Page 6 of The Devoted Game
Busted.
“Just one.” He met that furious glower with unrestrained curiosity. “Do you have a problem with men in general, or is it just me?”
She pointed her fury forward, rolled into a parking slot, and shoved the gearshift into park without so much as a “kiss my ass.” He would take that as a “no comment.”
The lady had a hang-up about her looks or about men looking at her; the question was, Why? Was she really an ice princess, or was the attitude a defense mechanism? Maybe the boys in the office gave her a hard time. He could definitely see her working more diligently than the rest to garner the respect she deserved. Hey, maybe that was the reason she’d ended up with this low-man-on-the-totem-pole transport job. Her SAC probably figured sending her versus one of the guys would prove a better incentive for cooperation.
Ryan couldn’t deny he was curious about the lady, but like he told her, he was here for one reason. To help the kid. Admiring Grace’s numerous physical assets and giving her a hard time was just something to pass the time.
He opened the door and climbed out of the SUV. The hellacious headache was gone thanks to Grace, who had insisted on hitting a fast-food drive-through before going to the airfield in Marathon. At the time he couldn’t have cared less about eating, but now he was glad he had. Between the food, a handful of aspirin, and a nap on the plane, he felt remotely human. But the tension contorting deep in his gut right now wasn’t going to be relieved so easily.
What he really needed was a drink, but that wasn’t happening for the next nineteen or twenty hours. A smoke would have to do.
He pulled out the pack, tamped loose a Marlboro, then dipped two fingers into the pocket of his jeans and fished out his lighter. Lighting up, he inhaled the comforting nicotine, instantly relaxing a fraction. The dozen or so vehicles he counted in the lot told him that most of the staff was still on duty. A field office this size wouldn’t likely employ any more than that.
“Looks like your colleagues are all on hand for your big coup.” He felt a little like the trophy African buffalo at the end of a safari. What was the prize, he wondered, for bringing in the beast? Respect, or sympathy?
Grace stepped out of the smoke’s path, her nose wrinkled with distaste. “As certain as I am that everyone here is anxious to have your assistance and will be honored by your presence, no one’s going home until Alyssa Byrne is found. Standard procedure. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten how things are done.”
She just doesn’t know how far I’ve fallen.He stared at the entrance, his tension spiraling out of control way too fast. From day one of his Bureau career he had been assigned to the Child Abduction Unit at Quantico. He’d been damned good. The best, as Grace said. But that was a long time ago. He had forgotten more about this business than most people ever hoped to know. And why wouldn’t he forget? He had stopped expecting to get called in on a case two years ago.
If he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could still see the face of each child for every Amber Alert issued that first year following histermination. After that he had stopped watching or listening to the news. Eventually, when he had learned just how much Jack Daniel’s was required to get the job done, he’d passed the point of caring.
Yet here he was.Definitely a case of temporary insanity.A trip over the edge that he was sure to regret.
I’m here for the kid,he reminded that cynical voice nagging at him. One final drag from his cigarette, then he flicked away the fire and shoved the snuffed-out butt into his pocket. This was no doubt a smoke-free campus. It was a miracle alarms hadn’t gone off when he lit up.
“Before we go in, I need one thing from you, Grace.” Even though there had been time on the plane, they hadn’t discussed the logistics of how this would work. He had taken a seat and had promptly closed his eyes for some much-needed sleep. When he had awakened, Grace had been dead to the world. Probably the first shut-eye she’d had in more than twenty-four hours. He remembered how it was.
“What’s that?” The grim set of that gorgeous mouth warned that she was suspicious of anything he might ask.
“Whatever goes down ... no matter what your SAC says, or what you think of me, you back me up. If I can’t count on at least your cooperation, I’m out of here. Do we have an understanding?”
The slight flare of those wide brown eyes told him he had hit a nerve, saddled her with a heart thumper. Going up against her SAC wouldn’t look good on a performance evaluation, but he wasn’t backing off on this one. This was every man for himself, and he wasn’t going in there without at least one ally.
“We have an agreement,” she conceded, “as long as backing you up doesn’t jeopardize rescuing Alyssa.”
That was a condition he could live with. He indulged in one last, lingering survey of his new partner. “Good,” he said just as anger, motivated by his flagrant ogling, sparked in her eyes. “Let’s do this thing.”
She led the way into the lobby.
Sprawled across the marble floor was the FBI emblem found in all Bureau offices. The same emblem that had once inspired great pride in him. Now on seeing it the only thing he felt was animosity.
“Afternoon, Agent Grace.” The security guard, Charles Williams according to his name tag, set two plastic containers on the counter. “You know the drill.” The guard’s welcoming smile dimmed a little when he turned to Ryan. “I’ll need to see some ID, sir, so I can check you into the visitor’s log. Please empty your pockets before moving through the scanner.”
He dug out his driver’s license and passed it to the guard. He emptied his pockets, dropping his wallet, a few coins, his lighter, cigarettes, and an unopened condom into one of the provided containers.
Grace shot him a look. “Always prepared, I see.”
“Just like a Boy Scout.” He might not have any respect left for himself, but he didn’t take chances with anyone else’s life.
He followed Grace through the body scanner and then reclaimed his belongings, along with a visitor’s badge bearing his name. Once Grace had retrieved her purse and weapon, she thanked Williams and headed for the elevator. If she dropped her purse and the contents spilled across the floor, what would he learn about the woman beneath the badge? Did she use a notepad or the notes app in her phone? Did she like sucking on a breath mint or chewing gum? What flavor lip gloss did she use on those sexy lips?
Finding out those answers was about as likely as winning the lottery.
The elevator doors parted, and Grace stepped inside and selected floor three. She lingered as close to the control panel as possible to wait out the ride. Keeping her distance, was she? Was that because she was afraid of him? Or was she afraid of herselfwith him? Interesting thought.
Ryan leaned against the rear wall and took advantage of the opportunity to study her backside. She didn’t have to know that his fascination with her kept him from obsessing on the idea that he was here, in a federal justice building, about to try resurrecting a past he had worked extra hard to kill.