HiT 149: Anna Brookes First Chapter Read online

  “Actually, I think it’s time you tell me something about yourself. I know virtually nothing about you except that you love your food, you’re incredibly beautiful and I can’t stop thinking about you naked. So now I want to know about you. Have you got any siblings?” That’s a relatively easy answer and I don’t even need to lie.

  “I’m an only child.” I’ll give him some information without him asking too much. “My father passed away thirteen years ago and my mother died in the same accident.” Henry being dead was the truth but as far as Natalia was concerned I have no idea what happened to her. I lost track of her. Maybe after I’m done with this situation I might seek her out. I think she deserves a little retribution for leaving me on that bed twenty-eight years ago. That’s if the drugs haven’t already taken her life.

  “That must’ve been difficult for you. Wait, how old were you when your parents passed away?” He doesn’t try to apologize for something that he had nothing to do with.

  “Fifteen.” My professional name and the age my life turned on its head.

  “Did an aunt or uncle step up and take you? Other than the whole mask thing you have going on, you seem fairly well adjusted.” Really? If only he knew the truth.

  “No I became a ward of the state.” Well, sort of a ward of the state. I went into hard core training, I was always a natural at aiming and shooting but I went into the training that made me the best assassin in the world.

  “Wow, I’ve seen what that can do to kids. Especially older kids who don’t get fostered out. You seem so well-adjusted. It’s not like you’re a crazy person or a serial killer all hung up on your past. How’d you work through it?” Holy shit. It takes all my strength not to spit out the salad I’m chewing on. He’s just pinpointed me in that sentence. This day’s going from bad to worse.

  Mask in place.

  “No, I’m nothing like a serial killer.” I’m more precise and careful than that. Actually I’m an assassin, Ben.

  Nope, I can’t exactly say that to him; I really don’t believe he would respond too well to that bombshell.

  “As far as being well-adjusted, maybe that’s the mask you think you see.” I give him a little information, not really telling him anything. “I do own a recruitment agency and I’m very successful at it, which gives me the time and opportunity to do what I want. I’ve got awesome staff working for me, and I keep them happy and well-paid, which keeps them working hard.” This is all true.

  I’ve woven an intricate web of lies, so from the outside I look like an ordinary twenty-eight-year-old woman. Of course the agency does more than just hire out temps and staff to organizations around the world; it also serves the purpose of being a front for me. I can be doing what I love to do, while looking good on paper for anyone who may stumble across me and want to do a background check.

  Lunch goes on to become dinner. Ben cooks an amazing pot roast for us. He tells me all sorts of things about himself including how much he loves to cook. Good thing, really, because my skills in the kitchen are minimal.

  I do chuckle to myself though, because I’m really good with a knife. Not as good as I am with my Glocks but still, I can handle myself with a knife. I’m sure I don’t need to tell Ben that.

  The conversation is fairly light between us and I give him limited information about myself. But every time I try to take the conversation back to his work he always deflects it. Is Ben hiding something? There’s that bank account I found earlier today that keeps playing in my head. Four million is a lot of money to have sitting there untouched…

  Chapter 13

  I left Ben’s home at 9:45 that evening. On my drive home I tried to plan my encounter with Ethan the next day. Even though it was fairly late, St. Cloud still had cars whizzing around the streets. Some were from out of state and some weren’t. Nothing out of the ordinary – cars, pickups, various trucks, and motor bikes. I got to the cabin and checked out the surveillance footage before I headed into the shower. Everything seemed to be in place and untouched. No unwelcome visitors have tried to penetrate my security.

  After a shower I got myself ready to sit in front of the laptop to try to do some recon work on St. Cloud’s Executive Assistant Chief of Police, Ethan Martelli. I start by pulling up his personnel file from the police department. His file was very…colorful. He’s had a lot of disciplinary issues and has actually been suspended three times in his short career. Ethan is only twenty-nine years old and has been in the police department for nine years.

  What caught my eye from all the notes in his file were two things. First, Ethan has anger issues, and second, no disciplinary action has ever stuck. The three times he’d been suspended they’d magically been revoked after a few short days and he’d returned to duty at full pay. Matter of fact, he’d also skipped every second ranking.

  He had numerous complaints against him from the general public about his anger issues, and at one stage he’d been recommended for an anger management program. But nothing had ever eventuated with this either. The next thing I hacked into was Ethan Martelli's bank records. A very complex man emerged from my computer screen. Ethan had four main accounts. Each account had over two hundred thousand dollars in it. Each account had the exact same deposit from the police department. And each account had no withdrawals. Now that’s what I found particularly strange. Four deposits on the same day, for the same amount all originating from Ethan Martelli’s employer and absolutely no withdrawals. Not one, not for gas, bread, milk, utilities.

  Nothing, nada, zilch.

  I think I’ll be calling Agent to have him find more information on Ethan. He must have something to hide, because I can’t seem to find anything else on him. I go to bed positively certain that Ethan Martelli’s hiding something big. I don’t assume anything or take anything for granted because I know that’s a dangerous way of thinking.

  In the morning I wake up and get my day underway by calling Ethan Martelli. He answers the phone on the second ring.

  “Anna. It’s nice that you decided to call.” I haven’t even said my name yet. He doesn’t have my number but after yesterday’s conversation he knows that I’ll call him. We don’t dance around each other with our obvious cautious sides.

  “Of course, Ethan. We do have a date for today. How does lunch sound?”

  “Lunch sounds perfect, how about I come and pick you up around eleven-thirty?” He’s fishing to know where I’m staying. I’m not telling you fucker.

  “I’ll just meet you Ethan. The world’s a dangerous place I’m sure being a respectable police officer you must agree with me. So how about I meet you over at Mamma’s at noon?”

  “Fine,” it’s more of a grumble then an affirmation.

  It appears Ethan Martelli hasn’t been able to find further information on me. Today’s lunch will be interesting.

  At 11:30, I set off toward Mamma’s and when I get to the same spot that Ethan had pulled me over yesterday I see the familiar red and blue lights behind me. They aren’t flashing but he’s following me. Ethan must’ve been waiting for me, knowing I would pass. Next time, I’ll be taking a different route. I need to throw him off my trail. I watch in my rear-view mirror as he follows me close enough to let me know he’s there. The streets are busy going into St. Cloud.

  I pull up outside Mamma’s and Ethan parks behind me.

  “Gee Ethan, anyone would think you’re following me around.” I add a pathetic giggle, but I certainly know that’s exactly what he’s doing.

  “Not at all, Anna, it’s all pure coincidence.” He raises one eyebrow at me with a snide smile on his lips. Oh yeah, game’s on.

  We step inside Mamma’s and are seated fairly quickly by my old friend, Plastic Tammy. She looks at me and her eyes become huge and round, she then looks over at Ethan and her slutty smile appears.

  “Hi there, Ethan. Long time, no see. Hello there, Ma’am. I’ll leave the menus and be back in a few minutes to take your order.” She quickly lays the menus down and I see her sneak a
look at Ethan as a slight flush spreads across her cheeks. Ethan totally ignores her.

  “So you and Plastic Tammy were once a couple?” Now I’m toying with him.

  He snaps his head up to look at me, then his eyes dart to the side. “No. Never.” Lie, lie, lie. I smirk and his lips thin as he clamps them together.

  I’m reading his body language. He’s nervous. “Sorry, Ethan, I just thought by way you two were looking at each other that you had a thing. Not that it’s any of my business, of course.”

  He again looks at me but his eyes falter and give him away. He quickly looks over my right shoulder, “No nothing like that. I knew her from high school.” Lie, lie, lie again. I know it’s a lie because Ethan only moved here when he was nineteen. There’s no way he was still in school at the age of nineteen.

  “Ethan, tell me why you’ve insisted on this lovely meal today.” I don’t beat around the bush but I certainly am keeping it light. Mask on, recon work begins.

  “Well Anna. I quite like the name Anna,” he says as he puts emphasis on the ‘n’ of my name. “Tell me what sort of work you do,” Plastic Tammy interrupts us. She has a knack for doing that. Her eyes are huge and all sweet for Ethan.

  “So are you ready to order?” She smiles at Ethan and her face hardens when she looks at me. I’m sure she’s scared of me and that’s fine because I really don’t want to embarrass her again. I don’t want Ethan to see that part of me.

  “I’ll have lasagna and a coke,” Ethan says at the same time as he closes his menu and hands it back to Plastic Tammy.

  Lasagna, my mind goes back to the day before and to Ben. And to his kitchen. And to his island counter. And what happened on his island counter.

  “And for you, Ma’am?” Plastic Tammy says snapping me out of my little heated memory.

  “I’ll have a BLT and a bottle of sparkling water, unopened please.” Plastic Tammy leaves us to put our order in.

  Ethan's head turns at me in lightning speed. “Why unopened?”

  “I’ve watched enough CSI to know never to accept an open drink from anyone. You yourself should know that.” I cover my tracks very quickly and my excuse seems quite plausible.

  “So you were just about to tell me what you do.” Ethan shifts in his seat and quickly glances over to his left, looking outside for something.

  My senses are heightened and I realize that Ethan’s not here on his own. I know that someone’s outside, invisible, but watching us. More likely watching me. At that moment I get a text on my phone. I look at it and see there’s been a security breach on my car.

  My car’s parked right outside and I can’t hear the alarm but that doesn’t mean that someone hasn’t tried something. I stop the urge to look, because that’ll alert Ethan that I know he’s arranged for something to happen to either me or my car that will result in hurting me or tracking me. I don’t think it’s a bomb, I think it’s a tracking device, for now.

  I launch into the story about me having my own recruitment agency. The public story that Ethan’s probably found, but I’m positive he’s searching for more information or waiting for me to slip up.

  By the time we finish our meal, Ethan doesn’t really know any more about me than he did before our lunch ‘meeting’. I, however, know that he desperately wants to find out more about me and that he’s not acting alone. Ethan picks up the bill and I graciously thank him. This is now a game of cat and mouse. He thinks he’s the cat just about to pounce on the mouse, but of course I know better.

  When we get in our respective cars to leave, Ethan doesn’t follow me. He makes a U-turn and goes in the opposite direction. That confirms to me he’s had my car fitted with a GPS tracking device. Time to do some shopping at a very busy mall.

  I drive straight to Minneapolis and into a multi-story parking garage. I had no intentions on stopping here today, but now my plans have changed. I need to find the device hidden on my BMW. I’m sandwiched between two low-sitting cars and quickly get to work. I find the device with no fuss and laugh at how stupid these people must think I am. I put the device on one of the cars next me. It buys me a few days before Ethan becomes aware of the fact that the GPS tracker has been relocated. So that gives me only a few days to find out what I need to know about Ethan. I’ll be calling Agent when I get back to my cabin and having him research Ethan.

  Back at my cabin, I do a quick perimeter security check. It all looks fine; no one’s attempted to breach it. I pick up my phone and dial the number.

  “15.” His greetings are always so cheerful. Not.

  “Information required. Current employer. And Ethan Martelli. EAC St. Cloud PD. ETA?” We speak clearly and with precision.

  “ETA thirty-six hours.” I end the call and will call back in thirty-six hours to find out what I need.

  Thirty-six hours is a long time. But it should be enough for Ethan to discover that I’ve relocated the tracker to another car. I will have all the relevant information on who hired me and what Ethan Martelli’s role is.

  I hear a text message come through on my burner phone.

  It’s from Ben – Hope to see you soon.

  It brings a small smile to my face. As luck has it, I’m available tonight. Dinner?

  I’m making chicken parmigiana. There will be a piece waiting for you.-B

  Sounds good. I’ll bring the wine. -A

  Not necessary, just bring yourself.-B

  I’ll be there by six –A

  Can’t wait –B

  How do you reply to a man that can’t wait to see you but who you’re contracted to kill?

  You don’t.

  Chapter 14

  I turn into Ben’s driveway and see him come to the door. As I approach his porch, he jumps down the three front steps and sweeps me up in what can only be described as a bear hug. This feels like home to me. I need to stop these emotions. But I really can’t help how comfortable I feel in his arms.

  “I’ve missed you, baby.” He kisses me on the cheek.

  “Believe it or not but your school girl behavior is beginning to grow on me.”

  “Well I’ve been cooking up a storm so I hope you’re hungry. Tell me about your day today, Anna.” Ben seems genuinely interested in what I have to say. But I turn the conversation around as we enter the kitchen.

  Ben goes back to preparing the last of the meal, “Well let’s see, I had a lazy morning looking on the ‘net for houses for sale around here. There are a few that caught my eye. I went and had lunch with Ethan Martelli today, too.” Ben’s back is toward me when I tell him that, and his body stiffens as he squares his shoulders and stands to full height.

  He slowly turns around and looks at me with a raised eyebrow. He’s waiting for an answer from me as to why I went out with Ethan. “Ethan asked me to lunch yesterday because it appears he’s a little worried about the people who want to buy property in St. Cloud. We went to Mamma’s and Plastic Tammy was sweet as pie. I did get the feeling that Plastic Tammy’s a little interested in Ethan.” I’m fishing to see what Ben knows about Ethan.

  “Ethan never told me that he was having lunch with you. I just spoke to him earlier. He said he had some work to do when I asked him if he wanted to come and watch the game. I know Plastic Tammy.” He clears his throat but he’s smiling. “I mean, Tammy and Ethan were seeing each other for a brief time last summer. But I also know he wasn’t really into her and ended it. I think I’m going to have to talk to Ethan and let him know that he shouldn’t be asking you out.”

  “Whoa, Ben, you and I are just getting to know each other, there’s no reason to go Neanderthal on me. And trust me when I say, I can handle myself.” If only he knew.

  “Well, regardless, I don’t like that Ethan lied to me. I mean we’ve been friends since he started in St. Cloud all those years ago. You won’t meet a nicer guy. Anyway, chicken parmigiana with a side salad of mushrooms and corn is on the menu for tonight. Do you wanna set the table? I’ll start bringing everything out.”

  “C
an we eat here at the island? I like seeing you in your element.” I need to stop thinking so emotionally.

  Ben gives me that smile reserved for me as he stalks over to me and whispers in my ear while he’s pressing his body up against mine, “If you want me in my element I’ll need to take you to my bedroom, baby girl.”

  I grab Ben and slide my hands in his hair, lightly tugging at it. My lips are on his and I’m pushing my tongue into his mouth. Ben doesn’t protest and lets me explore his mouth, taking control. He’s into it too, matching my actions with his own. He nips and licks my lips while his hands roam up and down my body. My hands have found his arms then scratch down his back through his green Henley. He groans as I force myself closer to him. He pulls away from me, catching his breath and looking me in the eyes. His eyes are black with lust. “I want a kiss like that from you every time we’re together.” He steps back and starts taking dinner out to the table completely bypassing the island counter. I’ve set the table and we’re now sitting down to enjoy our meal. “The wine! I forgot it, hang on a second.” And he runs into the kitchen.

  As he’s getting it I see a man approach the front door and ring the doorbell. I can see him and he can see me from where I’m sitting. I get up to go to the door, and Ben comes straight out from the kitchen.

  “Good evening, Sir, I’m just wandering if you’re happy with your current cable provider?” the man starts saying. There’s something not quite right about this situation. I look down the road and see a car about a mile away, parked. The dark car looks to be a new sports car, I can’t make out the model because of how far away it is but something doesn’t feel quite right. Ben’s trying to get rid of the guy but he’s persistent and his eyes are not entirely focused on Ben but more on the layout of Ben’s house.

  I open the door and smile at the man and extend my hand out to shake his. “Sorry, what was your name?” I ask him as sweetly as I can.

  “Simon. From Cablevision,” he says, grabbing my hand to shake it. And that’s when it happens. I get that cold feeling travel up my arm and the serpent bite hits my hand. Evil is lurking. He’s not Simon from Cablevision.