01-Against All Odds by Irene Hannon

Author:Irene Hannon
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: FIC042000
ISBN: 9781441203724
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2009-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

14

“Aren’t you going to turn in? Six o’clock will be here way too soon.”

“Later.” Coop responded to Mark’s question without shifting focus from the two computer screens in the guest cottage.

Instead of accepting his partner’s answer, Mark ambled over to join him behind Fendler, the field agent who was seated at the cottage’s kitchen table monitoring the feed from the security cameras. “Looks pretty quiet.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“Everything okay at the house?”

“Yes.”

“You were gone awhile.”

“I took a stroll around the perimeter before I came back.”

“You were still gone awhile.”

“I didn’t realize you’d miss me.” Coop sent Mark a wry glance as he took a sip from the disposable cup in his hand. The coffee tasted stale, but it was better than Les’s sludge.

“How’s Monica doing?”

“She’s tense.”

“That’s understandable. How are you doing?”

Shooting Mark a warning look, Coop took another sip of coffee. He wasn’t about to discuss Monica in front of the field agent, and he knew where Mark was heading. “Good.”

“Yeah?”

With one quick gulp, Coop drained the cardboard cup, crumpled it, and tossed it in the waste can. “I think I’ll grab some sleep after all.”

“Good idea. I’ll join you.”

The single bedroom in the guest cottage held two twin beds that could be joined to form a king. For the duration of this assignment, they’d been pushed as far apart as possible. With Mark close on his heels, Coop tossed his jacket on one of them and wished the cottage had two bedrooms instead of one.

“Close quarters.” He pulled off his BlackBerry and set it on the nightstand between the beds.

“We’ve slept in tighter—and far less comfortable—places.” Stepping around the four pieces of luggage that lined one side of the room they shared with the HRT operators on night shift, Mark stretched out on the other bed and linked his fingers behind his head. “Everything look okay outside?”

“Yes. But I don’t like all the pines along the fence. They provide too much cover.” Coop raked his fingers through his hair and prowled around the confined space.

“The perimeter is well patrolled. And if anyone did manage to get into the complex, the cameras would pick them up. Besides, the doors at the house are armed, and Rick or Mac would hear a window breaking. The place is as secure as we can make it short of adding another dozen agents and handcuffing Monica to one of us for the duration. And I doubt the lady would go along with that. Unless it was you, of course.”

“Knock it off, Mark.”

“Touchy, aren’t we?”

“I told you before, I don’t mix business and pleasure.”

“This job will be over soon. What happens then?”

Returning to the bed, Coop retrieved the small Bible from the inside pocket of his jacket and sat on the edge of the mattress. “I don’t know.”

“What are you reading?” Mark propped himself up on one elbow.

“Nothing yet.” He set the book on the nightstand, sorry he’d pulled it out in front of his partner.

“You’re evading the question.” Mark reached over and tilted the cover to read the title.

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