one who had to make that call.