Targeted Risk (R.I.S.C. #7) - Anna Blakely Page 0,49
boots and grabbed her coat. She needed to go to him. To let him know everything would be okay.
Maybe it was this place. Or more likely, the man she’d been sharing the place with. Either way, she’d finally started to believe that to be true.
Somehow, some way, they were going to get through this mess. After that, they’d finally be free to start the life they both wanted...together.
Juliet turned the knob and opened the door, letting out a tiny squeal of surprise when she saw a man standing in front of her. He was tall and lean, his dark hair parted perfectly to one side. And his gloved hand was raised into a fist, as if he’d been about to knock.
“You must be Juliet. I’m sorry I startled you.”
He knows my name.
Her heart began to race. She should slam the door and lock it, but instead, Juliet found herself asking, “W-who are you?”
“My apologies. I’m Ben. This is my cabin.”
“Show me some I.D.”
Despite the harshness of her order, the man’s thin lips curved into an approving grin. “I see your protector has trained you well. Here.” He pulled out his wallet and flipped it open for her.
Juliet studied it closely, her mouth dropping when she read his credentials. “Your CIA?”
“I am. But if you tell anyone, I’ll have to kill you.”
Her eyes flew up to his, which were filled with humor.
“Sorry.” Ben offered her a chagrined smirk. “That joke was in poor taste, given the circumstances.” A bout of awkward silence filled the air between them before he said, “Glad to see the boots fit. I hope the fuzzy black slippers I picked out for you do, as well.”
Okay, he must be legit. Otherwise, how would he know about the slippers?
“Everything was perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
When he didn’t say anything more, she asked, “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I just came to drop this off.” He held up a folder she hadn’t even noticed before then. “Is your man here? There’s some intel in here I think he’s going to be interested in.”
“Is that about my case?” Hope bloomed inside her chest. “Do you know who’s been trying to hurt me?”
“We might. We’ve recently come across a couple new leads. That’s why I wanted to bring this to you both now, rather than wait. With the snowstorm coming, I was afraid the phone lines would be down, and I wouldn’t be able to email or fax it later.”
Excited to see what was in it, Juliet took the folder and said, “Jay’s out cutting wood, but I’ll make sure he gets it.”
A strange expression fell over the man, but it was gone in a flash. “Excellent. Please see that he does.” He glanced up at the gray sky. “I’d better be going. I’m sure you two wouldn’t enjoy having a third wheel stuck up here with you.”
Juliet wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that, so she simply smiled.
“Take care, Miss Farrow. Make sure Mik...er, Jay...gets that as soon as possible.”
Did he almost say Mike?
A gnawing feeling crept deep into her gut.
“Thank you.”
Ben turned to leave, and Juliet quickly shut the door and locked it. Rushing back over to the table, she sat down and opened the folder. That feeling worsened when she read the words on the very first page.
There, in bold print, the sheet read...
Classified.
Property of the CIA
For CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer Michael J. Bradshaw’s Eyes Only.
Michael J. Bradshaw...Michael Bradshaw...Mike.
“Oh, my god.”
Juliet’s hand flew to her mouth, her throat working to keep the bile rushing up from her stomach at bay.
No, no, no.
She shot up from the chair and went to the kitchen sink. Clamping her fingers around its edge, she squeezed until her knuckles turned white.
Was it possible? Could Jay really be an undercover agent with the CIA?
Her mind raced as it attempted to go back over their time spent together. Back to two years ago...and now.
She’d met him through her brother, Mikhail. The same brother who, not long after, testified against their father and other brother.
When she’d been taken into custody, he vanished without a trace. She’d even tried looking him up once the trial was over, but the one measly trail she’d found had led to a dead end.
Then, out of nowhere, he shows up suddenly. At the exact moment a man from her father’s past had tried to kill her. He’d rushed in, saved the day, and she’d fallen for the ruse like a mindless damsel in distress.
Jay...Mike...had questioned her that next day