Page 97 of Dangerous Liaisons

Chapter Seventy

An hour later, Jesse stood beside Cole as they rode the elevator to the eighth floor of the Humphrey Building in Langley. The car stopped and the doors opened. Jesse led the way down the hall. Two agents emerged from the third office on the right and fell in behind them. The agents wore their FBI badges on chains around their necks. She and Cole wore their badges. Hers displayed her picture and agent number over a prominent blue letter B. Cole’s badge had a green letter C behind a far too handsome mug shot.

At Tom’s closed office door, Jesse held up a hand to the three men behind her. “I need a sec.”

She gave the door a perfunctory knock, then entered. Tom looked up from a semi-circle of monitors. He never went home before nine. Why would he, living alone in an ultramodern, sterile townhouse overlooking the Potomac?

His face lit in genuine delight, and he stood. “Jesse. Nielson finally released you. And you look none the worse for wear. I knew you’d come to your senses.” Arms outstretched, he started around his massive desk toward her.

“Actually, I have come to my senses. Only, you’re not going to like the results.”

Tom stopped, confusion chiseled on his expression. His arms fell to his sides. “What do you mean?”

Jesse regarded him. “In the final hour, I was willing to chance it all for you. I couldn’t have been more wrong about everything if I’d planned it. But being wrong about you was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.” Maybe that wasn’t true, but she wasn’t sure about much of anything. “You never really know a person.”

She stepped aside and Cole slid into the doorway.

Tom looked at him. “What’s going on?”

“I was wearing a wire, Tom.”

He paled. “What do you mean?”

The two FBI agents brushed past Cole. “Tom Montague,” the man in the lead began, “your employment has been terminated. We are escorting you out of the building. You will accompany us to our offices where you will answer our questions.” Tom didn’t move, and the agent said, “Now.”

Jesse watched them lead Tom from the office. She had told Blue Leader about the disc in Lanton’s possession. They hadn’t located it yet, but would. A list of OIA’s operatives was dangerous information to have floating around. Nielson was keen to learn how one of their top analysts came to be in possession of the list in the first place. Jesse hadn’t considered that. She wasn’t an analyst. She was recon. She made sure her team had a safe entrance path. Jesse turned and headed out the door toward the elevators. A finality settled into the pit of her stomach. Strong fingers closed around her shoulder. She turned to face Cole.

He leaned close. “We’re finished with business. Are you ready to see your sister?”

“Amanda?” Jesse said, as if the name were foreign.

He gave her that gentle smile, and she wished mightily they were back in the Colombian cantina and she could do it all over again.