Too Far Gone by Debra Webb, Regan Black Page B

Hollywood with stars in her eyes. More importantly, he wanted to know if Trinity had somehow been using her to some end she couldn’t see.
    Mike worked for hours until he finally had an idea he liked and Claudia could support. This should give him the answers he needed. He returned to the living room to talk through his plan and found Lauren curled into a corner of the couch sound asleep. The television volume was no more than a soft murmur. She’d chosen an old romantic movie. The stress had caught up with her and he hated to wake her. Her body relaxed, she looked fresh and tempting from her hands tucked under her chin all the way to the pale pink polish on her toes.
    Watching her, he felt something stir deep inside. The need to protect her, to keep her from harm was part of it. Desire seared through him, but he ignored it. What man wouldn’t be attracted to that exceptional package? She was far more than the gorgeous exterior. She was smart and witty and caring.
    He grabbed a throw from the back of the loveseat and draped it over her, careful not to touch or linger over the process. Weighing the options, he stretched out on the floor to watch the end of the movie. He told himself staying in here with her was expedient. He’d know the minute she woke up and he could explain his plan for the morning right away. He even believed the tale as he dozed off to the barely audible bar fight playing out on the television.
     
    Thursday, December 11, 10:30 a.m.
    Mike backed into an open space near the parking garage exit. He turned off the car and handed Lauren a ball cap to hide her hair. It probably wasn’t the right accessory for her snug jeans, tunic, and the rose-colored winter sweater, but that was the point. They didn’t want her recognized.
    Jeans and a sweatshirt worked just fine for him. He had a gun in his waistband at the small of his back and another at his ankle, plus his knife just in case things turned ugly. Hopefully none of that would be necessary.
    The decoy the agency had hired to disguise herself as Lauren would enter the building across the street in just fifteen minutes. The police believed Lauren would be meeting with an attorney to discuss turning herself in for questioning. This building, the one he and Lauren were about to enter, was still under construction. Claudia had made arrangements for them to access the sixth floor where they would wait to see who showed up for the party.
    “Ready?” Mike turned to Lauren, studying her profile.
    She nodded, donning dark sunglasses.
    “Do you want to walk through it one more time?”
    “We go in quietly. Ignore anyone we encounter inside.” She paused to gulp in some air. “We take the stairs to the sixth floor and then we watch.” Her lips stretched into a smile but he didn’t miss the slight tremble. “It’s just like blocking a scene.”
    He’d have to take her word on that. Leaving the car was a big risk, despite the precautions. They’d discussed pros, cons, and fallback strategy over breakfast. She’d embraced all of it with enthusiasm. She understood the importance of this first step. Since a decoy was in place, they could have stayed at the safe house, but Lauren’s ability to recognize faces was needed. Her job was to look for anyone she’d seen speaking to Trinity at a party or at his office.
    Still, walking beside her, he kept his eyes open wide and his senses on point. He’d chosen a congested area smack in the middle of LA’s infamous
Box
. From eight to five, the Box was the city’s hectic business district. After five, however, all bets were off. The shops closed for the day and trouble seemed to ooze from every crack in the sidewalks.
    “Are you nervous?” he asked as they entered the newest high rise along this block. He’d been in similar situations with clients. Somehow this time felt new to him... uncertain.
    “A little,” she said, pulling the ball cap low. “What if one of the workers recognizes me?”
    “I’ve got