Checkmate (39 page)

Callie Rose was very disappointing last weekend at training camp. I expected her to perform better. I guess I was hoping to see more of Callum in her. When he joined the
L.M.
, he went through training in double-quick time. He could put his feelings aside and get on 'with the task at hand. He was a good soldier that way. Callie Rose can't do that. Her feelings are part and parcel of anything and everything she does. If she's set a task, she has to believe in it, body and soul. I'll have to be sure to remember that when I use her in the future. I obviously pushed too hard too fast. She phoned me this morning to say she didn't want to go back to training camp. I'll give her time to cool off then start working on her again. I'm not going to lose her now, not after all the time and effort I've put in to get her to fulfil my dreams.

I rolled over onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. It was all coming together. Almost two months ago the election had been called and all my commanders were hard at work, aiming to make this an election campaign no one in this country would ever forget. My gaze moved across the ceiling like a lethargic spider. Dark, hairline cracks weaved like tendrils down the adjacent wall towards the large bay window. The wind blew against the window, rattling the panes. It sounded like the frame might need some attention. Anna put her arm around me and kissed my cheek. Then she snuggled up, putting her head on my shoulder. Her ash-blond hair tickled my nose.

I wasn't sorry I'd accepted Anna Tenski's invitation to come back to her flat. Better her place than my hotel room. I'd give it ten minutes then make my excuses and leave. All I wanted to do was get out of the bed and back to work. But for now I had to lie still, my arm around her. It wasn't terribly politic of me to sleep with one of my regional commanders but she was the one who'd made all the running. And it'd been a long time since I'd been with a woman.

'What're you thinking?' Anna whispered, her warm breath irritating my ear.

What is it with women always needing to ask that question? My thoughts are my own, I thought with annoyance. And if I wanted to share them, I'd tell you without having to be asked.

An image of Cara came into sharp and unexpected focus in my head. What would it have been like to make love to her? Not as mechanical as it had been with Anna, I'd put money on that. She wouldn't've expected anything from me, she wouldn't've wanted anything but me. She had class. And she wouldn't've asked me what I was thinking because she would've already known . . .

'You look so far away,' Anna said softly.

Her voice brought me back to the present with a jolt.
What the hell had I been thinking? I flung myself out of bed and headed naked towards the shower.

'Did I say something wrong?' asked Anna, sitting up.

I turned round. 'No. No, I just want to have a shower. I need to get back to work,' I told her, remembering to smile.

'Jude, you work too hard. You have so much on your plate. I wish I could do more for you,' said Anna.

'You do enough,' I told her. 'And I appreciate it.'

'All us commanders are thrilled to be working with you on this latest initiative,' Anna told me. 'We're all waiting with bated breath for this masterstroke of yours. It sounds like it'll be something people will be talking about for years.'

'That's the idea,' I told her. 'Ironic, really. The election is just a few weeks away and the biggest coup in
L.M.
history will be thanks to a child.'

'A child?' Anna said sharply. 'I don't understand.'

'You don't need to.' I leaned over the bed and kissed her forehead before heading back to the shower.

The water sprayed like blunt needles against my skin, just the way I like it. I hate showers where the water trickles like limp drizzle. I reached for the shampoo to wash my hair, when the shower door opened.

'D'you mind if I join you?' Anna asked silkily.

She stepped in before I could tell her that yes, actually, I did mind.

Before she could close the door I heard my phone ringing. Saved by the bell.

'Excuse me,' I said, stepping past her.

Anna pouted with disappointment. 'I hope you're coming back.'

'Of course. I haven't washed my hair yet.' I smiled.

Grabbing a towel, I flicked it quickly round my legs and feet to dry them off a bit before heading out into the bedroom. I retrieved my mobile phone from my discarded trousers.

'Yes,' I barked.

'Sir, it's Morgan. I thought you'd want to hear this before the progress meeting tomorrow.'

And I listened with a great deal of interest to what he said next.

I was curled up on the sofa, my feet tucked under me, Nathan's arm around my shoulders. It was comfortable. Not exhilarating, not nerve-racking, no never-ending fireworks, but very comfortable. There was a lot to be said for contented comfort. Meggie was out visiting my mum and Callie Rose was out . . . somewhere. With Lucas, I think, though I couldn't be sure.

'I've decided I've been doing this all wrong,' said Nathan. 'I should seduce you with wine and roses, make mad, passionate love to you and then ask you to marry me. After all that, you wouldn't be able to resist.'

'You don't think much of yourself, do you?' I smiled.

'Would it work?' asked Nathan.

My smile turned into a grin. 'You'll just have to try it and find out.'

'Is that a challenge?' Nathan asked.

'It might be.'

'I'll try and rise to the occasion,' said Nathan softly.

'Oh, I don't doubt you will,' I replied. 'But why don't you jump to the last thing on your to-do list and see what happens?'

'The last thing . . .' Nathan frowned. His eyes widened in surprise as he worked out what I was suggesting. He went very still, removing his arm from round my shoulders. Had I made a mistake? Maybe, for all his banter, Nathan had changed his mind and I'd called his bluff. After all, he had first asked me weeks ago and I'd kept him dangling all this time. But he hadn't run away when he'd read the scribbled poem I'd written. In fact, to my astonishment, he'd asked to look at some others. He was constantly surprising me like that. I had thought I didn't like surprises, but I found I did when they came from him. Maybe, though, once again I'd left it too late.

I looked away from him. 'It doesn't matter. It was just an idea. A joke . . .' I began, giving him a way out.

Nathan took my face in his hands and turned me to look at him. And what I saw took my breath away.

'Sephy,' he began with some trepidation. 'Will you . . . marry me?'

I smiled. 'Yes, I will. I'd love to.'

'You're joking!' Nathan said, amazed.

He obviously didn't expect it to be so easy after weeks of me putting him off and asking him to wait for me to come to a decision.

'What made you change your mind?' he asked.

'You did,' I replied honestly. 'But you haven't asked me in almost a fortnight. I was beginning to wonder if you'd thought better of it.'

'No way. In fact, I'm going to see about getting a special licence before you can change your mind.' Nathan sprang up.

'I'm not about to change my mind. Now can we watch the rest of this film,' I said.

'No way. I'm going to . . . I've got things to do! I'll see you tomorrow at the restaurant,' said Nathan.

And he was out of the room before I'd got to my feet.

Oh! Not even a kiss, I thought ruefully.

But Nathan must've read my mind because he came rushing back into the room, swung me round in a movie-star clinch and kissed me until I thought I was going to pass out from lack of oxygen.

'Just something to hold you until our honeymoon.' He grinned at me after putting me on my feet.

He was out of the front door before I could catch my breath. Funny man! Full of surprises. I sat down, still chuckling to myself. I was going to marry Nathaniel Ealing. Mother would be thrilled. But what about Meggie? And what about Callie? My smile faded. The doorbell rang. I looked around, but couldn't see anything Nathan had forgotten. But there had to be something or he wouldn't've come back so quickly. Or maybe he was after another kiss. I know I was! Heading out into the hall, I flung open the door.

'Did you forget . . . to . . . ?' My voice trailed off.

It wasn't Nathan, after all.

It was Sonny.

I listened to Jonathan Kidd, one of my commanders, spew out his excuses until I couldn't stand any more.

'Call this a progress meeting?' I thumped the table in ill-disguised fury. 'Isn't a progress meeting supposed to report on progress? I've already told all of you
–
failure is not an option.'

I sprang out of my chair and started walking. Try as I might I just couldn't keep still. I forced myself to slow it down to a saunter as I moved around the table. I had the undivided attention of everyone in the room. I stood behind Jonathan Kidd, my hands resting on the back of his chair as he continued to piss me off with yet more pathetic whinging.

'I expected you to be a lot further forward than you are, Jonathan,' I said from behind him.

Jonathan tried to turn round to face me, but I put my hands on either side of his head to keep him looking forward.

'You're not just letting me down, Jonathan. You're letting down all your colleagues around this table,' I told him, my hands still on his head. I could feel the perspiration on his face beneath my fingers.

'Sir, the Secret Service have arrested most of the members of my two best cells and I'm—'

'I'm not interested in your excuses,' I interrupted. 'By the next meeting I want to hear about the amazing progress you've made. Is that clear?'

'Yes, sir.'

I strolled round the table, listening to Peter MacPhailen recount his division's exploits. His report was more satisfactory. I looked at Morgan, who was sitting in a corner of the room, taking notes. He looked sombre, almost grim as he regarded me. I smiled at him and carried on ambling. Then it was Anna Tenski's turn. I stood behind her chair, my hands resting on the back of it, just as I had done with Jonathan.

'Let's have your report, Anna,' I ordered.

She tried to turn to face me, just as Jonathan had done. I had to place my hands on her face so that she presented the report to the others around the table, not just to me. Then I stroked her hair, to put her at her ease.

'Sir, we've made excellent progress,' Anna began.

Her hair really did feel silky smooth beneath my fingers.

'Carry on,' I urged.

'Well, I've personally

Placing my free hand under Anna's chin, I gave her head a quick, practised jerk. A sudden click in her neck and Anna slumped forward onto the table. I straightened up, looking down at her treacherous back. Peter was already on his feet. Jonathan looked horrified. There was a muffled scream and a few gasps.

'Anna was working with the Secret Service,' I told my other commanders.

'How d'you know that, sir?' asked Jonathan.

'I had all your phones bugged,' I replied.

More gasps. Was there a lack of oxygen in the room? If so, then I was the only one not affected. I made my way back to my chair at the top of the table.

'Morgan, could you remove that traitor's body please? The sight of it offends me.'

'Yes, sir,' said Morgan, standing up.

The other commanders looked at me with varying degrees of fascination and revulsion. Morgan lifted up Anna's lifeless body, which flopped like a rag doll in his arms, and left the room.

'That's better. Ladies and gentlemen,' I smiled. 'Shall we continue?'