Deep Cover

CHAPTER 4

THE TWO WOMEN walked back to the office silently, each preoccupied with her own thoughts. Kris was sorting what she needed to do in order of priority and allotting a certain amount of time for each item so that she could get everything done before quitting time. Shelby was nervously wondering what Kris would think of her apartment and what it would be like having her stay there. Then it suddenly occurred to her that she had been so busy playing with the kitten that she hadn't made her bed. I didn't straighten up the bathroom either. Oh great! She's going to think I'm a slob! Her logical side disagreed. Relax already. It's just a little cluttered.

Kris followed Shelby into the office noticing that she hadn't greeted the hallway guard and wondered what the analyst was thinking about. I'll have plenty of time to find out later. I need to get going. She glanced at her quiet companion. "I'll be back before five."

Shelby's brow furrowed slightly. "Okay." She's probably just going to get her things. "Do you want me to wait by the door near the North parking lot? That's where I parked."

"No. I'll come down here and pick you up. It's not a good idea to change your routine. Tomorrow we'll ride in together. No one will think anything of it since we've been seen working together."

"Okay." The reality of the potential danger of working this case suddenly enveloped Shelby and a worried expression crossed her face, but she was determined not to show any weakness to her confident partner. "Bye."

Kris hadn't missed the fleeting look of consternation and felt a pang of sympathy for her partner. She'd been so wrapped up in her own plight that she hadn't taken into consideration how uncomfortable this whole set up must be for the younger woman. So, what do I care? Kris smiled reassuringly and said, "Later," before walking out the door, her demeanor at odds with the unspoken thought.

Shelby sank into her chair, her heart racing. She has the most beautiful smile. Smiling ruefully to herself, she wondered what was wrong with her. She could be in danger, an operative she knew nothing about, and who could be an assassin, was going to be staying at her apartment, and all the woman had to do was smile, and she melted.

As her pulse returned to normal, the analyst began doing what she excelled at -analyzing. Only this time, Shelby decided to do some self-analysis, because it was becoming very apparent to that her interest in Kris had far surpassed what it should have. Telling herself that it didn't make sense hadn't helped because she could feel herself react every single time Kris looked at her. And when she gazed into her vivid blue eyes, Shelby felt like she was being pulled through a portal of discovery.

I don't remember ever being attracted to a woman before. How do I feel about that? Shelby stared at the wall, unseeing, as she pondered that thought. I don't know, but I think I need to get a grip and think about who she is. I know nothing about her. I don't even know which name she is on the list and I think she could be very dangerous. I saw that myself this morning. She didn't even look like the same woman. She was so distant and cold. Shelby shuddered, remembering, but at the same time justified Kris' actions. I did hurt her feelings. I never meant to do that, but I did. She does have feelings--she just keeps them hidden.

Her interest in Kris extended way beyond her very real physical attraction. She wanted to know everything about her. How old was she? Where did she go to college? Where did she live when she wasn't on assignment? What did she like and dislike? Would she be able to get past her cool, confident demeanor and get to know her on a personal level? Would Kris even allow it?

Shelby's thoughts turned to Brian, a friend she had been dating on and off for the past six months. He was a nice guy, and she had fun with him, but her level of interest had never surpassed that of casual dating; going out to eat, or seeing a movie. She'd told him that she wasn't interested in a relationship and encouraged him to date other women, and had been happy to find out he was, although he still occasionally called. Now that she thought about it, none of the men she had ever dated had made her feel the way she did with just one look from Kris, nor had she ever been so intensely interested in everything about them, either.

Shelby leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. She knew she'd have to conceal her interest - she didn't want to alienate the operative. Shelby sighed with frustration. The problem is, I don't care who she is or what she does. I'd like us to become friends if nothing else, but how do you develop a friendship with an enigma? She's so controlled and sophisticated, I can't even tell what she's thinking half the time. I know one thing, though. I'll be safe with her around.

The analyst ran a hand through her hair, and then leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm. I need to get busy. Shelby looked at the phone numbers remaining on her list to call, unable to concentrate. I wonder what she likes to eat? Maybe we'd better stop at the grocery store on the way home. Shelby snorted at the ease with which "we" had overridden the normal "I." Geez, I'm acting like I have a crush on her. She shook her head wryly, and challenged herself, Don't you? Struggling mightily, Shelby finally pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind, reached for the phone, and began dialing an airline.

After quickly packing her belongings, Kris left the hotel planning on checking out later by phone. She had to make a drop before she picked up Shelby and they weren't going to like what she had to tell them. With luck they would forget about her, permanently this time. Fat chance of that. The operative narrowed her eyes. Great, be a cynic. That'll help a lot.

Kris' thoughts turned to Shelby. She couldn't deny that she found her new partner interesting and attractive. Shelby had an innocent, yet wise aura surrounding her that Kris found very appealing. She was also impressed with her perception and intelligence. And that was part of the problem. If she allowed her close, the younger woman might start getting suspicious and it could only end in betrayal - her own.

I wish...Kris shut off the thought, not wanting to focus on her bleak life or on just how lonely she was. The only sign of her distress was the slow, tired walk to her car. It's going to be hard being around her all the time.

As Kris approached her destination, she checked again for any sign of a tail and found none. For some reason, whoever was following her seemed to think it was only necessary after work hours. She smirked. Really stupid move, guys. She ran the message she was leaving through her mind again:

Will be out of the net until further notice.

Any attempt to make contact could result in a security breach.

Contact will be resumed at a later date.

Much much later.

Kris seriously doubted they would honor her request, but she had to try. Her free time had just become non-existent, and even though Kris knew she could still escape scrutiny, her hope was that they didn't know that. They also seemed to have a lot of inside information, so her assignment as a bodyguard might not be news to them.

Suddenly suspicious, Kris thought about the odd shooting incident and wondered if this whole thing wasn't a part of someone's master plan. Shelby seemed to have unlimited access to all the Company's computerized information. What if they knew that? It was definitely something to think about.

She turned onto M Street and drove toward an emergency drop location in Georgetown. Kris figured that by leaving her information there, she would reinforce the seriousness of the message she had scribed. Her biggest problem was that she didn't really know the people she was dealing with. If her note didn't accomplish what she intended, it should at least provide her some insight on whether they had infiltrated the agency and the reliability of their sources. She sighed, anxious to at least temporarily rid herself of this new complication in her life.

It was likely that her tail would pick her up after work again, and it was going to be difficult shaking him without alerting Shelby to his presence. Kris realized she had forgotten to ask the analyst her address, and cursed the omission. She wanted to do a drive by and check out the neighborhood. Knowing that even her modified cell phone was not totally secure, she left Georgetown and turned into a Convenience store parking lot, steering her car toward a phone booth located at the far end of the structure.

Kris stood at the phone booth, waiting for Shelby to answer.

"Shelby Carson."

"Hi. What's your address?"

Shelby smiled at the sound of Kris' voice, as her mind pondered why the operative wanted her address now.

"The Fairfax Gardens, 3857 Armstrong Street. I live in building two, apartment 203. What are you going to do?"

Kris committed the address to memory. "I'm going to drive through the neighborhood and get a feel for it." And plan escape routes, just in case.

"Oh."

The operative was surprised that one word could convey so much meaning and projected confidence in her voice to help set Shelby at ease. "It's just a routine precaution. Nothing to worry about." Hopefully.

Somewhat reassured, Shelby searched for a way to extend the conversation. "Do you need directions?"

Kris knew exactly where that apartment complex was, but she had finished her errands ahead of schedule and was in no hurry to hang up. "Sure."

Her brow furrowed when it dawned on her that she was allowing her own personal interest in the analyst to dictate her actions. When Shelby finished relating the directions, she said, "Thanks," and immediately hung up the phone, angry for allowing herself to be drawn to the other woman.

Shelby looked at the phone. She did it again. We were having a perfectly normal conversation and she just withdrew. Why do you do that? The analyst knew she might never know the answer to that, but was determined to try and find out.

She looked at the computer on her desk speculatively. She could access Kris' personnel file if Kris was really her real name. One way to find out. But Shelby stopped, warring with her conscience. Her interest was strictly personal and had nothing to do with the case. She also knew Central Affairs monitored all computer activity, internal and external. That didn't really bother her, though, because Shelby figured she could find some way to justify the query.

Shelby silently argued with herself. What would she think of me if she thought I was nosing around in her personal file? How would she ever find out? True. How would you like it if she accessed your file? I'd love it, because she wouldn't do it unless she was interested in me beyond the case. You're just trying to justify it. Shelby sighed. Yes, I am. She shoved her curiosity to the back of her mind and dialed another telephone number on her list.

Kris drove through the Fairfax Garden apartment complex, noting nothing that distinguished it from the multitude of others she had seen previously. There were four sand-colored brick buildings, each three stories and accessible by outside steps. There was only a handful of cars in the parking lot that extended from the first building to the last. Security wise it would be a nightmare if there were a problem because there was no alternate escape route such as an elevator.

The operative drove around the bordering residential streets until she was completely familiar with the surrounding area. Glancing at her watch, she quickly accelerated toward the beltway, not wanting to be late and cause Shelby to vary her routine at all. Is that the only reason? Kris shoved down the anticipation she was feeling with a stern warning to herself. This is just a job. I can't afford to forget that.

Shelby looked at the clock for what seemed like the tenth time in the last five minutes and felt a pang of disappointment. It was 4:59 and Kris still hadn't returned. It seemed fairly obvious that her interest in having the tall woman stay with her certainly wasn't shared by her partner. Did you really expect it to be? Shelby shook her head. No. But it would've been nice...

Her thoughts were interrupted as Kris suddenly walked in and a warm smile covered her face. Finding herself tongue-tied, she simply said, "Hi." Oh, that was real original.

Kris was unable to stop an answering smile from appearing. Shelby was just so sweet. "Hi yourself. Ready?"

Shelby nodded and quickly retrieved her purse. "Am I ever! It's been a long day."

"What kind of car do you have?"

"A red Mercury Sable."

"What row are you in?"

"C, about halfway down."

"I'm driving a blue Buick Regal. I found a place in A. Wait until you see me in your rearview before heading for the parkway." Kris knew her tail would most likely be on the job. "One more thing. If you don't see me, don't worry about it. I'll be around."

"Okay." Shelby was just about to walk out the door when she stopped and turned to face Kris. "Do we have time to stop at the grocery store? What do you like to eat?"

Although her face remained impassive, Kris' was unaccountably pleased by Shelby's thoughtfulness. "It's not a good idea since we're not riding together. Whatever you have is fine."

Shelby wanted Kris to feel comfortable, and that included having things she liked too. "How about tomorrow?"

Grinning inwardly at Shelby's tenacity, Kris agreed. "Sure." She was rewarded with a sunny smile before they split up for different parking lanes.

Kris' muscles unobtrusively tensed and she walked outside in a full state of alertness, her senses fully extended and her demeanor predatory. She surveyed the parking lot in a deceptively casual manner, never taking her eyes off Shelby until the analyst was settled in her car and had begun to back out of her parking place. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she quickly moved to her own car and pulled into place behind the red Sable a couple of minutes later.

Just as Kris had suspected he would, her tail picked her up on the parkway. She smiled grimly. Soon, I'll either know who you are or you'll be dead. Kris turned off on the same exit she had the previous evening and drove back to the Sheraton. After parking her car in the underground garage, she quickly made her way to her room and changed into the jeans and pullover top she'd purposely left behind.

Kris took the metal fire escape to the second floor and, rather than lowering it to the cement below, she grasped the metal rungs with her hands and swung herself down until she could easily jump to the ground. She cut through an adjoining building, exiting the rear door and casually walking up the side street to a dark green Lexus. Ten minutes later, the operative arrived at Shelby's apartment complex minus one tail.

Shelby knew Kris had turned off back on the parkway, but had been surprised when she got to her apartment and the operative still hadn't reappeared. She gave up trying to guess what Kris was doing this time, glad to have the opportunity to make her bed and pick up the bathroom.

When she opened the door, the kitten came running and meowing. Shelby picked it up, smiling as she cuddled it. "Bet you're hungry." She carried her into the kitchen and set her down as she opened a small can of kitten food and poured it into the orphan's dish before quickly making her way to the bedroom. Shelby never had a chance to finish before a knock sounded at the door. "Just a minute."

She quickly threw her towels in the hamper before opening the door. And she froze, staring at the visage in her doorway, before retreating into the apartment.

"You didn't even look to see who it was!" Blue was in full intimidation mode and knew she was scaring Shelby, but the analyst needed to be called to task on this.

"I knew you were coming..."

Blue snapped, "Did you know it was me?"

"I made a mistake, okay?" Shelby was struggling with a combination of fear and anger. What she had done was careless, but she felt like Kris was overreacting, and the operative was downright scary. At the same time she was crushed that she had appeared inept. "It won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't." Kris set down her overnight bag. She'd left the remainder of her clothes in the car, easily accessible if she needed them.

Shelby retreated to her bedroom and closed the door. Yes, what she had done was stupid, but it wasn't like she lived some cloak and dagger lifestyle, either. And when in the heck did she have time to change into jeans? Well, I sure didn't make any points with her. But she didn't have to be such a bitch, either. The analyst squared her shoulders. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, so let me see if we can start all over again.

Kris sank down onto the couch and lowered her head into her hands. Why did I do that? That was mean. I could have nicely explained the danger to her. In a moment of total honesty, Kris acknowledged, I did it to push her away. I know it was unfair. She doesn't deserve to be treated like that. It shouldn't matter to me, this is just a job, but it does. And that's the whole problem. I've always been able to maintain a distance when I needed to and I'm having a big problem doing that with her. There's something about her...

The operative heard the bedroom door open and quickly stood up. She gazed around the apartment, taking in the comfortable, homey décor. The carpet was buff and the overstuffed couch and matching chair were a blend of very light mauves, blues, and teals intricately woven into a beige background. There was a pair of mauve tinted glass lamps with an attractive flower painted on the base centered on end tables at opposite sides of the couch. A matching heavy oak coffee table set in front of the couch. Kris' perusal was interrupted by Shelby's voice.

"Want something to drink?"

Kris wanted to apologize, to say something light, anything, but the words weren't there. "Do you have any Coke?"

"Diet okay?"

Shelby chuckled at the look on Kris' face. "Guess that's a no. How about ginger ale."

"Sounds good."

Kris took the can from Shelby. "Do I get a tour?"

"Sure, but why don't you just sit down and relax for a few. I want to change clothes. You already did. How did you manage that?

"I have many skills."

Shelby chuckled at the cryptic comment. "I'll bet you do. Be right back."

"Take your time." Kris leaned back against the couch, and quirked a half-smile. "I'm not going anywhere." She grinned, listening to Shelby chuckle as she walked away.

She resumed her perusal of the small apartment, her eyes taking in an open laptop on one end of the dining room table with a few papers lying next to it and a vase of artificial flowers pushed off to the side. On one wall, there was a bookcase with glass doors and on the opposite wall a patio door led to a large balcony. Kris crossed the room, heading toward the balcony, when the bookcase caught her attention as she passed. Stopping, she gazed at the contents curiously.

It contained a small collection of mystical creatures. Leprechauns, fairies and elves surrounded a family of unicorns. On the shelf below, a statue of Pegasus with his wings fully extended as he reared was facing an intricately painted dragon with fire spewing forth from its mouth. A few of the fairies and elves looked old and Kris wondered how Shelby had come to develop an interest in the magical creatures of fairy tales and myths.

Her acute hearing picked up the sound of a footfall on carpet and she stepped away from the bookcase, not wanting to be caught studying the knickknacks, then continued to the patio door, sliding it open. As she stepped out onto the balcony, Shelby joined her.

"I love sitting out here in the evening. It's so peaceful."

Kris glanced down at Shelby, taking in the tranquil look on her face, and nodded, hating that she was going to have to spoil it for the analyst. "It is nice out here, but you should avoid doing that for a while."

Shelby sighed, knowing what Kris said made sense. "Okay. What would you like for dinner?"

"Anything is fine. Do you have any TV dinners? I can just throw one in the microwave."

"No. I don't usually buy those. Do you like spaghetti? Or how about pork chops? I've got some chili I made in the freezer..."

"Shelby, wait." Kris waited until she had her attention. "I'm not your guest. You don't have to cook for me. You didn't ask for this anymore than I did. Just do what you usually do and pretend I'm not even here."

Yeah, right. As if I could, even if I wanted to. "No. I won't do that. You are here and you're stuck with me because I might be in danger. I'm glad you're here and I'm not ignoring you."

She's glad I'm here? Kris liked how that thought felt, but it troubled her, too. She knew she had to put a halt to anything other than a business arrangement. "You might as well, because I'm here to do a job, that's it."

"Fine. But I'm still not ignoring you and if I make something to eat, I'm making enough for both of us. I wouldn't want the person protecting me to be too weak to do her job effectively."

Kris had to smother a smile at Shelby's last comment. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just don't want you to go to any extra trouble on account of my staying here."

Shelby met Kris' eyes. "It's no trouble."

Kris had to force herself to look away from the dancing green pools that were brimming with sincerity. The operative suddenly realized she wasn't going to win this battle and capitulated. "What do you want me to do?"

"Protect me, of course." Shelby grinned when a smile finally appeared on Kris' face.

"That I can do."

"Why don't you put your things in the bedroom? I'll change the bedding for you after dinner."

"I'm not taking your bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

Shelby looked at the couch and then looked up at Kris. "Just how do you think you're going to fit on it?"

"It'll be more comfortable than a lot of places I've slept."

Nodding, Shelby decided to make dinner. They could talk about it later. It didn't make any sense to her for Kris to sleep on the couch. She'd fallen asleep on it more than once and it was just big enough for her. Kris was over half a foot taller than she was.

Shelby walked over to a closet in the alcove by the apartment door and pushed aside her winter coat and a couple of lighter jackets. "You can hang your clothes in here, if you want."

"Thanks." Kris grinned ruefully as she watched Shelby walk into the kitchen. This job was going to be even tougher than she had thought it would be.

An hour later, they finished eating the spaghetti dinner Shelby had prepared and Kris helped her clear the table, placing the dishes in the dishwasher. "That was delicious. You're a good cook."

A slight blush appeared on Shelby's face. "Thanks."

The remainder of the evening passed quickly with Shelby carrying most of the conversation, determined to get the tall woman to relax. Kris felt some of her tension fade as she listened to Shelby chat while she softly petted the kitten that had decided to curl up in her lap, after spending most of the evening on Shelby's.

At eleven Shelby stood up. "I'm beat. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. I'll put out some towels and a washcloth for you when I'm finished."

Kris nodded and turned off the mute button on the TV. She looked back at Shelby when the analyst called her name. "Yeah?"

"I want to sleep on the couch. There's a small TV in the bedroom you can watch."

"I thought we already settled where we were sleeping?"

"You're not gonna be comfortable on the couch. Why don't you take the bed?"

Kris found it hard to reject the sincere appeal that was evident in both Shelby's voice and on her face. "I won't be able to hear or see enough from the bedroom."

Shelby sighed. "Okay." She had enjoyed Kris's company so much she had almost forgotten why Kris was there.

"Shelby." Kris waited for the analyst to look at her. "Thanks for the offer."

Kris was graced with a smile that warmed her heart. Oh am I in trouble. "Nite."

"Goodnight."

A short time later the lights in the apartment were extinguished as both women entered the dream world.