The man downed the drink and set the gla.s.s on the nightstand on top of the money, making sure Heather saw the cash. Then he put his hands on her waist. "Are we good to go?"

"What a douche," Jack said. "Good to go, who says that?"

"Someone who pays by the hour."

Heather looked seductively toward the two-way mirror.

"You look beautiful as always, Amber. You may begin," a deep male voice said. "And fella, no kissing."

* 155 *

Chase tweaked the audio settings. Dario's voice was coming in hot because it was being picked up both on the bug she'd placed in the watcher's room and a speaker in the bedroom.

Heather nodded and started to unb.u.t.ton the john's shirt. Chase clenched her fist till her knuckles turned white.

"What would you like tonight?" Heather asked. The client was about to answer when she placed her finger on his mouth and looked toward the mirror again.

"I want him to slowly remove your lovely dress," the disembodied voice instructed her.

Heather turned to expose her back to the john. He slowly unzipped her and lowered the straps of her dress, then kissed her shoulder and slid his hands around to the front of Heather's body.

Chase quickly lowered her head in search of her cup. "I need more coffee." She threw the empty cup across the van.

"I suppose you could suck it off your pants," Jack replied, never looking away from the monitor.

"Turn around and let him remove your garment," Dario said.

Chase looked back at the monitor. Heather turned, now facing the camera, with the guy behind her. The john pulled the dress off her shoulders and down her body. Beneath, she wore a sheer, lace-trimmed black thong and matching bra. As she stepped out of the dress, the man ogled Heather's body, his arousal evident. Heather continued to stare at the mirror with a look of desire.

"I think the guy's about to have a coronary," Jack said.

"Take off his shirt and trousers, Amber," Dario said.

Heather turned toward her customer with a practiced smile, one Chase had seen on call girls many times before. After she removed his shirt, she unbuckled his belt and knelt to slowly pull down his pants.

"Reindeer boxers? Really, dude?" Jack laughed.

Chase threw the headphones on the console and stood up. "I don't need to see this. Besides it's not like we can see the mystery man."

"Why do I have to watch?" Jack asked.

"I thought you enjoyed p.o.r.n."

"I can't say p.o.r.n is on my mind when I'd rather be doing everything possible to get my girl back. Besides, the magic's gone once you get to know them. Don't you think?"

* 156 *

"Then don't watch," Chase almost pleaded.

"Okay, relax. I won't." Jack sounded concerned. "You all right?"

"We both know how the movie ends. I doubt anything enlightening will take place while they...whatever." Chase couldn't bring herself to say it.

Jack turned off the cam in Heather's room but kept her headphones on. "I'm keeping the audio just in case something comes up. I mean-"

"I know what you mean." Chase sat back down and looked at the other camera views. She checked her watch.

"Another forty-five minutes," Jack said.

Chase ran her fingers through her hair. "At least we're getting Dario's voice recorded."

"That's for sure. The guy won't stop talking." Jack listened for another couple of minutes. "He's d.a.m.n...verbal about what he wants."

"I bet." Chase tried to sound nonchalant while she fought the urge to leave the van and pace up and down the street.

Jack leaned back in her chair, hands supporting her head. Her expression was neutral as she listened in and glanced occasionally at what the other cameras were picking up.

Chase was glad she didn't have to hear or see Heather, but she couldn't help stealing glances at Jack now and then. Chase cringed when Jack lifted one eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing wrong." Jack tried to sound disinterested. "Just the usual stuff."

"Are you sure?"

"He's not hurting her, if that's what you're worried about."

"To each her own."

"What's that?" Jack looked at her.

Chase sighed. "I said I'm not worried. It's her life. If this is how she chooses to live it, then so be it."

"You don't need to feign indifference for my sake."

"I'm not."

* 157 *

"Could have fooled me." Jack sounded sincere. "Bet you never viewed them as real people before."

"I've always treated them with respect."

"What's different about this one?"

"I'm not sure. Something's just not right about her doing this."

"She seems d.a.m.n proficient at it."

"She's miserable about having to sell herself. I can see the fear in her eyes. She's terrified someone will make her. She can't trust that anyone might be interested in anything but s.e.x with her."

"Aren't they all?" Jack asked.

"I...I don't know. There's something very pure about this one."

"If that's true, then she's unfortunately just as apt at hiding her real nature as you are."

"Meaning?"

"Both of you treat s.e.x as a means to a goal, without taking the consequences into consideration."

"What consequences?" Chase asked.

"How much your genuine nature gets obscured in your pursuit to justify what you do."

Chase wanted to give Jack points for not giving her a hard time about refusing to partic.i.p.ate in the bedroom surveillance.

And she knew Jack probably meant well with her p.r.o.nouncements about Chase burying her real needs. But she was in no mood to get a.n.a.lyzed. Not right now. "Which is your true nature, Jack?" she asked. "The deserter, the liar, or the paid a.s.sa.s.sin?" Jack shrugged. "Why ask, when you've already made up your mind I'm all three?"

"Because I'm curious if you're as much of an expert with self-a.n.a.lysis."

"Maybe someday when you're done judging me, I'll tell you what happened," Jack said.

"I'm sure it'll be a touching story, but frankly, there's no excuse for hurting innocent people."

"Don't you think I know that? Not a day goes by I don't regret the things I've done. But I refuse to apologize for leaving the EOO.

Not after how that s.h.i.t of a human treated me."

* 158 *

"I don't give a d.a.m.n about the organization or Pierce," Chase said, too loud. "It's the path of destruction you left behind since you disappeared I can't forgive."

Jack turned back to the monitor. "Neither can I." Chase saw sincere regret on Jack's face, but she was too agitated to care.

"They're done." Jack looked tired as she fished in her jacket for her cigarettes. "Our guy should be leaving soon." Chase checked the time and moved closer to the monitor.

She put her headphones back in place and turned on the bedroom monitor. Heather was wearing a short black robe and her client was almost dressed. She was facing away from both the mystery man and her client.

"You were amazing," the john said as he b.u.t.toned his shirt.

"Thank you." Heather's voice was artificially upbeat, her face devoid of any emotion as she stared vacantly into s.p.a.ce. It was as though she had shut down completely.

"You may leave now," Dario said.

Heather turned to escort her client to the door. He tried to kiss her, but Heather turned her face away.

"Can I see you again?" the john asked.

Dario answered for her. "No, you may not."

"Too bad." The man winked at Heather. "If you change your mind, I'll be at the hotel until next week." Heather opened the door for him without saying a word. He left and she went to sit at the foot of the bed. "Was everything to your satisfaction?" she asked Dario.

"You were splendid."

"I'm pleased you think so."

Chase heard the man sigh. "I look forward to your company, Amber. So much, as a matter of fact, I sometimes wish I could take you with me."

"Take me where?" Heather asked.

"On my draining business trips. I've gotten tired of travelling and negotiating with self-proclaimed important individuals. Your * 159 *

presence would surely make these affairs considerably more pleasant. You're very special, Amber."

"Thank you," Heather replied, the same empty smile on her face."I take it you were informed of my new schedule."

"I was."

"I shall see you again the day after tomorrow," he said.

"To talk."

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I find your companionship pleasing."

"Thank you."

Chase cringed when she thanked him again.

The rear-exit camera showed one customer leaving. "We can scratch him off our list," Jack said.

"See you then, sweet Amber," Dario said.

Chase and Jack both fixed on the camera view of the watcher's room and groaned simultaneously when he didn't turn on the light on his way out.

"We'll catch him at the door," Jack said.

Chase looked back at the view showing Heather. She remained on the edge of the bed, her expression unreadable.

Moments later, a man in his early forties departed the back entrance.

"That's right, look at the camera," Jack said as he glanced up, almost straight into the lens. "I think we have our man. Let's see what Reno gets on him."

Chase turned her attention back to Heather, who still hadn't moved. After another couple of minutes, Heather abruptly rose and went into the watcher's room and turned on the lights. The armchair was vacant, and a stack of bills had been left on the small table set before the two-way mirror.

To Chase's surprise, Heather didn't immediately take the money. Instead, she sat in the armchair and stared at the cash, then looked beyond it through the mirror at the bedroom. Even from * 160 *