Tamed by Love (Agent Lovers Series Book 2) (21 page)

“Nevertheless, we have to keep an eye on you and keep you out of trouble, especially you.” There it was again, his excessive worry, the overprotective behavior he simply couldn’t set aside. Liz shook her head, sighed and got up from the lounge chair. She would barricade herself in her bedroom; maybe there she would find some peace. Jennifer wound her way past Chris and ran after Liz who limped past the pool, her left leg trailing. Helplessly the men gazed after them.

“You two are treating them like naughty children.” Jeff shook his head and walked over.

“I just worry about Liz,” said Gray.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with worry anymore, old man! You’re confining her, treating her like a child, which is driving her crazy.”

“But we just want the best for them,” said Chris.

“Of course you do. And that’s completely understandable. But just let them be. Liz and Jennifer will do what’s best for themselves and their babies. They’re grownups, not brainless teenagers who need guidance. The more you hassle and hover around them, the more they’ll pull back from you. And I don’t think that’s what you want!”

Although Jeff often seemed like a big kid, what he said had some truth to it. Gray nodded, looked up to the second story of his house and sighed. He would have to get used to Liz needing breathing room under other circumstances too; he would just have to trust that she would turn to him if she needed help.
Becoming a father wasn’t difficult, my ass!

***

“Are they gone?” Liz and Jennifer peered around the corner into the kitchen. Jeff was pouring a cup of coffee and nodded. He held up the coffee pot in their direction. “Do you want some?”

“No, that’s okay. I’d rather have tea.”

“Yeah, me too,” said Jennifer.

He knew it. They did the right thing on their own. Then Jeff watched as Liz put the kettle on and placed tea bags in two cups. “They irritate you,” he said and took a sip and smiled.

“Oh yeah! Big time!” Jennifer nodded eagerly.

“Gray’s concern is excessive.”

“Chris is even worse!” said Jennifer and Liz just snorted. As if she had it so much easier with Gray. She would swear to God that the opposite was true.

After the water boiled, Liz poured it into both cups and handed one to Jennifer. They needed peace. Not to recuperate, but peace from their overly protective husbands.

***

A half an hour later Jeff looked in on them and found them sleeping in the shade on lounge chairs. Out of habit, he checked the doors and windows before he joined Terence in the office.

They had been able to immobilize or capture all of the kidnappers, but they still didn’t know where the leak came from. Several people were evaluating the documents and files they had secured. They had gathered everything from the old cement factory as well as from the apartments of the captured and dead kidnappers. And the investigation continued. No one knew how long they would need before they would find concrete evidence. It was a grueling task.

If there was any information to get out of the prisoners, they were acting deaf, dumb and blind. Not a good start to gathering information.

Terence sat at the desk and stared into space, brooding.

“Well? Any progress?” Jeff asked.

“No, not even a little. None of the employees who had access to the documents has a skeleton in their closet, let alone hundreds of thousands of dollars in an account.”

“Maybe it’s a relative.”

“Not a chance they could get information.”

“Maybe there is.” Jeff ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh that came from deep within. “We have to eventually find something so the agents and their families will finally be safe. They had to have left behind some kind of a trail.”

“If the people you brought back would tell us who they bought the documents from, this nightmare would be over.”

“Maybe we should take over the interrogation. We could definitely get it out of them.”

“Gray already tried to get to them and didn’t have any luck. Townsend won’t let us at them, afraid we might go overboard. All active TDAs want to get their hands on them and Townsend is holding them back. We don’t have any other choice than to keep looking, as always,” said Terence. He sighed and bent over the files again. Together they riffled through the documents for probably the hundredth time, looking for clues. An itsy-bitsy lead. Anything.

“It’s not that I don’t like it at Liz and Gray’s house, Chris, but don’t you think it’s time we go home again? I don’t think we’re in any imminent danger.” Jennifer snuggled in her husband’s arms. She had lured him out to the patio in the hope of convincing him this time. She had tried to convince him over the past weeks, but he wouldn’t give in.

Of course. Gray’s house, the entire estate, was enormous and there was more than enough room for everyone, but it still wasn’t home. And the further her pregnancy progressed, the more she wanted to be back within her own four walls.

“Until we find out who was behind the data theft and whether your information still is in circulation, we’ll stay here, dear. It’s much safer for you.”

“But you have all of the guys Jeff and the others brought back!”

“But they’re not talking.”

“Then push them around a little. That’ll work.”

“I’d like nothing better, but first we’d have to get to them. Townsend’s afraid we might push them around a little too much, so none of the active TDAs or Gray or I are allowed to get near them. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Then we’ll probably still be sitting here when the baby’s born.”

“I know you’re going stir-crazy, but I can’t change it. I wish I could.”

It had been four weeks since Liz had been shot during the mission to rescue Jennifer’s family and the kidnappers had been captured. Altogether they had been living at Gray’s for almost two months. Chris didn’t like the circumstances any more than Jennifer.

For Christ’s sake! Jennifer was dead right. If it continued like this, they really would be here on her due date.

Their investigation simply wasn’t moving forward; they hadn’t made any progress. Jennifer and Liz were becoming crankier because they were under constant supervision; their breathing room had to be kept to a minimum and they were seldom, if ever, allowed to leave the house, unless accompanied by one of the men. No wonder they felt like prisoners.

Jennifer squirmed out of Chris’s embrace, and he watched her go. The situation depressed her and that hurt him. He had to find a solution, a swift solution.

***

Jennifer climbed the stairs looking for Liz and found her in her bedroom. With a sigh, Jennifer sank down on the big bed next to her. “I understand that Chris and Gray are just trying to protect us, but I’m tired of being controlled. It’s the same thing over and over. This time they could actually bring it to an end if they’d just ignore Townsend’s instructions for once. They only have to
bend
the rules a little. But since they don’t want to, maybe we should take the situation into our own hands.”

“Sure. If you can tell me how we’ll get past our guard dogs, I’m in.”

“We’ll have to outfox them. We just need one clue to get on the mole’s track, otherwise I’ll never be able to convince Chris to go back home.”

“You said it! But how do you want to outfox them? They hardly let us out of their sight. Gray is always creeping around me. He doesn’t patronize me anymore, but still, he never lets me out of his sight. And if he isn’t here, someone else takes up his post.”

“Do you think it’s any different for me with Chris?”

“I know, but if they find out about our plan, they’ll lock us up until our due dates!”

“That’s not the point. We have to bring this to an end; at least that’s how I see it,” said Jennifer and Liz nodded after considering it a moment. Now they just had to cook up an efficient and, above all, risk-free plan.

***

“Gray and Chris went to the base to meet with Townsend. And Jeff and Terence are in the office,” Liz said a week later. “We can go.”

“They’ll notice we’re gone. They regularly look in on us,” Jennifer said.

“We’ll make it look like we’re sleeping.”

“As if they’ll fall for that! That won’t even buy us five minutes. How about we put some sleeping pills in their coffee?”

“And if Gray or Chris call? Have you thought about that? They’ll be here faster than lightning if no one answers the phone.” Liz said and got up from the bed.

“That’s true.” Jennifer sat up and watched curiously as Liz rummaged around in her armoire. “What are you doing? Are we seizing this opportunity or not?”

Liz ignored her and continued to rummage around. She pulled out two flat plastic packages from the furthest corner. Liz handed one to Jennifer. “Open it. I hope you have enough breath.”

“Where did you
get
these things?” Jennifer asked and laughed as she unfolded the life-size rubber doll.

“Remember our shopping spree a few days ago? I shooed Gray and Chris from one store to the next the whole time. Remember having cake in the diner? Why do you think I spent so long in the bathroom?”

“You mean you weren’t in the bathroom?”

“Exactly! I went to the adult store one floor up,” she said and laughed.

Jennifer took the limp shell and disappeared into the guest bedroom she shared with Chris. A few minutes later she returned to Liz’s room just as she was neatly covering up her “accomplice.”

“Maybe we should wait and see if they fall for the trap,” said Jennifer as she looked at the clock. “Not that they’ll notice it and start looking for us right away. It shouldn’t take long before one of them comes in.”

“Good idea. Maybe it would be best if we hid under the bed. I hope you covered up your friend well so she won’t freeze.”

“I even closed the drapes so she won’t be blinded by the sun and can really relax,” said Jennifer as she huddled next to Liz under the bed. She laughed and quickly pressed her hand over her mouth. One of the men came up the stairs. He knocked softly and pushed the bedroom door open when no one answered. From their hiding place they heard him carefully close the door.

“It worked,” whispered Jennifer, and she crept out from under the bed.

“I told you.” Both women stood up and peered into the hallway. Since they didn’t see anyone, they crept down the stairs and out of the house.

***

“Do you have any idea how we’ll get to the detainees? Or at least to one of them?” asked Liz.

“Chris said Townsend wouldn’t let him or Gray, let alone any of the
active
agents, in to see the prisoners.” The whole thing wouldn’t be as difficult as they thought. Active agents. They weren’t considered active anymore.

With a sigh Liz looked out the side window at the passing landscape. She didn’t like that she had to deceive Gray. He had, however, rejected her plan several times over the last few weeks to get her access to the prisoners without Townsend’s consent. He emphasized often that he wouldn’t go against the express orders of the Lt. General. The matter had to be concluded another way, his way. And that was that.

It wasn’t until after Liz was sure she couldn’t persuade Gray otherwise that she had further honed her plan. They both needed help, that was certain. Neither Jennifer nor she could engage if there was a conflict, but who would agree to help them?

She thought of Eddie. Banks was a SEAL and he owed her one. It really hadn’t been hard to convince him. Liz smiled to herself when she thought of their conversation. At first he had been happy to hear from her, until she had come out with it.

“If this gets out, I’m a goner,” had been his words. But he promised to help them and threw his objections overboard.

They ultimately had to get some useful information. Something had to give. Liz felt as if she were living in a hostel the past few months, with no space and no privacy.

An incoming text message pulled Liz from her thoughts. She pulled her cellphone out of her coat pocket and read the message. “Eddie and his people are waiting for us.”

“Then everything’s going according to plan?” Jennifer said, chewing on a cracker. She stuffed them into her mouth incessantly. She seemed to be downright hooked on them. Sweet, savory, with or without toppings, it didn’t matter. The main thing was the cracker. Regretfully she peered into the empty bag and then wadded it up. “Can you reach into the glove box, Liz?”

Liz shook her head, as she pulled a fresh bag of crackers out of the glove box and handed it to Jennifer. “Where are you putting all that?”

“No idea. Do you want some too?” She held the bag out to Liz.

“If I do, then I’ll want my own bag.” Again she leaned forward and rummaged around in Jennifer’s mobile “pantry.” “Ahhh…” Liz pulled out a package of chili crackers and a bag of gummy bears. Together the stuff tasted even better.

“Everything’s going according to plan?” Jennifer pressed, chewing.

“Uh huh, everything as discussed. Eddie got the stuff and is waiting for us with his people.”

Other than a rustle of the bags, it was quiet in the car. They enjoyed the crackers and gummy bears as Jennifer took the next exit and after a few miles, steered the car to the parking lot of a small strip mall. They couldn’t park the Grand Cherokee at the base. The danger was too great that Gray or Chris would discover the Jeep. They would have to cut across country the half mile to the base where Eddie was waiting.

***

Eddie had an uneasy feeling as he watched the two women put on their protective vests. Jennifer’s top rose up, exposing her slightly rounded stomach and his jaw dropped. That couldn’t be true! He wouldn’t allow a pregnant woman to take part in their scheme.

“Listen Gibson! I told you I would help you. But that…” he nodded at Jennifer, “…absolutely not! She stays here.”

“Shut your trap, Banks! She’s coming.”

“Definitely not! Your partner’s pregnant.”

“You’re not telling us anything new.”

“I can’t allow it.”

“You can and you will.” Liz slipped on a thick, black jacket and looked up briefly before she began to button it. “Why do you think I called you anyway, hm?”