A Little Harmless Secret (14 page)

“You were never good at stealth mode,” Alicia said.

Sean stepped up beside her. “I wasn’t trying.”

She smiled and looked at her father’s protégé. “Sure. So what have you been up to?”

“I’m doing some private security work here and there. Especially with Lassiter.”

The name sent a little shock of alarm racing along her flesh. She didn’t like the man, never had. He was former CIA and always thought the interrogation techniques they used on accused terrorists didn’t go far enough.

Also, her father had hated the man. That was enough for her. Her father’s instincts were
never
wrong.

“Sean, Lassiter’s dirty.

He shrugged. “Not on the jobs I work.

She sighed. “You always did know how to get into trouble. Are you working alone?”

He shook his head. “No. Got some friends I work with from time to time.”

“Don’t tell me you and Randy Young are working together?”

“You were always jealous of him.”

“First, there would have to be a reason for me to be jealous of him and there is not. I’m not any more attracted to you than you are to me.” She snorted. “And with my current troubles, do you really think I need another bloody American in my life?”

Sean smiled.

“Randy. Ugh. Was that his name or a reference to his inability to control his libido?”

“His name. And I work with him from time to time along with Jaime Alexander.”

She looked at him. “You’re working with two of your old lovers? Sean, that’s just odd.”

“You were always too much of a prude. We’re just working together.” He looked out over the water. “Besides, the two of them are together now.”

She sensed something else in his expression. “Oh, Sean, why do you do that to yourself? You always let people hurt you.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. “Let’s not go over old news, Alicia.”

“I just wish you would settle down and be happy.”

“I don’t think you have any room to judge me, Alicia.”

She shrugged. “I’ve been a bit busy.”

“So, you and Stryker?”

“He was the job. I was looking for my father and Devon was the only clue I found.”

She sensed his glance.

“Is that a fact?”

“Yes.”

“And, how did he get away?”

Because she’d fallen asleep in his arms and didn’t want to end the fantasy. And leave it to Sean“He ran off before I could question him.”

“Alicia Hughes, you are lying.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You used a honey trap on him. Then, you just let him get away?”

“Yes.”

He gave her a look that said he didn’t believe her. “How did you hook back up?”

“He saw us.”

“Us?”

Dammit. She had lost her edge over the last few years. “Us. Me and Bridget.”

“Bridget.”

She finally turned to face him. “Okay. See, I used the honey trap, and we used protection and I was on the pill, but somehow I ended up pregnant. Father died right after that night and I was on the run. I was pretty far along before I realized what was happening.”

“Wait, slow down. You’re a mother? You can’t be a mother.”

That caused her to stop trying to explain. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Because…well, just because. You are too young to have a baby.”

“I turned thirty this year.”

Horror moved over his features. “I don’t care. In my mind, you’re still a virgin.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, I was on the run. I couldn’t trust anyone in England, so I went to South Africa to that estate my mother’s family owns.”

He shook his head. “Oh, Ali, why didn’t you come looking for me? You didn’t have to do it alone.”

“But I did, Sean. I couldn’t risk it. I was afraid I would lead whoever killed father to you. I knew it had something to do with his investigation, and I was worried you would be in danger.”

“So, you leave yourself exposed? Alicia.”

She heard the reprimand in his voice. “I couldn’t have you get hurt.”

Before he could respond, the sound of little feet reached her and she found her daughter rushing toward her. “Mummy!”

And much like she had that morning, Bridget launched herself at Alicia. “Poppet, what are you doing down here?”

“Miss Dee said she could take us out for lunch and then she said I had to ask you.”

Bridget looked at Sean and smiled.

“Lord.” It was the only word that escaped as he looked at her and Bridget.

“Sean,” Dee said. He finally broke away and looked at Dee.

“Hey there lovely lady. When are you going to leave that boring husband of yours?”

She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t let Micah hear that. Last time you said something like that, he threatened to kick you out of Rough ‘n Ready.”

She was smiling at him and then he looked at Bridget. “That is freaking uncanny.”

Suddenly what Dee said hit her full force. “Wait. You mean Sean is a member of your BDSM club?”

Dee nodded and opened her mouth.

“No. Don’t. I don’t want to know. It would be like knowing what my brother was doing in his sex life. Too much information.”

Dee laughed. “Okay. I wanted to know what you thought about having…” she leaned forward and put her hands over Bridget’s ears. “I thought maybe we could have Bridget stay over.”

Alarm moved through her. “I’m not sure that would be a good idea.”

“I just thought it would give you and Dev a couple days to get the security up to grade. We have a good system but then, they probably wouldn’t make that connection.”

“Actually, it’s a good idea,” Sean said.

Alicia crossed her arms. “I don’t like it.

“Of course you don’t,” Dee said. “I wouldn’t either, but if Bridget’s okay with it, we can try it. If she gets upset, we can always run her back over.”

“And, they won’t connect you with her right now. This way, Micah and Dee can keep an eye on her. Neighbors will just know there is a friend visiting.”

She thought it over. From the day she was born, Bridget had never been away from her overnight. She looked at her daughter.

“Would you feel okay if you stayed overnight with Alana?”

Bridget clapped. “I would love it.”

“You have to listen to Dee and Micah. And if you get scared, make sure you have Dee call me.”

“I promise.” She gave her a kiss, turned and ran toward the house.

“I can get you a few things together for her.”

Dee shook her head. “I got that, if you don’t mind.”

“Okay.”

“Alana is going to have a blast. I’ll call and let you know how it’s going.”

She followed Bridget back up the dock and to the house. Alicia and Sean watched her go.

“You know your father didn’t do anything treasonous,” he said.

She nodded. “I know. But now I wonder just what the hell he
was
into. And just how it all ended up getting him killed.”

* * * *

“Hawaii?” the former agent asked. “What the bloody hell are they doing there?”

“I’m not sure and we aren’t sure exactly where they are at the moment.”

“What the bloody fucking hell does that mean?”

“Once they arrived, they disappeared. Devon Stryker has little to no presence on the islands, but his sister does. We could use her as bait.”

The former agent snorted. “That’s brilliant.” Sarcasm dripped from every word. “No, we keep this low key. We can find her and Stryker soon enough.”

The helper nodded.

“Get the arrangements made, but use one of our lesser known aliases.”

He nodded. “You and I?”

“Yes. I have an idea on how to draw her out, and it will take more than one of us to make it work.”

He nodded and left the room as the former agent sat back to plan the trip. Finally, this would end and life would be returned to the plans made so many years earlier.

Alicia Hughes just had to die…and then everything would be right again.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

About an hour later, they were done. Ali had returned for a few minutes while they discussed certain areas they should search. It was agreed that Maura would do most of the computer work. While they weren’t sure if Devon had been detected, it wasn’t a good idea to take a chance. Devon had no problems with that as long as he was kept in the loop.

He walked to the door with Conner.

“You will not go play on your computer.”

A statement not a question. “I promise.”

Conner gave him a look that told Devon he didn’t believe that comment.

“Just stay off any searches that would lead to Ali. Do anything that’s normal for you. If you are being monitored, we want them to think nothing has changed. The story has been filtered out through the club that Micah’s worried about the baby, so you came home early.”

“Some semblance of the truth is always the best.”

Conner chuckled. “True. Do not hesitate to call me. If there is someone behind this, he or she killed a man of great value to the security systems, not only in the UK but to ours also. I want to nail this bastard.”

He nodded and closed the door. When he turned, he found Kaheaku standing behind him. He stood there, his hands in his pockets, looking as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Devon wasn’t fooled. His cool green eyes took in everything. There was no doubt in Devon’s mind that Kaheaku could kill him if he made a wrong move.

“We need to talk,” Kaheaku said.

Devon inwardly stifled a groan. He wanted Kaheaku
gone. Apparently that wasn’t going to happen until he had his say.

“Let’s go,” Devon said.

He didn’t look behind him as he walked down the hall to his study. Stepping in, he walked to his desk and sat down. He waited for Kaheaku to shut the door and take one of the two seats in front. When he didn’t say anything, Devon decided to get the ball rolling.

“Have your say.”

Kaheaku said nothing for a long moment. “Alicia has been on her own for a while now, but I feel that I should be watching out for her.”

“Why is that?”

“Her father is gone and, without any kind of family around, I think she needs someone to make sure she isn’t taken advantage of.”

“I don’t think she would appreciate you doing this.”

Sean’s lips twisted. “Probably not.”

It bothered him that Kaheaku knew Ali better than he did. He knew there was nothing sexual between the two of them. All you had to do was be in the same room with the two of them. There was no sexual chemistry. But, they had a history that had been irritating him…along with one question.

“Answer me this, why didn’t you worry about her before?”

“I did. I looked for her after Walter died. I heard about the explosion and for a while, they believed it was her.” He sighed. “I already had my own issues at the time, and when it actually happened, I was in deep undercover in…well, let’s not talk about that.”

“Once you did hear?”

Kaheaku shook his head. “I never believed it. Walter, yes, but Alicia? That woman was raised to be a Teflon cat. She lands on her feet without much damage. I actually think MI-6 knew it wasn’t her. Her DNA was on file.”

“Why would they let people believe it was her?”

“Two reasons. One would be they might assume someone was after her. Because of her family, Alicia was well known in the organization. If she were alive, she was finding out who was after her. Sending out feelers could end with her death, so why mess with her.”

“And if someone wasn’t after her?”

“They would assume she was dirty and had decided to disappear. Best for them because of the embarrassment. If Walter and Alicia—two of their most trusted spies from their most trusted spy family—were to be found out to be dirty, that would be bad. Very bad.

It was his turn to study Sean. “Her own people would turn on her?”

Sean snorted. “You were with the Company. You know what those bastards are like.”

“Yeah. But I don’t know why you think I should have anything to do with you now?” He couldn’t help but still feel a twinge of jealousy. Sean knew more about her and her life than Devon did. Apparently, the security expert picked up on it.

Sean rolled his eyes. “I’m not competition. That would be almost incestuous. I saw her as a little sister.”

That didn’t make him feel any better. “And?”

He stood and paced around the room. His movements were so out of character, Devon knew something was bothering him.

“You don’t know how it was for her.”

“Explain.”

“Her father loved her, but he was fanatical about training her. When other girls were having sleepovers, Alicia was running drills. It wasn’t easy for her.”

“Okay.”

“I thought he would never slip up. He was a legend in the business. I think both the CIA and KGB had studied him over the years. There was no situation he couldn’t get out of. Or at least, I thought there wasn’t. And when she disappeared right after her father died, I looked for her like I said. When I couldn’t find her, I feared the worst. Little did I know she made one
mistake.”

“And that would be”

Sean stopped pacing. “You.”

Devon said nothing to that. He couldn’t because he didn’t like being anyone’s mistake. Although…now that he thought of it, if a mistake was the best night of his life, he would gladly call himself a mistake.

“Oh, good lord, stop looking like that. It’s disgusting.”

Devon focused on Kaheaku again. “What?”

“I’m trying to have a conversation with you here, Stryker. You’re getting all moony eyed and, damn, you’re sweating.”

He wasn’t, was he? Now that he thought about it, it was kind of hot in his office.

“Sorry. Go on.”

Sean collapsed in the chair he had vacated just a few moments earlier.

“She never had a boyfriend, you know. I’m pretty sure her first time in bed was on the job.”

That cooled his libido. “Are you trying to tell me that she lost her virginity
on
the job?”

Sean nodded. “I don’t like to think about it, mainly because it kind of grosses me out.”

“Really?”

“Answer me this, Stryker. Do you want me to go into the last time I saw your sister and her husband put on a demonstration at Rough ‘n Ready?”