Investigating 101. Debra Webb
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Название: Investigating 101
Автор: Debra Webb
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Ужасы и Мистика
Серия: Mills & Boon Intrigue
isbn: 9781408947340
isbn:
“I agree,” he said, seeing no reason to deny what she obviously understood about him. “You’ll find that I have no shortage of either. But I also know how and when to keep the latter in check.”
A smile gave him a moment’s reprieve. “I’m certain you know exactly how to conduct yourself in any given situation.” She leaned back into her chair, adopting a more relaxed posture. “Let me be frank, Todd.”
He didn’t relax, couldn’t have if his life had depended upon it. That fleeting reprieve he’d experienced had just vanished. This was the moment. Whatever she said next would determine where he went from here. Every minute of every hour of his adult life so far had been leading up to this.
“This agency is constantly inundated with applicants more than qualified,” she explained. “We choose carefully, and only the very best.”
And then he knew why he was here. He didn’t have to see it in those closely guarded eyes or to hear it in her voice. He understood exactly why a lady who could command this prestigious agency even bothered to talk to him, a guy who lacked any semblance of the qualifications of which she spoke.
“Mrs. Colby-Camp,” he said, that cocky attitude he was known for taking precedence and showing, probably a little more than it should. “I don’t have that experience you speak of with such reverence, but I do have a couple of assets you might find every bit as admirable.”
She inclined her head slightly to the right and waited for him to continue.
“Ambition. Determination. You give me this opportunity and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.” He leaned forward, anticipation burning through him like flames licking a path through a dry field. “I will do whatever it takes to ensure you’re impressed.”
The intensity in those dark eyes cranked up a notch. “Make no mistake, Todd, I am already duly impressed, otherwise you would not be here.”
With considerable effort, he reclined into his chair, barely resisting the urge to jump up and do a little victory dance. “What happens next?”
That smile that had toyed with her lips moments ago reappeared full-force. “Now you have to impress the rest of my staff. Do that, and you’ve earned yourself a permanent position here.”
It was his turn to smile. Oh, yes, he was in. “Just tell me what you want me to do and consider it done.”
“YOU’RE CERTAIN about this, Victoria?”
She turned from the view outside her office window to face her second-in-command. “Yes, Ian, I’m absolutely certain.”
He nodded once. “How would you like to begin?”
Victoria considered his question for a moment. The three new recruits were currently in the conference room with a member of human resources. There were numerous forms to be filled out. Benefits to be discussed. All of which would buy Victoria time for this final phase of the plan.
“Let’s start with Mr. Thompson.” There hadn’t actually been any question in her mind. He was the one who stood out to her. The other two, both female, were excellent candidates, but neither possessed the level of in-your-face self-assurance young Mr. Thompson did.
“He’s a cocky one,” Ian offered.
Victoria had to smile. “Yes, he is.”
“You reviewed the background details in Simon’s report?”
“Yes.” Victoria knew of which detail in particular he spoke. Todd Thompson had decided that for his final thesis he would write about taking on a new identity and how easy it would be to fool people. In his opinion, most people wanted to believe what they were told, and he proved as much by living a double life for a short period and fooling all those around him. No actual harm had been done, but the small community where he’d played out his little hypothesis had been less than pleased to learn they’d been deceived by the young man they had presumed to be a traveling missionary from another country.
“He’ll require close supervision,” Ian countered as he considered the four case files in his hands.
“Without a doubt,” Victoria agreed. “I was thinking A.J. would be an excellent mentor.”
Ian nodded. “Perfect choice.”
Though A. J. Braddock was fairly new to the agency, his record spoke for itself. A former marine who’d turned Homeland Security agent, A.J. had worked through a number of domestic crises that required an innate ability to maintain calm in the worst possible situations. Not to mention that as a marine, he’d been one of the first assigned to Iraq when that deadly dictator had been brought down. A.J. would know just how to take the roughest edges off Mr. Thompson.
“The Serena Blake case is my top priority.” Victoria considered, remembering the young woman’s desperation. “I think Mr. Thompson’s unique skill would be an excellent match.”
“Might I recommend that we put these new recruits in the field one at a time?”
Ian’s concern was first and foremost for the agency and its clients. He was absolutely right to make such an assertion. Victoria had already decided as much.
“Agreed.” Victoria took a deep breath. “Shall we brief A.J. first?”
TODD WAITED as patiently as he could for the next step. The other two recruits, Gabrielle Hanson and Michelle Robb, had gone to lunch with Nicole Reed-Michaels.
He wasn’t worried that his being left behind was a bad sign. Nope. He figured he had been chosen for another meeting with the boss.
Or maybe they’d found out about his thesis. There was a good chance he might never live down “Charmed and Dangerous.” He’d shown quite literally that fooling others was a simple matter of determination versus skill. Anyone could do it and anyone could be conned. It was simply easier to believe what one was told. Most folks did just that. And none wanted to learn they’d been wrong. As cynical as some parts of American society had become, folks still preferred the uncomplicated. Believing was far simpler than overanalyzing.
Would Victoria change her mind about him in light of his college exploits?
She’d said she was impressed. Maybe she’d changed her mind since learning a few more details.
The door opened and the woman herself appeared as if he’d somehow summoned her with his troubled musings.
“Mr. Thompson.”
He stood. “Todd,” he reminded her.
“Todd,” she allowed, “this is A. J. Braddock.”
A big guy, definitely former military, Todd decided, considering his bearing and the high and tight haircut, followed Victoria into the conference room. The big guy closed the door behind him and thrust out his hand.
“Mr. Thompson,” he said as he grabbed Todd’s hand, “I’ve heard a lot about you this morning.”
The guy looked sincere СКАЧАТЬ