“Maybewhenever you are playing a role for a cover, an accent naturally comes out.”
“Oh, maybe,”Isay. “It’stoo bad that we’re done with the part of the mission where a cover might be needed so we can’t test that theory.Whatif it’s a different accent every time?”
Aswe walk out toOllie’scar,Ithink about howIwas playing a role whenIpretended to beOllie’sgirlfriend, yet my normal voice came out.Aww, that makes me kind of happy that my subconscious thinks that he andIcould be a couple.
Butwait.Doesthat mean my subconsciousdoesn’tthink thatIcould be a business owner in need ofOllie’saccounting services?Thatdoesnotmake me happy.Luckily,Olliesaves me from having to think on that for very long when he asks, “So, are you free to go with me to hand this off toJace?”
“Affirmative.I’mnot about to leave my co-spy in the field during a clandestine operation without backup right before the critical handoff.”
Asmile spreads acrossOllie’sface as he opens the passenger side door of his car.Idon’t know if the smile is becauseIsaid yes to joining him or if it’s because of my clever use of spy terms.I’mgoing to go ahead and believe it’s both.
Whenhe gets in the car and pulls out of the parking stall,Itell him, “Myelderly neighbor,Ruthie, hangs out withPrinceCharmingwhileI’mat work.Ialreadycalled her to ask if she could keep him longer soIcould do this with you.Shewas more than happy to and even said she’d take him for a walk.WillRoibe okay with you coming home late?”
Henods as he pulls ontoMainStreet. “Ihave a friend in my building with a key to my place.Iasked him to go feedRoiand give her some attention.”
KeyhavenParkis only about three blocks downMainStreetfromOllie’sfirm, right in the heart of town.Wecould’ve easily walked, butOllieis a bit nervous carrying something so important, so we park in one of the only available spots and get out.
Thepark is filled with so many people, booths, activities, food trucks, a pumpkin patch, aFerriswheel, whatI’mguessing is a maze made of hay bales, a live band, carnival-type games, andIthinkIeven see a petting zoo.And, according toJace, a carousel, although we can’t see it from where we enter the park.
Thereare a lot of food and artisan booths in this part of the park, though.Igo up to a mom waiting at a booth to get a balloon animal for the pre-schooler who’s holding her hand, andIask her if she’s seen the carousel.Shepoints to the opposite side of the park.It’sgoing to take some evasive maneuvers to get there.
Wego around a group of booths only to see another group of them, andIspot my friend,Ryleigh.She’stalking to some people standing in her boutique-in-a-booth, looking at the clothes she’s selling, so she doesn’tsee me.I’dlove to go and say hi to her, but we’ve got a mission here to complete.
Ollienudges my shoulder with the hand not carrying the brightly-colored case with the contracts and nods to the right.There’sa woman in a suit standing next to a man in a suit, looking down an aisle made by some farmer’s market booths.Hewhispers, “Isthat the woman thatTadwas talking to when we saw him by the elevator?”
Totell the truth,Iwas paying way more attention toTadthan the woman he separated from when he came to grill us.DidIeven fully look at her?SomespyIam.Irack my brain for any detailsIdid catch.Blacksuit.Lightbrown hair.That’sallIhave.Thiswoman is also wearing a black suit and has light brown hair. “Idon’t know,”Iwhisper back. “ButIthink maybe it is?Doyou think it is?Arethey following us?”
“Idon’t know,”Olliesays and glances around as his hand tightens its grip on the case he’s holding. “Butthis isn’t exactly a place where people wear suits.”
Iglance around, too.Thereare not a lot of suit-clad people here.It’smostly families, couples, and groups of friends.
“Maybewe should hide before they turn around and see us,” he says.
I’mnodding asI’mlooking for a place.ThenIgrab his hand and pull him toward my friendRyleigh’sbooth.Weget there as the last two people looking at herclothing are walking away.Herbooth consists of an awning, a small table at the back, two freestanding clothing racks filled with clothes, and two coat racks with clothes hanging all over them.Assoon as we walk into her area, she smiles big and gives me a hug.
“Canwe hide here for a minute?”Iask. “Somepeople in suits are after us.”
“Ofcourse,” she says as she shoos us into the corner behind the two coat racks and starts arranging the clothes to completely hide us. “So, is this ‘hiding from suits’ thing for real or pretend?Becausecan we pretend that they’re tax collectors coming to hunt you down?”
“Sure,”Isay, my voice muffled from the embroidered bohemian top that’s covering my head, “we can pretend that.”
“Ooh!”Ryleighsays. “Orthey could beMeninBlack.”
“Wouldn’tthat make us aliens if they’re looking for us?”Olliesays, his voice muffled, too.
“True.Maybewe shouldn’t go for that.Andif they’re tax collectors, that would make you tax evaders.Oh!Iknow!Wecan pretend that you two are secret spies and they are,Idon’t know, some bad guys after you.That’sexciting!”
“Ilike that one,”Itell her. “Let’spretend that.”
“Iwill let you know when the coast is clear of any suit-clad bad guys.”
Wetry to stay still asRyleighwelcomes a couple ofshoppers into the booth.Ollieis so close to me thatIcan feel his warmth.Iam probably putting off my own warmth, being buried under all these clothes.
Ollieshifts beside me so he’s even closer when he breathes, “Ican honestly say that whenIwoke up this morning,Inever guessedIwould be pretending to be a rack of clothes before the day was out.”Hiswords tickle my ear and send a thrill up my back.Ormaybe it’s the fringe of the kimono on my shoulder.Nope.It’sdefinitelyOllie’snearness.
“AndInever thoughtI’dhave to be on the lookout for suit-wearing people.”
OneofRyleigh’scustomers starts looking at the rackI’mhiding behind and, when pulling out a maxi skirt a bit to get a better look, unknowingly tickles my stomach.Idon’t know if they give out spy awards, but if they do,Ishould get one for not laughing or reflexively pulling my stomach back.Heck,Ididn’t even flinch, which was quite a feat.Ithink that earns me a trophy.Herfriend found a skirt that she had to have, which took her attention away from the clothes at my gut, andIstay still as a, well, rack of clothes, as the friend pays and then they both leave.
