Читать книгу Enticed By The Operative - Lara Lacombe - Страница 10
ОглавлениеShe was quiet on the drive in. Logan couldn’t tell if she was shutting down, or merely being considerate since he spent most of the time on the phone. He made a few calls to some key players, people who needed to know what was going on and would help decide what to do about it. He didn’t want to bring everyone in just yet—not until he knew exactly what they were dealing with. He didn’t want to have to tell Olivia this, but the threats from Carlos could be a false alarm, or it might be too late for her friends. Either way, he wasn’t going to pull the trigger on a massive operation without a little more confirmation.
He glanced over, hoping to get a read on her mood. But she was turned away from him, staring out the window at the passing buildings. It was just as well. He didn’t exactly have a script of comforting words to draw from, and he certainly didn’t want to make things worse for her by saying the wrong thing.
Part of him was glad she wasn’t looking at him. He’d had a hard enough time containing his reaction at the kitchen table. As soon as she’d told him her story, complete with mention of the mysterious Carlos Martinez, his skin had started to tingle as if he’d been dropped into a pool of champagne. Her description of the man had fit perfectly with the profile they had on one of the US operatives for Fantasmas del Mal. The administration had been working for ages trying to gather more intel on this guy and his associates. If they could stop the US cell of this organization, it would be a major blow to the Colombian crime lords. Furthermore, crippling the US arm of Fantasmas del Mal might just weaken them enough that their competition would finish off the cartel.
But first things first. They had to figure out a way to keep her alive while she did the group’s dirty work.
Once again, his protective instincts fired up at the thought of Olivia in danger. He wasn’t quite sure why she elicited such a strong reaction from him, but he wasn’t going to dismiss the feeling. It had been so long since he’d felt much of anything that he welcomed the emotion, even though he knew it would only make matters more complicated.
Some things were worth the trouble.
The way he saw it, the only way her friends stood a chance of getting out alive was if Olivia carried the cartel’s money and exchanged it for drugs. A simple plan, except for one obvious flaw: Olivia wasn’t trained to handle this kind of situation.
And the bad guys knew it.
Logan tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he thought about her, alone and helpless, sent to deliver a pile of money in exchange for a suitcase full of drugs. She would be like a lamb to slaughter. The suppliers would likely give her the drugs—fear of Fantasmas del Mal ran deep in Colombia. But that didn’t mean they wouldn’t hurt Olivia in the process. Everyone knew these exchanges were dangerous. And as long as Olivia didn’t die... No harm, no foul, at least as far as the cartel was concerned.
Besides, unless he missed his guess, Carlos Martinez or another mystery man would probably kill her once she got back and delivered their product. She was clearly reluctant to participate, and they didn’t need anyone with a conscience knowing too much about their business. Once Olivia had completed the job, she’d be considered a loose end, someone to dispose of quickly before she could do any damage.
He shook his head. No matter what she did, she was damned. He clenched his jaw, hating the thought of her being treated like a loose end. She was so much more than that...
Did she realize the magnitude of the danger she was in? He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but her posture hadn’t changed. From what he could tell, she was a smart woman. They didn’t exactly hand out medical school diplomas, and he imagined plastic surgery was a demanding specialty. But book smarts didn’t always translate into street smarts, and it was possible Olivia hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“There’s no happy ending here, is there?”
Or maybe she had.
He winced, but really, it was better this way. He’d much prefer her to be informed than to be ignorant of the risks and realities of her situation. And a big part of him was relieved that he didn’t have to be the one to crush her hopes. Call him old-fashioned, but he really hated to be the guy who made a woman cry.
“We don’t know all the facts yet,” he cautioned. “There’s a lot of information we still need before we act.”
Olivia turned to face him then, her wide mouth pressed into a thin line. “You and I both know that the only way I’ll ever see my friends again is if I do what they want. That’s assuming the cartel doesn’t kill them just to make a point.”
Logan didn’t reply. He couldn’t deny the truth of her words, but he didn’t want to confirm them, either.
“So the only way to get out of this is for me to work with the devil. Which will probably get me killed.”
“Not necessarily,” he interjected. For some reason, it was important to him that she not give up hope. The odds were not in their favor, but there was always a chance.
And he was going to do his best to make that chance a reality.
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m not stupid,” she said softly. “And while I don’t know much about this organization, I doubt they’re the type to let me walk away. I refused them once, and they made it clear that to do so again would be a bad idea.” She ran her fingertips along her cheek as she spoke, and for the first time he noticed a faint darkening there, like the beginnings of a bruise. Had they hit her? He nearly snorted in disgust. He wouldn’t put it past Carlos or his men. From what he knew of them, they weren’t above bullying a woman to get what they wanted.
Logan was quiet as he pulled into the parking lot. He found a spot close to the door and cut the engine, then turned to face Olivia. “Can I ask you a question?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
“What’s the worst case you’ve ever had?”
Her brows drew together. “Worst in what way? Most difficult, or most frustrating?”
“I mean worst, as in you thought there was nothing you could do.”
Olivia’s eyes dropped to her lap, and he knew she was thinking. “There was a child in Colombia,” she said. “He was about six and had a cleft palate. The surgery itself wasn’t terribly complicated, as these things go, but once we got him onto the table everything went wrong. We lost power, his pulse dropped dangerously low, and the anesthesiologist had no way to truly measure his state of consciousness. I thought for sure we were going to lose him.”
“Did you?”
“No.” She shook her head, then lifted her eyes to meet his. “We didn’t. We pulled out all the stops, and by some miracle we were able to save him and complete the operation.”
“It wasn’t a miracle,” he replied. “It was your talent and the skills of those on your team.”
Olivia tilted her head. “I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.”
“I know this is a lot to ask. I know you don’t know me, and you don’t know the members of my team. But please try to trust me. Things look bleak now, but I will find a way to get you and your friends through this.”
“How can you be sure?” The words were barely more than a whisper, but he heard them loud and clear in the quiet car. “I want to believe you—I do. But I’m so afraid.”
“I know,” he said, just as softly. “But it’s my job to make sure the bad guys don’t win.” Especially where you’re concerned. For some reason, Olivia’s dilemma was more than just another case to him—protecting her was something he felt compelled to do. “Is this the part where you tell me you’re the best there is?” She gave him a shaky smile, trying to pass the question off as a joke. But he saw the curiosity in her eyes, the burning need to know if he really could deliver on his promises.
“Would you feel better if I did?” He could rattle off a list of his accomplishments in his sleep, but that’s not what she needed to hear. Besides, he knew better than anyone that words were meaningless. He had to show her by his actions that he was capable of keeping her safe.
“I honestly can’t say.”
Without thinking, Logan reached over and brushed a thick tendril of glossy brown hair behind her ear. “Tell you what. Let’s go inside and have a conversation with some of my friends. You can listen to what we come up with, and I’ll let you decide if I’m good at my job.”
She nodded, and they climbed out of the car. He walked around the hood and put his hand on the small of her back to guide her into the building. It fit perfectly, as if that spot on her body had been made for his touch.
Don’t even go there, he told himself. Olivia was a woman in trouble, and while his inner hero was thrilled to be the one to ride to her rescue, he had no business entertaining those kinds of thoughts. His personal feelings had no place in this situation, a fact he couldn’t afford to forget. Things were bad enough—one slipup on his part could cost several lives.
It was a sobering realization, and one that got his brain back on track.
Time to go to work.
* * *
Olivia was beginning to regret her decision to stay in Logan’s office.
It was a nice enough place, but being alone with her thoughts only gave her the opportunity to obsess about Avery and Mallory—where they were, if the cartel had kidnapped them yet. If they were all going to make it out alive.
Logan hadn’t been gone long. “You’re welcome to sit with us as we hash this out,” he’d said.
“No, thanks.” She didn’t need to be in the room while he and his friends talked candidly about her situation. She wanted them to feel free to come up with a plan, and if they were trying to be sensitive to her feelings, they might not discuss all their options.
“Want some coffee?”
She’d declined his offer. She was jittery enough already—if she added caffeine to the mix, she just might vibrate right out of her skin.
He’d given her a sympathetic look. “I’ll come back for you soon.”
She’d merely nodded, and he’d turned and left the room.
To pass the time, Olivia stood and walked over to the wall behind his desk. It was filled with pictures and plaques, physical evidence of his commendations and awards. She stepped closer, peering at a photo that showed a group of men sitting on a large pile of plastic-covered bundles. Drugs, she realized. It took a second to find him, but Logan was sitting on the right-hand side, grinning widely underneath his sunglasses. There were several other similar photos on the wall, making her wonder just how many successful operations he’d conducted. Her heart lightened a bit at the proof that Logan really was as good as she’d hoped. Maybe she and her friends would get through this after all.
Her gaze flickered over to a formal picture, one of Logan in a suit, standing next to a dignitary who looked vaguely familiar. He was quite handsome when he dressed the part, but her eyes kept going back to the more casual shots of Logan with his team. There was something about those images that drew her to him. Maybe it was his tanned skin, his tangled hair or even his knockout grin. Perhaps it was the combination of all three. But the longer she studied the pictures, the more she realized she liked looking at him like this because he appeared to be happy. The photos had captured a man who truly enjoyed his work, one who was totally comfortable in his own skin. It was a rare quality these days, especially in her field. She was so used to being around people who hated some aspect of their appearance that some of their negativity had rubbed off on her, making her forget that not everyone was unhappy. No wonder she had found Logan attractive from the beginning—he was the natural antidote to the melancholy of her daily job.
Not that it was all bad. Her trips to Colombia made the daily grind worth it. There was nothing like using her skills to change someone’s life for the better. These were not people who felt a little too fat or a little too wrinkled to be pretty. These were patients who couldn’t eat properly because of cleft palates, people who had massive scars, people who truly needed help. Fixing them gave her the only peace she’d felt since her parents had died, and she lived off the sense of contentment for the rest of the year.
Olivia rubbed her hands up and down her arms, suddenly feeling cold. Logan had a light jacket hanging off the back of his chair, and she reached for it, vowing to return it to its rightful place before he caught her wearing his clothes. She shrugged it on, rolling up the sleeves so her hands were free. It hung off her shoulders and halfway down her thighs, but she felt immediately warmer. Breathing in, she caught a hint of laundry detergent, male body wash and a faint, clean note that could only be his skin. It was a pleasant scent and she closed her eyes, taking a deeper breath. Being wrapped up in his jacket made her feel secure, and as she stood there snuggling into the fabric, her heart rate slowed and her muscles began to relax. For the first time since Carlos’s appearance in her office, she felt normal.
A soft knock at the door interrupted her sanctuary. She turned to find Logan standing in the doorway, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“We’re ready for you now.”
She swallowed, her heart in her throat. “Okay.” She took a step toward him, then realized she still wore his jacket. With a small sound of embarrassment, she moved to take it off.
Logan held out his hand, stalling her. “Leave it,” he said. He eyed her up and down, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half smile that was too sexy for her liking. “It looks good on you.”
Goose bumps broke out along her arms, making her glad the long sleeves covered her completely. Logan was here as a favor to her, and the last thing she wanted was to make things awkward between them.
“Did you come up with something?”
Logan’s eyes sparkled as he looked down at her. “We did, indeed. Come on—I’ll introduce you to the team.”
* * *
She would make a terrible poker player, Logan thought to himself. Olivia sat and listened patiently while the other men spoke, but her furrowed brows and turned-down lips made it very clear what she thought of their plan.
He was fairly proud of his team and the strategy they’d come up with, especially given the short time in which they’d had to work. It was a decent approach, but Olivia’s terrified expression made him start to second-guess their work.
Did we miss something? Should we try another angle? Possibly, but he and the rest of the team had hashed out several options before settling on this one. It was by no means perfect, but it was a damn good strategy to build upon.
Keith finished talking, and the men fell silent. All eyes were on Olivia as she considered their explanations. He could practically feel the tension ratchet up in the room as the guys waited for her to speak. Her face betrayed her thoughts, but they all wanted to hear if she would agree, despite her obvious reservations. Since she was an integral part of the operation, it was crucial she felt comfortable participating in the plan. If not, they would need to go back to the drawing board.
After a pregnant pause, Olivia exhaled in a gust of breath. Logan found himself holding his own breath in response, not wanting to miss her reply. He forced himself to breathe with a little mental kick. Why was he so nervous? This certainly wasn’t his first operation, and he usually didn’t get so wound up when proposing a plan of action. Why should this be any different?
Because it’s personal, he realized. He didn’t know Olivia well, that was true, but she was his neighbor. She belonged in the “home” category in his mind, and it bothered him that something from his career had bled over to stain that compartment of his world.
“I want to make sure I understand what you’re proposing,” Olivia said, jerking him out of his thoughts and back into the room. “You want me to do exactly what the bad guys have asked. The first step has me carrying a large amount of cash into Colombia. How exactly am I going to get that into the country without raising suspicions?”
“That’s our problem,” Keith assured her. “Don’t worry about it—we’ll make sure you don’t have any trouble on that end.”
“Okay.” She sounded anything but convinced, but she didn’t protest. “What about the exchange? Won’t they kill me and just take the money?”
Alan shook his head. “That’s highly unlikely. They know if they cross Fantasmas del Mal the cartel will pull no punches when it comes to retribution.”
“Oh, of course,” she replied, sarcasm leaking into her voice. “So I’ll just exchange the money for drugs, and then waltz back into the US, clearing Customs without a second glance?”
“Well...” Keith, Alan and Joseph shared a glance. “Basically, yeah,” Joseph finished. “I know it’s hard to believe, but we’ll smooth the way for you. We need you to come back here and give the goods to Carlos, so we can apprehend him.”
“Why can’t you grab him when he gives me the money? Why do I have to go through all of it if you’re just going to arrest him in the end?”
“Because,” Logan interjected, sensing she was at the end of her patience. “If we arrest him before you complete the job, they’ll kill your friends. Plus, waiting gives us even more time to gather information on him, and our partners in Colombia will continue to investigate his associates. By working together, we’ll be able to build a much stronger case, so when we do arrest him, we’ll have even more charges to bring against him and his collaborators.”
Olivia shot him a look that told him as clear as any words that she couldn’t care less about the legal ramifications of waiting to arrest Carlos. He expected her to fire back a retort, but she simply bit her bottom lip and remained silent.
The men glanced at each other again, their uncertainty plain. Olivia didn’t sound too happy at this point—did they need to come up with something else?
“Gentlemen, can you give us a moment please?” Olivia clearly wanted to say something, but Logan had the sense she didn’t want to talk in front of his team. Maybe if it was just the two of them, she’d open up a little more.
The guys rose as one from the table and filed out of the room, each one looking slightly relieved at being out of the line of fire. Logan had the distinct urge to laugh as these experienced men rushed to get away from one upset woman, leaving him behind to handle the situation. So much for loyalty!
After the door shut behind them, Logan studied Olivia, trying to gain insight into her frame of mind. “Want to tell me what’s bothering you?” he asked softly.
She huffed out a laugh. “Where should I begin?”
He ducked his head in acknowledgment. “Fair enough. What do you think of the plan?”
One slim shoulder jerked up, then disappeared into the folds of his jacket. Seeing her wear his clothing did something funny to his stomach, like he’d just chugged a two-liter bottle of soda before spinning in circles. Focus, he chided himself. Find out what’s bothering her.
“It seems fairly straightforward,” she replied, sounding a little hesitant.
“That’s usually the best way to do things. Less chance of mistakes.”
“For you, maybe. You do this all the time. But me?” She shook her head. “I’m not built for this.”
And wasn’t that the understatement of the year? Logan couldn’t stop his gaze from roaming over her, starting at her wide brown eyes and wandering down to her graceful hands, stopping to linger on everything in between. Olivia was a woman built for civilized pursuits, not the machinations of a ruthless drug cartel.
“No, you aren’t,” he agreed. Seeing her here in his office, drowning in his jacket and looking lost, tugged at something deep inside his chest. Could he really ask her to do this on her own? Sure, the DEA would be watching from afar—they couldn’t get too close because they didn’t want to betray their involvement and spook the bad guys. But was that enough?
No, he decided. It wasn’t. Olivia deserved more.
“Would you feel better if I went with you?”
Her head jerked up at that, her eyes brightening with hope. “Can you do that?”
He nodded, mentally preparing himself for the battle that was sure to come when he announced this change of plan to the rest of the guys. “If it would make you feel better.”
She grabbed his hand, squeezing hard. “You’d do that for me?”
“We take care of our own,” he replied, squeezing back. “And if you do this, you’re definitely on the team.”
She smiled at that, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I never thought I’d be part of a posse before.”
“Please,” he scoffed. “We’re a little more organized than that.”
“That’s true,” she said. She studied him a moment, her expression growing serious. “Are you sure you can do this? It won’t mess up the surveillance the other guys were talking about?”
“It’ll be fine,” he assured her. “If anything, it will be good to have eyes and ears on you, so I can make sure nothing bad happens.” Besides, the surveillance team wouldn’t be able to respond quickly if necessary, whereas he’d be right there, ready to act if things got too hairy.
“I would feel better if you were with me,” she murmured, almost to herself. Her words made him want to throw his shoulders back and grin, but he controlled the urge.
“So you’ll do it?” he asked, trying not to sound too eager.
She nodded, meeting his gaze. “If you can really come with me, then yes, I’ll do it.”
“Excellent.” Logan couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face. Finally, they had a solid chance to bring these guys down! It was the operation of a lifetime, and he would make sure they succeeded.
Or die trying.
