Torn (Deep 8, #5)

33. Harlow

THIRTY-THREE

Harlow

According to the evidence, Nick switched sides and is holding Lucas somewhere in Australia. He’s been pulling the strings and jerking us around. With his power and influence, he might even be the head of Deep 8.

I’ve been barking up the wrong tree. Nick may have the answers about my father’s murder. If we can get him to give us the location of where Lucas is being held, then this case will be over, and we can return to our lives. I can take a much-needed vacation and reevaluate my life.

"Why would you sleep with your father’s secretary?" There’s an edge of anger in my voice. When we were partners, I got tired of hearing about his empty conquests with women.

"Because I was young and stupid. She got more of his attention than he gave me. I had just entered the military and was back on leave. I thought she knew we were having fun." He waves his hand dismissively. "The sister thing was a drunk one-nighter, but when she found out, she flipped out and told my father. The wedge between us became wider. He thought I was just a playboy. I was at the time, but not anymore." His shoulders sag with the weight of his words.

Pippa interrupts, "Penny Donell lives in Canberra. She’s divorced with one child. I stalked her on Instagram and Facebook, pulling together a portfolio of things she likes and places she goes. What’s our next move?"

Sean turns to Peter. "We’re going to send in Peter, the charmer. Pippa and Dean are going to go over everything with you. Dean, you can add anything extra Peter might need to know, but I don’t want you within a hundred yards of her."

"If there’s anyone more charming than me, it would be Peter." Dean gives Peter half a smile.

"Harlow and Roger, I want you two to follow her. Find out what her schedule is so Peter can make a play," Sean demands.

We spend the afternoon solidifying our plan and driving to Canberra. The car ride is quiet, neither of us is sure of what we want out of this craziness as our world tilts upside down. Dusk settles on the horizon as we find ourselves outside the ASIO, waiting for any sighting of Penny.

Nick comes out of the front of the building, which is unusual because he enters and exits through the underground tunnel. Penny stands next to him and turns in the opposite direction. Nick heads toward us with a scowl on his drawn face.

"Where is his security? Should we jump him and throw him in the car? It would be so easy," I suggest.

My hand holds on to the door handle when Roger grabs my arm. "No, security is here. I spot three of them in a triangular configuration. One at three, six, and nine o’clock. We would never make it." Roger starts the car and cranks it in the opposite direction toward Penny.

We follow her down the street to an ice cream shop and sit in the car across the street. When she enters, a young boy runs to her as she scoops him up and places him on her hip. Watching the scene unfold in front of me makes this personal. We’re invading her space, trying to get the advantage. A lump forms in my throat, and I roll down the window.

"Are you okay?" Roger asks.

"There are parts of this job I hate. She may be a mother, but I don’t think she’s stupid or a pushover, so Peter better be on his toes."

"Agreed." Roger takes my hand in his. "This is going to be over soon."

She and her son order their ice cream and sit near the window with the nanny. She says something, pokes him in the ribs, and he laughs. His toddler energy travels to me in warm waves of love. My one-dimensional life lacks depth or layers. Few people are included in my inner circle, and my relationships float on the surface.

Roger’s face tenses as he watches Penny with her son. "What are you thinking about?" I say in a low voice.

His eyes focus on his lap. "My relationship with my father could have been so much different. I spent my time trying to please him as his trained monkey. Once he is safe, I need my space. That kid is gone. I’ve evolved, but I don’t think he has." His blue eyes glow as the sun reflects off a mirrored building and glares through the windshield.

He needs space, and I yearn to get closer—the story of my life. We’re going in opposite directions. Thinking about the choices ahead of me makes my head spin.

"Stay alert. They’re on the move." Roger taps my arm.

A black Suburban, a staple in this city, parked ahead of us slides into traffic, does a U-turn in the middle of the road, and stops in front of the ice cream shop.

Before Roger has time to make a move, someone jumps out of the Suburban and grabs Penny and her son. She protests and argues with the man while holding her son. My heart beats faster as I watch her struggle. They convince her to go with them in the car and they slam the door shut.

"We have to get to them!" I say with as much restraint as I can muster, my inner rescuer screaming at top volume.

Roger almost gets hit several times trying to cross traffic. The Suburban guns its engine and flies down the road. He tries to keep up as they weave in and out of cars and trucks. We lose sight of them in the rush-hour mayhem. He pulls over and throws the car in park.

"Goddamn it!" He hits the steering wheel with his fists. "At every turn, we miss reaching the target by millimeters. She was our way to Nick and getting information about my dad."

I’m the calm in this storm. "There are other ways," I mumble into my hand.

He stares at me as if I’ve sprouted horns from my forehead. "Really? So, we were sent here to have a little outing, and you can contemplate how to ditch me when this is over?"

"No."

"No, to what?" he grits out. I’ve never seen him like this.

"No, I’m not thinking about how I can ditch you. As for finding Nick, there’s more than one way to skin a cat." The wheels turn in my head.

"Nick must be a cat with fucking ten lives. He’s flying under the radar, and we’re the only ones who know what he’s been up to," he replies in a calmer tone.

"Who do you think took her?" I ask, afraid of the answer.

"I don’t know. Every time we make another discovery, something else goes wrong. If Nick works for Deep 8, it wouldn’t make sense to kidnap her."

"Unless he didn’t want us to get to her. He’s smart. Don’t underestimate him."

"I’m not underestimating anyone at this point. We need to grab some food and head back to report out. No one will be happy with our results. Maybe the rest of the team had better luck with their search on Nick."

For the first time since I can remember, I don’t want to go back. I want off this merry-go-round and suck on a margarita on a pink Bermuda beach. I want to make love to Roger like he’s the only man for me and we have the rest of our lives together. Before any of that can happen, I need to come clean about my other purpose on this op.