LITMIR.BIZ

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his pace in the hallway. “I feel a lot better being on the ground floor and seeing no signs of smoke.”

      A police officer rushed toward them, his hand on his gun. The alarm cut off midcry. He held up a hand. “Sorry, folks, I need to escort you back to your room.” Behind the officer, he saw other officers approaching, and three more at the opposite end of the hall, accompanying a group of older ladies in quilted robes and slippers.

      Lee pulled out a wallet-size badge like the one Kendra had stashed in her suitcase. Audrey resisted the impulse to grab it and compare. He flashed it open to the officer so fast she couldn’t read anything. “Off-duty FBI. Can you tell me what’s going on? Why can’t we exit?”

      The officer didn’t so much as blink at the badge. “We’ve issued a shelter-in-place. According to the hotel manager, a gunman in a ski mask was seen on the security footage pulling the fire alarm. No one saw him exit, but we haven’t been able to locate him yet, either. The hotel was supposed to have called all the rooms to inform everyone to stay put until we could get the alarm off, but a few of you were too quick.”

      Lee asked another question, but Audrey didn’t hear him. She was still stuck on the word gunman. Had the danger Lee forecasted already found them?

      * * *

      What the officer described sounded like a plan to ambush innocents as they left the hotel. Despite the officer doing a good job guarding them up the stairs, Lee still kept a hand on his own weapon. He handed Audrey the room key so that both directions of the hallway could be covered as she opened it. The officer insisted on sweeping the room while they waited near the bathroom, but Lee could hear the man’s radio go off.

      “Both rooms are clear, so I’ll mark you off.”

      “Any news?” Lee asked, pointing to the radio attached to the officer’s shoulder.

      The officer shrugged. “Possibly a disgruntled ex stalking his girlfriend, but until it’s confirmed, we’ll be checking all rooms until we’re sure there is no threat,” the officer said. “Make sure you lock up behind me and—”

      Lee had to bite his lip from interrupting when the officer reminded them to use the peephole and not open the door for any strangers. FBI agents didn’t need lessons on security. Instead, Lee thanked the man and locked up behind him.

      “Are you worried?” Audrey crossed her arms over her chest.

      “They’re checking every nook and cranny of this hotel. I trust they know how to do their jobs. You can go back to sleep with confidence.”

      “Do you think the gunman was trying to lure us into the open, or does the story about the stalker ring true?”

      That was exactly what he was wondering, but he didn’t want to worry her. “As far as the Masked Network knows, we are due to arrive at the resort tomorrow afternoon. I see no sign that our covers have been broken.” Despite saying it aloud, he couldn’t shake the uneasiness. The timing bothered him, but he didn’t want to worry Audrey. “Crime and danger happen, Audrey. It’s Palo Alto and—”

      “The chance of being assaulted is one in forty-four people.” Audrey finished with a nod, even though that wasn’t at all what he was going to say.

      “How do you know that?”

      “I always look up crime statistics before I visit a new place. Doesn’t everyone?”

      He tried not to laugh but feared a smirk was evident. “I don’t believe so, no.”

      She yawned and looked adorable as she covered her mouth up a second too late. He blinked hard. Maybe it was being woken in the middle of the night, but he’d never once thought of Kendra as adorable so why was he thinking of Audrey that way? Audrey eyed him as her cheeks flushed, clearly wondering why he was studying her so intensely. “I’m finding that you’re very unique,” he said.

      “As someone trying to get used to the idea of having an identical twin, I don’t feel unique right now.” Her shoulders sagged. “I hope I can go back to sleep.”

      He stepped through the connecting threshold into his room and turned to face her.

      “I have a wake-up call set for 7:00 a.m. I’ll make a few calls regarding the investigation at the campus and, after ensuring we’re still a go, we’ll leave.”

      “Fine.” Another yawn escaped as she moved to close the connecting door on him.

      He placed his foot to stop it. Her eyes widened and he regretted the aggressiveness of the move. “Sorry. Please don’t let it latch. I need to be able to get to you fast if there’s a threat.”

      She blinked slowly and nodded. He removed his foot and she resumed closing the door, stopping right at the door frame. Lee flipped his light off, slipped his gun underneath the pillow next to him and stretched out on the bed. He wondered if Kendra had woken yet. The hospital said they would notify him, but he’d given them the number of their bureau handler instead. A call from the hospital once the mission began would jeopardize their cover.

      He closed his eyes, but the image of Audrey’s trusting eyes filled his mind. They affected him in a way that alarmed him but pinpointing why would take a lot more brain cells than he had in the middle of the night. He moved to the chair in the room. He wouldn’t sleep now that there was a potential threat in the hotel.

      A few hours later the phone rang and he sat up straight, his hand automatically reaching for his gun before he picked up the handset. The automated voice declared the time. The moment he hung up, it rang again, only this time he heard the ring echoing in Audrey’s room, as well. He answered and listened as a prerecorded voice proclaimed the shelter-in-place to be lifted.

      A knock sounded at the connecting door.

      He rushed to open it. Dressed in a light blue chiffon blouse, white linen pants and tan high-heels, Audrey stood ready for the day with a closed suitcase behind her. When Kendra had worn the same outfit, she’d seemed ready to walk into a boardroom to lay down the law, but Audrey looked ready to go on a luxury vacation. Lee couldn’t understand how they could look exactly the same in every other way except—“Your hair,” he said.

      She fingered the sleek, straight brown hair self-consciously. “Did I do it right? I don’t usually straighten it, but I noticed Kendra did.”

      He nodded despite an irrational disappointment that the waves no longer framed her face. “Yes. I’m not too worried about your hair being the same as Kendra’s photo. It’s my experience women can change their hair at a moment’s notice.”

      Audrey’s eyes sparkled. “Jealous?”

      He laughed despite himself. “I admit it would be useful in my line of work.”

      “Did you hear? The message said the threat has been lifted.”

      That was not how he interpreted the message. “They also said that officers would remain on site for the remainder of the day to ensure the safety of guests.” In his mind, that meant the gunman had escaped, but he didn’t want to worry Audrey. “But yes, we will go ahead as planned.” He tapped his wrist as if wearing an invisible watch. He still had a few calls to make. “Give me fifteen minutes.”

      “I think I should know our cover names before we leave. The more time I can get used to it, the better.”

      A sensible request. “We are Lee and Andrea Kimmet. It shouldn’t be too big of a stretch for you to remember since your real name also starts with A.”

      “They sound completely different, so I wouldn’t make assumptions if I were you. You’re still going as Lee? Isn’t that your real name?”

      “Keeps it simple. It’s my prerogative. Kendra prefers different names.” He shrugged. “Either way.”

      “And your real last name?”

      He stiffened. “It’s best you only think of me as Lee Kimmet.”

      “I

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