Espionage

Grace-Chapter 3

She had only been in Denmark for a few hours and she already wanted to kill Agent Cooper. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms to banish the chill, she climbed the stairs to her apartment. This was going to be a long assignment.

Fiddling with the keys Will had given her, she wondered what Agent Cooper's deal was. Did he just enjoy watching her freeze? If so, he was a complete and total ass. Finally, her numb fingers found the correct key and she opened the door, switching on the light as she walked inside and immediately gasping at what she found. On the table there were a dozen long-stemmed red roses and a small box of chocolates with a note on top. Who could have sent them? Aside from her family back in the states—who thought she was here on a business trip which, technically, wasn't a lie—no one else knew she was here.

Dropping her keys on the table, she went over and picked up the note, her eyes widening as she read the spiky black handwriting.

Dear Agent Crowther,

Figured this might make up for your rotten day. Hope you like chocolate! Enjoy!

The note was unsigned and Grace stared at the handwriting, where had she seen that before...? Quickly fishing around in her pockets, she pulled out the other notes that Agent Cooper had written, comparing them with the one she had just found. They were identical. So Agent Cooper had decided to lead her on some wild goose chase all over Copenhagen and then give her chocolates and flowers?

He's not an ass, Grace thought to herself. He's a complete lunatic.

Opening the box, she took a piece out, examining it carefully before taking a bite. He wouldn't poison them, would he? The thought almost made her spit it out, but it was definitely good chocolate. The truffle she had chosen practically melted in her mouth. And there were worse ways to go than death by chocolate.

She looked around the apartment—there weren't very many things to unpack. Just a handful boxes and her suitcase. The apartment had been pre-furnished, all she had to do was move her clothes and things in. Still, the task seemed daunting and she really just wanted to sleep. She still felt jet lagged and chasing Agent Cooper all over kingdom come hadn't helped in the slightest.

How did he get in here anyway?

The thought sent a chill racing up her spine. Was he still here? And if there was a way into her apartment that didn't involve going through the front door, she needed to know about it. That way she could prevent anyone unfriendly—and at that precise moment "unfriendly" also included Agent Cooper—from getting in. She unholstered her pistol, thinking that Agent Cooper better not be here for his own safety. The way she felt right now, he'd be lucky if she didn't shoot him on sight. Moving into the bedroom, she felt a chill in the air and turned to find that the door leading out onto the balcony was wide open. He didn't even have the decency to close it after he left?

Shutting the door, she cranked up the thermostat, wondering how long she had before her new landlord would get mad at her. Deciding that she didn't really care, she unzipped her suitcase and pulled out a pair of fuzzy pajama pants that her mom had given her last Christmas. Quickly changing her clothes, she slipped on a pair of fuzzy socks before shuffling out into the kitchen. The floors looked like they were new hardwood. Should she or shouldn't she?

Excitement coursed through her. The kid in her really wanted to test these floors out, and no one was around to see. What could be more fun than sliding across glossy hardwood floors in slippery socks?

Her stomach jangled with excitement as she straightened and braced one foot slightly behind the other for traction. Then, before she could chicken out, she took off. She took three energetic strides and then planted her feet so she would slide. Her momentum carried her forward through the archway, and she squealed as she widened her stance to keep her feet beneath her.

She had just reached the area in front of the fridge when disaster struck. It was as though the smooth floor had suddenly turned to ice. She started to go down, her legs scrambled for traction as her arms windmilled wildly. She made a frantic grab for the handle of the fridge but only succeeded in touching the cool, steel surface. Before she could brace herself, her butt connected with the floor with a painful thump, then the back of her head connected with the fridge.

The silence that followed seemed to reverberate through the empty room as she lay there in shock. Then she rolled over, letting out a loud groan of pain. She climbed gingerly to her feet, rubbing the sore spot on her tailbone. Her body would never be the same again—it felt as though she had broken her tailbone. Thank goodness no one was there to see that little performance.

Going into the bathroom, she ran her fingers lightly over the back of her head, wincing as she found the tender spot just under her hairline. She was going to have a nice goose egg there in a few minutes.

Deciding that she had suffered enough for one day, she managed to find her sheets in one of the boxes and quickly made her bed. She was going to go to sleep at six o'clock in the afternoon, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. She was almost asleep when her phone vibrated on the nightstand. It was a text from Will.

Report to work at eight tomorrow. We'll brief you on your assignment and get you set up with an office.

Wearily, Grace typed out a quick reply and hit send, rolling onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. This was definitely going to be a long assignment.