[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
know.”
He grinned. “At one time, I might have thought so, but now?”
Tension racked his features as he pulled her into his arms for a hard kiss, his tongue
plunging into her mouth. He held her head tightly as he devoured her, then pulled
back, leaving her breathless. His SMARTPHONE chirped.
“Okay.” He read the list and when he glanced up, his eyes landed on Nicki and his
heart wrenched with fear for her safety. “Let’s go.”
He had a queasy feeling, a sensation that came on him when he knew he was
missing something. When they’d checked in, he had walked the room, scanning for
bugs in the phone, the TV, the lamps. He found nothing. Nicki had doubled down on
his search, and found nothing.
But dealing with someone like Henderson and illegal trafficking made him wary.
And he was alone on this job with her. Headquarters had asked if he needed backup
and he had requested it, but it could take ten to twenty-four hours before the alternate
would be in place. They’d call with the signal when that happened. Until then, it was
up to him to have all his antennae up. Nicki, too. As if she didn’t already, he thought to
himself as he grabbed her hand and headed for the elevator, the lobby and the front
doors.
As if they were reading each other’s minds, they strolled up E Street as if they were
tourists. They cut in front of the Treasury and over to the 1600 North Portico of the
White House. Sightseers wandered about, gaping at the green expanse of the White
House lawn and the alabaster home. No cars had been allowed here in front for more
73
Desiree Holt & Cerise DeLand
than fifteen years, so pedestrians—including anyone who might be trailing Adam and
Nicki—could be easier to spot. But Adam saw no one unusual.
Nicki didn’t either and told him so with a glimmer in her eye. “I can’t believe how
many tourists are out here!”
“Let’s get a bite to eat, shall we?” he offered as they made their way toward
Seventeenth Street past the Executive Office Building and a line of taxis waiting for foot-
weary travelers to hire a cab. He stuck his arm in the air and one zoomed to their side.
Adam said “Georgetown” to the young black driver who cracked his gum loudly
and spoke with a South African accent. “You can drop us at the corner of M and
Wisconsin,” he told the kid as he glanced at Nicki and showed her the list of four
addresses on his SMARTPHONE of where they were headed.
“Didn’t want him to know where we were going, right?” she commented as they
trekked north on the thoroughfare filled with ritzy old neighborhood shops.
“Not a chance.”
As they stopped to admire the fresh oysters and crabs in the window of a seafood
restaurant, they glanced up and down the avenue. “No one’s interested in where we’re
headed.”
“We’ll continue to check,” he said under his breath. “Come on. Our first one is
across the street.”
The minute they opened the heavy glass doors to the place called Sweet Scents, the
overpowering aroma of scented candles and oils hit Adam. “How does anyone even
know what to order in a place like this?” Adam muttered. “You’d need to have the
lining of your nose replaced after being in here.”
“Ssh.” Nicki began to lift a few of the expensive soaps and candles to catch the
fragrances.
The shop was filled with customers, a fact that appealed to Adam who did not want
to call attention to themselves if they asked for packets of Pleasant Dreams. But moving
74
Until Midnight
quickly through the stock and reading labels, Nicki found them. “These,” she told the
sales girl who looked like a college student on her part-time job, “are absolutely
wonderful. You have only four packets left though. Do you have more in the back?”
The girl shook her head. “No, ma’am. We’re all out of that. It’s a big seller.”
I bet. Adam leaned over to Nicki and said, “Honey, if you really like it, perhaps we
can order a big supply from the manufacturer.” He looked at the clerk. “Is that
possible?”
“Oh, yes, sweetie,” Nicki said to Adam. “Great idea!” And of the clerk, she asked,
“Do you have the name of the manufacturer?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Would you please look?”
“Um. Well. I’m not even sure where to look for that.”
Swell. Adam lifted his face toward the glass window where he could see a back
office computer and file cabinets. “You must have records of purchasing orders.”
“The owner does all that.”
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]