Andre's Side Of The Story

By Toby Joyce

He had everything. Special Agent Andre Dominique lived a life that most men only dreamed of. His job was full of adventure, intrigue and danger. He had plenty of money, good looks and was in excellent physical condition. He had loving parents and a brother who was his best friend. The only thing he didn't have was a love of his own. Most women, he learned, didn't want a partner who risked their life on a daily basis. Yet, he remained hopeful. Yes, he was a special agent, strong and confident; but he was also a man, much like any other man, with needs, vulnerabilities, and insecurities, especially when it came to women. Was he destined to live along, married to his career; or would he find that one woman to love, who had evaded him for so many years?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
• Release date: May 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781611604931

Book preview

Chapter 1

It was early-afternoon. He’d been up all night. Andre was used to working all-nighters but that didn’t make it any easier to sleep, especially when the sun was high in the sky and he could hear as people laughed and enjoyed the day.

Finally, he gave up trying to sleep on his own and decided to walk to the sundry store in the resort where he was staying. He was pretty sure that some kind of sleeping pills would be sold there.

He put on cargo shorts and a tee-shirt, ran his fingers through his brown, sun streaked hair and walked outside through the atrium.

It was another warm beautiful day in Southern California.

In the sundry store, he found the over-the-counter medicines section and picked up the sleeping pills. While he was there, he decided to get some razor blades also. On his way to the shaving accessories, he was stopped in his tracks at the sight of a beautiful woman. She had long blond hair and an exquisite body.

She stood at a sunglass display tree, apparently looking for just the right pair. She had four pairs in her hands and one on her face.

He walked up behind her and said the first thing that came to mind, Do you need help with any of those?

She turned around and smiled as she removed the pair she was wearing. Her face was a little pink with embarrassment.

I guess I do, she said rather flatly. Maybe you can help me narrow down the field. Tell me, which do you think looks better, these, or, these?

He looked at her closely as she put on the second pair. He really wanted to say, please don’t cover up those big beautiful blue-green eyes.

They both look beautiful on you, he said honestly.

She smiled at his comment and said, I’ll take this pair.

Meanwhile Andre was finding places in the tree for all the pairs that she had dismissed.

Do you work here? she asked.

The thought amused him a bit. No, I don’t, he said with a little chuckle in his voice. I’m staying here at the resort; my name is Andre.

Hi, I’m Cheryl, she said as she extended her hand. His first instinct was to gently put it to his lips, but instead he extended his hand and she shook it somewhat business-like.

Meeting her had taken his mind off all his fatigue from the night before. He couldn’t just say nice to meet you and leave.

Would you like to join me for a drink here at the resort? he asked causally, with his heart pounding a hundred beats a minute.

She hesitated, but only for a second, then said, Okay.

They walked to the register together. He couldn’t help but keep glancing at her, and he noticed that she kept glancing at him.

The atrium had become crowded with a shuttle van of new arrivals so she took his arm to stay close. She put her sunglasses on and he smiled his approval of both.

As they walked, occasionally he felt the weight of her breast against his arm, which put a bigger smile on his face. She seemed to be oblivious to her beauty or to the effect it was having on him.

They walked to one of the pool-side lounges and got a cocktail. She told him that she was in California, on vacation, for a week. She lived in Washington State.

Andre was trained to retrieve information from people that they might not ordinarily divulge. So it was that she opened up a little and told him more about herself. She was a Sales Manager for a high tech computer software company in Seattle.

After listening to her for a few minutes he could tell she was a polished professional. A pleasant change from the type of women he was often exposed to.

She asked him about himself. He had learned, over the years, how to be vague without sounding vague; how to lie, making it sound like the truth. He told her that he was a journalist for AP International (Associated Press) and that he was in L.A. covering the International Trade Conference that week.

As they chatted casually he couldn’t take his eyes off her moist full lips. He imagined what it would be like to kiss them.

All that fantasizing came to an abrupt halt when she looked at her watch and said, Oh my, it’s almost six o’clock. I have an appointment soon. I’m afraid I’m going to have to be on my way. Thank you for the drink; it was great meeting you.

His eyes and expression stayed neutral but he was thinking I’ve got to see her again! His mind was put to ease a little when she said, Hopefully we’ll run into each other again while we’re both staying here.

My pleasure and yes, I definitely hope so, he replied as she got up to leave. As he watched her walk away he felt a little let down. Suddenly he felt extremely tired. He glanced at his watch; it had been over twenty-four hours with no sleep.

Before he went to bed, he wrote a little note asking her out for dinner the next evening. He left it at the front desk asking if they would make sure that Cheryl received it before tomorrow afternoon. The gentleman at the desk said, Cheryl?

Yes, Andre replied, I’ve forgotten her last name. She is tall, blonde, and beautiful.

Oh, you mean Cheryl Miller, room A18. Yes, I will see that she gets it, he said. Andre thanked him and slipped him a nice tip, just for insurance.

As his body melted into the sheets his last thought was, appointment; that was pretty ambiguous. She was very clever.

He slept as if he were half dead, without the aid of drugs. He didn’t remember hearing anything until the sound of his business cell phone woke him. The digital clock beside the bed read 3:00 p.m., the next day. Man, he must have been tired!

He answered the phone, using his code name, Brown Fox. His colleague on the other end, code name Hollywood, said, It’s going down at 2:00 a.m. I’ve input the coordinates and details into the file. Classified, code one.

Roger that, Andre said, then the call disconnected. He put his head back down on the pillow, remembering the note he had left for Cheryl about that night.

What was he doing becoming attracted to an innocent woman? He knew better. She didn’t need to get involved with the likes of him, someone who lied and cheated and stole on a daily basis. To someone who had a different name and a different look every month. To someone who had been an FBI Special Agent for the past nine years.

He was awake now so he called room service and ordered food. While waiting for his breakfast, lunch or whatever the hell it was, he took a quick shower. As he rubbed the soapy warm water against his body he started thinking about this girl, this woman, he had met. He certainly didn’t need his mind to be cluttered at this stage of the mission, while he was up to his eyeballs with some of the most despicable and treacherous people on the face of the earth. His mind had to stay clear and focused. Maybe that’s why he was intrigued by her because she was neither despicable nor treacherous and never would be.

The food arrived. He took out his laptop computer, put in the secret code and pulled up the data on Operation Green Ice. As he ate, he read the information that his colleague had entered earlier. He studied the file, going over names, faces, places and everything he needed to keep his identity believably intact for later that night, or tomorrow morning as the case may be.

He worked for a couple of hours, then called the front desk and asked to be connected to A18, Cheryl Miller’s room. Soon he heard the sound of a professional voice say, Hello.

Hi, this is Andre; did you receive my message?

Yes, she replied, I’d love to have dinner with you.

Wonderful, I’ll pick you up at say seven?

How should I dress? she asked.

He wanted to say, don’t. Be completely naked when I arrive. But he said, Oh, just semi casual, unless you’re up for some dancing after dinner. The thought of holding her body next to his was very appealing.

Yes, dancing sounds good. I’ll see you then.

Great, I’ll see you soon, he replied and they both hung up the phone at the same time.

There was definitely anticipation in the air. He shaved as close as he could, with a dull blade. He had forgotten to buy more razor blades when he had the chance meeting with Cheryl.

He applied his best after shave. He had three suits with him. He picked a light colored, light fabric that showed off his tan and a shirt that didn’t need a tie.

He was ready to go but still had around fifteen minutes before he could go to get her. He didn’t want to get there too early and appear too anxious, plus he wanted to give her the time she needed to get ready. He poured himself a small glass of Bourbon on the rocks and savored the relative peace and quiet. After the last sip he popped a small breath mint into his mouth and headed out the door for the rental car.

He drove around to her section of the resort. As he saw A18 his heart began pounding a little, which was ridiculous. Come on bourbon; kick in.

She answered the tap on the door wearing a little dark purple silky sexy dress. The skirt was full and short. The top was lacey, unfortunately not see through, but tight fitting spandex type. The neck of it was scooped and went across her shoulders with just a little cap sleeve. How could she do this to him?

You look beautiful, he said as their eyes met. Then he helped her with her wrap, laying it across her shoulders. He could smell her perfume and really wanted to say let’s just stay in tonight.

As she got into the car, her skirt blew up a little as she sat down. It was driving him crazy thinking that a little layer of panty was the only thing between her body and the car seat!

The restaurant was Italian, small and family owned. He offered to order the dinner and wine for both of them and she gladly accepted. The waiter brought the wine and they sipped, agreeing that it was an excellent choice.

Andre looked around and said, Being here kind of reminds me of home. My parents own and run a small restaurant in New York. They’re not getting any younger so my brother handles most of the operations now.

As they ate he told her a little bit about his brother Jacque and what it was like growing up, living above their parents’ restaurant in Buffalo, New York. He told her that his father is French, but when he was around fourteen years old his family moved to Italy. His mother is Italian. They met when his father got a job at his mother’s family restaurant. Apparently it was love at first sight. They married at a young age then moved to New York. Around a year later Jacque was born, followed by Andre two years later. Andre and Jacque grew up being trilingual: French, Italian and English. All of which was true.

After a delicious dinner together they went to a dance club. It was similar to nightclubs in New York, Paris, or Monaco. Andre had been to more of them than he could count.

Soon a great dance tune was being played so they got up and started dancing. She looked vibrant with the lights sparkling off her dress and her long flowing hair. Her breasts swayed and bounced softly. Every now and then, when she turned, he caught a glimpse of the roundness under her skirt. When the lights dimmed and the music slowed down, their bodies moved together. She was just the right size. Her body was firm, her skin was slightly moist, smooth as silk, and it smelled heavenly.

He put his hand on her back and gently pulled her toward him. She didn’t resist. Their eyes met and she looked a little shy. Nothing can come of this, he kept reminding himself. His heart was a little heavy although pounding from the excitement of holding her.

The night evaporated. As much as he hated to, he had to stop. He had to remember the dangers that awaited him later, in just a few hours.

He drove them back to the resort and walked her to the door of her room. He lied, saying, Cheryl, tomorrow I will be in Palm Springs all day and I will be spending the night there. I’ll be back here the following day. Then the truth, I’ll call you then. Thank you for going out with me tonight. I enjoyed being with you. He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. Their lips touched, softly at first, then closer and a little harder.

He would have done almost anything if he could have stayed longer with her, but he said good night and went back to his room. He wondered if she wondered why he hadn’t tried to have sex with her. He didn’t think she was the type that had sex on the first date.

While she probably got ready for bed, he got ready for work. He popped an agency-issued energy tablet. It would get him going; the adrenaline would keep him going. He got into the shower; he couldn’t have Cheryl’s scent distract his mind from the task at hand.

Then he started putting on his disguise. He took out the make-up kit and sprayed his hair to make it look black. He glued on facial hair, a mustache, and then put a clear sticky substance around the corners of his eyes to pull the skin so that he appeared to be of Asian descent. When it dried it was undetectable. He put on the trademark silk shirt and dark brown leather jacket. He was now Hu Chae Kim, right hand man to one of the largest drug smugglers in North America.

Tonight he would meet with the supplier and personally examine and sample the heroine as it arrived from Korea, before it made its way to New York. He was there in Korea where it began the route. This was phase two. The suppliers didn’t suspect anything, but you never know. Sometimes there are leaks. These people shoot first and ask questions later. His colleague, John, would be there for back up, out of sight but close enough to respond should anything go wrong. He’d be taking pictures with a very powerful lens, pictures that would be used as evidence if needed. Andre was wired for sound. His gun was in the holster under his arm under his jacket.

He took a couple of deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, as he heard the click of the hotel door as it locked behind him.

He drove to the rendezvous point to meet John, where they briefly went over the details of the plan and traded cars. He was now driving a black Cadillac with tinted windows with a briefcase of millions worth of bundled bills in the trunk.

Andre parked the car at the meeting place: the rear of a parking lot of an abandoned building six miles east of the airport.

Soon a Sedan pulled up beside the Cadillac so that the trunks of both cars were side by side. The same two men that he had met in Korea got out. They were vigilant to survey all the surroundings. Andre got out of the Cadillac, slowly, with no sudden movements.

As one stood facing out, weapon in hand, the other one opened the trunk where the suitcases of heroin were.

Andre opened one random bag from each large suitcase and sampled the powder. It was the same stuff that he’d sampled in Korea. He gave them the briefcase with half of the payment in it, the other half to be paid when the heroin arrived in New York.

Andre drove away first, keeping a close eye in the rear view mirror. He felt relieved that everything went as planned. He was also feeling the effects of the heroin that he’d sampled. He’d known agents who had gotten hooked and gone bad. It was seductive stuff, but he was stronger than that.

He got back to the resort around 5:00 a.m. He called John on his cell phone from the hotel and when he heard his voice on the other end he said, Brown Fox, code Alpha. John replied, Hollywood, Roger that. And then the phone went dead. Code Alpha: everything went all right. Next stop; New York, NY.

He took a shower and washed his hair, then opened his lap top and started typing. There were always so many reports to write. He kept typing and working until he heard the birds chirping and saw the sun coming up. The energy tablet had worn off and the adrenaline was gone. He put the no maid service request on the outside door handle and phoned the front desk with the same request, just for insurance. He pulled the curtains completely closed, removed all his clothes and fell into bed.

He slept until 7:00 p.m. then got into some pajamas and called room service for some dinner. He ate, drank some wine, watched some news on T.V. and went back to bed around 11:00 p.m. As he crawled back into bed, he thought this schedule would make him old before his time!

He woke up at around 6:00 a.m. All residue of phase two of the operation was gone from his body and mind. He didn’t have to think about it again for at least twenty-four hours.

He put on his running shoes, shorts and a tee-shirt, and left his room to go to the hotel continental breakfast room. There he ate a bowl of oatmeal and took two bananas and two bottles of apple juice with him to eat while he walked to the beach. He could feel the heat of the sun just starting to shine but it wouldn’t be hot for another two hours or so.

He began stretching his muscles, starting with his legs, the calves, the inner thigh and then up to the pecks, the shoulders and the neck. One blessing in disguise about being an agent is that he had to stay physically fit. He never knew when he’d be fighting for his life. He was a trained expert in martial arts, and a sharp shooter, all agents were, but some were better than others.

He began to run. He planned to run ten miles round trip, and thought he may run into his colleague, John, who was staying at the hotel down the beach. John should be doing the same thing that Andre was, running, although John was not quite as self-disciplined; he was more of a Play Boy. If something better crossed his path he would forsake the running in the hope of getting his physical exercise another way.

As Andre was getting into the zone, his body was working perfectly, almost on automatic; it allowed his mind to wander back to last night or the night before or whenever it was that he was with Cheryl. He reminded himself that it wasn’t like him to be taken by someone so quickly; he was usually suspicious and aloof. For all he knew, she could be planted, working for the cartel. She seemed too innocent, too refined to be an agent. He had been with operatives before. Yes, they were beautiful and seductive but no matter how good of an actress they were, he could always tell that there was a hidden agenda. He never once sensed that from Cheryl. She was just an innocent woman on vacation; but on vacation alone? That was rather suspicious, unless she had friends or family in the area.

Before he knew it he was back at the resort, having done the ten mile loop. He stretched out again on the beach. His muscles were warm and easy to stretch by then.

He went to his room and drank a large bottle of water and took a handful of vitamins, then called the front desk and asked to be scheduled for a massage in an hour. In the meantime he went to the weight room. He’d been lifting weights for around ten years. He was at the point where if he didn’t lift for a couple of days in a row he felt terrible. He had a personal disdain for men who got flabby and had their guts hanging over their belts. He would never, no matter what, ever look like that.

This woman, Cheryl, she worked out with weights he could tell and he liked that about her. It showed that she had self-discipline and self-esteem.

After a quick shower, it was time for his massage. He hadn’t specified a male masseur, but that’s what he preferred. It may be sexist to say, but the women seem too, how to say, light. He liked a good hard, strong massage.

Luckily a male came out to escort him into the room. He introduced himself as Jared. He then left while Andre removed his clothes, lay down and covered his lower body with a small white sheet. When the masseur returned he asked Andre if he had any preferences.

As hard as you can make it, he replied, which afterwards, he thought, didn’t come out quite the way he had intended. He hoped that Jared was not gay and having some kind of fantasy at his expense. It became very obvious very soon that he wasn’t gay and that he was very good at what he did. Andre made a mental note to leave him a generous tip.

After all that he was feeling great! As he walked back to his room, his personal cell phone rang. Damn, it was John. What could it be? They were not due to leave for New York until tomorrow night. He answered with: What’s up?

Buddy, he said, which told Andre that he was going to ask for a favor, I need you to cover for me tonight.

Cover what for you?

Surveillance of a News Anchor, male, suspected of selling privileged information to the middle-east. He’s going to be at a Press Party tonight at the Franklin Hotel. It’s a Code 03. Can you do it for me?

Code 03 was a relatively low profile assignment. He thought about the favors that John had done for him over the years and said, Okay, I’ll do it, but what have you got going that is so important that you can’t do it?

There was a split second of silence where he knew John was debating telling the truth or making something up. He replied truthfully, A red haired beauty with long legs.

Man, you are going to get yourself into big trouble one of these days, Andre warned him. International terrorists we can handle, but a beautiful woman and we become like putty. They both laughed.

I’m going to upload all the case information now, John said. You can pull it up in about three minutes. Thanks again.

Yea, yea, Andre said, just be careful. I’m going to need you tomorrow in New York. Then he clicked off the cell phone.

He called room service and ordered some lunch. Then he logged in to see the files that John had sent. A picture appeared on the screen, a picture of the man who would be under surveillance tonight. Andre recognized him; he’d seen his face before. Such a trusting face; it just goes to show that you never know.

His lunch arrived and he ate it as he studied the case. It took around an hour to completely familiarize himself with what the agency needed. Then he realized that he would need a date for the night; a woman on his arm to be discreet while he was taking the pictures of the news anchor.

Before he called the agency for a woman, he decided to try his luck with Cheryl. He called her room. She wasn’t in. Damn. Maybe she was out enjoying the beautiful day, which he had been practically oblivious to. He opened the curtains and sure enough it was absolutely beautiful. It was 5:30 p.m. now and he was supposed to be at the Franklin at 8:00 p.m. for dinner. He decided to take a quick look around the three pools in the resort to see if he could find her. I should have put a bug on her to keep track of her, he thought as he headed out. He had some that were no bigger than a freckle.

He found her at the third pool, the one closest to the beach. She was lying on a lounge chair and she looked fantastic! Her skin was golden; her bathing suit, revealing.

Is anyone sitting here? he said as he approached the empty chair beside her.

You’re back, she said with a smile.

Since he didn’t have much time, he got right to the point. There’s a Press Party tonight at the Franklin Hotel; would you go to it with me?

She thought about it for a second, then said, Yes, that sounds nice, thank you.

Great! It’s formal. Dinner is at 8:00 p.m. followed by dancing. There should be several so called celebrities there. He filled her in a little so that she’d know how to dress and what to expect. Since she hadn’t winced at the sound of formal, he would go on the assumption that she had something appropriate to wear. So, with that taken care of and the fact that he still had around an hour before he had to start getting ready for work again, he decided to take off his shirt and get some rays.

The pool had a bar beside it so he asked the attendant for two daiquiris, one for each of them. As he was sipping his drink he glanced around the pool to check out the other guys, just too see how his body rated. He had to admit that none of them had anything on him. There were a couple of younger guys in their early twenties that were pretty buff, but he was satisfied with his look. He noticed that Cheryl kept checking out his body. He didn’t work out just to stay in shape.

After Cheryl finished her drink she left to get ready. Andre stayed at the pool side a little longer.

When he tapped on her room door, he was practically floored by how good she looked. She was wearing a red, strapless evening gown against that subtle golden skin. Her hair was up, showing off her graceful neck and toned shoulders. He could smell her perfume. He imagined her putting a dab down deep in her beautiful cleavage, and wanted to bury his face in it and get intoxicated by the scent. He forced his mind back to reality.

The valet parked the car at the Franklin just before 8:00 p.m. He was officially on duty. He kept Cheryl close to him as he worked the crowd, finding the news anchor. For the remainder of the night he’d have to stay in close proximity to him. His camera was disguised as a cuff link. He took the first picture of him shaking hands with a man that looked Middle Eastern, but that didn’t mean anything. His contact could be a woman for all anyone knew.

Cheryl was a wonderful companion the entire evening. She had more than enough class to fit in. He found himself feeling proud to be with her. She had made his job that night so much easier and much more pleasant than it would have been without her.

The man finally left the party, so Andre’s part was almost done. Other agents would take over the surveillance from there. While waiting for the valet to bring the car around, a presumably slightly intoxicated man bumped into Andre. He recognized him, from the file from John, to be his contact. As the tipsy man was apparently apologizing, Andre slipped him the cufflink. No fuss, no muss, it was done.

When they returned to the resort he parked the car near his room. He turned to her, took her hands in his and looked