Page 39 of Code Name: Harbor

I blink at her in surprise.

“Because if you were serious about it,” she continues, “I think we need to be honest with each other about a few things. Whatever’s happening between us has gotten complicated and we can’t afford to pretend otherwise.”

It feels like the air pressure in the room has changed. Complicated, indeed.

“Take off your coat and I’ll make us a drink.”

Josie hangs her coat on the rack by the door and follows me to the bar area.

“Lagavulin again?”

“That’s fine.”

I pour her a glass, nab mine from the kitchen counter and take her into my study. I spend a lot of time here. The water-facing glass runs floor to ceiling, and I find myself staring out at the Sound as I try to think through life’s problems. Two oxblood leather chairs are angled toward the view and I motion Josie into one, setting both glasses on a low walnut table between them. A Persian rug covers most of the original oak floor. Built-in bookshelves sit on the wall behind the chairs—mostly nonfiction—and a heavy partner’s desk resides along the inside wall, laden with a brass banker’s lamp, leather blotter and a silver-framed photograph of my mother.

Josie takes a sip, staring at me with those big blue eyes over the rim. When she swallows, she says, “Let’s talk business first. Then we can talk about us.”

I have to say, I appreciate that about her. I’m a romantic by nature and I haven’t figured out yet if she is or isn’t. But I know that the more pressing issue between us is Voronin and we need to get that out of the way.

“What I’m about to tell you is confidential and I shouldn’t be doing it.” That has my attention because she’s admitting to a breach of ethics for my benefit. I sit up straighter. “I’ve downplayed your role to Jameson and they have no clue that you and I have seen each other romantically.” There’s no blush, no shy dip of the eyes. “However, they’ll eventually find out if they ask the right questions. And they’re going to reach out to you to ask questions. My fellow agent, Cole Mercer, is tasked with interviewing you and Marcus.”

“I can handle that with no worries. But do you want me to lie about my involvement with you?”

“No,” she says quickly. “Always the truth, but don’t volunteer anything.”

“Understood,” I drawl, because I sense this is just the tip of what she wants to talk about.

“The FBI has been after Voronin for about two years now and long story short, they had two very good informants who are now dead by Voronin’s people. So they’ve stalled. There was the suspicion that the informants’ deaths could have been part of an internal leak and that’s one of the reasons they hired Jameson. That and for additional support, particularly on intelligence analytics. At any rate, we met today to go over the case.”

“Okay,” I say so she knows I’m following.

“Do you know a man by the name of Mikhail Sokolov?” She watches my face.

“I do,” I reply, thinking of his visit yesterday.

I wait for her to grill me on him, but she doesn’t.

“He’s been on their watch list and they’ve connected him to Voronin on multiple fronts. They’ve been able to prove he works for Voronin, and I’ve identified him as one of the men on the dock that night.”

“They want to go after Mikhail and flip him on Voronin,” I guess.

“Yes, especially since I can tie him.”

And why I didn’t see it before now, I don’t know, but it hits me like a sucker punch to the gut. Josie is the linchpin in this now.

I take my first sip of the Lagavulin and it tastes flat. “You’re the case.”

“I’m the case,” she agrees. “Malik wants to put me in protection… a safe house Jameson owns.”

“That’s a really good idea, Josie.”

“It’s not going to happen,” she says, and I can tell that this might have been an argument in her meeting today, but she won that battle. “I want to know about Voronin.”

“Because that was our deal,” I say with a faint smile.

“Because I want this case solved so I can get on with my life.”

“Both good reasons.” I take another sip of scotch. “What exactly are you looking for?”