case, the instructions were to keep things platonic.
As much and as long as possible.
If Jack hadn’t kissed her, he’d be dead. That much was certain. Jack was tall, but the guard had a few inches on him, easy. Between the man’s size and his assault rifle, Jack wouldn’t have had a chance. Still he hated what he’d had to do.
And tonight would be Round Two. Earlier Jack had stopped by the Palace to speak with Anders. No need to take part in “showtime” as the sick man called it. Jack told him he wanted to see Eliza again. Same time. Basically, Eliza had passed the first test. The big bodyguard stared at him throughout his brief visit, but Anders seemed pleased.
“I’ll have to call your father one of these days.” Anders gave Jack a pat on the back. “Tell him we’ve been pleased to host you here at the Palace.”
If he ever got out of agent work, Jack figured he could be an actor. He didn’t blink or act out of sorts at all. He simply allowed an easy laugh. “Tell him he owes me a golf game.”
“Yes.” Anders winked at him. “Your old man can play a mean game of golf. I remember that.”
Somehow Jack had gotten out of there and back to his hotel without having anyone trail him or shoot at him or run him off the road. The other operatives were all on high alert, and each of them knew about the guard bursting into Eliza’s room last night.
His phone lit up and Jack recognized the number. Oliver Layton. This was the conversation Jack was waiting for. “What’s the word?”
Oliver was expert at collecting recon and condensing it into the most action-based response. “Elisa’s guard last night was probably Asia. He’s one of Anders’s favorites, and he’s suspicious of everyone.”
His boss went on to explain that one of the police officers who used to work for Anders had turned over evidence. The man was now working with Police Chief Averes. “Our informant says that every few months Asia drops in during the girls’ sessions. Usually when Anders has a doubt.”
“That’s what I thought.” Jake leaned over his knees and looked out across the ocean.
“Apparently you convinced him.” Oliver sounded wary. “You kissed the girl?”
“I did. For a few seconds, yes, sir.” Jack wanted to be up front. “I had no choice.”
“I know.” Oliver exhaled. “That’s why we put you on the job. Your actions are always above reproach.”
“Thank you, sir.” Jack wished he felt that way about the choice he had to make. “So… are we good for tonight?”
“Yes.” Oliver sighed. “Turns out Henry the Third left a journal. Apparently his first visit to the Palace was with Alexa. Eliza’s friend.”
Jack felt like someone had kicked him in the gut. Poor Alexa, whoever she was, wherever she had been taken from. Her life had been a nightmare. And no wonder Eliza was angry. As the kept princess of the Palace, she had watched the girls suffer through their daily existence. Year after year. Of course Eliza hated men, and she would hate Jack, too. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Terrible.”
“It is.” Oliver paused. “One of our informants heard Anders talking about having a full house last night. He was at the Blue Breeze during work hours.”
McMillan was vile. Jack stood and walked to the balcony railing. Of course the man would hide at the yacht club through the night. In case of a raid. Such a coward. Thursday night couldn’t come fast enough. He would gladly shoot Anders in the face if it came to that.
Gladly.
“We have to talk about Anders.” Oliver was all business. “If he’s at the Blue Breeze Thursday night, we need a way to take him in. I’d prefer we don’t do a concurrent raid on the yacht club, obviously.”
“I agree.” Jack could imagine a hundred ways that could go wrong. They needed to focus their efforts.
Oliver explained his idea. The police chief would close the Blue Breeze for a twenty-four-hour period for a health inspection. Those were required across the beach, and inspectors were permitted to make unplanned visits if they received a complaint.
“I like it.” The phone call ended and Jack finished his coffee. Missions like this required him to keep up his workout routine. He was in the field too often to rely on a gym, so he spent the next hour using his body weight to work his biceps, traps, chest, core and quads.
He needed to