When You Can't Go Home

By Dana Peters

In a New York City restaurant, Wendy Johnston spots the tall handsome stranger for the first time, and sparks ignite. But she’s a professional assassin with no time for romance. She barely has time for her family.

When Wendy unexpectedly meets him again in another restaurant in another city, their attraction is still as strong. But there’s no such thing as coincidence in her line of work, and now she’s suspicious of this stranger who keeps turning up until she learns they’re in the same line of work and expected to work together.

Time is of the essence, and Wendy must quickly find a way to combine their unique skills while facing their growing attraction and desire for each other.

So much for finding time for romance, though. When a new adversary arrives, Wendy is suddenly forced to make a painful, life-altering choice in order to protect herself, her family, and her new love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662421884

Book preview

Chapter 1

Please let this night end! Sean thought, trying desperately not to let his boredom show. His eyes drifted around the large table as he picked up on bits and pieces of the various conversations going on around him. Not a single one interested him. Signaling to the waiter, he ordered another beer. Leaning back in his chair, Sean closed his eyes briefly. Fascinating, he thought idly, everyone around him was talking, yet no one seemed to be listening to anyone. Why hadn’t he ever noticed that before? Because you rarely venture out in groups like this. And now you know why. Oh yeah, he knew now!

Thank you, Sean nodded to the waiter as a tall beer glass was placed in front of him.

You’re welcome, sir, the waiter smiled. Retreating quickly back to the bar, the waiter paused next to the waitress who was taking care of the table. Eight people and only one of them thanked me. Actually, I think he’s the only one who’s even acknowledged me, the waiter said quietly.

The guy with the beer? The waiter nodded. Yeah, he’s the only decent one at the table. When they all ordered, same thing, he was the only one who thanked me. She smiled. He’s clearly not from around here. Chuckling, the waiter agreed. I can’t help but wonder why he’s with them.

Unbeknownst to the wait staff, Sean was thinking the exact same thing. What the hell was he doing with these people? They weren’t his friends! Hell, he thought, glancing around the table again, he didn’t even know them! Shifting in his chair, Sean’s arm brushed against the woman sitting next to him. She was the only person he knew in the entire group and the reason he was there. Dull green eyes hidden by too much eye makeup turned on him as she leaned close to him.

You could at least act like you’re having a good time, Angela hissed in his ear.

I’m not that good an actor, Sean said, making no attempt to lower his voice, earning him an angry glare from the woman.

You’re an actor? the dark-haired, heavily made-up woman on his other side asked, pulling Sean’s attention over to her. Before he could answer, she rushed on, Have we seen you in anything? Sean nearly laughed out loud but refrained, knowing that would seriously piss off Angela, not that he really cared one way or another. But because he was a gentleman, Sean erred on the side of politeness. He immediately regretted his decision when, before he could come up with a polite reply for the woman, Angela laid a perfectly manicured hand on his leg as she leaned across Sean to address the woman.

Sean is an entrepreneur, Angela explained, her expression smug.

Oh, how fascinating, the woman said, her voice sickly sweet.

I’m unemployed, Sean corrected sweetly, fighting not to grimace when Angela’s sharp nails dug into his leg under the table. Oh yeah, he’d pissed off Angela good this time. Suddenly realizing everyone at the table had gone silent and were staring at him, Sean’s mouth curved into an unapologetic smile. Too frigging bad. He was done playing this stupid-ass game. He wasn’t there to kiss anyone’s ass; there wasn’t anything he needed, or more importantly, wanted, from any of these people.

Unemployed? A perfectly coiffed woman with dazzling blue eyes sitting across the table stared at Sean. He met her bold and insulting gaze with one of his own and was silently rewarded when she looked away nervously. Wise woman.

He’s in between jobs, Liz, that’s all, Angela hurried to explain before she glared at Sean, a fake smile plastered on her face. Just in between jobs.

Oh, Liz said, still clearly uncomfortable. What the hell was her problem? Sean wondered, and before he could stop himself, he pushed forward with his question.

Is there a problem, Liz? The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, giving Sean the distinct impression that he shouldn’t have even spoken to her. Seriously? Haven’t you ever met someone who is unemployed, Liz? Her mouth fell open.

Sean! Angela snapped before she could catch herself.

What? Sean turned to Angela, realizing at that moment that he’d had enough. There wasn’t a single real person at the table for God’s sake! His eyes skipped over the impeccably dressed men and women at the table and knew every single one of them were as fake as a nine-dollar bill. And he wasn’t playing along any longer. I’m sorry, Angela, but I’ve had enough. Rising smoothly from his chair, his six-foot-six frame towering over everyone, Sean’s eyes swept around the table, not surprised to see the shocked look on their faces.

Quickly rising from her chair, Angela accidently knocked over her glass of red wine, the liquid splashing onto the gentleman next to her as she turned toward Sean.

Hey! the surprised man exclaimed, jumping back from the table. This is a five-hundred-dollar suit! he announced angrily.

Bullshit, Sean said, sizing up the man quickly. That’s a JCPenney off-the-rack suit, and I dare you to deny it. Silence was Sean’s reward as the man’s face turned beet red. An uncomfortable and awkward silence fell over the table. Taking advantage of the moment, Sean stepped back from the table, nodding at the others. I can’t say this was fun, but these last few minutes certainly have been entertaining. Gasps of surprise raced around the table. But if you’ll excuse me, I really must go. Turning to Angela, he stared at her, feeling absolutely nothing. Goodbye, Angela. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Before she could react, Sean turned, and winding his way through the restaurant, he made his way toward the entrance.

Moving past a table of four, a tug on his sleeve slowed him down, and pausing, he looked down into the smiling face of a woman with the darkest eyes he’d ever seen.

Well done, she said quietly. Needing to keep moving, Sean nodded his thanks before moving on, not slowing until he was outside in the crisp fall air. Only then did he pause and look back. Who was that woman? And why did he feel like she really was proud of him? With a shake of his head, Sean flagged down a taxi. Climbing in and giving the driver the name of his hotel, Sean leaned back, watching the lights of downtown Manhattan fly by as the cab zipped through the city.

Later that evening, having checked out of his hotel and catching a cab back to the airport, Sean boarded his private plane. Settling into his seat, he glanced out the window, instantly spotting a woman approaching his plane. Her long hair blowing in the wind, her step was brisk as she crossed the tarmac. Not expecting company, Sean watched as the woman suddenly veered off, turning toward another plane nearby. With only the bright lights from the hangar illuminating the tarmac, Sean could understand how someone might mistake one jet for another.

Leaning back in his seat, Sean smiled as the flight attendant announced they were preparing to takeoff. As the private Gulfstream jet sped off down the runway, Sean closed his eyes, his mind drifting.

Unemployed. More like in between jobs. In between lives. Not that anyone would know that though. No one would ever know; it was safer for everyone that way. Sean sighed. He just needed a little downtime, some completely quiet, peaceful, and alone time. That’s all, and then he’d be fine.

He drifted off to sleep, thinking about the darkest eyes he’d ever seen.

* * *

Letting herself into her apartment, Wendy tossed her keys on the table as she headed toward the kitchen. Pulling a bottle of Bailey’s from the cabinet, she poured herself a glass before adding one ice cube. Swirling her drink, she leaned against the counter, gazing around her sterile kitchen as her thoughts drifted back to the events of the evening.

As a favor to a friend, she’d posed as his date for his business dinner. She’d never been so bored in her entire life! Knowing very little about the financial world, specifically Wall Street, Wendy had kept her mind occupied by coming up with different ways to kill everyone at the table without anyone around them knowing. By the time the dinner was over, she’d come up with a dozen different ways.

So the night wasn’t a total loss, Wendy thought with a chuckle, taking a long sip of her perfectly chilled drink. One never knew when one of those ways might come in handy. After all, she did kill people for a living; devising new ways was just part of the job.

Then of course, there’d been the commotion at another table that had added a bit of excitement to the evening. Curious, Wendy had tuned into the situation as best she could without being obvious. Not able to discern what had caused the commotion, she was able to conclude that the tall gentleman involved was not only the target of a very, very angry woman but that he also was not at fault. Interesting. What was even more interesting, though, was the fact that even though Wendy didn’t know anyone at the table, she still had the urge to get involved. What was it about the man that made her want to help him? What was it that had her so intrigued?

Choosing that moment to drape his arm around Wendy, her date had distracted her, effectively pulling Wendy’s attention back to him and their group. Tossing him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, Wendy had attempted to follow the conversation, failing miserably and not caring in the least. Moments later, when the tall gentleman wound his way toward the entrance, Wendy hadn’t hesitated to reach for him, causing him to pause beside her table. Not questioning why, Wendy followed her gut, quietly complimenting him on how he’d handled the situation. While he didn’t reply, Wendy had the distinct impression that he’d appreciated the compliment.

That is, right after she got over the shock of just how tall the man really was. Absently rubbing the back of her neck, Wendy smiled, remembering how far back she’d had to tilt her head to see his face and to see how handsome he was up close. Following him outside minutes later, she’d looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Too bad.

Too bad? Like she had time for a personal life! Wandering into the living room, Wendy dropped onto the couch, stretching her legs out over the coffee table, enjoying her drink. Thinking he could extend their date, her friend had offered to drive her home in hopes that she’d invite him up. Not fucking likely. Wendy smiled into her drink. She liked the guy; he was a good friend. But that was it. Besides, she really didn’t have time for a personal life. Her eyes danced around her sparsely decorated living room. She certainly wasn’t in the mood to explain to anyone why her apartment didn’t look lived in. Maybe because it wasn’t. No matter the length of time she spent there, it had never felt like home to her. In fact, if anything, it felt more like an office, a place she worked out of, nothing more. Maybe someday she’d feel ready to settle into it or, at least, settle someplace.

Her cell phone ringing interrupted her rambling thoughts. Glancing at the caller ID, Wendy took one last sip of her drink before answering. Work was calling. Moments later, having received explicit instructions, Wendy was reaching for her ever-present suitcase. Evidently, the only place she was settling in tonight would be on an airplane.

An hour later, her suitcase in the trunk, Wendy slid into the back seat of the hired car. Making herself comfortable, her hand resting protectively on her computer bag, she leaned back, closing her eyes. As the car blended into the city traffic, making its way to the private airport on the outskirts of New York City, a sigh escaped her.

New to the company she was currently with, Wendy was still adjusting to how they worked and how fast things moved. Doing the job expected of her though? That was one thing she wasn’t concerned about. Not in the least.

What did have Wendy feeling a bit nervous, though, was learning that she was going to be working with a team. She’d never worked with a team before. She usually worked alone or with one other person.

The instructions Wendy had received from Sarah had been specific, as well as surprisingly short: Wendy was to fly to Chicago. Upon arriving at the airport, she’d be met by a member of her team and would get further instructions at that time.

All your questions will be answered in Chicago, Sarah had surprised Wendy by saying, her tone brisk, causing Wendy to pause. She hadn’t even voiced the question, yet Sarah had been prepared for it.

Sarah. Wendy’s eyes fluttered open, her thoughts turning to her new employer. She had yet to actually meet Sarah, but through her own connections, Wendy was well aware of the woman’s reputation—both behind the scenes and on the job. She also knew that Sarah’s crew was made up of some of the top assassins in the world.

Working independently at the time, Wendy had just returned from completing a complicated job when Sarah first contacted her. Closing her eyes again, Wendy smiled at the memory.

Chapter 2

Having just walked in the door of her apartment, anxious to kick back and relax after the job she’d just completed, Wendy had barely dropped her suitcase before the doorbell rang. Relieved to see the FedEx delivery man through the peephole and not one of her overly nosy neighbors, Wendy opened the door with a tired smile. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence to receive something that required her signature, and Wendy readily scribbled her name before accepting the slightly bulky envelope. With a brisk thank-you and a smile, the FedEx man was gone before Wendy realized that he wasn’t her usual delivery guy. Probably just the regular guy’s day off, she thought, shaking the envelope out of habit before tearing it open.

While unexpected, Wendy wasn’t surprised to find a cell phone with instructions inside the envelope. She knew the significance of the phone, quickly reading the brief instructions: call the number listed.

Still, a childhood habit had Wendy unconsciously glancing around the room. With a sheepish grin, she silently chided herself, quickly reminding herself that no one could see her. She’d purposely chosen her top-floor apartment overlooking Central Park for just that reason. There was no way anyone could see into her apartment. Blaming her overactive imagination on her being tired, Wendy pulled out the cell phone and dialed the number, unknowingly setting in motion a chain of events that would change her life completely.

Two hours later, sitting in the back booth, as directed, Wendy waited anxiously to meet her contact. Glancing around the busy coffee shop, she smiled and nodded as she recognized a few of the patrons. It was a popular coffee shop in the neighborhood, one Wendy frequented often when she was home and between jobs. There was nothing she liked better than stepping up to the counter and have the staff remember what she liked for coffee. Weeks could go by and yet the staff never seemed to forget her. Wendy smiled to herself, wondering again if that was a good thing or a bad thing. In her line of work, it could be a very bad thing. Taking a sip of her coffee, prepared exactly the way she liked it, Wendy promptly decided that, in this case, it was a very good thing. She smiled into her coffee.

The bell on the coffee shop door rang cheerfully, and Wendy glanced up in time to see a tall, casually dressed, man approaching her. This had to be her contact, and sitting up straight, her eyes followed him as he approached her. Taking his time, he found himself pleased and impressed that nothing about Wendy’s manner suggested that she was at all anxious or nervous. Then he caught her eye. He’d been in the business for a very long time and thought he’d seen it all. Evidently not. It wasn’t so much that her dark eyes were nearly black. No, that wasn’t it. It was how ice-cold they were. He immediately knew that Sarah had chosen well and was pleased that Wendy was coming on board with them.

Introducing himself, he slid into the booth before Wendy could speak. Angling himself so his back was against the wall and not the booth, he made himself comfortable. He didn’t like having his back to an entrance, but in this case, it couldn’t be entirely avoided.

Won’t you join me? Wendy said sarcastically. She knew this game, but that didn’t mean she was going to be pushed around. She didn’t care who the boss was. Her back ramrod straight now, she held the man’s direct gaze with her own, only relaxing slightly when he blinked and smiled. It was then she recognized him.

You’re the FedEx guy, Wendy said without preamble and was rewarded when his eyes widened slightly. Of his many talents, disguises allowing him to be totally unrecognizable was just one of them. Yet this woman had recognized him immediately even though he no longer resembled the FedEx driver at all. He leaned back, considering the woman sitting across from him.

He’d read her dossier, knew her background. Sarah was more than thorough when she sought out information, whether it be about a target or a potential team member. She couldn’t afford not to be.

The woman sitting across from him brought an entirely new meaning to being an enigma. He knew she seamlessly blended in anywhere she went, that she had a wicked sense of humor and, among other things, was also an excellent equestrian. She enjoyed action movies, was an avid reader, and enjoyed hanging out with a small select group of friends. When she wasn’t working, that is.

Wendy was also a world-class traveler, spanning the globe, ruthlessly eliminating those she was hired to kill. She was a top-notch, often-sought-out professional assassin.

Their eyes locked, Wendy brought her coffee mug up to her lips, hoping she wouldn’t have to throw her coffee into the man’s smug yet handsome face. She hated the idea of wasting an excellent mug of coffee. This time, it was her eyes that widened when he suddenly chuckled.

Remind me to tell you sometime what I did with a cup of coffee, he smiled, finally dropping his eyes.

Have you killed anyone with a cup of coffee? The question was out before Wendy could stop herself. He shook his head.

No, but I came pretty close, he answered.

Well, I have. She took another sip of her coffee before continuing, It wasn’t pretty.

I’m sure.

That wasn’t the worst of it though, she said, knowing she’d piqued his curiosity.

Oh?

The worst of it was that I wasted a perfectly good cup of coffee! Her mischievous laughter was soft and alluring, a sharp contrast to her icy cold eyes. I hope you won’t make me do that again.

Sitting back, he just laughed. Oh yes, Sarah had made an excellent choice, bringing Wendy on board.

I’ll do my best, he said with a knowing smile.

See that you do. Her firm tone brooked no argument as she took another sip of her coffee. Considering the woman sitting across from him, strong and willful, immediately came to mind. Well, that could be good or bad. Putting down her coffee mug, Wendy’s eyes rose to meet his. Now mind telling me who you really are?

Oh yeah, she’s going to fit in just fine. Still, not about to let her think he was an easy pushover, he paused, fully aware he was making her wait and not caring. Smiling when the waitress brought him his own coffee, he took his time to doctor it the way he liked. He glanced at Wendy. Her bored expression told him she knew exactly what he was doing. Good. That still wasn’t going to make him go any faster though. He glanced casually around the busy coffee shop before slowly leaning toward Wendy. Unconsciously, Wendy found herself leaning in, anxious to find out who he really was. Would she recognize his name?

Perhaps if I used my real one, he said softly, surprising Wendy.

Touché, she nodded, leaning back in her seat with a small smile. While she might not know who exactly he was, she felt confident guessing what he was. Interesting.

Even though Wendy would be part of their team, he wasn’t about to tell her his real name. Not yet anyway. He didn’t care how much Sarah might trust Wendy. Until the time was right, he’d keep that information to himself. He had plenty of aliases he could use. With a polite smile, he quietly introduced himself again, her raised eyebrow silently telling him that she knew he was using an alias. His droll stare told her he didn’t care.

An hour later, their business concluded, they left the coffee shop, each going their separate ways. Mulling over what she’d just learned, Wendy remembered something she’d meant to ask him. Thinking she could easily catch him, she swung back around, searching for the tall man she was sure she’d recognize on the busy sidewalk. Coming to an abrupt stop, quickly apologizing to the woman who nearly bumped into her, Wendy searched for him, amazed to find him gone. In a matter of a few steps, he hadn’t just blended into the crowd—no, he’d completely vanished! Okay, that was cool!

Returning to her apartment, Wendy picked up where she’d left off before receiving the FedEx package, unpacking from her previous trip. It didn’t matter that she had a new employer and would, no doubt, have a new assignment soon, mundane chores like laundry still had to be done.

Happy she’d made the decision to have the washer and dryer combo installed, Wendy stuffed a load of clothes into the washer. Up until the time she’d nearly stuffed an obnoxious woman into the commercial dryer, she’d enjoyed going to the local twenty-four-hour Laundromat. But after that encounter, Wendy had quickly realized that it was much safer for everyone involved if she did her laundry at home. That and it made washing blood-stained clothes easier.

Hearing her cell phone chiming, Wendy glanced around, searching for her phone, chuckling at herself. She was a professional assassin, but could she find her cell phone? Of course not. Locating it in the kitchen, she read the text, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

Welcome to the team.

Thank you, Wendy said aloud as she typed in the message.

Don’t bother putting away your suitcase or doing laundry.

Wendy gasped, looking frantically around the room. What the hell?

You have a job. Details on the way.

Rarely surprised, Wendy found herself frozen in place. How? Who? Questions raced through her mind as she frantically glanced around the room, one question repeating itself over and over again: Who are these people, and what have I gotten myself into?

Chapter 3

Watching the city lights slip into the distance, Wendy idly drummed her fingers on her computer bag. This was her third job working for Sarah, but it was the first time Sarah had ever teamed her up with anyone else. Admittedly a little nervous about meeting the others, Wendy was more concerned with the fact that she was flying off to Chicago without any kind of a real plan in place. The only thing she knew was that her contact would meet her at the airport. That was it. It didn’t matter that Wendy had complete confidence in Sarah; having more information would have been helpful.

Wendy wondered about her contact. Would it be someone she’d crossed paths with before? That would be helpful, if their previous encounter had been good anyway. Wendy smiled to herself. Of course, their previous encounter would have gone well; the person would be dead otherwise. Was her mysterious FedEx guy her contact? Doubtful. While he’d been sent to meet and vet her, Wendy sensed being a contact wasn’t his usual gig. No, he’d introduced himself as Rick. Okay, that was an alias, if she’d ever heard one! Between that and his actions in the coffee shop, then the way he’d vanished afterward, oh yeah, he wasn’t just a contact. Wendy was positive the guy was a highly trained operative. Shifting in her seat, Wendy frowned. So why had Sarah sent someone like Rick for a first meeting? Her only answer was the same question she hadn’t stopped asking herself: Who are these people?

With no clear answer, Wendy’s thoughts turned back to this new job. Again, not having any pertinent information, Wendy began to wonder just why she’d been picked for this particular job. Were her specific skills needed for this job or was this Sarah’s way of keeping an eye on her? A wry smiled touched her lips. That was certainly a distinct possibility.

She might be employed by Sarah, but that didn’t mean she didn’t go off the grid from time to time, taking the occasional side job. While very particular and careful about the jobs she accepted, Wendy didn’t turn away a job she felt was worthwhile and important. Sarah knew that too. Somehow Sarah seemed to know everything, especially, it seemed, about jobs Wendy was connected to.

There was no doubt when Wendy was off the grid that people were known to die mysteriously. She was, after all, a professional. She killed often and with a unique style. As for her targets, well, they had it coming. In all her years, Wendy had never killed or even injured an innocent person, and she was determined to keep it that way. But the bad guys, well, she’d killed a lot of those guys. And she slept well every night.

We’re just about there, Miss, the driver announced as he drove through the airport entrance, interrupting her thoughts. Looking up and meeting the driver’s eyes in the rearview mirror, Wendy smiled, thanking him. She didn’t know the driver, but that didn’t mean she’d forget him. She didn’t forget anyone, whether she wanted to or not.

Her thoughts turned back to Sarah. Whatever Sarah’s reasons for bringing her on board, Wendy felt certain that part of it was simply to protect the rest of the team. Oh yes, Sarah was a very wise woman. What was that saying, Keep your friends close, your enemies closer? Wendy was still new enough to the team and understood they would naturally be cautious around her. She would expect nothing less.

Working with a team. This is going to be a first, Wendy thought as the car came to a stop. She had no problem killing people. Working with them though? Now that was something else altogether. She nearly laughed at the irony of it all. You are so weird!

Exiting the car, ducking her head against the wind on the tarmac, Wendy headed toward the Gulfstream jet idling a short distance away. She’d only taken a few steps when a firm hand grabbed her, pulling her back.

Your plane is over there, Miss, her driver yelled to make himself heard over the airplane’s engines. With a gentle yet firm tug, he aimed her toward another jet idling nearby. Nodding her thanks, Wendy hurried toward her plane, glancing back in time to see the other plane slowly moving away. Carefully climbing the stairs to her plane, Wendy greeted her flight attendant before dropping into her seat and buckling up.

We just need to wait for another plane to take off and we’ll be on our way, the flight attendant announced as she went through her regular preflight preparations. Nodding, Wendy glanced around the aircraft, already familiar with the layout. It was only out of habit that she always checked the location of the emergency exits.

Reaching for the bottle of water in the holder in front of her, Wendy drank half the bottle. Knowing there wasn’t anything more she could do to prepare for the job, her thoughts turned back to the events at the restaurant earlier that evening and to the very tall, handsome man she’d spoken to. Despite their very brief encounter, Wendy found herself intrigued with him, not entirely sure why though. She’d crossed paths with lots of men she’d considered handsome, what was it about this guy that caught her attention? Not able to put her finger on it, Wendy sighed. It wasn’t like she’d ever see him again anyway. Even if she did, her lifestyle simply didn’t allow much time, if any, for relationships of any kind. A smile curved her lips. Too bad though.

Again, with the too-bad thing! Snap out of it! Wendy told herself with a laugh, finishing her bottle of water. Relationships aren’t in your playbook.

But maybe they could be.

Where had that thought come from? The few times she’d met someone she thought she might like, as soon as the guy found out she traveled for a living, whatever might have been there fizzled immediately. Apparently, she was expected to change her ways for the guy. Not fucking likely. Any guy like that, no doubt she’d kill him inside a week! Did men not know the definition of the word compromise? Evidently, the ones she’d met didn’t.

Still, something about the man from the restaurant told her he was different. His image in her mind, Wendy leaned back, closing her eyes as the plane began its race down the runway.

Two hours later, having been woken up by the flight attendant announcing their imminent arrival into Midway Airport, Wendy gazed out the window at the colorful lights dotting the dark landscape below. Glancing at her watch, Wendy wondered how much time she’d have at the airport. She didn’t get to Midway often, so if time allowed, this would be a good time to touch base with the head of airport security. Maybe even check their systems to be sure things were working properly. Of course, she didn’t expect any issues; she knew the system to be top-notch; it should be, she’d helped develop it. Just the same, it wouldn’t hurt to check it. Wendy smiled. I wonder if Sarah knows about this too.

Most likely, reminding herself again that Sarah seemed to know everything. The woman was, first and foremost, a professional; of course, she would know everything there was to know about her team, if for no other reason than it was simply a matter of life or death.

It only made sense that Sarah would know about her identical twin sister, Willy, too.

Sarah having that privileged information put her in a unique category. Unexpected circumstances had caused the twins to adjust their lives, creating the illusion that there was only one of them. While at times it was a challenge, preferring that the majority believe there was only one of them, the twins worked tirelessly to protect that assumption—and each other.

Sarah needed only to google Willy’s name to find out that Willy helped develop security systems for the TSA and the NTSB; her name was on numerous documents and articles, as well as her picture. That information was available to the entire world.

Knowing about Willy still didn’t mean that Sarah knew that Wendy was a mechanical engineer and wiz in her own right or that the twins had worked together on numerous projects. There really was no reason for Sarah to know that. To keep up the ruse of their only being one of them, Wendy never took any of the credit. Besides, Wendy smiled to herself, Willy really was the true genius; the most recent article about Willy in Forbes magazine a testament to that fact.

Described as being extremely private, Dr. W. Johnston was known to rarely venture far from her home in Bozeman, Montana. The article continued, describing the specially designed lab the doctor had built in her home, a lab that sported all the latest equipment necessary for her work, effectively eliminating the need for her to leave home. From there, it had gone on to list Willy’s many accomplishments as well as her ideas for the future.

Glad she’d picked up a copy of the magazine earlier in the evening, Wendy made a mental note to call Willy as soon as she could to congratulate her twin on yet another achievement, excited to add it to her ever-growing collection of articles about her supersmart twin sister. Wendy chuckled softly. She especially liked the picture that accompanied the article, a headshot of Willy smiling, a poster of Iron Man on the wall behind her.

Secretly referring to herself as the female version of Tony Stark in the Iron Man movies, Willy lived for and loved her work. What the article hadn’t mentioned was the fact that while she was tremendously private, Willy worked with a very talented group of people. Her outside team, as she liked to call them, were based in Chicago. Seeing what new designs Willy developed, the team looked forward to leaving their stuffy labs once a month to visit their boss out West. While work was their top priority, spending time with the wheelchair-bound dark-haired woman with sparkling dark green eyes, a captivating smile and a wicked sense of humor was sometimes thought to be the real reason they enjoyed their monthly field trip so much.

It was during the team’s first visit with Willy that they learned that her motivation stemmed from having lost the use of her own legs after being shot in the back by a hijacker who’d managed to smuggle a firearm onto the plane she was piloting. Recovering from that fateful day, Willy had made it her lifelong mission to find ways to enhance airline security, as well as other modes of transportation, so that another such tragedy could be avoided. Talk about a work in progress.

As it turned out, it was because of the same tragedy that the twins learned the benefit of letting the world think that there was only one of them. Just days before he was due to go on trial for shooting Willy, the hijacker was found dead. Stabbed between the eyes before having the knife embedded in his heart, witnesses claimed to have seen Willy at the scene. However, an investigation quickly cleared Willy; she was still in the hospital, recovering from having lost the use of her legs. With no other leads and the fact that the hijacker had been a known terrorist who wouldn’t be missed, the case was quietly closed.

Sliding the magazine into her bag, Wendy disembarked, hurrying toward the airport entrance. Intent on hoping to meet with airport security before meeting her contact, Wendy idly glanced at another Gulfstream jet parked nearby as she crossed the tarmac. Absently thanking a man kind enough to hold the door for her, Wendy paused briefly just inside the airport as she got her bearings. Despite not knowing who she was looking for, Wendy searched the crowd for a familiar face, not surprised when she didn’t find one.

Weaving through the crowd, Wendy sidestepped to avoid a tall man as he brushed past her, his long strides full of purpose. Her steps faltered as she immediately found herself thinking of the man from the restaurant. Shaking her head, she continued on her way.

Arriving at the designated meeting place, Wendy leaned against the wall, her eyes skimming over the crowd. Not able to connect with airport security, she decided the least she could do was be an objective observer. Intent on watching the plainclothes airport security people her trained eye had quickly spotted, Wendy failed to notice the man approaching her.

You’re looking for the wrong people, a male voice said from beside her, causing Wendy to jump. Throwing an embarrassed smile at the man she immediately knew to be her contact, Wendy took a deep breath, glad it was him and not someone else. Stupid, that’s how you get yourself killed!

I saw who I was looking for, Wendy said, relief in her voice. Just not who I was expecting.

Obviously. Pulling Wendy into a brief welcoming hug, he just as quickly released her, reaching for her suitcase. Let me take that for you. Before she could reply, he grabbed her bag, and turning swiftly, he headed toward the exit. Unable to do anything but hurry to keep up with him, Wendy just smiled. Jones never had been one for wasting time.

Chapter 4

Holding the car door for her, Jones waited as Wendy slid gracefully into her seat before closing the door and moving around to the driver’s side. He knew Wendy was surprised to see him and knew she had a lot of questions. Fortunately, the ride to the hotel would give them plenty of time and privacy to talk.

Giving Jones time to maneuver the car out of the airport, Wendy waited until they were on the highway and immersed in the busy city traffic before turning to him with a smile.

It’s nice to see you, she began. And quite the surprise. She chuckled. But I suppose, at the same time, I shouldn’t be surprised at all. Jones just nodded. So you’re my contact? Again, Jones just nodded. Wendy contemplated this new and interesting development. She’d known Jones for a while; they’d crossed paths a few times on various jobs. But she’d never used him as a contact. A source was more like it. Well, Wendy quickly decided, as far as contacts went, she couldn’t think of a better one, and at least it was someone she knew. Wendy slowly began to relax.

I’m so glad you approve, Jones said with a knowing smile. Wendy chuckled, remembering that annoying gift Jones had.

You should be, she smiled. And by the way, since when do you work with a team?

I wouldn’t really call it a team, Jones began slowly. How did one go about explaining the people he worked with? Let’s just say that we’re a small unique group of people who happen to work exceptionally well with one another. Because of that, when necessary, we team up.

But Sarah’s the one who coordinates the team. It was a statement, not a question.

More or less.

Wow, Wendy sighed. I always thought you worked alone.

I still do, Jones said quietly, his voice firm. I’m still my own boss.

Of course, he was. He was Jones. She’d do well to remember that.

Yes, you would.

While navigating through the traffic, Jones updated her on the latest information; information that had changed just since she’d landed. Finishing up, he silently applauded Wendy for the ease in which she rolled with the new changes.

It’s my job to adjust to any and all changes, Wendy surprised him by saying. Not without her own set of unique gifts, she’d picked up on Jones’s concern and wanted to reassure him that he had nothing to worry about. She would do as she was instructed. And I’ll like it, she laughed.

Yes, you probably will, Jones chuckled. He’d always liked Wendy’s warped sense of humor.

Pulling into the entrance of their hotel, Jones left the car running as he climbed out, coming around the car just as the valet opened the door for Wendy. With a smile and a thank-you for the young man, Wendy quickly disappeared through the revolving door, not waiting for Jones. Moving to retrieve the luggage from the trunk, Wendy was momentarily forgotten as the valet concentrated on the explicit instructions from Jones as to where the luggage was to be delivered. Handsomely tipping the valet, Jones decided he’d given Wendy ample time, and thanking the young man again, Jones headed into the hotel.

As he’d hoped, Wendy was at the front desk, checking in. Keeping his distance, Jones looked around the crowded lobby, not surprised to notice more than one man looking at Wendy. She’d been wearing a coat when he’d picked her up, but now, with it draped over her arm, her navy blue dress, hugging her curves without being clingy, was drawing attention. Her bright-red hair pulled back into a simple ponytail, nearly falling to her waist, showed off the diamonds sparkling in her ears. Her height came only from the stiletto heels that matched her dress, and Jones smiled. If it weren’t for the heels, he knew that Wendy would barely have stood chest high to the front desk. Unconsciously running her hand over her hair, the gold bracelet she wore glistened in the bright light. Finding it interesting, and somewhat curious, Jones realized that she still wore the same simple yet elegant diamond and ruby rings on her fingers as she had the last time he’d seen her. Indeed, Wendy was a very beautiful woman. Good