After completing five years on the protective mission, most agents entered the third and final phase of their career. In Phase 3, they frequently took on supervisory and management roles—such as their own RAIC, Special Agent Jacob Turner—or they might return to a resident office as a senior investigator, which is what Special Agent Benjamin North had chosen to do.
Raleigh previously had several Phase 3 agents, but Jacob was the only one who’d survived the attacks on their office not so long ago. Luke was only a year or so from being considered for Phase 2, and Gil wouldn’t be far behind him, so bringing in fresh agents was crucial to keeping the Raleigh RAIC strong.
The new agents would be green, but assuming they didn’t balk at being sent to Raleigh, it would be a great training ground. After the office lost three agents in the space of a few weeks a year and a half ago, not many agents volunteered to move to Raleigh.
Benjamin North was the exception, but he was from North Carolina and in love with a local medical examiner, so he had more reason than most to take the risk.
“We still have a crap reputation in DC?” Luke had always been good at following Zane’s train of thought, even when he hadn’t spoken out loud.
“It’s not as bad as it was. There’s still some chatter about Raleigh attracting an inordinate amount of drama for the size of the office. Most agents go their entire careers without being shot at.” Zane waved a finger in a circle to include Luke, Gil, and himself. “All three of us have actually been shot. And let’s not get into the grenades and bombs.”
Gil ran a hand through his hair. “Which is why the prospective agents wanted details on how safe we feel working here.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Zane leaned against the doorjamb. “But we have an excellent investigative reputation. And we’ve gone almost a year without any mayhem.”
“But now the president’s coming to town.” Luke frowned. “I hope our streak of ‘days without an agent being shot at’ continues.”
Zane shoved away from the door and entered the conference room in time to see Rodriguez sidle up to Tessa.
Luke nudged Zane’s elbow. “You can’t shoot him.”
There Luke went, reading his mind again. “How did you know I was thinking about that?”
“Your poker face is nonexistent when it comes to Tess. Might want to rein it in.”
Maybe he was tired of reining it in.
Tessa gave Rodriguez a smile so fake, a two-year-old wouldn’t be fooled by it and moved to the opposite side of the conference room table.
Her gaze landed on Zane. She widened her eyes and furrowed her brow in an expression he knew was her “what’s wrong with that guy?” combined with “that guy is a creep” look. Then she looked away and resumed her professional demeanor.
Zane didn’t bother to hide his laughter as he took a seat and waited for the meeting to begin.
4
TESSA TOOK A SEATat the head of the conference table and pretended to scan her notes. The next few moments were critical to her success with this assignment. She was more than qualified, but there was no way around the reality that these men, every single one of them, had more experience than she did.
Father, I need you. I need you to calm my nerves. I need you to steady my heart. I need you to help me remember everything I spent hours studying last night.
She cleared her throat, and the room went still. All eyes on her. After introducing the other members of the advance team, Special Agents Rodriguez and Carver, to the Raleigh agents, Tessa launched into delegation mode.
“We have sixteen threats to follow up on. With more expected as we approach the president’s arrival on Friday.” She glanced at her notepad. “Special Agent Rodriguez—”
“Please. Call me Patrick.”
She stifled a groan. She’d spent a painful minute with him prior to the meeting and had already learned that he had a real knack for making normal statements sound like come-ons. He was good-looking, he knew it, and he spoke with the self-assurance of a manwho was used to being admired and assumed she would fawn over him as well.
She didn’t doubt his skill. The Secret Service didn’t hand out PPD positions to undeserving people. But arrogance rolled off Rodriguez like a malignant fog. Tessa gave him a smile, and he beamed at her.If he thought that smile was genuine, I should get an Oscar for this performance.
She flicked a glance in Luke’s direction. He accepted his fate with a wink. “Rodriguez and Powell, I’ve sent four to your email. The PID has addresses, and all are within an hour of the event site.”
Rodriguez gave her a smarmy smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Luke’s smile was real, warm, and if she wasn’t mistaken, proud. Of her. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Carver, you and Dixon have the three the PID think are the least valid threats. They appear to have come from three different individuals, but they share an IP address and the PID suspects the individual is a minor. You’ll probably get to have a fun conversation with parents.”
Which was why she’d given the assignment to Gil. Gil was charming, funny, and had a disarming way of getting people to open up to him. She didn’t have a read on Carver yet beyond that he was quiet and observant.
