answered.
“Okay, I’m in.”
She paused for a beat and I could almost see the smile forming on her sharp face.
“Good. Meet me tomorrow morning at nine for a briefing. I’ll text you the address.”
With that, she hung up. I pulled the phone away from my ear and switched it silent, not wanting Eric to hear any kind of text alert. Sliding the phone into my back pocket, I unbuttoned my jeans and took off my shirt, sliding between Eric’s sheets in nothing but my underwear. I’d need to get up early in order to get back to my room and collect the files hidden in my backpack.
Pulling a pillow toward me, I scrunched it beneath my chin and gazed at Eric’s headboard. Although I knew I’d made the right decision, it didn’t take away the sense of dread simmering in my belly. I had no idea what this meeting would entail, but I knew I’d have my work cut out for me.
No part of this assignment was going to be easy.
I closed my eyes and drew in a slow breath.
The girls.
I just had to think about the girls.
Chapter 11
Caitlyn
Kaplan chose a dinky little diner up in Santa Clarita. It took me about forty minutes to get there, but I didn’t mind. I wanted the drive after a stony conversation with Nicole this morning, which in retrospect was actually the perfect excuse to leave as quickly as possible.
Eric understood that I didn't want to hang around and help her move. Although the truth was, I actually did want to be there, except I wanted to be putting my own boxes in the back of Eric’s jeep today, not taking off to have a clandestine meeting with a woman I didn’t even like!
I pulled my Mini into the small diner parking lot and stopped next to a black SUV which I assumed was Kaplan’s. Didn’t the FBI have any other kinds of vehicles? Black SUV, tinted windows—it basically screamed law enforcement.
Flicking back the door, I spotted Kaplan immediately. She was in a corner booth, away from the windows. I nodded and smiled to the waitress who told me she’d bring me a menu.
Dropping into the booth seat, I forced a tight smile.
“Parked next to your SUV.”
“Not mine.” Her thin lips smirked. “This is an undercover operation; you seriously think I’d bring a black SUV? It practically screams FBI.”
I hid the scowl I wanted to throw at her snarky tone by looking at the tabletop.
“The less people who know about this, the better. So far it’s just you, me and my two guys — Rex and Eddy.”
“That’s it?”
“My superiors know I’m trying to go after Mendez, they just don’t exactly know how.”
I frowned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll write a full report when this is over; dot every i, cross every t, but I need to keep things under wraps until then.”
I could tell she was lying. Her report wouldn't include every single detail. If we succeeded in this case, she was going to fudge the facts, probably like she did on the last one, playing down my involvement to a bare minimum in order to cover her own ass. All those freaking interviews I'd sat through with the FBI and the police, they'd probably been for nothing. I could see the guilt scorching the edges of Kaplan's expression and wondered how she'd gotten away with it. She was not shy about admitting she played dirty sometimes. She did whatever it took to catch the bad guys and she never failed. I bet her bosses even turned a blind eye as long as she got the job done...
Rubbing my thumb over my knuckles, I squeezed my fingers, suddenly doubting myself. This could potentially be the world’s worst decision. I thought about Nicole and Dale setting up home together while Eric helped out then went for his surf. I should be there with him. He should be helping me unpack my stuff, but...the girls.
I closed my eyes and swallowed.
“Here you go.” The waitress’s voice was chipper as she handed me a menu. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She put the mug down and poured it for me. I snatched two sugar packets and emptied them into the
“Okay, I’m in.”
She paused for a beat and I could almost see the smile forming on her sharp face.
“Good. Meet me tomorrow morning at nine for a briefing. I’ll text you the address.”
With that, she hung up. I pulled the phone away from my ear and switched it silent, not wanting Eric to hear any kind of text alert. Sliding the phone into my back pocket, I unbuttoned my jeans and took off my shirt, sliding between Eric’s sheets in nothing but my underwear. I’d need to get up early in order to get back to my room and collect the files hidden in my backpack.
Pulling a pillow toward me, I scrunched it beneath my chin and gazed at Eric’s headboard. Although I knew I’d made the right decision, it didn’t take away the sense of dread simmering in my belly. I had no idea what this meeting would entail, but I knew I’d have my work cut out for me.
No part of this assignment was going to be easy.
I closed my eyes and drew in a slow breath.
The girls.
I just had to think about the girls.
Chapter 11
Caitlyn
Kaplan chose a dinky little diner up in Santa Clarita. It took me about forty minutes to get there, but I didn’t mind. I wanted the drive after a stony conversation with Nicole this morning, which in retrospect was actually the perfect excuse to leave as quickly as possible.
Eric understood that I didn't want to hang around and help her move. Although the truth was, I actually did want to be there, except I wanted to be putting my own boxes in the back of Eric’s jeep today, not taking off to have a clandestine meeting with a woman I didn’t even like!
I pulled my Mini into the small diner parking lot and stopped next to a black SUV which I assumed was Kaplan’s. Didn’t the FBI have any other kinds of vehicles? Black SUV, tinted windows—it basically screamed law enforcement.
Flicking back the door, I spotted Kaplan immediately. She was in a corner booth, away from the windows. I nodded and smiled to the waitress who told me she’d bring me a menu.
Dropping into the booth seat, I forced a tight smile.
“Parked next to your SUV.”
“Not mine.” Her thin lips smirked. “This is an undercover operation; you seriously think I’d bring a black SUV? It practically screams FBI.”
I hid the scowl I wanted to throw at her snarky tone by looking at the tabletop.
“The less people who know about this, the better. So far it’s just you, me and my two guys — Rex and Eddy.”
“That’s it?”
“My superiors know I’m trying to go after Mendez, they just don’t exactly know how.”
I frowned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll write a full report when this is over; dot every i, cross every t, but I need to keep things under wraps until then.”
I could tell she was lying. Her report wouldn't include every single detail. If we succeeded in this case, she was going to fudge the facts, probably like she did on the last one, playing down my involvement to a bare minimum in order to cover her own ass. All those freaking interviews I'd sat through with the FBI and the police, they'd probably been for nothing. I could see the guilt scorching the edges of Kaplan's expression and wondered how she'd gotten away with it. She was not shy about admitting she played dirty sometimes. She did whatever it took to catch the bad guys and she never failed. I bet her bosses even turned a blind eye as long as she got the job done...
Rubbing my thumb over my knuckles, I squeezed my fingers, suddenly doubting myself. This could potentially be the world’s worst decision. I thought about Nicole and Dale setting up home together while Eric helped out then went for his surf. I should be there with him. He should be helping me unpack my stuff, but...the girls.
I closed my eyes and swallowed.
“Here you go.” The waitress’s voice was chipper as she handed me a menu. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She put the mug down and poured it for me. I snatched two sugar packets and emptied them into the
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