about South Beach Medical Supply?”
“SBMS? Yeah, Homeland’s been watching them and so have we because of suspected unusual activity. Why?”
“What about a woman named Sophie Moreno? Any red flags on her?”
“Not that I know of, but I’ll ask around,” Max said.
“Thanks. I’ll be at the office for the next hour.” In reality, probably longer than that.
“Why is the NSA interested in them?”
“It involves a separate mission. Don’t worry, we’re not invading your territory.”
“So you don’t know anything about a possible sniper shooting at a restaurant downtown this afternoon?”
He didn’t even pause. “Not a thing.”
Max was silent for a moment. “All right. I’ll call as soon as I know anything.”
“I owe you one.”
As they disconnected, Wesley pulled up one of the files Thomas sent him. It was on Mandy Abarca, Sophie’s assistant. His gut told him Sophie wasn’t involved, but without having any way to contact Jack, he couldn’t take a chance that Jack would let his guard down.
A sharp knock on his door interrupted his reading. “Come in.”
Steven Williams, one of his better analysts, opened the door. “Got a second, boss?”
“What is it?”
“I found some interesting information on Benson Pollard, one of the men working with Ms. Moreno.”
“And?”
“He’s recently acquired a lot of gambling debts. He’s into his bookie for about fifty thousand dollars.”
Very interesting. “Have you e-mailed me the information?”
“Yep. I just wanted to let you know.” He stood by the door expectantly.
“Is that all?”
“Uh, yeah.” Without another word, he shut the door behind him.
Wesley scrubbed a hand over his face. Steven was a bit of an ass-kisser, but he was good at what he did, no doubt about it. He’d graduated from MIT with a degree in political science and he was a genius with computers. Sometimes Wesley wondered why he was working for the NSA instead of a private firm.
• • •
Jack sat across the kitchen table from Sophie, watching her push her food around her plate. She hadn’t said much since they’d been back, but every time they made eye contact, she averted her gaze. As if she was afraid of him.
His grip on his fork tightened. He understood she was scared, but so far he’d done nothing but protect her. Hell, he’d even given her a weapon. Sure, he could have taken it from her if she attempted to use it against him, but it had been a peace offering. The only way he knew how to make her feel more at ease. Maybe that was his damn problem. He should be more focused on the op than with Sophie. Unfortunately the need to keep her happy won out over everything. Always had. And that kiss had just reminded him how much he still wanted her.
“Did you use your credit card at the bar?” His voice held more heat than he’d intended.
She shook her head. Her dark hair fell forward over her shoulders, making him itch to thread his fingers through it again. To pull her body close to his and feel her soft breasts pressing against his chest. Not because she was in shock or needed to get warm, but because she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
“Did you call anyone?”
She started to shake her head, then shrugged. “Yes. My boss.”
Damn it.
“What did he say?”
She squirmed in her seat. “He told me not to come back to Miami for a few days.”
Interesting. “Did he say why?”
“No, but . . . I don’t think he was being completely honest with me.”
He started to ask her another question when she cut him off. “How do I know you really work for the government?”
Knowing he had no other choice, he pulled his phone and battery out of his jeans pocket and put the battery back in. He hated breaking silence, but she’d tried to escape. Honesty was the only thing that would work with Sophie. She wasn’t involved with any sort of terrorist activity. Gut instinct had gotten him far and he simply knew she wasn’t dirty. That
“SBMS? Yeah, Homeland’s been watching them and so have we because of suspected unusual activity. Why?”
“What about a woman named Sophie Moreno? Any red flags on her?”
“Not that I know of, but I’ll ask around,” Max said.
“Thanks. I’ll be at the office for the next hour.” In reality, probably longer than that.
“Why is the NSA interested in them?”
“It involves a separate mission. Don’t worry, we’re not invading your territory.”
“So you don’t know anything about a possible sniper shooting at a restaurant downtown this afternoon?”
He didn’t even pause. “Not a thing.”
Max was silent for a moment. “All right. I’ll call as soon as I know anything.”
“I owe you one.”
As they disconnected, Wesley pulled up one of the files Thomas sent him. It was on Mandy Abarca, Sophie’s assistant. His gut told him Sophie wasn’t involved, but without having any way to contact Jack, he couldn’t take a chance that Jack would let his guard down.
A sharp knock on his door interrupted his reading. “Come in.”
Steven Williams, one of his better analysts, opened the door. “Got a second, boss?”
“What is it?”
“I found some interesting information on Benson Pollard, one of the men working with Ms. Moreno.”
“And?”
“He’s recently acquired a lot of gambling debts. He’s into his bookie for about fifty thousand dollars.”
Very interesting. “Have you e-mailed me the information?”
“Yep. I just wanted to let you know.” He stood by the door expectantly.
“Is that all?”
“Uh, yeah.” Without another word, he shut the door behind him.
Wesley scrubbed a hand over his face. Steven was a bit of an ass-kisser, but he was good at what he did, no doubt about it. He’d graduated from MIT with a degree in political science and he was a genius with computers. Sometimes Wesley wondered why he was working for the NSA instead of a private firm.
• • •
Jack sat across the kitchen table from Sophie, watching her push her food around her plate. She hadn’t said much since they’d been back, but every time they made eye contact, she averted her gaze. As if she was afraid of him.
His grip on his fork tightened. He understood she was scared, but so far he’d done nothing but protect her. Hell, he’d even given her a weapon. Sure, he could have taken it from her if she attempted to use it against him, but it had been a peace offering. The only way he knew how to make her feel more at ease. Maybe that was his damn problem. He should be more focused on the op than with Sophie. Unfortunately the need to keep her happy won out over everything. Always had. And that kiss had just reminded him how much he still wanted her.
“Did you use your credit card at the bar?” His voice held more heat than he’d intended.
She shook her head. Her dark hair fell forward over her shoulders, making him itch to thread his fingers through it again. To pull her body close to his and feel her soft breasts pressing against his chest. Not because she was in shock or needed to get warm, but because she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
“Did you call anyone?”
She started to shake her head, then shrugged. “Yes. My boss.”
Damn it.
“What did he say?”
She squirmed in her seat. “He told me not to come back to Miami for a few days.”
Interesting. “Did he say why?”
“No, but . . . I don’t think he was being completely honest with me.”
He started to ask her another question when she cut him off. “How do I know you really work for the government?”
Knowing he had no other choice, he pulled his phone and battery out of his jeans pocket and put the battery back in. He hated breaking silence, but she’d tried to escape. Honesty was the only thing that would work with Sophie. She wasn’t involved with any sort of terrorist activity. Gut instinct had gotten him far and he simply knew she wasn’t dirty. That
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