Undercover agents had to trust each other witheverything. Not just to watch each other’s back the way they did onoperations. When you were undercover it was life and death. Everybreath was dangerous.
And for Megan, it had ended in the worst possibleway.
But she was still moving. Still fighting. He figuredshe organized her life in a way that meant she could cope. Setaside and process later. The woman had a job she needed to do,probably more than “wanted” to. And her mom was a close part of herlife.
She was more than a mystery to him now.
Adrian got up. “Is that everything?”
Hank nodded. “I’ll get you those files. You take careof my girl.”
“Sir?”
“Megan Perkins is a priority here.”
Adrian passed out of Hank’s office at a stride,determined to catch up to Megan as fast as possible. They weregoing to take down Zimmerman, and Adrian was going to be with herevery step of the way until that happened. Regardless of what SACCromwell had been attempting to imply with that comment.
Because she’d gone through enough. More thananyone—agent or no—should ever have to suffer. The FBI owedher.
And Adrian was going to pay that bill.
Chapter5
Megan gripped the phone as she leaned against thecounter in the break room, aware of several sets of eyes trained onher. She was an exception in the office, despite her relationshipwith Hank. It wasn’t like she came around often.
“It just came through on Steve’s email and thecompany account,” her mom said.
“Huh?” She blinked and tuned into what her mom hadbeen saying.
“Zimmerman stopped at a children’shospital in St Louis.”
Megan’s eyebrows lifted.
“He reportedly left a message with one of thepatients, a boy with Leukemia.” Her mom paused. “Very sad. Thenurses sent the email through. Apparently the boy says Zimmermanwas adamant.”
“They mentioned him by name?” If this was legit, itwas a serious breakthrough. But not because they’d gained a leadthrough hard work. No. Zimmerman had contacted them.
But why?
Her mom said, “I’ll forward you the actualemail.”
“Don’t do that.” Megan sawAdrian in the doorway and frowned at the look on his face. He shookhis head. She said to her mom, “Don’tsend it on. It could have a virus, or a worm. You can give away mylocation.”
Her mom said, “Can’t he just find your GPS because ofthis call?”
“Not if you’re using the secure line.”
“I am.”
“Then we’re covered. But read me the email anyway.Humor me. Yeah?” Megan waved Adrian over, and then put the phone onspeaker.
“…trust your judgment. Of course.” Her mom’s voicecame through so they could both hear it.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Here goes.” Her mom paused. “It says, ‘To MeganPerkins.’ So he knows who you are. How, I don’t know.”
Adrian shifted. Megan didn’t look at him. She didn’twant to know what was on his face, considering she likely wouldn’tbe able to decipher it anyway. He probably had no clue why she’dwanted him to listen in on this call. He needed to piece all thistogether without her having to explain. Yes, her mom worked forDouble Down. Receptionist since the day Megan was hired.
Now she could add the fact Daniel Zimmerman—a manshe’d never met, and didn’t know—had used her name. The logicalexplanation was that the blackmailer knew who she was.
Megan said, “What’s the rest?”
“Are you sure—”
“Mom. Tear the bandage off quick.”
“Well, it’s not exactly bad news. More likeinformational.”
“Mom.”
“Okay, fine.” Her mom sighed. “This morning DanielZimmerman visited the oncology ward at the St. Louischildren’s hospital.”
Adrian’s body shifted, but he said nothing.
Megan waited.
“He left a message with one of our patients and askedthat you retrieve it as soon as possible. Due to the patient’scondition, we recommend that as well. Our department is not theplace for whatever kind of arrangement you have established withthis man, and the patient is in no condition to wait, though heinsists on speaking to you himself.” Her mom paused. “That’s all ofit.”
Megan glanced up at Adrian then, asking her mom, “Canyou get us—”
“The plane is at Potomac Airport. It’s waiting foryou, and the pilot already filed a flight plan for St. Louis.”
“Take a look at the airports in and around St.Louis,” Megan said. “See if Zimmerman took a flight out after hedelivered this message.”
“Will do. And…‘us’? What’s that about?” Her mom’stone switched to being entirely too hopeful. “Is Agent Walker withyou? I’ve seen his picture.” She whispered, “He’s cute.”
Megan shut her eyes. Her face flamed.
Adrian chuckled under his breath.
“Goodbye, Mom.” She opened her eyes to end the calland stowed the phone back in her jacket.
How was she supposed to face Adrian now? He’d seenher with her pants off—thank you, Cross Fit. She kept in shape, sothat was something at least. But now her mom thought he was “cute.”Was it possible to die from embarrassment?
“Megan.”
She grudgingly acknowledged his existence, stillaware her cheeks were way too flushed.
“St. Louis?”
“I guess we have a plane to catch,” she said. “Ifyou’d like to come as well…” She let that go unfinished. Did hewant an engraved invitation? He probably knew all about Will, whichwas why he now looked at her with that added bit of softness in hiseyes. “I don’t need your help,” she reminded him. “But if we’reboth going to the same city next anyway, then it makes sense totake the same plane. Less gas. It’s better for the environment.”She lifted her chin.
“The environment?”
“Yes. Don’t you care aboutthe destruction of the planet?” It took all her undercover skillsto keep a straight face despite the ridiculousness. Not of beingeco-conscious, that wasn’t what was ridiculous. Just using that foran excuse because she didn’t want a partner, and that fact hadn’tchanged. But she couldn’t ignore the fact that she’d gotten…used tohim.
He’d been there through some insanity the past fewdays. Weeks.
They both wanted Zimmerman, the blackmailer, broughtdown.
They wanted the American people safeguarded from arogue FBI agent with a deadly weapon.
She didn’t have to explain why she did some thingsthe FBI way. And she didn’t have to explain why she didn’t need hishelp. Once this was done, she wasn’t going to have to see thatsadness in his gaze anymore.
“Let’s go.” She breezed past him. The need to
