Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,29

all that yelling,” Josh said, his eyes wide and innocent because he knew how much it annoyed Dominic and he lived to wind up his former boss.

Cal took a deep breath. “Look, I’m just asking for SCDR’s help. If you don’t want to give it, fair enough. I don’t want to put anyone in danger.”

Josh raised an eyebrow. “SCDR?”

“Spooks of CDR,” Cal muttered. “It’s just an in-joke.”

Josh stared at him, then burst out laughing, while Dave and Rick snorted. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“I wish he were,” Dominic snapped. “It’s one argument I should never have lost.”

“Whatever they’re called, are you going to help us?” Cal had obviously lost patience with the discussion and the yelling. “I’m not asking you to mobilize a team to get over here. Fuck, I think this is going to be over before you could get here.”

Josh bit down on his bottom lip. Cal had years more experience in the field on dangerous assignments than he did. Before he’d come to London in search of a missing hedge fund manager, Josh and Gil had been assigned to low profile targets. Cal thought this was coming to an end and he didn’t sound hopeful about its conclusion.

“Don’t be so sure of that,” Dominic said in a much more moderate tone.

Josh wasn’t sure if he meant everything coming to a head or getting his men in place. Cal’s grunt gave him no clue.

“Regardless,” Dominic continued, “you’ve been severely underestimating the resources Ileana Ramirez has at her disposal. She’s part of a global network of cartels and gangs. Weapons, drugs, trafficking, politics. It’s all at her fingertips.”

“But she doesn’t appear to be using outside resources,” Cal argued.

“Not so far, but Billy could have been part of a larger organization.”

“So you don’t think she’s just one woman out for revenge for the murder of her brother?” Josh asked.

This was a question they had kept asking.

Dominic took his time to answer. “I think she may be out for revenge.”

“But…”

“The chatter is bigger forces are at play.”

Cal let out a long breath. “We are fighting a war we cannot win.”

“Nonsense,” Dominic said briskly. “You’re not part of this war yet. The agency was. Your old assignments were part of that war. You and your rogue band are not.”

“Rogue band?”

Cal sounded offended.

Dominic carried on as if Cal hadn’t interrupted. “Don’t get yourself in a position you’re not capable of fighting, Callum. Angel Enterprises has one short-term goal. You’re not here to take down Ramirez.” He held his hand up as Josh opened his mouth to object and for once, Josh subsided. “Your job is to retrieve Lucinda Weatherly, before she’s nothing more than body parts.”

“We’re running out of time, Dominic.”

Callum sounded so defeated Josh put an arm around his shoulders.

Dominic ran a hand through his red hair, making it wilder than ever. “Yes, you are.”

“So what do you suggest we do?”

“We need time to study the information you sent me.”

“Time is short,” Josh reminded him.

Dominic scowled. Cal elbowed Josh again, obviously trying to avoid another explosion.

“I’ll get back to you later today,” Dominic said.

It was still morning in Seattle.

Cal nodded. “We’ll be up.”

“Don’t talk to Mullins,” Dominic ordered.

It was the mention of asking the agency for help that had provoked Dominic’s initial explosion.

Cal pressed his lips together tightly. Josh understood. Cal still had residual loyalty to the British intelligence agency. Josh had no such loyalty.

“Don’t do anything before I’ve had a chance to talk to you.” When Cal didn’t answer, he said, “Cal.”

Josh had never heard that pleading note in Dominic’s voice before. He was really worried.

“You’ve got twenty-four hours and then I go to the agency,” Cal agreed.

Dominic nodded and cut the connection.

Josh tilted his head as he looked at Cal. “What was all that about? I thought we were asking for help, not making demands.”

“Dominic never trusted the agency. He especially didn’t trust Weatherly or Sir Gee. He thought I wasted years with them when we should have been building CDR.”

Josh blinked. “Wow. I never thought I’d agree with Dominic on anything, but today is that day.”

Cal rolled his eyes. “I’m never going to hear the end of this.”

“I’m never gonna tell him. Cross my heart.” Josh crossed his hands over his heart.

“Bloody twelve-year-old girls,” Dave muttered. He snorted at the knowing grin Josh shot his way.

Cal smiled apologetically at Josh. “I’m sorry. I need to talk to people.” He vanished into one of the side rooms before Josh could respond.

Dave raised an eyebrow. “What was all that