Undercover Accomplice

Sue gripped her hand and squeezed hard, her lips twisting as Jackie blinked.

The man cleared his throat and dipped his head. “Robert Beall.”

He didn’t offer his hand and she didn’t make a move to get it. She folded her arms across her chest and asked, “What did this anonymous email say?”

Templeman shot a glance at Ned. “To check your emails.”

“You have no idea who sent it?”

“No.” Templeman shook her head. “That’s why it’s anonymous.”

Sue smirked. “Got it. So, you believe every anonymous email you receive and rush in to do an investigation?”

Templeman hugged her notebook to her chest, as if guarding state secrets. “Not everyone.”

“Oh, I see.” Sue shoved off the wall and plopped into the chair across from Ned. “Just the ones about me.”

Beall finally found his voice. “Because of your…um…the incident.”

“Funny thing about that incident.” Sue drummed her fingers on Ned’s desk. “You’d think the Agency would be kissing my…rear end, considering a leak on their part led to my kidnapping in the first place.”

“And then you escaped.” Templeman tilted her head.

“Yeah, another reason the Agency should be nominating me for a medal or something instead of combing through my computer.”

“You escaped from a group of men holding you in Istanbul.” Templeman’s delicate eyebrows formed a V over her nose.

Sue snorted. “I guess that’s hard for some people to believe, but some female agents aren’t pencil-pushing computer geeks. Some of us know how to handle ourselves.”

A smile tugged at Beall’s lips, but he wiped it out with his hand.

“Besides, I was debriefed on that incident and the case was closed. You still seem to be using it to go after me.”

“The point—” Templeman straightened her jacket “—is that we did find anomalies on your computer. Enough for us to confiscate your machine and suspend you.”

“Suspend?” Sue jumped from the chair. “Is that true, Ned?”

“Just until they can figure out everything. I think there has to be a mistake, and I told them that. We already know those emails implicating Major Rex Denver and sent to a CIA translator were fakes. I’m confident that this investigation is going to find something similar with these emails and you’ll be in the clear, Sue.”

“Suspension starting now?”

“Yes, we’ll accompany you back to your cubicle if you want to take any personal items with you.” Templeman pushed past Beall and opened the door.

“I don’t have anything there I need.” Sue smacked her hand on Ned’s desk. “Let me know when this is over, Ned.”

“Of course, Sue. Don’t worry.”

As she stepped through the door, Templeman tapped her shoulder. “Badge.”

Sue whipped the lanyard over her head and tossed it at Templeman’s chest, but it slipped through the investigator’s fingers and landed on the floor. The woman couldn’t even make a good catch. No wonder she had a hard time believing Sue had escaped her captors.

Sue strode out of the office, not looking right or left. When she stepped out onto the sidewalk, she took a deep breath of fresh air.

Maybe she sent her son away early for nothing. Maybe her senses had been on high alert because the Agency had been tracking her. Now that they’d made their move and suspended her and confiscated her computer, they’d back off.

The thought didn’t make her feel much better. The CIA didn’t trust her, and being falsely accused made her blood boil. Of course, if the Agency knew about her work with The Falcon, the accusations might not be false. She didn’t have to worry about that, though. The Falcon would have her covered.

As she waited for the elevator in the parking garage, her phone buzzed and she squinted at the text message from her friend, Dani Howard.

Dani knew she’d sent Drake back home and figured Sue needed some cheering up. Dani had no idea how much cheering up she needed.

Sue texted her friend back. I’m up for cocktails tonight.

What the hell did she have to lose at this point?

SUE SPOTTED DANI already sitting at the bar, and she squeezed between the people and the tall tables to reach her. “This the best you could do?”

Dani gave her a one-armed hug. “I just got here five minutes ago. Haven’t even ordered a drink yet.”

Hunching over the bar, Sue snapped her fingers and shouted, “Hey.”

The bartender raised his hand. “Be right with you.”

A minute later he took their order for two glasses of white wine.

Dani sighed as she flicked back her hair. “It must be your commanding presence that gets their attention. Did you see Drake off okay today?”

“I did.” Sue rolled her eyes. “Of course, I had to put up with Linda’s jabs.”

“Our mothers should have a contest to see who can outshame the single moms.” Dani picked out some pretzels from the bowl of snack mix on the bar and popped one into her mouth.

“Stepmother. At least Fiona’s dad is in the picture.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing.”

“Okay then, at least Fiona lives with you and you’re not in constant fear of losing custody of her.”

Dani folded back the corners of the napkin the bartender had tossed down when he took their order. “You know I’m planning to drive down to Savannah, and I’d be happy to drop in on Drake for you. Text me your parents’ address, and I’ll see if I can make the detour—just a familiar face from where Mom lives might make a big difference.”

“That would be great, but I don’t want to put you out.”

“Happy to do it.” Dani snatched their glasses from the bartender’s hand and handed one to Sue. “Drink.”

Sue took a big gulp of wine, but there wasn’t enough alcohol in the world right now to drown her sorrows.

“Stop beating yourself up. You’re saving the freakin’ world.” Dani tilted her head. “I suppose you can’t tell me about this hush-hush assignment of yours.”

Not only did she not have a hush-hush assignment, she didn’t have any assignment—unless she counted the one to get the name of the right barbershop.