As if they hadn’t spent hours bathed in each other’s sweat, reveling in their own stink like drug addicts hunkered down in a run-down hotel, except their drug of choice had been each other.
Prior to this moment, two years had seemed a lifetime ago.
Now...it seemed like yesterday.
Marcus and Poppy took their places at the table and opened their folders. Poppy took point, talking first.
Not surprising.
Poppy had always been a little aggressive.
Shaine had enjoyed that aspect of her personality, particularly between the sheets.
But he hated it any other time.
Particularly on the job.
“From what we’ve been able to ascertain, El Escorpion is working the college-aged users, likely recruiting young college coeds to push the product. We believe with the right undercover agents, we can gain access to the inner circle and find out who El Escorpion is, and how his organization is manufacturing and moving the product.”
“And just who exactly are the right agents for the job?” Shaine asked, his tone more clipped than he intended. If Poppy thought for a second they could work together, she was cracked in the head.
Poppy’s gaze remained cool as she answered, “Two people who can blend into the typical Miami scene. One male, one female. Someone who looks younger than they are.”
Hobbs’s gruff voice cut in. “Let’s get to the point. The deputy chief inspector has chosen agents Jones and West from the DEA and I’ve chosen agents Kelly and Stapp. Agent Stapp, you will be Agent Kelly’s tech support behind the scenes, and Agent West will do the same for his partner. Once in Miami, we will have two contacts within the Miami Police Department. These officers have been thoroughly vetted through private means to ensure that they are not on the payroll of El Escorpion.”
Ah, hell.
Shaine chose to ignore Poppy so he could get his thoughts on the right track. This case was the kind that made or broke careers.
It was also the kind that put agents in the ground.
“For the sake of security,” West said, “our contact in Miami will not meet with us until we land. Agent Stapp and I will stay at an undisclosed and newly acquired safe house, while agents Kelly and Jones will be set up in a different location, more central to the college party scene.”
Hobbs nodded. “If you’ll look in your dossiers, you’ll find a comprehensive list of suspected players. We suggest you start there.”
Shaine thumbed through the sheaf, his mind humming. Undercover work fed his need for adrenaline and he loved it—but he’d rather chew nails than work side by side with Poppy and her pretty boy, Marcus.
“With all due respect, this isn’t my first rodeo. Going deep cover gets risky when there are more players involved. I don’t mind the DEA providing support from behind the scenes, but frankly, dealing with a partner just adds to the risk for everyone involved.”
Not to mention I work better alone.
Poppy offered a brief but chilly smile. “The DEA appreciates your expertise in deep cover operations, Agent Kelly. Your success rate for apprehensions is impressive. However, you’ve gained a reputation for being reckless, which makes you unpredictable. El Escorpion has managed to elude capture for years. It will take more than luck to bring him or her down.”
Shaine held Poppy’s stare, amazed at the balls on the woman. “I’m not sure if I should take your comment as a compliment or an insult,” he said, toying with the pen in his fingers.
“Your choice.” Poppy’s smile returned as if daring him to go a round with her.
Hobbs cleared his throat, sensing the brittle tension growing between Shaine and Poppy. “Let’s remember, we’re all on the same side. El Escorpion is the enemy, not anyone in this room. Private transport has been arranged to Miami at 0600 hours tomorrow. Pack light. A Miami summer is hot, humid and filled with alligators.”
“Sounds like fun,” Poppy quipped, scooping up her folder. “See you tomorrow morning.”
Shaine watched them leave, his one thought being, Poppy will fit right in with the wildlife, before turning to Hobbs.
“What’s the deal with you and that DEA agent?” Hobbs asked, narrowing his gaze. “Is there something I should know?”
“Nope,” he lied.
“Then why are you being so hostile? Those agents are highly trained in their fields and your posturing makes us look bad. This is a high-profile undercover case with a lot of pressure from the higher-ups to get it closed. That means you’re going to put on your good boy pants and do what you’re told.” Hobbs put it bluntly. “Whatever bee you’ve got in your bonnet...squash it.”
“You’re the boss,” Shaine said, mock-saluting Hobbs.
“Try to remember that,” Hobbs growled as he headed out the door. “Damn Kellys. Always a pain in the ass.”
“You must have me mixed up with my brothers, Sawyer or Silas. I’m the nice one, in case you were confused,” Shaine called out, but Hobbs was already gone.
Shaine rubbed at the slick table veneer. Time to focus.
And pretend that the one woman he’d ever loved—and who’d subsequently trashed his heart—wasn’t about to be his partner.
* * *
“What was that all about?” Marcus asked as soon as they left the FBI building. “You know Agent Dickwad or something?”
“No,” Poppy answered quickly, not interested in sharing details. “But I know his type and I don’t have time for his games. He thinks because he’s some brilliant undercover agent that he gets to call all the shots, and that just rubs me the wrong way.”
“I get it, but you have to work with him. We can’t let anything get in the way of this case. If you can’t be objective, you need to bow out.”
Poppy shot Marcus a dark look. “Not going to happen. I worked my ass off to qualify for this case. I’m not about to give it up over some FBI agent with a bloated ego. I’ll be fine.”
She knew Marcus was right and that, unlike her, he was being honest, but there was no way in hell she was walking away from this case, not even if she had to work with the devil himself.
Which in this case, was nearly true.
Shaine Kelly.
Why him?
Because he was, simply, damn good at his job.
Of course, the brass wanted him working this case.
Shaine Kelly closes cases.
Shaine Kelly doesn’t get shot.
A
