Her Officer in Charge (2 page)

Bella wasn’t a singer, or a dancer, or a comedian. Bella was a stage hypnotist. Her stage name was Soraya, the Mistress of Mesmerism, and she was very good at what she did.

It had been a few weeks since she’d been at the base, and as they followed the Jeep she was reminded of its enormous size. It was like a tiny country, and as they continued to drive, the buildings becoming less military in appearance. When they pulled up outside what looked like an impressive white house with forest-green shutters, she shook her head in wonder. Stepping from the car, she was about to head up the path to the front door when Sergeant Lewis jumped from his Jeep and walked quickly across to join her.

“Before we go in, I should mention something,” he said quietly. “Captain Valenti, the officer who organized this event, isn’t the warmest of men. Don’t take his manner personally. He’s an outstanding officer and a good guy.”

“I guess a sparkling personality doesn’t really count for much when you’re shooting guns and flying helicopters,” Bella joked.

“No, not much,” he replied soberly. “If you have the opportunity to get to know him better, you’ll find he’s nothing like his first impression.”

“I’m only here for tonight so that probably won’t happen, but thanks for the heads up,” Bella said, wondering if her levity had offended him.

“I’ll bet I could loosen him up,” Scott interjected. “Take him to the beach, catch some waves, hang out with the guys after a gig, he’d soon chill.”

“I don’t think that’s quite the captain’s style,” the sergeant said, shaking his head.

“He’s just joking,” Bella remarked, shooting Scott a reprimanding look. “Scott, behave; like you said, we’re going to be surrounded by officers.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Scott said, saluting.

“Shall we go in?” the sergeant suggested.

“Absolutely,” she replied, “and none of your smart remarks, Scott.”

“I’ll be a choir boy,” he grinned.

Following Sergeant Lewis to the front door, she noticed it was glossy green, and the brass knocker shone with spit and polish. Entering the foyer, she discovered the inside was as appealing as the exterior promised, with dark hardwood floors, fine furniture, and paintings gracing the walls.

“This place is lovely,” she remarked.

“Yes, it’s one of our better venues,” the sergeant replied.

“It needs to be special, it’s a special night.”

The deep, rich voice had come from behind her, and as she turned, she was not prepared for what she saw.

“Captain Valenti, this is Bella Montgomery, otherwise known as Soraya, the Mistress of Mesmerism,” the sergeant announced, “and her assistant, Scott Bateman.”

Bella felt her pulse quicken. She had not expected the officer in charge to look like some kind of GQ model. His wide shoulders in the crisp white uniform were the first things that captured her imagination, but his twinkling blue eyes framed by ridiculously long black lashes immediately jumped to the fore. She felt her mouth fall dry, and in spite of her best efforts she couldn’t stop a warm flush creeping across her face. Seeing her reaction, Scott stepped forward and launched into a list of questions about the sound system.

“Why don’t you follow me?” the captain said. “I’ll show you the equipment that’s here.”

“Thanks,” Scott replied, “lead the way.”

As she watched them walk ahead of her, Bella ran her fingers through her hair in a vain attempt to fluff it up.

My God, it should be illegal for a man to look like that. Scott, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! It’s not particularly impressive when a hypnotist is suddenly lost for words.

Following them into an imitation of an expansive living room, she wandered on to a stage large enough for a four-piece band, then stepped down on the good-sized parquet dance floor. While Scott was studying the PA, she stole covert glances at the insanely handsome captain, then began to walk around the room deciding how the furniture could be rearranged to accommodate the show.

“What do you think?” the sergeant asked, walking up to join her.

“How many guests are expected?”

“I don’t know the latest count,” he frowned, “but here comes Captain Valenti. He’ll be able to tell you.”

Taking a deep breath, Bella pretended to study the room as the dashing officer approached, then, praying she wouldn’t fall victim to another embarrassing hot pink blush, she moved her eyes to meet his.

My God, you have such a presence. No wonder you’re the officer in charge. You can pull me over your knee anytime. Good grief.

“I should have asked you earlier,” he said formally, “do you prefer Bella or Soraya?”

“In front of any audience members, Soraya, obviously, but when we’re just talking like we are now, Bella is perfectly fine,” she replied,
and just how tall are you? Six feet, no, more than six feet, at least six-one, maybe six-two.

“Do you have the latest head count?” the sergeant asked.

“Seventy-eight.”

“That’s more than enough to ensure a decent number of subjects,” Bella remarked. “I’ll need about fifteen, maybe twenty straight-backed chairs placed in a semicircle at the back of the dance floor in front of the stage, and the sofas and armchairs need to be set up in some kind of audience configuration. Is that doable?”

Finding herself getting lost in the handsome marine’s dazzling blue eyes, she’d shifted her gaze toward the areas she’d been referencing, but when he began to speak, she risked turning back to face him.

“I don’t see any problem with that,” he replied, “but why so many chairs? Won’t that make for a crowd when you do the actual show?”

“My goodness, no,” she replied. “With twenty potential subjects, I’ll end up with half of that, perhaps even less.”

“You can’t hypnotize everyone?”

Discussing her show, and hypnosis itself, filled her with confidence. She knew it held an alluring mystique, and she held the key that could unlock the mystery. Feeling calmer and more self-assured, she held his eyes as she continued speaking.

“Under the right circumstances, yes, I can, but the subjects on stage have to be somnambulists. Those are people who can sink into a deep state of hypnosis easily and quickly. Somnambulists number about one in four, so if I have twenty volunteers, I’ll end up with about five great subjects. Sometimes I get lucky and beat the odds. The good thing is, there’s always a show-stopper.”

“Fascinating,” he murmured, a crease moving across his brow. “How do you know if someone is truly hypnotized? Don’t you have fakers?”

“There are always pretenders, people who are natural hams and want to take control of the show, but they’re easy to spot, and even easier to deal with.”

“They are? How?”

“You’ll have to wait and see,” she quipped, immediately hoping her response hadn’t sounded too flippant. “When I’ve done shows here for groups of enlisted men, they’re already in a highly suggestible frame of mind, and I have a ton of people to pick from.”

“Why? I don’t understand.”

“Think about it.” She smiled up at him, noticing there wasn’t a single fleck of brown in his eyes, and his long dark lashes made them appear even bluer. “All day long they’re taking orders, so when they sit on my stage and I start telling them what to do, there’s no resistance. I’m not sure about officers. They’re used to giving instructions, not taking them, aren’t they?”

Her poise had grown as she’d talked and, holding his stare, she saw a flicker of something she couldn’t identify.

“I can only speak for myself,” he said, almost imperceptibly straightening his back, “but I am definitely the former.”

“The former, you mean one who instructs? I can imagine that,” she said softly, then looked quickly away as she felt the dreaded blush surge across her cheeks.

Bella knew that men often found her natural aplomb and quiet strength intimidating, and when they discovered that she was a stage hypnotist, most weren’t sure what that meant. Did she have some kind of power? Could she read their minds? It didn’t help that she was extremely attractive, possessed a sharp tongue and a quick wit, and was clearly smarter than the average bear, but she could see that the captain had no such concerns, and the tables were turning.

He was intimidating her!

“Right,” said the sergeant, breaking the awkwardness that had unexpectedly descended, “it appears everything is under control here.”

“So it would seem,” Bella replied, grateful for his interjection.

“In that case, I’ll say goodbye, and wish you luck.”

“Thanks, sergeant.”

“I’m looking forward to your show,” the captain said as the sergeant walked away. “Thank you for accommodating us. I’m sure the guests will be delighted.”

“I’ll certainly do my best to make it an entertaining evening,” she said with a warm smile,
but I hope you’re at the back of the audience. If I look up and see you, I’ll be totally unnerved.

“I’ll have the men move the furniture, just tell them how you need it. And now, if you will please excuse me, I have some other business that needs my attention,” he finished, then turning sharply, he marched away.

“That was interesting,” Bella remarked as she watched him disappear through a door on the opposite side of the foyer.

“He’s not your run-of-the mill guy,” Scott remarked, walking up behind her.

“No kidding,” Bella replied.
He was a total turn-on. That is one yummy man.

Chapter Three

Captain Vince Valenti closed the door, walked around the desk, sat down in the large leather chair, and stared into space. It was impossible! Soraya, the Mistress of Mesmerism, was a sensuous, beautiful young woman! It couldn’t be! He had heard about the sexy hypnotist, she had performed at various events held at the base before, but he had taken it all with a grain of salt, as he did hypnosis itself.

“How can a woman like that pull off a stage hypnotism act?” he muttered. “Hypnotists are men with pointed beards and black capes, all bluff and bluster. It’s impossible, isn’t it? I guess not. She sure as hell isn’t our culprit. There’s no way, is there?”

Rising from the desk, the officer in charge moved across the room to the glass decanter sitting on the sideboard. Rarely did he drink before dinner but he was rattled. Pouring himself a shot of whiskey, he brought the glass to his lips and downed it with one gulp, shuddering as the hot liquid burned down his throat. He was still for a minute, feeling the effects, then put down the glass and began to pace. He did his best thinking when he paced, but he also paced when he was worried.

The way she looked at me, like she wanted me, really wanted me. Was it my imagination? She’s so… unique, that’s the only word, unique. There’s something special about her, she sparkles. That’s what it is, she sparkles. Her eyes sparkle, they’re like emeralds, and she—! What am I doing? This woman is a suspect. I can’t let my guard down. I have to remain vigilant. I have my orders.

A determined frown crossed his brow, and, returning to the chair behind the desk, he settled in and picked up the phone.

“Major Peterson, they’re here.”

“Excellent. Is everything prepared?”

“Yes, major. They’ll both be under surveillance.”

“What about tomorrow night, the war games?”

“I haven’t brought that up yet, sir. I thought I’d wait until after the show. They’ve got too much on their plate at the moment.”

“Probably best. Very well. See you soon.”

Replacing the receiver, Captain Valenti pictured the beautiful spitfire he just met. It was hard to believe she could be involved in anything nefarious.

For several months documents had been disappearing from many of the military bases in the surrounding counties. Though some of the material was meaningless, some of it was sensitive. While a few missing files could be explained away as carelessness, the amount of paperwork that had vanished, and the frequency with which it was walking out of the camps, could not.

A colonel had been placed in charge of the inquiry, and after a thorough investigation, and a detailed analysis of visitors coming and going at the various camps during the time it was estimated the papers had been lifted, his team had just made a startling discovery. In every instance, Soraya, the Mistress of Mesmerism, had been performing at the base in question. The new information coincided with the party Captain Valenti had organized for a close friend. Soraya was to be the evening’s entertainment.

A quick background check on Bella Montgomery had raised no flags. She was an actress who had switched gears, turning her performance skills into a stage hypnotism act. She’d lived in the same apartment for several years, and there was no unusual financial activity reflected in her banking. Her sound man, Scott Bateman, was a more interesting candidate. He had no savings, and while his checking account showed deposits from occasional construction work, it didn’t amount to much, and he drove a flashy Mustang convertible.

The colonel was also disturbed at his empty profile. On paper it was thin, too thin. His credit history showed very little activity, his address was listed as a P.O. box, and though there was also a street address, it was a large complex and no unit number was listed. With the show about to arrive at the large marine base, the colonel had contacted Captain Valenti. Not only was he hosting the party at which Soraya was appearing, the captain had worked as an intelligence officer for a number of years.

The room in which Vince Valenti was sitting was a small office for the convenience of whoever was overseeing the event taking place. It had not been the number of guests behind the change in venue, but with Captain Valenti overseeing the surveillance of Bella Montgomery and Scott Bateman, the office would serve as his base for the night. A place to make and receive calls, and have private conversations as necessary, and he had arranged a small gathering of friends as a cover to keep the venue open.

Rising from his desk, he strode to the door and, walking across the foyer to the entrance to the main room, he saw Scott and two junior lieutenants moving the heavy couches and armchairs to accommodate the audience. Glancing back toward the stage, he noticed Bella was unstacking chairs and placing them in a semicircle around the dance floor. Walking quickly forward, he approached her just as she was attempting to unstick two seats that had locked together.