Drink Me

34. HIDE AND SEEK

HIDE AND SEEK

Just as predicted, Agent Smith appeared at the door twenty minutes later, sporting a pair of chino and a pale blue Lacoste that should have belonged on the deck of an expensive boat.

"Hello, little doves!" he greeted with his usual theatricality.

Upon hearing the man's voice, Alice emerged from the bedroom where she was getting ready, now looking her usual fake self in a pencil skirt and teal silk shirt; her tender smile, her best accessory.

"Hey Smith, you look good," she declared, taking in the man's tall figure. "Where did you leave your yacht?"

The man gave her a gentle smile and a peck on the cheek, then his thumb grazed under her bruise. "Boring Hart can't disguise your tongue, I see," he commented.

"Not when you're around," Alice retorted, wiping a lipstick stain she had just left on the man's jaw. "I'm fine," she whispered then to the man's silent question.

Riley observed their interaction with great interest, fascinated by the relationship between the two.

"So how did it go?" Smith asked, now facing Riley.

The man's head tilted pensively.

"Well, we've got the information we were looking for, and we got away alive and unnoticed. I'll call it a win," he declared.

Smith nodded, agreeing with Riley's quick summary.

"I called a cleaner too," Alice informed. "They reported there were no bugs in the house and that they have taken care of the body."

Smith leaned against the dining table, drumming his finger on the shiny surface. "And once again she turns all she touches in bodies."

Alice's eyebrow rose. "Technically, it wasn't me this time." And she stuck out her tongue.

At that, Riley rose from the sofa. "Cormack knew about Absolem. That was the information he was going to pass on to Aidan," he said, compelled to justify his actions.

"And he was the only one who learned about the information," Alice added to prove their point.

Smith nodded and thought for a moment. "Did he say how?"

"Apparently he read it in a confidential file before sending it for shredding..." Alice explained.

Smith rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Confidential files for shredding? What is this the 60s?"

Alice shrugged. "It's down on floor three, what do you expect?"

The agent rubbed his face and for the first time, he looked anything other than charming. "What about the mole you suspected, any leads on that?" he asked.

"No. I mean, he admitted of a third person involved but nothing more." Alice said.

"He said he never knew who contacted him," Riley explained. "He only received payments and instructions."

Smith sighed and gave himself time to think again. "OK. First things first, I need to have a good chat with the boss and take this whole operation on a new level of confidential. I don't like your name being thrown around like that," he said, rubbing Alice's shoulder.

The woman smiled back appreciatively. "We need to get our hands on that mole..." There was contempt in her voice.

Smith nodded. "I'll pass it on and we'll be on alert. Whoever is behind this, might recruit again soon..."

"If you hear anything suspicious, let me know ASAP. I need to get Riley out if there pronto if he's even remotely in danger," Alice said.

Riley wanted to protest; it was his mission too now, and he wasn't going to run away from it so easily. But then he remembered what Alice had said to him the night she'd recruited him. No hero moments. And Caroline's remark about Nicole resonated threatening in his head again.