and the kids got back.” After taking one more sip of water, she capped the bottle and smiled bravely up at Captain Hunter. “Kinda has that lived in look now, don’t ya think?”
“Shabby chic maybe.” Chase Hunter returned the smile, drinking in the fluid blue eyes that fought back further tears. When she laughed at his comment he found himself laughing as well. He didn’t know why. The sound of her voice just seemed to demand it.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed several Enigma personnel staring at him. His look quickly went fiercely dark as he nodded for them to return to work.
One stood firm, her thin black eyebrows raised in disbelief. Like the others, she’d never heard Chase laugh. His threatening pinched brow and narrowed eyes failed to intimidate her. She moved her dark brown fingers across a hand held computer screen about the size of a notepad. Taking a step forward, a piece of glass crunched beneath her small black patent heels.
“I’m not nearly finished, Captain Hunter. My crew needs a few more hours.” Her light brown eyes stayed focused on the computer screen.
“Hello,” Tessa said softly. “I’m Tessa Scott.”
The short woman raised her eyes to Chase then Tessa as if asking permission to speak. With one hand she pulled on the black jacket of her suit then tucked part of her white blouse a little more securely into the waistband of her skirt. Her black hair, tightly bound into a bun, glistened with hair gel. She reached up and touched her bare earlobes before answering. “Mrs. Scott…”
“Please call me Tessa.”
“Very well. Tessa, I’m Claudia.”
She offered nothing more. There appeared to be something off about her. The African American woman’s eyes turned back to her screen where she punched something in quickly, then leveled her gaze on Captain Hunter.
Chase nodded toward Claudia and smiled politely at Tessa. “Claudia is our librarian. I’m afraid we couldn’t get along without her.” His tone sounded gentle and caring, something Tessa realized he could turn on and off like a faucet. The charm he exuded worked on the truck driver earlier in the day. Tessa couldn’t tell if the compliment affected Claudia or not. “Take as long as you need, Claudia. I’m sure your team will be as efficient as ever.”
“What is she doing, Captain Hunter?” Tessa felt the soldier’s hand on her arm gently push her away from the librarian. “Is this for insurance purposes? I think I have the name of our agent…” Tessa walked to the kitchen in search of her little phone book she kept with important numbers. His hand guided her carefully toward the stairs.
“That won’t be necessary, Mrs. Scott. We’ll take care of everything.”
“Oh.” Tessa turned to face the unnerving Captain Hunter. “I would like to change clothes and pack a bag for a few days before I get started on this mess. I’ll stay in town at a motel.”
“Do I have your word that you’ll not try and escape, send girlfriends a message or call Robert?” His voice and expression clearly sent a warning. “Because my patience is wearing a little thin.” The tight smile on his lips spoke volumes.
Tessa held up two fingers. “Scouts honor!” Before he could comment Tessa bounded up the stairs. Suddenly she stopped and turned back to look down at the captain who surprisingly had been admiring her backside. “Do I have water?”
Chase looked over at the librarian for confirmation. He then nodded up at Tessa without expression. “Be quick about it, Mrs. Scott.”
“Tessa. Call me Tessa.”
Once again he nodded and turned away to speak quietly with the librarian.
Captain Chase Hunter moved from room to room looking for clues as to why the terrorists thought the bomb would be here. Distracted by toys, mementos, a photo of Tessa and her husband in a loving embrace at a Chinese restaurant, forced Chase to tug at his own ghosts that remained buried most of the time. Concentration wavered as he
“Shabby chic maybe.” Chase Hunter returned the smile, drinking in the fluid blue eyes that fought back further tears. When she laughed at his comment he found himself laughing as well. He didn’t know why. The sound of her voice just seemed to demand it.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed several Enigma personnel staring at him. His look quickly went fiercely dark as he nodded for them to return to work.
One stood firm, her thin black eyebrows raised in disbelief. Like the others, she’d never heard Chase laugh. His threatening pinched brow and narrowed eyes failed to intimidate her. She moved her dark brown fingers across a hand held computer screen about the size of a notepad. Taking a step forward, a piece of glass crunched beneath her small black patent heels.
“I’m not nearly finished, Captain Hunter. My crew needs a few more hours.” Her light brown eyes stayed focused on the computer screen.
“Hello,” Tessa said softly. “I’m Tessa Scott.”
The short woman raised her eyes to Chase then Tessa as if asking permission to speak. With one hand she pulled on the black jacket of her suit then tucked part of her white blouse a little more securely into the waistband of her skirt. Her black hair, tightly bound into a bun, glistened with hair gel. She reached up and touched her bare earlobes before answering. “Mrs. Scott…”
“Please call me Tessa.”
“Very well. Tessa, I’m Claudia.”
She offered nothing more. There appeared to be something off about her. The African American woman’s eyes turned back to her screen where she punched something in quickly, then leveled her gaze on Captain Hunter.
Chase nodded toward Claudia and smiled politely at Tessa. “Claudia is our librarian. I’m afraid we couldn’t get along without her.” His tone sounded gentle and caring, something Tessa realized he could turn on and off like a faucet. The charm he exuded worked on the truck driver earlier in the day. Tessa couldn’t tell if the compliment affected Claudia or not. “Take as long as you need, Claudia. I’m sure your team will be as efficient as ever.”
“What is she doing, Captain Hunter?” Tessa felt the soldier’s hand on her arm gently push her away from the librarian. “Is this for insurance purposes? I think I have the name of our agent…” Tessa walked to the kitchen in search of her little phone book she kept with important numbers. His hand guided her carefully toward the stairs.
“That won’t be necessary, Mrs. Scott. We’ll take care of everything.”
“Oh.” Tessa turned to face the unnerving Captain Hunter. “I would like to change clothes and pack a bag for a few days before I get started on this mess. I’ll stay in town at a motel.”
“Do I have your word that you’ll not try and escape, send girlfriends a message or call Robert?” His voice and expression clearly sent a warning. “Because my patience is wearing a little thin.” The tight smile on his lips spoke volumes.
Tessa held up two fingers. “Scouts honor!” Before he could comment Tessa bounded up the stairs. Suddenly she stopped and turned back to look down at the captain who surprisingly had been admiring her backside. “Do I have water?”
Chase looked over at the librarian for confirmation. He then nodded up at Tessa without expression. “Be quick about it, Mrs. Scott.”
“Tessa. Call me Tessa.”
Once again he nodded and turned away to speak quietly with the librarian.
Captain Chase Hunter moved from room to room looking for clues as to why the terrorists thought the bomb would be here. Distracted by toys, mementos, a photo of Tessa and her husband in a loving embrace at a Chinese restaurant, forced Chase to tug at his own ghosts that remained buried most of the time. Concentration wavered as he
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