Page 13 of Special Agent Isabella

Biting her nails, the ones she purposely kept short, she shook her hand and put it behind her back.Not starting that nonsense again.Years ago, her cuticles would be bitten raw from such treatment. Demi had been after her all the time until she’d finally overcome the need for that type of solace. Rigid training and furious ambition helped her stop.

Quit procrastinating, girl. You need to move.

Speeding the packing process up, she quickly gathered her personal items. In the back of her drawer, she spied a wig she’d worn in an undercover sting she’d been involved in years earlier. She’d hated the thing because it had been so tight that by the end of the day, she’d be in severe discomfort.

Reaching for it, she saw how long the blonde locks were and instantly thought of Abbie. Children liked playing dress-up, right? And this kid particularly wanted to have lengthy hair. Maybe she’d like to play with the wig. Wear it around the house and see what it’s really like to have hair hanging down her back to her waist and over her shoulders all the time.

Not giving herself a chance to back out, Bella threw it into the pocket of her suitcase and then zipped it up. She’d bring it along, and if no opportunity to pull it out existed, she wouldn’t.

Feeling rather silly, but shrugging off the uncomfortable sensation, she finished getting ready. Adding her gun holster to the belt at her waist being the last of her necessities, she rolled her suitcase with her and shut off her apartment lights.

Standing in the doorway, she glanced back to be sure she had everything she needed. Her inner voice went over the important items in her mind. She stopped. Right, her phone charger. Rushing back inside, she whipped it from the plug on the kitchen counter and added it to her handbag.

She did one last surveillance and a feeling of pride washed over her. She’d worked hard to make this place into a comfy home that anyone would find attractive. Spending money on just the right furniture, pictures, and ornaments had given her solace for all those years without.

Finally, she wrapped herself in the joy of ownership and locked the door. Once again, she was leaving this, her very own special place, and sadness seeped in. Without her safety net, she felt alone in a frightening world.

Fighting off the distress she always dealt with, she braced herself and headed for her official vehicle.

Arriving at the Governor’s home, she automatically pulled in around the back and was shocked to see Tanner there already.

As he walked over to her car, his sexy stride brought back the many times she’d seen females heads swivel, delight on their faces from the way he moved. Did the man do it on purpose?

“You’re late.” He looked inside the vehicle and no doubt saw the spread of junk littering the back seat where she’d throw her empty cans, chip bags, and wrappings. She saw his eyes light up, but her defiant glare kept him from commenting.

He backed away so Bella could step out of the door he opened. After she faced him, she sneered at his abrupt way of greeting.

“Am not. This is the same time I arrive at the office every morning. If you’d told me you wanted me earlier, I’d have come.”

“Right. My bad. Always is. Never mind. Abbie is going to be at her school today, and Stacy wants you with her. Is that okay?”

“Sure. Of course. Are you driving us?”

“Not this time. You’ve got one of the governor’s units with Abbie’s seat inside. It has bullet-proof windows and doors. I’m going to check over the security here at the house.”

“Good idea. I’d like an update when you have it finished.”

“Will do. Look, she’s coming in a few minutes. Just so we’re on the same page, I’ve arranged with the principal for you to be in each classroom with her as a Child Care Advocate. As far as the school is aware, the governor’s supporting a new program, and you’re going to be a liaison between them. Therefore, she’s allowing you to be with Abbie as a kind of experiment.”

“What if someone asks me about the program?”

“Just say something like, you’re doing an initial investigation into whether it’s important enough to proceed with the details you’re thinking to instigate. Fake it. Okay?”

“Easy for you to say. I have no idea about kids, programs, schools… nothing. And you want me to fake it?”

He chuckled. “Okay then bullshit them. I’ve no doubt you’ve passed the BS bar before.”

“Like tell them it’s a secret government program, and I’m not allowed to divulge a lot of information?”

“See. You got it.”

Laughing now, she saw Abbie holding Stacy’s hand, coming across the patio toward them.

Once they were in the car together and Bella had the school’s address in her GPS, she breathed a sigh of relief. When the child rambled on about all kinds of things, including her liking of the pancakes they’d eaten that morning, it became a bonus. No need for her to talk worked in her favor.

While Abbie controlled the conversation, Bella’s eyes were everywhere on the road, watchful for just the slightest abnormality with the traffic. If she hadn’t been so aware, she probably wouldn’t have noticed the car behind them. It kept pulling up close to the trunk as if it wanted her to move along. Then holding back so it could take another run.

She’d seen drivers like that before and it pissed her off at how dangerous their behavior could be. If she had to brake fast, that idiot would be up her back end and then screaming that the pile-up was her fault.

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