Betrayal (18 page)

Alex called to Dylan to stay in the yard before turning to her lover. “I’m sorry, Cass,” she said as she made her way behind the teacher, wrapping her arms around Cassidy’s waist.

“I have to admit, I was surprised to see you walk through that door,” Cassidy smiled as Alex’s head came to rest on her shoulder.

“I screwed up.”

Cassidy turned to face the agent. Gently, she placed a kiss on Alex’s cheek. “No. You didn’t.”

“You were right,” Alex conceded.

“Really?” Cassidy lifted her eyebrow playfully.

“All right, you don’t have to rub it in,” Alex smiled.

“Alex, I know that you are worried about whatever is in that briefcase.” Alex started to speak and Cassidy put her finger to the agent’s lips, “and, I know you are nervous about tomorrow.”

“I just don’t want them to make you feel….”

Cassidy stretched to meet the agent’s lips. “Stop worrying about me.”

“Mm-hmm. She wanted to know what you and Dylan liked or didn’t; you know to eat,” Alex said.

“You called her?”

Alex shrugged. “On my way to the school. She’ll probably make everything she knows how to make.” The tone in the taller woman’s voice gave away her embarrassment. Cassidy laughed. “She wanted me to invite your mother.”

“Oh Lord,” Cassidy laughed. “And?”

“Up to you.”

“Uh, Alex…my mother…”

“I think you should,” Alex said.

“Why? You think she can protect you?” Cassidy joked.

“Maybe,” Alex admitted. “You have Barb. At least someone there will like me.”

Cassidy laughed. “I’d say there will be more than a few people there that
like
you.”

“Really? Who?” Alex asked.

“You are impossible, you know that?”

“I am sorry, Cass,” Alex said softly. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“I have a feeling it won’t be the last time,” Cassidy kissed the agent’s cheek.

“Still, I….”

“You know you can always make it up to me later.”

Alex’s grin widened. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

“Well,” Cassidy ran her hands up the agent’s back. “Downstairs?”

“Yes?” the agent urged.

“There’s a pool table…”

“Uh huh,” Alex swallowed hard as Cassidy’s hands reached her neck.

“Well, it seems that the table somehow got shifted…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah…and it seems that your favorite mother-in-law bought us a couch for the room; you know so she could watch Dylan play.”

“What?” Alex asked.

“Yes. So the table needs to move back even farther. She’s having it delivered Tuesday.” Cassidy smirked and ducked under Alex’s arm. She started toward the refrigerator when she felt a grip on her jeans pull her backward.

“Well, you know we could just move it the same way it shifted,” Alex breathed in her ear.

Cassidy closed her eyes. “And how would that be, exactly?”

“Well, that will require another lesson,” Alex nipped the teacher’s ear.

“Are you saying I need more instruction?” Cassidy asked playfully, feeling Alex’s kisses trail along her neck.

“No, I fell in love with a teacher for a reason.”

“Alex…” Cassidy lost her breath completely as the agent’s hands ran across her stomach.

“You teach me every day,” the agent said softly. “
Je suis désolée
(I am sorry).”

Cassidy turned in the agent’s strong arms. Tenderly, she caressed Alex’s cheek and saw a faint smile creep across the agent’s face. “
Tu n’as pas à être désolée, mon amour. Je serai toujours là
(You don’t have to be sorry, love. I will always be here).” Alex bent down and kissed her lover gently. Cassidy pulled back and smiled. “I will look forward to the lesson,” Cassidy whispered in the agent’s ear. “But, I still need you to move the table.”

laire Brackett looked left and then right, checking her surroundings completely. Across the street a blue sedan sat inconspicuously. The driver shifted in his seat and watched as the young woman climbed into her vehicle. “What are you up to, Brackett?” Brian Fallon wondered aloud. He studied the car carefully as it began to pull away from the curb. Patiently, he waited as the car carrying the young woman reached the corner of the street. Slowly he pulled his sedan out, leaving enough distance between them to ensure that no one would suspect his presence. He glanced in the rearview mirror and gasped. “What the hell?” Quickly, he refocused his attention on the car a block ahead, glancing back to confirm the sight he still needed to process. “O’Brien, what are you doing with Brackett now?” he mumbled as he turned his full attention ahead. “I will figure your game out Claire; believe it.”

Saturday, April 19
^th

“Did the road move again?” Cassidy asked the woman sitting in the driver’s seat. A soft chuckle escaped from her mother who was seated behind her.

“What?” Alex asked a bit defensively.

“You’ve moved that mirror at least five times in the last fifteen minutes,” Cassidy observed. “And, I’m pretty certain that
windshield is cleaner than it has ever been.” Alex had a habit of fidgeting when she was nervous. She forced an unconvincing smile and reached for the radio when she felt Cassidy’s hand take hold of hers, placing it gently to rest on the teacher’s knee. There were few things that could rattle Alex Toles. Her parents remained at the top of that very short list. Gently, but firmly Cassidy kept Alex’s hand in her grasp. Alex Toles was a woman with many layers and even in the most difficult moments, Cassidy loved her completely.

“Ready?” Alex asked as she pulled into the driveway of 122 Pond View Road. Cassidy smiled feeling the warmth of Alex’s hand which was uncharacteristically trembling. Dylan was already opening his door and Rose struggled to contain her amusement at his enthusiasm when he caught sight of Cat running toward them. “Dylan,” Alex started to call, but the two boys were already in a sprint toward one another.

“It will be fine,” Cassidy reassured the agent. “Come on.”

“I was surprised to get your call,” Michael Taylor said to the man in front of him.

“I’m sure,” the man answered.

“So? What is it that you wanted to discuss?” Taylor asked. The NSA Director of Domestic Affairs was curious and skeptical of the man that stood before him now.

“Agent Toles,” the man began.

“What about her?” Taylor asked stoically.

“There are things that she needs to know, Director. Things you should both know.”

Michael Taylor bit his bottom lip and his eyes narrowed. “What
things
?” The taller man nodded and retrieved a piece of paper from his coat pocket, handing it to the NSA director. “I don’t understand,” Taylor offered as he studied the paper.

“That’s all I can give you,” the man answered, “at least now. There are answers there, or at least that is where you can find the trail.”

“Even I don’t have access to….”

The taller man began to turn to make his exit and stopped. “Few have access. I can’t help you with that. I am certain Agent Toles will have an idea,” he suggested.

“You are suggesting we break into a top secret,” Taylor began and was immediately interrupted.

“If you want the answers, Director Taylor, you will need to search the sources.” The taller man turned and walked away. He continued his thought without slowing, “be careful, Taylor, both of you. Send Toles.”

The day was progressing far more smoothly than Alex had anticipated. Bringing Rose along proved a godsend for the agent. Cassidy’s mother expertly navigated the rocky waters of conversation with Helen and Nicolaus Toles. Alex chuckled thinking that Cassidy’s mother could charm the pants off a president or a punk with equal ease. It was a trait that Rose McCollum had passed onto her daughter and Alex was amazed at the ease with which Cassidy had engaged Helen Toles. She laughed at the thought as she watched her brother chase after a wobbly thrown football. Cat and Dylan had become engaged in an impromptu football game, albeit a wobbly one. It gave Alex and Nick an excuse to leave the female dominated conversation inside the house to “instruct” the boys. In true form, brother and sister had decided that a game was in order; Nick proclaiming that it would be “epic”.

Alex bent over and whispered to Cat while Nick mimicked the same action with Dylan. They met in the middle of the yard; Nick offering his sister a smug smile. In an instant Dylan was off with a shot. Alex chased down Nick and sacked him,
but not before he had a chance to launch the ball high in the air forcefully. Cat took off after Dylan who was determined that this was his moment. Dylan held his arms out and watched the ball sail toward him. It was right there; right in his small grasp and he jumped slightly to meet it. He felt the ball in his arms and then he felt his body thrust to the ground. Alex hopped to her feet just as the small boy tumbled backward. Like a bullet from a gun she was off to his side. “Jesus, Nick!” she scolded, looking at the trail of blood running down Dylan’s face.