She had actually dared to hope...
Kris impatiently cut off that train of thought and poured another cup of coffee from the pot that room service had delivered. She had little room to maneuver in her new assignment and silently cursed the analyst who was the catalyst for her return. Knowing that type of thinking was self-defeating, she began to focus on how to eliminate the names on that list, her own included, to the satisfaction of the REMF's.
Kris donned black slacks, an off-white blouse and red blazer. The combination was striking on her and she knew it. Her intent was to attract attention. Kris was well aware that remaining in plain sight was often a better disguise than lurking in the shadows. After calling a cab, she tied a black silk scarf loosely around her neck, and slipped on a pair of loafer-style walking shoes. Kris touched up her hair and makeup and then, satisfied with her appearance, she placed her gun in a small, out of sight holster that was attached to her belt before going down to the lobby to wait for the taxi.
During the slow ride to work, Kris made a quick decision to rent a car that evening. She'd been too tired the day before to bother with it, but suddenly it had become a priority.
Shelby had barely gotten settled in at her desk when the phone rang. "Shelby Carson."
"Come on down to my office. Jeb gave the go ahead."
Unable to hide the excitement in her voice, Shelby answered, "I'll be right there." She hurriedly shoved her purse into the bottom drawer and walked away before quickly going back and locking the desk. Shaking her head, she muttered, "Get a grip already."
Shelby walked briskly up the corridor under the scrutiny of the hallway guardian who regarded her curiously. It was the first time since her arrival that she hadn't spoken to him as she passed.
Dennis hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. Jeb had cautioned him against using Blue's code name, which was probably just as well. He didn't know if Shelby paid any attention to the rumor mill, but there was no sense in alarming her if she did. He needed for her to be at her best, not worrying about the deadly reputation of the operative she'd be working with.
Shelby knocked, waiting impatiently for Dennis to respond. When he did, she entered, smiling. "Good Morning."
"Morning. Have a seat." Dennis waited until Shelby was settled into the chair next to his desk before beginning to brief her.
"I don't think I need to tell you how important this case is. I want you to eliminate as many of the names on that list as you can. You will be working with," Dennis glanced down at a paper on his desk unable to recall Blue's real name, "Kris Bartley. I'd suggest you follow her lead. She'll know what to look for. Any data you need will be made available. I want this investigation kept very low key, but I also want no stone left unturned."
Shelby was surprised that she would be working with a woman. She had never thought of the code names in terms of gender and had assumed that those on her list were men. Knowing that was naïve thinking, she said, "Okay. What happens after the list is narrowed down?"
"The remaining names will be turned over to Jeb. My guess is, it'll probably be assigned to some field operatives for follow up. Any other questions?"
"No. I'll do my best."
Dennis smiled. "I know you will. Kris will be here shortly. I'll introduce you and then you can get started. Oh, one more thing. I want you both keeping normal hours. It's going to be hard enough to keep this case quiet once you start requesting information. I don't want you calling attention to yourself. If anyone asks, Kris just transferred in. I don't want anything done that might compromise her identity."
She was annoyed that Dennis thought it necessary to mention confidentiality. "I wouldn't do that." Shelby thought about asking what Kris' code name was, but knew Dennis would just tell her he didn't want to compromise her objectivity.
"I have to cover all the bases ..." Dennis stopped speaking when a knock sounded at the door and it swung open. Irritated, he glanced up.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Kris had intended to make an entrance to gain the upper hand, but her question had been an automatic defensive mechanism to hide her own surprise.
A very attractive woman was sitting next to Dennis' desk, watching her with unabashed curiosity and a surprise that matched her own. Kris smiled inwardly at the transparent emotions visible on the face of the seated woman. Seemingly, she wasn't the only one who had been caught off-guard.
Shelby had looked over her shoulder as a breathtakingly gorgeous woman walked into the office. The room seemed to shrink under the newcomer's commanding presence. Sunglasses hid her eyes, but Shelby immediately sensed this was not a woman to be trifled with. This must be Kris. She certainly wasn't what Shelby had imagined and, sensitive to people, unbidden impressions began floating through her mind; tall, dark, dangerous, sexy. She almost chuckled aloud at the last word. Sexy?
"No. We were waiting for you." Dennis couldn't believe the brazenness of the operative. Not only did she come barging in, but she was also wearing a bright red jacket. She had that damned inscrutable smile on her face again, and those sunglasses. The woman had to be nuts. And to makes matters worse he found her incredibly alluring.
He also hadn't missed the open curiosity on Shelby's face and silently warned her, Don't be fooled by her looks, unaware that Shelby's own assessment had been warning enough. "Shelby, this is Kris Bartley." Glancing at the intimidating operative, he completed the introduction. "Kris, this is Shelby Carson."
Standing up, Shelby extended her hand. "Pleased to met you."
Kris grasped the extended hand with her own. "The pleasure is mine." She held the smaller hand a little longer than was necessary, enjoying the contact. Maybe this assignment won't be so bad after all.
Shelby dropped her hand with mixed feelings. The larger hand covering hers had felt good and that frightened her. Kris could be a killer for God's sake. What was wrong with her? Her thoughts were interrupted by her boss's voice.
"Keep me informed of your progress."
Kris smirked at Dennis, amused by his attempt to regain control in his office. Her smirk broadened to an arctic smile when he glared at her.
Totally unnerved by the cold look the operative had given him, Dennis just wished she'd get the hell out of his office.
Turning her attention to Shelby, Kris said, "Shall we get started?" her comment a statement rather than a question.
"Sure. My office is right down the hall," Shelby hastily agreed, unsettled by the silent exchange between her boss and new partner. She was more than anxious to leave the suddenly tense office behind.
Dennis watched the two women leave. They were as different as night and day-dark and light. He hoped for a quick resolution to this case so that he could be rid of Blue. She literally scared the shit out of him.
It wasn't until Shelby left the office with Kris that she realized just how tall the operative was. She considered herself to be of average height and Kris towered over her. "How tall are you?"
Kris raised an eyebrow. "Six foot."
Shelby nervously tried to think of something to talk about during the walk down what had suddenly become a very long hall, and found her sudden loss for words troublesome. "Have you worked here long?"
"No. I've never worked here," Kris answered evasively. While she considered her attractive new partner a perk of the case, she had no intentions of sharing anything except case related information with her.