Page 158 of The Black Trilogy

Dan nodded. “No signs of a struggle and no contact from any kidnappers.”

“So get the local team to put a couple of extra people on it and tell the client we’ve brought in some experts to help. It’s not like we’re lying—they’re all experts. If it turns into an actual rescue situation, kick it back to me. What’s next?”

“Fancy a trip to Florida?” Dan asked.

“I could do with some sun. What for?”

“Eighteen-year-old girl found strangled in a hotel room. The police gave up and the parents hired us. We’ve traced the murder weapon to a local gang boss called Chainsaw.”

“I bet his mother didn’t name him that.”

“No, she called him Cedric.”

“Poor guy.”

“Don’t feel too sorry for him. When our agents stopped by for a visit, he threatened them with a shotgun then got a pair of Rottweilers to chase them off the property.”

“I’ll take that one. It’s always interesting to chat with individuals from other sections of society.”

Nate gave me a pointed look. “Emmy, it’s your first day back. Is there any chance you could hold off on the jobs that might get you killed for just a week or two? You know, until you get back into the swing of things? And to give our nerves a chance to harden again.”

His concern touched me, even if it was hidden behind a veil of sarcasm. “Relax, Nate, that job will be fine. It’ll only take a few days. If it makes you feel better, old man, I promise not do anything really dangerous until you’ve had a chance to visit the doctor and pick up some Xanax.”

Dan snorted and turned it into a cough. Nate glared at her.

Aw, he loved us really.

Out of deference to Nate’s feelings, I turned down an undercover job with Interpol and an invitation from the CIA to hunt for chemical weapons in Syria. Even I could see that one was a suicide mission. That left one last item.

Evan Beck, our international coordinator, read out the details. “The UK police have requested assistance with a security training exercise in London. They want an independent team to act as the bad guys in a simulated terrorist attack.”

“Haven’t we done something similar before?”

“Last year.” He smiled, no doubt recalling the chaos we’d caused. “They reckon they’re better prepared this time.”

“At least you won’t come to much harm with all those cops around,” Nick said. “You’d keep Nate happy.”

Nate scowled at him.

I couldn’t deny the last job had been entertaining, but one thing made me hold back. London was awfully close to Luke.

Part of me wanted to go there, to find him and speak to him and apologise for everything I’d done. To see if any part of our relationship was salvageable. But the coward in me told me I wasn’t ready, that I was far better off on the American side of the Atlantic where he couldn’t yell at me or tell me to get lost.

Beside me, Dan piped up. “It’ll be men in uniform, Ems. I wouldn’t say no.”

“What’s the timescale?”

“A little over two weeks,” Evan said.

“That soon?”

“Apparently, they want to add an element of realism by giving those involved as little preparation time as possible.”

“Including us.” I took a deep breath and told myself I needed to be brave. “But I think we can do something reasonable in two weeks. Tell them it’s a yes, if the money’s decent.”

“It’s not great, but it’s enough. A couple of hundred grand for us to send a full team.”

“You’re right, it isn’t great. But I can borrow some bodies from the London office to save on travel costs. Dan, it looks like we’ve got planning to do.”

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