"Then so are we."

"Terron and Canon are working on plan B."

"They better work fast." Dread settled in his stomach like a lead ball. They weren't even there yet, and things were already going wrong.

"I have to go tonight," Alex piped up.

Tucker turned in his seat. "You aren't going in unless we know where you are at all times. We're already at a huge disadvantage being stuck on the outside. A GPS is the only way to keep you even remotely safe."

Jackson kept his mouth shut. He would let Tucker be the bad guy for a change.

"But my sister."

"You're safety comes first. This is a blind operation, and you're untrained. No GPS equals no sting." Tucker faced forward as if everything was settled. After a moment, his cell rang. "Campbell."

Alex scooted up as far as her seatbelt would allow and rested her arms on the front seats. Her vanilla and wildflower scent instantly invaded Jackson's senses, making him clench his jaw.

"That might work. I'll have Alexa call him. We'll let you know how we plan to proceed after she talks to him. I'll get back to you."

"What did he say?" Jackson and Alex said at the same time. Their eyes met in the mirror, but once again he quickly turned back to the traffic, trying to ignore her frown and pouty lips.

"The GPS is definitely out. They're thinking we could send Officer Detrick in with Alexa."

"No. We can't."

Ignoring Alex's protest, Jackson stared at the endless break lights before him and digested the possible new plan, playing the angles through his mind. Alex would have an officer with her at all times. He nodded. "I like it. I like it a lot."

"I don't see how-"

"We could go with the same cover as last night." Tucker interrupted Alex. "Old friend from high school."

Jackson nodded again. "Perfect. She did say she had plans with a friend." Ideas were rolling now that he could think past the G.o.d-awful fear. "How about we play it that the day got away from them? It's getting late... She needs to bring Christina or cancel, because it doesn't make sense to go to Baltimore only to turn around and head back to DC. By the time she would get through the traffic, there wouldn't be much point in coming at all." Jackson held up his fist, and Tucker b.u.mped his knuckles and grinned.

"That's f.u.c.king good stuff, man. Now we've got our person on the inside. If they stick together, which friends would do-"

"Do I get a say in this?" Temper heated Alex's voice.

"No," Jackson said, not bothering to take his eyes off the road. She was p.i.s.sed, there was no doubt about that, but she would have to get over it. This was their opportunity to have a trained set of eyes on her. The odds of Alex coming home with him and Tucker were increasing with the prospects of Officer Detrick tagging along. "You should call Eric and let him know you're bringing a friend."

"This won't work," she huffed. "You don't bring a friend on a date."

"Make the call, Alex. I'll let you decide if I take our exit in two miles." He looked in the rearview mirror and held her gaze, daring her to call his bluff.

She yanked her phone from her purse, muttering.

"Don't use yours." Tucker handed her a prepaid cellphone.

"This is getting all messed up." She glanced from the card Eric had given her to the cell as she punched in the number. Her eyes narrowed as she put the phone to her ear. "Eric?" she smoothed the temper from her voice. "It's Jenny. Well, actually, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to make it."

Jackson moved over two lanes and took their exit.

"Christina and I are running behind," she went on. "By the time I drive her back to Baltimore and head to DC, it'll be really late. The traffic's... Maybe we should try to get together another time." She clenched her fingers against the phone.

Jackson caught the hints of desperation in her voice. If this ended the sting, she wouldn't forgive him. They would lose their only potential lead to Abby, but Alex would be safe.

"Are you sure?" Her voice brightened. "Okay, awesome. That sounds great. Thanks for understanding. We'll see you." She hung up, sighing as she sagged against her seat.

"So?"

"Eric invited Christina to join me."

Relief and anxiety battled inside Jackson. Christina would be with Alex, but if Eric was willing to put up with Alex's friend on their 'date,' he had little doubt the ring had any intention of letting her leave the party of her own free will. Christina was a beautiful woman. He could only speculate that the ring would be more than happy to take a two-for-one deal. Christina would have to watch her back as closely as Alex would have to watch her own. "See? It all worked out."

Her nostrils flared as she looked away.

Alexa stared out her window as Jack took a left down another street lined with gorgeous, rambling homes. Zachary Hartwell was doing all right if this was his neighborhood.

"That's the house there." Tucker flicked his thumb at the enormous stone-and-gla.s.s structure beyond the beautiful iron security gates.

Alexa caught a glimpse of a spectacular fountain in the center of the circular drive. Water cascaded down several tiers and landed in the huge pool surrounded by lush shrubbery and vibrant purple flowers. Her spirits sank as she scrutinized the extravagant surroundings and the cla.s.sy men and women stepping from their expensive vehicles along the well-manicured street. Surely the authorities made a mistake. How could a man who owned something so stunning have his hands in an establishment as trashy as Lady Pink? It didn't make sense.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and fought back tears. Jack had been certain strippers would be at this party, but as she watched a pretty older woman in a chic c.o.c.ktail dress lock arms with her husband and make their way to the entrance, she knew that couldn't be true. Abby wouldn't be here in a barely-there bikini offering lap dances to DC's elite.

She glanced behind her as Jack continued past the residence on his way to the hotel. Minutes ticked by, and large, elegant homes gave way to dense trees as they approached the Northwest Parkway. Moments later, Jack turned into the EcoSuites parking lot and pulled up to their room on the first floor. The little red KIA she'd borrowed last night sat in the next spot over.

Officer Detrick opened the door with a bad-tempered yank and scowled, a hand on her hip. She looked miserable, yet stunning in her deep teal strappy top and short, black skirt. Her light blond hair was curled at the ends and clipped back with a barrette.

"Something's telling me Christina's not thrilled about this a.s.signment." Tucker chuckled as he got out. "You clean up nice, hot stuff."

"Ah, bite me." Christina snarled.

Alexa got out as well and smiled at the woman who definitely didn't look like an on-duty police officer. "Hi. You look great."

"I feel ridiculous." She tugged at her vibrant shirt.

Alexa's smile widened. "I think Agent Terron and my bodyguards here should be more concerned with your safety tonight than mine."

"I don't know about that." Officer Detrick stepped to the pavement and rolled her ankle in her ice-pick heel. Gasping, she gripped the doorframe tight and caught herself before she fell. "I'm ready to get this over with."

"Me too." Alexa's stomach sank as she watched Christina stumble with her next step, and the one after. "Are you going to be able to walk in those?" They would hardly be able to pull this off if Christina sprained her ankle before they made it to the Hartwell Estate.

"You're a f.u.c.king mess, Detrick," Detective Canon said as he walked out behind her. "Ms. Harris, would you mind taking a couple minutes to show her how to be a woman."

"Uh, yeah. Come on, let's practice." She hurried over to Christina's side and took her arm. Their safety depended on them getting this right.

"You make it seem so easy," Christina complained.

"It is. You'll see." She met Jack's troubled gaze through his amber tinted lenses and turned away. She didn't want to see the doubt in his eyes; she was starting to have too many of her own. "The trick is heel toe, heel toe. Watch." Alexa demonstrated, taking a step on the spike of her pretty white heel and rolling effortlessly to the ball of her foot. "Heel, toe," she repeated with each step. "Now you try."

Christina took her first wobbly step, then the next, then caught herself on another ankle roll, making Alexa wince. Christina looked like Livy when she tried to walk around in her Mommy's work shoes, except somehow her three-year-old had more grace.

"How am I doing?" Christina glanced over her shoulder and managed to stop herself before she fell.

"Good Christ." Jack shook his head. "You're a shame to your gender. What's so hard about heel, toe?"

Alexa opened her mouth to defend Christina, but the officer cut her off. "Why don't you try it?"

"You got it." Jack raised himself on the toes of his sneakers and pulled off a decent 'heel to toe' walk. "Come on, Detrick, try again. But this time, don't forget a little sashay." He rolled his eyes and walked on his tiptoes, with plenty of sway in his hips.

Christina and Tucker burst out laughing, and Detective Canon swore under his breath. Alexa wanted to smile as Jack locked arms with the gorgeous female officer and they started heel-toeing it around the blacktop, but she couldn't. Instead, she blinked, utterly stunned, as a swift kick of jealousy washed through her.

"Move that a.s.s, girlfriend. Shake it," Jack went on in an excellent diva imitation while he wiggled his b.u.t.t. He glanced behind Officer Detrick as she added movement to her hips. "Yes. Yes, that's it." He and Christina grinned at each other and chuckled. "Now spin on those toes and turn that fine body of yours around." He licked his top lip and winked, making her laugh again. "You've got this. You have, darling. You definitely do."

Even Detective Canon snickered now.

Alexa reached for her necklace and dropped her hand as she struggled with bone-deep regret. There was the man she fell in love with, with his jokes and laughter and smiles. She missed him. She'd had him back not so long ago on their pa.s.sion-filled day on the boat, but then she remembered the anger of last night and their almost violent s.e.x. The man with the cold blue eyes and harsh words had been a stranger. She glanced up as Christina and Jack stopped. He gave the officer a graceful curtsy, then looked in Alexa's direction, and his grin vanished.

Alexa cleared her throat and made a reach for her necklace again, stopping halfway. She dropped her hand and balled it into a fist at her side. d.a.m.n it! I have to stop doing that. But the habit was engrained. Jack held her gaze for several seconds, then he walked over to Tucker and turned his back.

Looking down, Alexa sighed. She hated this, the icy indifference, yet she continued to push him away-another habit she couldn't break. With each angry word or frosty stare, she felt herself losing him and pulling further back. They were officially at a crossroads in their relationship. She didn't know how she would live without him this time, so she began the ritual of protecting herself by keeping him at an arm's length.

The phone Tucker had given her started to ring, startling her from her thoughts. She pulled the disposable cell from her purse, glanced at the number she vaguely recognized, and answered. "h.e.l.lo?" She moved the phone an inch from her ear as electric guitar and a heavy drumbeat blared through the earpiece.

"Jenny, it's Eric," he shouted. "I just wanted to make sure you were still coming."

"Yeah." She put the phone back to her ear. "Yeah, we're on our way."

Detective Canon rushed over and shoved a piece of paper in her face. She scanned the scribbled notes he wrote telling her what to say. "Uh, we're about ten miles out, according to the GPS."

"Great. I'll keep my eye out for you. The band's awesome."

"Sounds like it."

"When you pull up, give your keys to the valet and let him know you're looking for me-if I don't find you first."

"A valet? I didn't..." Alexa closed her eyes as she realized she'd almost slipped and mentioned she didn't see a valet when Jack drove by earlier. She couldn't afford to make such foolish mistakes. Shaken, she walked further away from the group standing close by. "Okay." Was this the first step? The valet would take her keys; perhaps he wouldn't be willing to give them back. She didn't dare look at Jack as her stomach shuddered with anxiety. Turning, she met Christina's calm stare instead and tried to relax. She'd been hesitant to bring Christina along, but as the minutes loomed closer to Agent Terron handing over the keys to the little red KIA, she was glad she would have backup. "I better go. I don't want to get into an accident," she improvised. "I'll see you pretty soon."

"See ya."

She hung up.

"Picked that up loud and clear," Agent Terron hollered from the hotel room. "Sound is excellent. Detrick, you're mic is good. Ms. Harris," the large muscled man stood in the doorway. "Why don't you come in, and we'll get you mic'd up?"

Alexa studied the silver pendant hanging around Christina's neck and nodded before she walked to the small room with the single queen-size bed, still shaky from the adrenaline rush brought on by the brief phone call. She gave Agent Terron a small smile and swiped the curly strands of her wig to the side so he could fasten her new necklace in place. She fingered the pretty oval pendant, the size of the pad of her pinkie, trying to figure out how they fit a microphone beneath the fake pearl.

"Let's test it out."

Alexa nodded and walked to the other side of the room. "Test, test," she whispered.

"Sound is good. We need to get you ladies on the road. Eric will be looking for you."

Alexa pressed her hand to her stomach as her worries rushed back full-throttle. Everything came down to tonight. She would either discover something that would help her find her sister, or she would never see Abby again. Nausea left her lightheaded. "I need to use the restroom," she mumbled on her way to the bathroom.

She closed herself in the confines of the small room and braced her trembling hands on the edges of the sink. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths, but she couldn't settle as the gravity of the evening weighed heavy on her shoulders. What if nothing came of this? How could she tell Livy Auntie Ab was never coming home?

Sniffling, Alexa shook her head against her tears. Negative thinking wasn't going to get her through the next few hours. With a final deep breath, Alexa opened her eyes and scrutinized her appearance in the mirror. Despite the sweltering heat, her makeup was holding up. The loose curls in the wig and pale yellow, sleeveless sundress brightened the blue of her eyes. She appeared young, fresh, and innocent in contrast to Christina's chic and s.e.xy outfit. "Time to go," she murmured, twisting the k.n.o.b and stepping out, her gaze fixed on the charm of her temporary new necklace. She slammed into something solid and gasped as she tried to step back.

Jack's hand snaked out and caught her wrist, steadying her.

She licked her lips and pressed them together. "Sorry."

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, you startled me, that's all."

He stared at her, and she knew that wasn't what he was asking.

There was no use telling him she was fine; he knew her too well. "I'm a little nervous."

He continued to study her as closely as she'd studied herself in the mirror seconds before. "Make sure you stay with Christina." His finger came up to fiddle with the pendant at her neck before he dropped the silver against her skin. "Don't forget your code word. Use it if you need to."

She nodded. "I will." There was so much more she needed to say. "Jack, I'm sorry-"

"I'm working independently tonight," he interrupted. "I'll be wearing my earpiece. Tucker will keep me in the loop. I'll be close by."

"Ms. Harris, it's time to go," Agent Terron called. "You're running late."

"I'll be right there." She hesitantly took Jack's hand and pressed his palm to her cheek, hoping he could feel what he wouldn't allow her to say. "I have to go."

"I know." He skimmed his thumb along her cheek and rubbed his lips gently over hers while he stared into her eyes. "Be careful, Alex." He captured her mouth again, and she closed her eyes, absorbing the sensation of his lips and his familiar flavor. The clutch of fear in her stomach vanished as tingles of heat rushed through her core.

Jack eased her chin higher and changed the angle of the kiss, deepening their tender embrace. Tongue stroked tongue and she pulled him closer, clinging, treasuring his firm muscles pressed to her chest. This was the way it was supposed to be; this was the way it had always been. The moment dragged out before Jack eased away. "Be careful," he whispered again.

"I will." Alexa ached to tell him she loved him but stepped back instead. They'd left things so unsettled. She didn't want to keep hurting him or leave him with a sense of obligation to stay if that wasn't what he truly wanted. They'd damaged each other so much over the last few days-far more than the four years they'd been apart. When they were back in Los Angeles, they would talk about where they stood and what the future held, but she couldn't think about that right now. She had to concentrate on her meeting with Eric and getting home safely to Livy. "I'll see you soon."

He nodded and let her pa.s.s but grabbed her hand before she took two steps. Their gazes held before he let her go, and she walked from the room. Agent Terron followed her to the KIA where Christina waited. "Don't forget about your phrases. If you use them, make d.a.m.n sure it's necessary. Your life better be hanging in the balance. We raid that place and our case is over."

Tucker walked up behind Alexa and opened the driver's-side door. "I think what Terron means to say is try to relax, because agents will be close by in vans and cars scattered around the neighborhood."

Alexa nodded as Jack gave them a wave and got in the rental they'd been using since they arrived in Maryland. He started the engine, backed up, and left. "Where's he going?"

"He'll be around. Take care of yourself. Stay with Christina."

"I will."

"See what you can accomplish in two hours. Christina will develop a migraine right around then."

"Got it." They would have to see what they could do with the time they'd been given.