C. Paradee - Deep Cover

"Thank you."

Kris raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Thank you for protecting my daughter."

She took in the worried look and red eyes. The operative could see the woman loved her daughter, yet she hadn't taken the steps to protect her children when they were unable to protect themselves. She couldn't respect that no matter how much Lisa loved Shelby.

Kris nodded. "Any time."

Jason and Jimmy looked up, their attention piqued. "What're you talking about, Mom?"

Lisa hedged. She didn't want to tell the boys, yet. She'd only found out herself shortly before Shelby arrived and wanted to wait for the right moment. "I'll tell you about it later. How about passing the chicken?"

She forced a smile as she took the platter from Jason and began passing the food around the table.

Kris could feel the tension emanating from Shelby, and moved her leg sideways, bumping the shorter one next to hers. When Shelby looked at her, Kris quirked a half-smile. The answering smile caused her heart to skip a beat.

It was just the briefest of contact, but Shelby felt her world begin to right itself. Some of her tension faded and she could sense Kris' diminish in concert.

Jason and Jimmy chattered excitedly about their upcoming baseball trip and when that didn't elicit anything except monosyllabic responses from the others, they began telling spy stories.

Shelby tried to introduce a neutral subject a number of times, but her heart wasn't in it and she was unsuccessful. Lisa and Kris' contributions were perfunctory and the analyst found it increasingly difficult to carry on the conversation with the boys herself.

Tiring of the lack of response, the teenagers eventually fell silent until the only sounds in the large room were those of silverware scraping against plates. After demolishing their food, both boys asked to be excused wanting to leave the tension behind. Lisa sent them on their way promising to bring in dessert.

Shelby and Kris remained at the table with the older woman, drinking coffee.

"So what are you, Kris? A bodyguard?"

Shelby started laughing at the look of shock that flitted across Kris' face before she quickly recovered.

"No. I'm a field operative. Once the case I'm working on with Shelby is completed, I'll be reassigned."

"Well, I'm really glad you are staying with Shelby. Jonathan said it was amazing how quickly you knocked her down and made sure she was safe."

Kris played along, even as she tensed. "And Jonathan knew this, how?"

"He was there. He saw what you did. He said it was nothing short of amazing."

"So why'd he leave?" she challenged.

Lisa nervously toyed with her coffee cup, looking for an answer that would excuse his actions. "Shelby and her stepfather aren't on the best of terms right now."

Kris raised an eyebrow. "So he left while she was in danger?"

Lisa suddenly felt like she was being interrogated and didn't want to tell this intimidating woman that her ex-husband had been on parole, so she stood up, and changed the subject. "How about some dessert?"

Kris seethed inwardly. She couldn't say what she wanted to because to do so would betray Shelby's trust.

Shelby smiled. "I'll have some, Mom." She glanced at Kris. "Mom makes the best apple pie around. Why don't you try a piece?"

The operative inwardly shook her head. Shelby was upset, yet she was still trying to ease the sudden escalation of tension. For her benefit only, Kris smiled at Lisa. "Thanks. It sounds delicious."

Kris and Shelby departed an hour later, after thanking Lisa for the delicious dinner and bidding her and the two teenagers farewell. Within five minutes of their departure, a silver Cavalier pulled into the driveway they had vacated.

"What'd you think of my mother?"

"Um...she seems nice. So how'd she know?"

"My stepfather. You know the car that pulled in the parking lot? It was him. He told Mom he was just coming to see me to try and make amends."

Kris glanced at Shelby. "Do you believe that?"

"I don't know what to believe. He's still lying. He told her he didn't threaten me at the trial. I'll never forget that. You had to see his face, how much he hated me. He said, "You bitch, you'll pay. I'll see you in hell even if I have to join you there."

Kris reached over and grasped Shelby's hand. "Hey, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. I promise."

Shelby turned to face the operative, holding tightly to her hand. "Thanks, but you're only gonna be here another week at most. This is something I have to take care of."

The taller woman briefly scanned Shelby's pale face. Mind made up, she said flatly, "I'm going to pay Jonathan a visit."

"Kris!"

Kris smiled grimly. "I'm not going to hurt him." Unless he gives me a reason. "Just talk to him." And let the bastard knows that if he ever harms you in any way, he'll be begging to die before I'm finished with him.

Shelby looked at Kris and shuddered. But this was her battle. Squaring her shoulders, she spoke with conviction. "I think I should be the one to talk to him."

Kris quickly searched Shelby's eyes before turning her attention back to the road, nodding at the determination and strength she'd seen. "When do you want to go?"

"Not today. I've had enough unpleasantness for one day. Besides, I need to find out where he lives and works, so we're likely to catch him at home. I don't want to have to go back more than once."

"I requested his FBI file. I should have it Monday."

"Why did you request it?"

Kris shrugged. "He needs to be ruled out as a suspect."

"Okay, we'll decide when to go see him after we review it. I don't think he had anything to do with the shooting, though. I wish I knew why he really was at my place."

Shelby stared out the window for a few minutes, then turned troubled eyes to Kris. "I don't know what to do about my mother. She has all the classic symptoms of an abused woman. I really thought she was okay, now. She'd never indicated any desire to see Jonathan. I wish I could find a way to convince her to seek professional counseling. I can't help her. She thinks I'm too biased."

"Any possibility of getting her to go to a support group?"

"Not if she knew what it was. Maybe if I talk to one of the women's shelters, they might let me bring her to visit. Just to remind her of what it was like. I think she's forgotten. She wouldn't go if she knew where we were going, though. I'd have to fabricate something and I hate doing that."

"You don't know anyone who does any counseling?"

"Duh!! A good friend of mine travels around the country giving seminars to abused women. Geesh! I can't believe I didn't think of her! She's been out of town. I think she gets back on Wednesday."

Pleased to hear the obvious relief in Shelby's voice, Kris smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

Shelby suddenly said, "Let's go some place and do something fun."

Nodding, Kris grinned. "Okay. Your wish is my command."

Shelby looked away to hide the flush that crept up on her face. Don't even go there. "We could see a movie, or visit the monuments, or go to Baltimore."

"Baltimore's almost an hour away. Why there?"

"To see the ocean. It's really nice off the harbor."

Kris glanced at the clock on the dashboard. It was only three, so they had plenty of time. She smiled. "Sounds good," and she started maneuvering her way to US-50.

Dimitri read the encrypted message he'd just received for the third time. Two of the three names Natasha had provided were agents that were no longer in place, having been reassigned only days before. It couldn't be coincidence. She was obviously playing games. He would know with absolute certainly when information on the third name was returned.

He forced himself to calm down. Anger was nonproductive. He'd actually been very lucky. Normally it would've taken several days to get operatives in place to verify the information, but they'd had men already close to two of the target locations, and headquarters had indicated information on the third name would be forthcoming within hours.