After dressing in cargo shorts and a T-shirt, he brushed his teeth and returned to the stern to bask in the morning sunshine. A few moments later, she joined him. She’d changed into jeans and a nondescript black shirt. No jewelry, save for the wedding band. She wore a chestnut wig and a baseball cap.
“Where’s your disguise?” she asked.
“Come help me.”
She followed him into his suite. Having her in his stateroom exacerbated his need. He sat on the bed, pulled on the short dark wig. With a tender touch, she tucked in his hair around the edges while he watched her with keen interest.
“Wear your sunglasses and don’t take them off, no matter what.” She handed him a transceiver. “You’ll keep watch while I hide the tracker.”
“Now I can talk dirty into your pretty little ear.”
“And I can talk dirty right back, mister.” While she peered into his eyes, a flush covered her cheeks. “We have to pick up a van I use for these type of stakeouts.”
“I’ve got a half a dozen Suburbans in my parking lot. Can we use one of those?”
“Not if they can be traced back to you.”
“You’re good at your job.”
“I better be.” She slipped on her shades. “A lot is riding on this.”
After renting a white van and smacking magnetic construction logos on each side, she drove to Internado’s upscale McLean neighborhood and parked half a block away from his home. They waited. And waited. And waited. Over an hour later, a car backed out of the driveway and headed toward them. Kathy Internado was alone in her sedan.
“I was hoping she’d leave in the other direction.” Carly lowered her face as the car sped past.
Hanging a U-turn and following at a respectable distance, Carly trailed her to a nearby shopping center. With a package in hand, Kathy headed toward the post office. The senator’s wife appeared to be in her mid-sixties with shoulder-length dark-blonde hair. She dressed in jeans and draped a shawl over her shirt.
“This isn’t ideal,” he said. “There’s surveillance everywhere.”
“I can do this.” Carly exited the van, kept her head lowered, and wove her way through the sea of parked cars.
Maverick couldn’t help but admire her boldness, not to mention her fantastic ass, accentuated by the swing of her hips. She knelt beside Kathy Internado’s sedan and vanished from view.
Maverick trained his attention on the post office, watching the shoppers come and go. Kathy exited the store and walked with purpose toward her vehicle.
“Subject is hurrying back,” Maverick said. “Ten seconds out.”
“Crap. I dropped the tracker.”
“Five seconds.”
“Got it.”
“Show time, babe.”
“Sorry to startle you,” Carly said while still on the ground. “I was playing with my wedding band and it fell off.”
From his location, Maverick couldn’t see if Kathy was helping her look for the ring or getting into her vehicle.
“No, but thanks for the offer,” Carly said while still on the ground. “I’ll find it. It’s gotta be right around here.”
Kathy Internado opened her trunk and extracted several reusable grocery bags.
“I found it!” Carly rose. “Have a good day,” she said, before taking off toward the stores and ducking into the nail salon.
“She’s heading for the grocery store.” Maverick waited until Kathy had rolled a cart inside. “All clear, babe.”
Though wearing sunglasses, they locked gazes as Carly made her way back to the van. Never having worked with her before, he admired how she’d gotten the job done, even with the snafu.
