Deadly Addition (Hardy Brothers Security Book 9) (20 page)

“How do I look?”

Jake looked Ally up and down, biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud. Ally had gone all out when she heard she was needed for an official security operation. She was dressed in a short, red dress and trench coat. The heels she was wearing were so high they made her legs look like they were a mile long. She was wearing black stockings, and he’d caught sight of some interesting looking garter belts when she adjusted her dress as she got out of his truck. He was dying to see what those looked like up close and personal – but he had a job to do first.

“You look adorable, angel.”

Ally rolled her eyes. “I’m supposed to look hot.”

“You definitely look hot.”

Ally smiled. “Thank you. You look handsome, too. Although … .”

Jake waited.

“You should have a fedora.”

“Why should I have a fedora?”

“Because that’s what gumshoes wear in movies.”

Jake glanced down at his black boots. “What’s a gumshoe?”

“You know, a detective.”

“I’m not a detective,” Jake said.

“You are tonight.”

Jake pressed his lips together. “You know I adore you, right?”

Ally tilted her head to the side. “Of course. I’m adorable.”

“You are,” Jake said. “You’re also dressed like you’re expecting to meet a client at this hotel.” Jake pointed to the front doors of the establishment dubiously.

“Duh,” Ally said.

“As long as you know,” Jake said, turning toward the hotel. “Wait, you want to look like a prostitute?”

“I don’t look like a prostitute,” Ally shot back, affronted.

“You just said that … .”

Ally cocked an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips expectantly.

“What are you saying?” Jake asked, changing tactics.

“I’m not trying to look like a prostitute,” Ally said, adjusting the slit in her dress and dragging Jake’s attention from her beautiful face down to her shapely thigh.

“What are you trying to look like? And please stop doing that. I’m going to have to take you back to the truck for a quick round of … fun … if you don’t stop doing that.”

Ally beamed. “I love that you always want me.”

“I do always want you,” Jake said. “Tell me why you’re wearing this outfit again.”

“Because I want to look like an escort.”

“How is that different from a prostitute?”

“I’m not standing on a street corner,” Ally said. “The people behind the desk will just assume that someone called me for … comfort. They won’t question why I’m here.”

“And why am I here? Other than to pummel anyone that thinks you’re really an escort, that is?”

“You’re my security.”

“Oh, well, at least you have a plan,” Jake said.

Ally moved toward the hotel. “Just follow my lead.”

“Hey, angel, can you do me one, quick favor?”

Ally stilled. “What?”

“Just … lift your skirt a little bit. I have to see what you have under that thing. I’m not going to be able to concentrate unless you do.”

Ally shot him a haughty look. “You’re not going to be able to concentrate if you do see what I have on under here,” she said. “That will be your reward if we find out what Sheila is up to.”

“Hey, I’m getting a reward regardless,” Jake grumbled, following her into the hotel. “I may get us a room the second we’re done.”

Ally made a face, disgust practically rolling off of her. “I’m not doing it here.”

“Then you’re doing it in the truck.”

Ally considered the statement. “Fine, but we’re still doing it how I want to do it when we get back home.”

Jake was intrigued. “How do you want to do it? Ally? I asked you a question.”

“DO
you even know what you’re doing?”

Jake had inserted the card in the door, and he was now running the program through the handheld scanner James had given him right before he left Hardy Brothers Security. “Just give me a second.”

Ally watched him for a few moments, tapping her foot on the floor impatiently as she did. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Do you want to try?” Jake was growing impatient.

“I’m not a Trekkie.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“That looks like one of those communicators they used in the original
Star Trek
.”

“And yet you’re not a Trekkie,” Jake mumbled. “My whole view of you has completely changed.”

“Mandy used to make me watch it,” Ally argued.

“I’m buying you one of those short uniform dresses, and I’m going to make you role play,” Jake said, punching a few numbers into the keypad of the device.

“Are you going to be Captain Kirk?”

Jake was flummoxed. “I seriously don’t know what to do with this new information. Stop confusing me.”

“Fine,” Ally said, wandering away from the door. “I just want you to know that I’m not a Trekkie.”

“Duly noted.”

“I’m not.”

“Great.”

The sound of the elevator dinging caught both of their attention. They were around the corner, but someone getting off the elevator and heading in their direction would be on them quickly.

“Maybe we should … ?”

Ally squared her shoulders. “I’ve got this.”

“Ally,” he hissed. “What are you doing?”

She didn’t respond, and she was out of his sight before he could stop her.

The card finally cleared and the door’s mechanism flashed green. Jake pushed the door open and stepped inside, unsure of what to do. He couldn’t prop the door open without tipping someone off that something weird was going on – and he didn’t want to go through the process of opening it again. In the end, he realized he had to trust Ally. She was in no real danger here, he reminded himself. If she needed him, she would scream. And, if she screamed, he would kill to protect her. He had no doubt of that.

Jake stepped inside the room and shut the door. He flicked on the light and glanced around. It looked like a standard hotel room. There were two double beds, and a table on the far side of the room. The light was dim, but it looked like there was a laptop on the table. That was his first stop.

He opened the laptop and booted up the computer. When the load was finished, he shoved a rip drive into the port and enabled it. He didn’t have time to search the computer now. Instead, he was copying everything onto the drive. They would have Maverick make sense of it later.

Jake jolted when he heard a noise by the door. He was worried about Ally. There was no sense lying – especially to himself. He would feel better if she was in here with him – even if he was still trying to figure out how he’d managed to fall for a Trekkie.

Jake moved to the door and peered out through the peephole. He recognized Ally right away. His hand was on the knob to let her in when he heard a voice.

“Are you sure this is your friend’s room?”

Jake stilled.

“It’s her mother’s room,” Ally said.

Jake pressed his ear to the door. Ally’s voice was muffled, but she didn’t sound like she was in immediate danger. She didn’t even sound like she was panicking. If he didn’t know better, he would swear she was enjoying herself.

“But you said they’re not here.”

Jake peered through the peephole again. He was having trouble making out the man standing next to Ally, but the uniform was a dead giveaway. He was a bellboy.

“They went out to dinner,” Ally said. “I was supposed to be here in time to meet them, but I got … distracted.”

“By what?”

“Work,” Ally said, laughing coquettishly.

“And what do you do for a living?”

Jake didn’t like the bellboy’s tone.

“I’m a businesswoman,” Ally replied.

“And what business is that?”

“Sales,” Ally said. “What’s your name, by the way?”

“Jim.”

“Well, Jim,” Ally said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Let’s just say that I have quite the thriving business, and leave it at that.”

“Sure,” Jim said, licking his lips. “You look like you’re very good at what you do.”

Jake wanted to reach through the door and strangle him.

“I’ve been told I’m singularly … adorable,” Ally said.

“You’re definitely adorable,” Jim said. “You’re … freaking hot!”

“Thank you,” Ally said. “You’re … sweet.”

“Do you ever, I don’t know, give a discount?”

Jake clenched his hands together so tightly his knuckles turned white.

“I’m afraid not,” Ally said. “My boss wouldn’t like that.”

“You have a boss?”

“Yes, and he’s mean,” Ally said.

“Maybe I could talk to him?” Jim suggested. “Maybe we can work out a trade.”

“What kind of trade?”

“You know, I could set up dates here,” Jim said. “I could get women like yourself in and out of here without anyone noticing.”

“Oh, well, that sounds interesting,” Ally said. “Do you have a card? I could give it to him.”

“Just give me his number.”

“I can’t do that,” Ally said. “He wouldn’t like it.”

“I’ll bet I can make him see the light.”

“The only light you will be seeing is the brake light above your face when he tracks you down and runs over you,” Ally said. “He’s out in the parking lot right now, though. If you’re set on talking to him, you can find him in a black Mercedes.”

“He’s out there right now?” Jim looked intrigued.

“Yes.”

“What’s his name?”

“James,” Ally said. “He’s a real hardass, though. Be careful.”

“Thanks for the tip,” Jim said, starting to move away. “Oh, wait, what are you going to do?”

“I’m just going to wait here,” Ally said, leaning against the wall. “My friend shouldn’t be too long.”

“Okay,” Jim said. “I’ll be back after I talk to this James. Oh, do you have any tips on how I should approach him?”

“Don’t make eye contact,” Ally said. “He takes it as a challenge.”

“Got it.”

“Hey, Jim?”

“Yeah.”

“Good luck.”

Jake waited until he was sure that Jim was gone and then he opened the door and dragged Ally inside. He covered her open mouth with his, drowning out whatever she was about to say with a torrid kiss. When he was done, Ally checked herself over to make sure she was still dressed.

“Wow.”

“You can never dress up like this again,” Jake said.

“But I saved us,” Ally protested.

“I don’t care,” Jake said. “Even the thought of him putting his hands on you … .”

“Oh, he was too scared to actually touch me,” Ally scoffed.

“You’re my angel,” Jake said. “Mine.”

Ally rubbed her thumb over his chin. “You’re so cute when you’re jealous.”

Jake scowled.

“So, what have you found?”

“Nothing so far,” Jake said. “I’ve got the drive copying the computer.”

“What have you been doing in here?”

“Watching you flirt with the witless wonder through the door.”

“You’re so territorial,” Ally teased.

Jake tried to tamp down the guilt washing over him. “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”

Jake laughed. “Focus on our task, trouble. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can find out what you have on under that skirt.”

“Right,” Ally said, snapping to attention. “I’ll look in the bathroom.”

“I’ll go through the suitcases,” Jake said. “Go fast. We’ve wasted too much time … being us.”

“I happen to like us.”

“Right back at you, angel,” Jake said. “You still need to hurry.”

“On it.”

Jake moved to the suitcase sitting on the small stand in the closet. When he flipped it open, he found a myriad of clothing scattered about. He rummaged through them, and when his fingers brushed against a hard bundle underneath, he shoved them to the side.

“There’s nothing in there but makeup,” Ally said, reappearing at his side.

“I think I found what we’re looking for,” Jake said, reaching down with both hands and lifting the bundle of encased cash up so he could look at it better under light.

“Holy crap,” Ally said. “How much is that?”

“At least fifty grand,” Jake said, narrowing his eyes. “I’m guessing closer to a hundred. I obviously can’t count it without tipping Sheila off.”

“Why would she need that much money?”

“I have no idea.”

Ally’s phone dinged. She dug it out of her purse. “It’s Finn,” she said. “They’re on their way back.”

Jake snapped out of his reverie. “Go and take the flash drive out of the computer, and make sure you shut it down. It was off.”