Page 27 of Tempting Tessa

As they raced the last few steps, they received a stern look and a lecture from the conductor. “Cutting it close, aren’t you?”

They handed him their tickets, and neither said a word.

He waved them inside and closed the doors right before the train took off.

Eleven

The train rocked gently as it glided over the tracks, the rhythmic clatter a dull background to Tessa’s whirlwind thoughts. She sat near the window, several rows away from Tommy but within direct sight. Keeping her eyes on the passing scenery, she kept her demeanor neutral, almost bored. She was only a businesswoman on a commute, nothing more.

In this train section, seats faced each other, with tables in between. The two passengers across from her were busy on laptops and phones and paid little attention to her or anyone else. But she would feel Tommy’s insistent stare.

Keeping her head turned toward the windows, she avoided his stare because he was going to blow their cover.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

In reality, she kept her face averted from him and the others because of the doubts gnawing at her.

Tommy claimed he’d seen Jessie—not once but three times. Grief made people see ghosts where none existed. As she’d told him, she knew that firsthand.

But after what had happened, her brain kept insisting it wasn’t a ghost.

Ithadbeen a woman who’d shot at them. She was sure of it. And the shooter had missed on purpose.

Was someone imitating Jessie to draw Tommy into some maddening game? Why? What purpose could there be in that? What tie could it have to the Russians and the EMPs, if anything?

She replayed the memory of Jessie’s gruesome execution in her mind. It had most certainly been a living human being who’d had their head removed by Hagar’s machete. Meg had confirmed that the remains had been verified as Jessica Mendoza by the CIA.

Meg, who’d been a complete and utter mess. Who’d been beaten and tortured for days before the rescue. Who’d been so traumatized over witnessing the brutal killing up close and personal that she’d been unable to speak for days. She’d been in a stupor for months. She’d quit the Agency over it.

Tessa needed to see the footage again. To zoom in on the woman’s face. At first glance—on the hundredth—it had looked like Jessie, and yet, her face had been mangled, swollen, and bruised.

No. Tessa mentally shook her head. There was no way anyone could survive that. No way the CIA could be fooled into believing the dead woman was Jessica Mendoza.

And there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. She didn’t have access to the video, which was on her laptop at her apartment. She couldn’t reach out to anyone at Langley without raising questions. She couldn’t ask Meg without revealing her suspicions, which could send Meg spiraling again.

Unless Meg was behind the cover-up.

Cover up? Tessa purposely pulled herself back from that ledge. She might not be the Agency’s biggest fan, but not everything was a conspiracy. Tommy’s spottings could simply be the result of an overwrought mind. Just like hers had been over her stepfather all these years.

Her brain circled back to Meg and the revelation about the virus.

If Meg had lied about it, shecouldbe behind some bigger conspiracy that Flynn and the higher-ups had contrived—or quite possibly had no idea about. It might have nothing to do with Jessie’s death, but it certainly had some connection.

Which would make Tessa’s analysis of Meg all wrong.

When was the last time I was wrong about anyone?

Meg was an expert at a lot of things, and she knew how to contrive deep cover stories, but the shock, guilt, and grief she’d displayed after Jessie’s death had been real. Tessa was sure of that.

Had someone tricked them all?

The window had fogged with her accelerated breathing. She swallowed and forced her pulse to slow. To steady her breath.Stay in character. She was nothing but a nondescript traveler on her way to the next stop.

Meanwhile, her brain continued to churn. If Tommy was correct, and Meg had lied about Del not triggering the virus on the USB… Then what?

Then Meg didn’t trust Tessa.

Fair enough. Tessa had thrown everything back at her, refusing to officially join the team and making her stance on the Agency clear. Meg wasn’t about to share classified information under the circumstances, and Tessa would have done the same in her shoes.

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