Deadly Testimony (4 page)

They didn’t just want surveillance. The Centurion Corporation followed a particular moral code, but it didn’t mean all the work they did was particularly virtuous. Taking on more jobs as a lone sniper meant she would be further focusing her skill set toward a narrower field. Eliminating specified targets.

Assassinations.

“This is a good time to decide where you want your career to go, Lizzy.” Diaz had lowered his voice to a quieter tone. “You’re good at what you do now.”

“I can be good at anything I decide to do.” It came out before she had the chance to consider. It was an automatic defensive response. Because Diaz wasn’t quite right about something he’d mentioned earlier. She still had a point to prove.

It might not be to him. Definitely wasn’t anything she needed to demonstrate to Victoria or Marc or any of the people currently with Safeguard.

No. She’d just spent so long proving to anyone who came anywhere within her sphere of influence that she was who she was, she wasn’t exactly sure what to do now.

Diaz was right. It was time to move on to the next step. She had no idea what direction it would be in. So she did what came easy.

“First things first.” She rose from the armchair. “I’ve got a job to do.”

Chapter Five

“You can’t be serious.”

Isabelle hustled Kyle Yeun into the small apartment when he stopped in his tracks at the door.

Over the past couple of hours, they’d taken a circuitous route out of Seattle before swapping cars and coming back into the city. It might’ve seemed ridiculous to some but if Yeun was being followed, convincing anyone watching him that he’d left the city for a few days was ideal. Officers Austin and Weaver had followed in a separate car at a distance along the same route while Marshal Decker had made visual contact at preplanned touch points along the way.

One big, coordinated road trip.

In the meantime, one of the Centurion Corporation trainees had already cleared the apartment and prepped it. Marshal Decker had also come ahead to clear it and gone to his unmarked vehicle out on the street to take up a stationary position a few blocks up Pike Street.

Officers Austin and Weaver would remain mobile, driving a circuit of the streets around the location watching for unusual activity.

The trainee remained waiting in the apartment for their arrival. She nodded to him as he passed them to leave, handing her the keys to the apartment. She pocketed those and locked the door, throwing the two dead bolts.

“Fridge should be stocked with basics.” She moved through the apartment, inspecting everything for herself while Yeun remained standing in the middle of the main room.

The trainees from the Centurion Corporation facility outside Seattle were on point, usually military veterans only in need of training in the procedures specific to their particular private military contracting outfit. And she was certain Deputy Marshal Decker had gone over every inch with his own discerning eye. But she still liked to go over everything personally. When working solo, even in coordination with other organizations, she’d learned to check every detail herself.

“This place is a dump.” Yeun didn’t bother with more complicated vocabulary.

She tossed her duffel down next to the armchair in the corner of the small main room. “It’s clean, there are no bugs and it isn’t anything like the places you’ve been choosing to stay in over the last forty-eight hours. There’s plenty of hot water and the water pressure is better than a lot of the older hotels in the area. What’s to complain about?”

Yeun’s eyes flicked in the direction of the bedroom and back to her. “You’re telling me that’s a king-size bed in there.”

Not a hint of innuendo in either his tone or his posture, but hell, her own brain had supplied a few interesting thoughts. The man was too attractive for his own damned good.

“You’re sleeping alone.” And there would be no debate there. Not with him, not with her own libido, no matter how long it’d been since she’d last scratched that particular itch. “You can make do with a queen. The sheets are fresh. No one’s bled on them.”

“Generally, blood on the sheets isn’t the organic matter I’m concerned with when I’m faced with questionable accommodations.” Yeun’s mouth stretched into a wry grin.

Of course his charm factor amped way up with the change in his expression. She fought against smiling in return. No sense in encouraging him.

For all his complaining though, he appeared much more relaxed than he had back at the Safeguard offices. Fine lines around his mouth and between his eyebrows had disappeared, replaced with much better humored laugh lines at the corners of his eyes. Apparently, peace of mind made a huge difference for him.

He’d unbuttoned the collar and top button of his pristine white dress shirt, as well. Somehow he’d gone from polished businessman to stylishly business casual with just the two buttons. She wasn’t exactly sure how he achieved the affect but figured it had as much to do with his posture as the clothing he was wearing.

She liked his business casual look better. It was just a step away from rumpled.

Nope. None of those thoughts would lead her to wise actions. Not a single one of them.

“Not a worry here. There’s no television but I brought a tablet. We’ve created a sock-puppet account for you on a couple of the streaming video sites so you can watch movies without anyone realizing it’s you.” She pulled a tablet out of her second bag and held it out to him. “I’ll have a portable hot spot turned on most of the time for you to access Wi-Fi but I need your word of honor you won’t try logging in to any of your online accounts. No email. No websites. Nothing you’ve ever registered for or created a log-in user name and password. You’ll be surfing the internet via proxy server to avoid traceability.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You’ll trust me?”

She stared at him. “I’ll be watching you to save you from your own stupidity. The minute you go back on your word, access to Wi-Fi and the tablet stops. You can stare at the ceiling for entertainment.”

He snorted. “Understood. While I think I could do so for a few hours, I’d appreciate the option of video entertainment after a while.”

“It’s only a few days until the court hearing.” She settled an earbud in her ear and activated the comm on the secure channel shared by Deputy Marshal Decker and Officers Weaver and Austin. “Scott here. We’re about as settled as we’re going to get.”

Yeun adopted an uninterested expression and went into the bedroom to get a closer look.

Decker’s voice came across the comm, his tone soft. “Decker here. I’m in place with eyes on the street.”

“Weaver. We’re circling the block.” Weaver spoke at a slightly louder volume and the mic picked up some residual background noise that sounded like music in the car. She and Austin were the mobile response unit, easily able to move directly to action because they weren’t parked at all. That meant they had to take a circuitous route around the block or surrounding streets fairly continuously for periods of time.

“Decker here. Marshal Nguyen would like to have a few words with you.” The inflection was slightly different. Strained?

Isabelle frowned. “I’m not leaving my post.”

Definitely not within minutes of arriving at the safe house.

“This will be brief.” Decker’s voice took on a tone of reassurance. Which was creepy because thus far, he’d been a study in how to be neutral.

She huffed and told him where she would be shortly. Stepping over to the bedroom, she rapped her knuckles on the doorjamb twice before entering.

Yeun stood there, in the process of pulling a plain white T-shirt over his head. The majority of his torso was exposed and the man was a fantastic example of lean physique. Muscles rippled over his chest and lats. His abs were flat and sculpted in the kind of six-pack that made her want to run her tongue over them. And then there was the defined V of his hips leading the way down to...

“I’m stepping out to get a snack. You want coffee? Hot chocolate?”

He must’ve frozen when he heard her knock, but he finished pulling on the T-shirt. Tension she’d refused to admit was building eased a fraction once he’d covered up all those tempting muscles. He gave her a raised eyebrow look again and there was amusement in those eyes. “I can’t remember the last time I had hot chocolate.”

She set her teeth. “It’s a thing. Does that mean you want some or no?”

“I’ll take a cup of coffee, please. Dark as you can find with one raw sugar.” His mouth stretched into a lopsided grin. “And maybe a small cup of the hot chocolate. It’s been long enough, I wouldn’t mind giving it another try.”

“I’ll be about fifteen to twenty minutes.” She started to back away, realized she was retreating. So she stopped. “You know the drill. Throw the dead bolts behind me. Don’t answer the door for anyone. I’ll text you to let you know when to open the door for me. Stay away from the windows and definitely don’t open them. “

He didn’t bother with a response but he glanced down at the bed.

She followed his gaze and saw a pair of jeans laying there. Good grief, she’d caught him midchange. She raised her gaze back to his and there was real laughter in his eyes now. He placed his hands at his waist and started to undo his belt.

“Come lock the door behind me first. Then you can finish changing.” Points to her for keeping her voice steady and firm. Still, she had been the one to walk in on him, even if he hadn’t closed the bedroom door or gone into the bathroom to change. “I am sorry I interrupted you.”

“Not at all.” He might’ve stopped the process of taking off his suit pants but he’d left the belt unbuckled. “Thank you for offering to get coffee. I don’t suppose a hot entrée is forthcoming as well?”

Isabelle sighed. “There are sandwich fixings and ramen noodles here for today. We’ve got easy access to plenty of food choices within the next couple of blocks. So why don’t I just get your coffee this evening and tomorrow I’ll see about hot takeout. Deal?”

Professionally speaking, even five minutes was more than she wanted to spend away from her client the first day. Knowing he had already left his handlers when they’d trusted him to remain in his room the night before made her loath to trust him to stay put now. Contract or no.

Personally, putting some distance between her and him seemed like a very wise idea. Her libido was coming unhinged and she needed to get her head back on straight. Stepping out for this meeting was her compromise.

Yeun, for his part, sighed but held his hands out from his sides. “I’ll make a sandwich but the coffee better be good.”

She grunted and swung a small backpack over her shoulder. “Good coffee is subject to the drinker. Lock the door behind me.”

* * *

Isabelle stepped out on the street and headed down Pine Street about a block or so, then turned on Post Alley to disappear into one of the small restaurants. She emerged with a different jacket on and her hairstyle changed, thanks to the addition of a small scarf. A few pieces of chewing gum stuffed in her cheeks changed the shape of her face.

Tromping back up the street the way she’d come, she passed the entrance to the apartments and headed into the chocolate and wine store just a few yards up the street.

The decadent scent of chocolate wafted to her from every direction. She bypassed the display case of handmade truffles from various chocolatiers around the city and made her way toward the back of the small shop.

A small bar was set up, manned by a tall, thin girl with her dark hair held back by a handkerchief. She had a few random piercings and a ready smile. Her posture was relaxed and friendly, a reflection of the atmosphere of the entire shop.

A man was already sitting at the bar with his back to the wall, a tiny espresso cup sitting on the bar at his elbow. He was dressed in dark, nondescript clothes. His skin tone was golden brown and his hair was clean cut.

She approached, studying the specials listed on the sign just past his head as she took in his appearance. Shorter than average height, but she’d bet he was in shape. He’d have to be as a US Marshal.

“Can I get you something?” the young girl asked cheerfully.

Isabelle gave her a smile and her order. To go.

“You sure you don’t want to have a seat?” The girl offered, waving a hand to the other three stools in front of the bar.

“No thanks.” Isabelle shook her head. “I’m out to stretch my legs anyway. Take your time.”

“Okay. Feel free if you change your mind.” A coworker entered the shop then, and caught the girl up in chatter about what to wear for a concert that night as she went about fixing the drinks.

Perfect.

“Good to meet you, Miss Scott.” The man murmured to her quietly, taking a sip of his espresso.

She nodded. “You wanted to chat?”

“Won’t take you away from your client for too long. He has a tendency to get bored and wander off.” Nguyen’s delivery was dry, maybe irritated but he did a good job of keeping it out of his tone.

“So I saw.” It was safe to figure anything Decker knew, Nguyen knew as the senior US marshal overseeing the handling of Yeun as a witness.

“This is the OEO’s first coordination with the Safeguard Division, and with Centurion Corporation as a whole.” Nguyen didn’t put his espresso cup down, instead nursing it.

She didn’t blame him. The coffee and espresso were good here. Though the hot chocolate she’d come for was even better.

“It is, however, not my first time working with the Centurion Corporation,” Nguyen continued. “With that in mind, I will say I am looking forward to setting this as a precedent for positive cooperation in the future.”

“I’m sure my lead will be glad to hear that.” Isabelle rolled her shoulders inside her jacket. This wasn’t anything he couldn’t say directly to Diaz. “There’s a point here, isn’t there?”

Nguyen’s eyebrows drew together. “Just giving you context so you’ll take the next thing I have to say seriously.”

Isabelle kept her face blank. “Noted.”

“It’s our hope this will be an extremely simple job for you.” Nguyen sipped more espresso, purposefully slurping the liquid. “It might not be.”

Isabelle grunted. “I glanced over the public records for this case.”

Nguyen nodded. “Could be straightforward. Insurance fraud. Illegal dumping of hazardous materials in navigable waters. Or...it could be more complicated. Either way, our mutual friend is the pivotal testimony to prove it happened at all.”

Interesting.

“Why not put more marshals on the case then?” Because, generally, mixing up resources from this many different sources was a clusterfuck. Federal oversight, local law enforcement and private sector didn’t tend to play well in the same sandbox.

“I was going to until Yeun requested to contract with Safeguard.” Nguyen shrugged. “It’s his personal funds and I know the quality of the resources coming out of your parent corporation.”

Isabelle took an intuitive hop of logic. “And why increase your resources when the client is willing to do it himself? You do have the minimal force doctrine to keep in mind.”

“Exactly.” Nguyen placed his empty espresso cup on the tiny saucer. “I do have an interest in making this joint effort successful where others may not. This could remain extremely simple or it could quickly become a bad situation. I wanted to advise you to keep a clear line of sight in every direction.”