Page 42 of Shadow Undercover

Two minutes later, Ben walked from the shadows and strode to the front porch with his bag in hand.

Once they were inside, Trace secured the door. “Bridget’s making coffee.”

“Excellent. I could use a cup. I’ll take the first watch if you want to grab a nap.”

“I won’t be sleeping for a while. Bridget wants to straighten her sister’s bedroom.”

Sympathy filled Ben’s eyes. “Sure. I’ll keep an eye on things from down here. Where’s the kitchen?”

“This way.” He led his friend to the back part of the house where Bridget was pouring the first mug of coffee. “Smells good.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I hope it tastes good. Ruth doesn’t drink it this strong.”

“What about you?” Ben asked as he accepted the mug.

“Confirmed tea drinker.” She leaned back against the counter. “What’s the plan?”

“I’m staying down here the first part of the night to keep watch. Trace will take over at three while I nap. The rest of the team will arrive at eight to plan our next move.”

“A team will arrive tomorrow morning to evaluate your security needs,” Trace added. “You’ll have a first-rate security system soon.”

“And a big bill.”

Not if he had anything to say about it. “Fortress will work something out and you’ll receive an employee discount. Ready to tackle Ruth’s room?”

“I can straighten alone. You should sleep since you have to be up early.”

“I’ll be fine.” He wrapped his hand around hers and led her up the stairs. “Does she have a particular order for the clothes?”

“If you’ll put the clothes on hangers, I’ll organize them.”

He eyed her as they turned toward Ruth’s room. “Let me guess. She has everything organized by color and type?”

“You’re a smart man.”

He studied the disaster in Ruth’s room. This wouldn’t be an easy task. Ruth had a billion pieces of clothing, a stark contrast to his meager clothing supplies. Of course, Fortress uniforms were all the same. Black t-shirts, black cargo pants, and weapons. Lots of weapons. He smiled. Fortress had the best toys. The rest of his clothes consisted of workout gear and jeans and t-shirts with a few button-down shirts thrown into the mix. One suit for bodyguard duty at formal events.

“Why are you smiling?” Bridget asked.

“Contrasting my clothing supply with your sister’s.”

“Astonishing, isn’t it?” She handed Trace several hangers. While he secured clothes on the hangers, Bridget gathered shoes scattered around the room and matched them up with their mates before storing them in the closet. “Designers often give Ruth the clothes she models. She’s good advertisement for their wares.”

“Does Ruth give clothes to you?”

She laughed. “No way. We aren’t the same size. I’m five inches shorter and twenty pounds heavier. Besides, those clothes are definitely not my taste. Can you imagine me wearing any of this to school?”

He chuckled as he slid the next dress onto a hanger. “Not practical for shelving books or doing research.”

They worked in tandem until Ruth’s clothes were hung, then Bridget arranged the clothes the way her sister preferred. They finished the chore after midnight and Trace had to be on duty in less than three hours.

He cupped Bridget’s cheek with his palm. “If you can’t sleep, wake me. We’ll watch a movie together or something until you fall asleep.”

“I’ll be fine, but thanks.”

Trace pulled the packet of capsules from his pocket. “You’re hurting. Take two capsules to block the pain.”

She looked troubled. “What if something happens overnight? I want to be able to help if you need me.”

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