have a meeting scheduled with Cady tomorrow in Baltimore, his base of operation. Since Bob Sinclair is an old cover, I’m just going to pull and use all the old info, IDs, etc. Prep is relatively minimal. I can go under immediately, depending on how the meeting with Cady goes.”
“Eighteen months absence isn’t going to be a problem?” Burgamy asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure it will come up. I’ll make certain I have something to say.” Evan didn’t know what that would be yet. The truth wasn’t an option, and the whole situation with Lisa Sinclair was quite complicated. Evan would have multiple answers rehearsed, depending on exactly what questions were asked, how they were asked, and the climate of the conversation.
That’s what a good undercover agent did: constantly took stock of the situation and adapted.
“And what about Lisa Sinclair, Bob’s ‘wife’?” Burgamy asked.
And there it was, the announcement of the elephant in the room. Evan didn’t look over at Juliet to see her reaction. She didn’t need anyone gawking at her.
“What about her?” Evan responded, keeping his tone neutral.
“Bob and Lisa Sinclair were a couple. A tight couple.” Burgamy leaned more of his weight on his arms, which were folded on the conference table. “The cover worked so well because the criminal groups you infiltrated bought into the whole Bonnie and Clyde, can’t-live-without-each-other vibe the two of you gave off.”
Evan didn’t want to admit it, but Burgamy was right. Going in without Juliet would make this mission more difficult. But the alternative wasn’t an option, so Evan wasn’t even entertaining it as such. He glanced briefly over at Juliet, who was looking intently down at her notes.
“I’ll make it work, as Bob Sinclair alone. I’ve certainly done my share of undercover work with no partner.” Evan could see the Branson brothers nodding, backing him up. Cameron in particular knew about long-term solo undercover work, having recently come off a life-changing operation himself.
But Burgamy wasn’t willing to let it go. “Isn’t Cady going to wonder about Lisa? Her absence will certainly make suspicions higher, perhaps even jeopardize the entire mission.”
Evan sat up straighter in his chair, then leaned toward Burgamy. He could see Juliet’s brothers mirroring his actions, tension evident. Evan didn’t like where this was going.
“I’m a trained, experienced operative, Burgamy. I’ll handle it.”
The boss’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I have every confidence in your abilities, Karcz. But the facts are the facts.”
Burgamy leaned back in the chair in a relaxed pose that belied the words he’d said. Suddenly the entire meeting became clear to Evan, the purpose of Burgamy’s attendance and his endgame. And Evan had played right into his hands. He knew what Burgamy was going to say before his boss even said it, but there was nothing he could do.
Burgamy turned to Juliet. “Juliet needs to go back undercover as Lisa Sinclair to ensure the success of this operation.”
Juliet heard the words that came out of Burgamy’s mouth as if from far away. She searched for a response inside herself—knew she should have some sort of explosive negative comment—but could find only silence.
She couldn’t go back undercover as Lisa Sinclair. She wasn’t ready. It would be a disaster.
It ended up she didn’t have to give an answer, anyway. Her brothers took care of the explosive negative comments for her.
“There’s no way in hell, Burgamy,” Sawyer, her normally laid-back younger brother, said grimly.
The expletive that came from Cameron should’ve had her smacking his arm or at least telling him to chill out. But Juliet still could find only silence.
Both brothers stood, now in an open argument with Burgamy, listing the reasons Juliet couldn’t go back undercover as Lisa Sinclair. She wasn’t ready, Burgamy couldn’t force her, she hadn’t had the needed prep time... Juliet just tuned them out as they continued.
She knew her weaknesses, knew she was a coward. She didn’t need to listen to an active discussion of those facts.
Juliet looked up from her folded hands to find Evan staring at her across the table.
She could find no pity in his gaze. Nor disappointment. He actually shrugged and rolled his eyes, gesturing casually with his hand to all the chaos. As if the yelling currently reverberating through the conference room came from preschoolers throwing temper tantrums about sharing their favorite toys, rather than Juliet’s boss asking her to do something that would probably get both her and Evan killed.
How could Evan take it so lightly?
Juliet rubbed a hand over her face. There was no point in letting her brothers get in trouble with Burgamy—again—over this. The choice belonged to her and she already knew her answer.
She stood up, but didn’t try to yell over her brothers, just waited for them to realize she had something to say. Over the years she had perfected that practice.
Eventually everyone grew silent and looked at her.
“No. I won’t do it.” Juliet said it plainly, not raising her voice in any way.
“Juliet,” Burgamy began in his nasally tone, “it’s evident that the mission has a greater chance for success if you are part of it.”
“I disagree,” she said.
Burgamy had no intention of giving up so easily. “But Vince Cady and his people will be expecting you to be with Evan. Bob and Lisa Sinclair are a known couple.”
Juliet held up a hand to silence her boss. “My initial presence might be an asset, I concur. But for any longer term I would just be a liability. Evan can’t babysit me and successfully complete the mission.”
Now it was Evan who spoke up. “Jules—”
She turned to him, could see the anguish in his eyes. “No, Evan. I’m not of any use to anybody in the field right now. Trust me.”
Burgamy was determined to continue his argument. “But—”
Juliet decided to put a stop to it right now and save them all the trouble. “Respectfully, Burgamy, I’m not an agent anymore. You can’t force me to do this. So let’s not pretend like you can, okay? I’m not going back in the field as Lisa Sinclair.” She turned to Evan. “I won’t risk your life that way.”
Burgamy wisely didn’t say anything further. He knew Juliet’s words were true. After what had happened to her the last time, no one at Omega would ever try to force her into an undercover assignment. If she ever went under again, it would be her own choice.
Juliet didn’t see that happening anytime soon, say, for the next twenty years.
She noticed both her brothers sitting down, evidently
