Once Alexis declared them done for the day, they joined Matt and Joey in the living room. The guys, leaning over a laptop, looked up in tandem when they entered. Waffle trotted over and lay his head on Matt’s knee. Matt gave him a quick pat. “I take it Waffle’s training went well?”
Stefanie shrugged. “I think so. Although I’m fairly certain I was the one being trained. Alexis could teach a master class in training dogs and their people. You guys figure anything out?”
“I’m not sure.” Joey crossed his arms. “Matt and I have been looking through the CIA database for the consultants Cole wants you to meet. Nothing interesting has popped. Could be why Dmitri chose them – he stays anonymous by using a totally new team. Quinn didn’t hear their names when she was working undercover for Dmitri.”
Stefanie scratched her head. “Wait. Quinn worked directly for the superspy we’re trying to catch?”
“Yeah, but keep that one under your hat. She’s still more than a little upset that she wasn’t able to prevent future attacks. She helped us stop him from unleashing a bioweapons attack, but, well…”
Stefanie nodded with understanding. “Yeah, I get it. Fellow recovering perfectionist here too. So, what does that tell us? Are these guys collaborating with him or not?”
Alexis ran a hand through her hair. “There’s only one way to find out.”
“I’m really hoping it’s by arresting them in their hotel room and having them confess everything.” Stefanie looked at Alexis hopefully.
Alexis clapped her on the back. “Cute. We have to figure out why they need you, and it starts with your suspicious meeting. Matt and I will be in a surveillance van nearby. You can bring Waffle in as part of a new company called Bay Area Barks. We are an employee benefit. Our website is already up and running.” Alexis pulled up a website on her phone that featured a logo and a selection of different dogs, including Waffle with a Bay Area Barks badge around his neck and tongue hanging out one side of his mouth. “You can work Waffle around the building and keep him close while our friends visit. If they bring in explosives, we’ll know it. And if any of these guys have been in contact with Dmitri recently, Waffle will tell us.”
Stefanie swallowed hard. “And if we find out there’s nothing to this meeting other than our customers wanting to do some legitimate research? I mean, then you would have flown out here for nothing.”
Matt shook his head. “We’re your insurance policy. The best kind of insurance is the kind you don’t have to use.”
“Okay.” Stefanie put on a brave face. “Then, let’s go find out if we need insurance.”
Alexis left Joey’s little house with Matt and they retreated to a hotel room close by. While it had been a long day, actually getting to do something had energized her more than any cup of coffee could. When the door to their room closed, Alexis turned to face Matt. “So. How cute were Joey and Stefanie?”
“Do you mean prepared? Because they seemed prepared. We should focus on that.” Matt unclipped Waffle’s leash and Waffle curled up on top of a towel they had laid out earlier, watching them with one eye open.
Alexis waved a hand. “We got Stefanie trained with Waffle. But Ree told me to watch them, and she’s right. There are definitely sparks.”
“You know I’m crazy about you, right?” Matt looped a hand around her waist.
Alexis huffed out a breath. “Yes. Which means you should indulge me in some gossip.”
“Nope. Totally committed and dedicated in every way.” Matt leaned around her to pull his toothbrush out of his bag. “But it is still way too weird to gossip about my coworker’s sister when we’re supposed to be working.”
Alexis huffed out a breath. “Fine. But mark my words, there is something there.”
Matt started brushing his teeth. “Well,” he said, rinsing his brush, “let’s help them get through it. I know for a fact that focused federal agents get uncomfortable if you point out their attraction to someone they are working with. If we all get through this unscathed, I promise we can speculate about your friends all you want.”
When Sunday came, the FBI and CIA teams determined Stefanie needed a break. She argued that she needed the opposite, but they cited their lengthy experience in the field and she had buckled under their influence. She was perfectly fine yielding to someone else’s expertise when the situation called for it. Really, she was. She sighed and cleaned up her kitchen for the second time that day. Or was it the third? She paced around the kitchen, checking for text messages and watching videos of her favorite comedians online while trying not to think of all of the information flooding her system. It didn’t help. When her phone rang with a video call, she nearly dropped it.
Ree’s face soon filled her phone screen. “Hey, Sis.”
Stefanie forced a smile. “Good morning! How are you?”
Ree smiled back, and this time, it didn’t look like she was hiding pain. “I don’t want to brag, but I haven’t puked for three whole days now. I. Am. Fabulous. But what about you?
