Page 5 of Spying Under the Mistletoe
“It’s possible. As kids, the two were close. Back then, Nikolai would do anything for Chloe and was super protective of her. The Feds don’t know why, but it’s clear there was a special bond between them. They’re hoping it’s still there, even though he has yet to reach out to her—as far as they’re aware.”
I pick up my coffee. “So they want us to do surveillance on her?”
“It’s more than that. They want someone to get close to her. Get to know her and gain her trust. But they’re also concerned for her safety. They have reason to believe one of Orlov’s enemies has issued a contract on her.
“The Feds obviously can’t put her under witness protection because then Nikolai won’t be able to contact her, and they won’t be able to nail him.”
“What do we know about her?” Jayden asks.
“She’s an elementary school teacher. Single.” Liam pushes the manila folder in front of him toward me. “And she’s about to become your girlfriend…”
2
Chloe
“There’sour favorite ray of sunshine,” Lawrence says as I approach his table in the recreation room of the seniors’ retirement residence. His voice is like antique paper—brittle but at the same time, full of wisdom.
His friends are sitting with him in the brightly lit room, as is usually the case when I volunteer here. Half the tables are filled with various groups of individuals, gossiping, knitting, or playing chess.
“I don’t suppose your little ray of sunshine brought a bottle of whiskey to really brighten our day.” Samuel flashes me a hopeful grin.
I pat his weathered hand and smile at him. “You know I’d never do that. It’s not what the doctor ordered.”
His grin transforms into a disgusted grunt. “What the hell does that kid know about medicine anyway?”
The kid he’s referring to is at least fifteen years older than me. And at thirty, I’m hardly a kid myself.
“Given that he has a medical degree on his office wall,” I say, “I’m guessing he knows a fair amount about the topic.”
The other three men snicker.
“But I can get you some yummy lemonade if you’d like.” I’m not being sarcastic. It really is delicious.
Although from what I’ve heard, it was especially popular during the Fourth of July celebrations last year, when someone spiked it with vodka, and the seniors showed everyone how to really party.
Even Mrs. Witherspoon with her walker.
Some of the residents are still talking about the conga line.
The men agree that a glass of lemonade wouldn’t kill them—but only if I’m heading that way.
I return a few minutes later with the pitcher and glasses. I fill the glasses and hand them out, then sit on the empty wooden chair between Frank and Ivan. “So, what game are we playing today?”
“Monopoly,” Ivan says on a sigh. “Why they won’t let us play poker is beyond me.”
Frank guffaws, and his belly jiggles like Santa’s does when he laughs. With his long white beard and large girth, he reminds me of the jolly old man himself. “That’s because strip poker’s against the rules. Which is why they made us stop playing it.”
I feel my eyes widen. “You guys were playing strip poker?” Now that’s something I’m glad I didn’t witness.
“Not here in the rec room. We used to sneak into Hattie’s suite and play it there.”
“We? You mean Hattie and you four gentlemen?”
“Not at all,” Lawrence says with a cheeky grin. “By the time the nighttime staff figured out we were up to no good, we’d been holding weekly strip-poker nights for a few months, and there was a fair number of us.” He lists around twenty names, which includes an equal number of males and females. And I must admit I’m surprised by some of them.
“And we would’ve gotten away with it if the nighttime staff hadn’t checked on Agatha and found her missing.”Frank grunts.
Samuel removes the lid from the Monopoly box. “The way they acted, you’d have thought she was the Queen of England. I’m surprised they didn’t call in the secret service to locate her.”
