Undercover Twin

“You think?” Nick crossed his arms. “You have the note. You have the time and location to make the trade. All you have to do is send in a team with an undercover policewoman and four kilos. If Gonzalez or his men show up, great. You save Lily.” He thumped his fist on the table. “And you don’t risk the life of another innocent civilian by using her as bait.”

Rickloff shook his head. “Gonzalez and his men know Lily too well. They’ll expect her identical twin to look just like her. They won’t fall for a stand-in.”

“She’ll keep to the shadows. Wear the same clothes, a wig. It will work,” Nick insisted.

“If Gonzalez realizes we tried to trick him, he’ll kill his hostage.”

“You don’t know that,” Nick said.

“I’ll do it.” Heather’s soft voice broke through the argument and everyone looked at her. She swallowed hard and fisted her hands on the table. “I’ll be the bait. I don’t want to risk my sister’s life by using some other woman to pretend to be me. I’ll do it.”

Nick braced his hands on the table. “You are not getting anywhere near Gonzalez.”

“Tom,” Rickloff said, addressing the ADA. “Are you willing to give Heather Bannon the same deal we were proposing for her sister earlier?”

Tom nodded. “We are. Her full cooperation in exchange for dropping the charges.”

Heather glanced at Tom. “Drop the charges against my sister, too.”

“Done.”

“Then it’s settled.” Rickloff rubbed his hands back and forth. “Agent Morgan, you’ll escort Miss Bannon into the bar. I’m not sending a civilian in there alone.”

“Right, because you’re so worried about her safety,” Nick said, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.

“Nick,” Waverly admonished. “You don’t have anything to bargain with here. If you won’t agree to this plan, we’ll send a different agent to back up Miss Bannon.”

“Really? Who? Who else could you send that has a built-in cover already? If you send someone without a solid cover, you risk Gonzalez thinking the DEA is involved. He’ll kill Lily without even attempting an exchange.”

Heather sucked in a breath.

Nick immediately regretted his candor. “I could be wrong.” He didn’t believe that, but he didn’t want Heather to give up hope, either.

“Your concern for Heather Bannon’s welfare is commendable,” Rickloff said. “But you’re overthinking this. We’ll have backup nearby. She won’t be in any true danger.”

Rafe made a sound of disgust.

His boss shot him an admonishing look.

“If Gonzalez pulls a gun on Heather,” Nick asked, “can your backup get there faster than a bullet?”

Rickloff’s jaw went rigid. “If you’re convinced we can’t protect her, then agree to the plan. You can be the one to protect her. You’ll buy us the time we need to move in if something goes wrong.”

Nick shook his head. “Find another way to save Lily and bring down Gonzalez. I’ll take my chances with Internal Affairs. And Heather can take her chances with the judge.”

He strode toward the door and yanked it open.

“Nick, wait,” Heather called out.

He half turned, his hand still on the doorknob.

Heather appeared to be struggling for words. She folded her hands on the table and aimed her sad eyes at him like the sights on a rifle. “I can handle this. I’m an experienced private investigator. That might not seem like a big deal to a DEA agent, but it means I’ve been in a lot of tough, dangerous situations. I’m adaptable and a quick thinker if things don’t go as planned. I’m also an excellent marksman, so I can defend myself, or watch your back. I can handle this.”

“You’re still a civilian, untrained in law-enforcement procedures,” Nick said, softening his voice, trying to make her understand his concerns. “You shouldn’t have to defend yourself against a drug dealer, or worry about watching anyone’s back. You’re also emotionally involved. That makes you vulnerable. And that makes you dangerous to yourself and everyone else.”

Heather’s eyes practically flashed sparks at him. “Look, I know Lily is screwed up, but she’s still my sister. She’s my twin. There’s a bond between us other people—people without twins—can’t possibly understand. It’s like...we’re two halves of a whole. If something happens to her, I don’t...I don’t know if I could survive.” She drew herself up, lifting her chin defiantly. “I am going to do this, with or without you. But I’d feel safer if you were the one to help me.” Her fingers curled into fists on the top of the table. “Nick, I’m begging you. Please. Help me save my sister.”

The plea in her voice was difficult to ignore. But all he had to do was think about her being shot, or worse, tortured, by Gonzalez or his men, and his resolve hardened. He searched for the words that would make her accept the reality of the situation. “I’ve spent months, years, going undercover with guys like this. They live by their own code. They don’t care about the law. If they even suspect you’re lying, about anything, they’ll try to kill you. Trust me on that.”

“I do trust you. I trust you to protect me. I don’t have to know much about the DEA to realize that these men wouldn’t be arguing to get you to work on this case if you weren’t the best agent for the job. I want the best for my sister. If you don’t do this, Lily could die.”

Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. It was probably killing her to ask for his help, after what she’d been through this weekend and his role in it. And watching her, listening to her, was tearing him up inside. But how much worse would it be if he gave in? No matter what angle he used to look at this plan of Rickloff’s, he couldn’t see any good coming out of it.

A tear slid down Heather’s face and she wiped it away, her face turning the dull red of embarrassment.

Nick swore beneath his breath and glared at Waverly and Rickloff. “You’re both bastards.”

Rickloff nodded. “Maybe I am. Maybe we both are. But when this is over, I have faith that Gonzalez will be behind bars.”

“And do you also have faith that Lily and Heather will be alive? And unhurt?” Nick asked, his voice low and deadly.

Rickloff let out a deep sigh. “If you don’t agree to help, I’m still sending Miss Bannon undercover with another agent. Is that what you want? For me to put her life in the hands of someone else? Someone who isn’t as good as you? Someone who doesn’t have as good a cover as you have?”

Nick swore again. He dropped his hand from the doorknob and turned fully around. He stared at Rickloff for a long moment before turning his gaze to Heather. Without looking away from her, he spoke to Rickloff. “All right. I’ll go to Key West. I’ll help you get Gonzalez and get Lily out of there. But I’ve got some conditions of my own.”

Chapter Four

Waverly crossed the conference room to stand next to Rickloff. “Now listen here, Nick. You don’t get to set conditions or make demands. You do what we tell you to do. You do your job.” He jabbed his finger against Nick’s chest.

Nick grabbed Waverly’s wrist and held it in an iron grip. Waverly’s eyes widened when he tried to pull his arm back but Nick didn’t budge an inch. The look of alarm on his boss’s face was almost comical. Waverly had only ever seen Nick in his “charm” mode. A smile, a joke, fast-talking, were Nick’s usual methods for getting what he wanted. But when the situation demanded something more, he had no problem taking it up another level. Especially when a woman’s life was at stake. And, as much as he hated to admit it, especially when that woman was Heather.

Only the fact that Waverly was his boss kept Nick from shoving his arm when he let go.

“I wasn’t talking to you when I said I had conditions,” Nick said. “I was talking to her.”

Heather’s eyes widened.

“Everyone out, except Miss Bannon,” Nick ordered. He ignored Rickloff’s and Waverly’s grumblings as his brother and Buresh herded everyone out of the room.

Rafe pulled the door shut behind them, giving Nick a quick nod to let him know he’d guard the door.

Nick stood directly in front of Heather’s chair and leaned down, intentionally using his size to try to intimidate her. “You aren’t going to Key West,” he growled. “With anyone.”

She raised her chin defiantly and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes. I am.”

“No. You aren’t. You’re going to stay here. You’re going to move in with my brother for a few weeks. He’s a police officer, a damn good one. He’ll keep you safe in case Gonzalez’s buddies come looking for you. I’ll go to Key West and try to get your sister out of this mess. But no way in hell are you coming with me.”

She was shaking her head before he finished his last sentence. “No. You heard Rickloff. He said Gonzalez will kill Lily if I’m not in that bar to meet him. I am going. With or without you.”