Code Name: Nanny (SEAL and Code Name #5)(11)

“So you said. Didn’t you hear me tell you to stop moving?”

“I thought it was just an excuse to rile me.”

“Never take anything for granted. When I say things, it’s for a reason. Always.”

The tension between them tightened. As she looked into his eyes, Summer felt the oddest sensation of falling.

A door slammed up at the house. “Ms. Mulvaney, there you are. Sophy, she is calling you many times.” Imelda, the housekeeper, was staring across the lawn, one hand shading her eyes. “You will be late for her ballet class, I think.”

Ballet class. Summer glanced at her watch and stifled a curse. “We’ll just make it, if I run.”

Gabe cleared his throat. “I doubt they teach you to wear your skirt like that in nanny school.”

When Summer looked down, she saw her skirt was unbuttoned, riding low on her hips. The pale lace of her panties was clearly visible before she straightened the dark wool and jerked the top button closed. “One word and you’re toast, Morgan.”

“I’ve got a lot of words, honey. Somehow they just don’t seem to apply in this case.” He leaned back against the shed and waved at the house. “You’d better get moving. Be sure you ask Imelda if she saw anything, because I want my facts straight when I talk to Ms. O’Connor later.” His smile faded. “This is one joke those two little hooligans aren’t getting away with.”

Tugging on his shirt and tool belt, he headed off toward the back fence.



Never take anything for granted.

Funny thing for a gardener to say, Summer thought as she sprinted toward the house. But Gabe was right. One or both of the girls were responsible for the locked door, and they needed to be severely reprimanded for their latest trick. Unfortunately, pinning them down now, with the clock ticking for Sophy’s ballet class, would be hard.

“Sorry,” she muttered as she raced up the steps past Imelda. “I got tied up in the potting shed.”

“Sophy, she is waiting for you. The first room to the right at the top of the stairs,” the housekeeper added.

Summer took the steps two at a time, tucking in her shirt as she went. Not that she was nervous about a silly dance class with a surly Russian ballet teacher. If things got too rough, she could always pull her service weapon and shoot out a few kneecaps.

But the pleasant fantasy faded when she reached Cara O’Connor’s room. A pink leotard lay on the bed, flanked by pink tights and pink toe shoes. Both looked at least two sizes too small for Summer.

I can’t believe I’m doing this.

The girls stopped arguing when they saw her. “We’re going to be late,” Sophy said shrilly.

“Not if we hurry.” Summer swept a glance at Audra, who stared back coldly. “And after your class, we need to talk about what just happened in the potting shed.”

She could have sworn Audra snickered, but Sophy stared back, wide-eyed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the door got locked. I had to climb out through the roof.”

Sophy’s eyes got bigger. “Really? Gabe tells us we’re not allowed in the potting shed on account of there’s pastry seeds in there.”

“Pesticides, stupid.” Audra squared her shoulders. “That’s why we don’t ever go near the potting shed.”

“Except you left your bag there,” Summer pointed out coldly. “Or so you said.”

Audra shrugged.

“Want to tell me why?”

“I forget.”

“We’re going to be late,” Sophy cut in anxiously. “Don’t you want your clothes, Ms. Mulvaney?”

Summer began shoving the clothes on the bed into a sports bag. “What size shoes does your mother wear?”

“Eight,” Audra said nastily. “Her dance costume is a size six.”

Impossible, Summer thought. She finished putting away the clothes and frowned. “This ballet outfit has sleeves, doesn’t it?”

Sophy nodded quickly.

“Fine. Are you two ready?”

There was a flushed look of excitement on the younger girl’s face. “I’ve been ready for hours. Liberace’s already downstairs in his cage.”

Summer remembered that they had to take the girls’ pet ferret. “Be sure he doesn’t get out of the cage, because I won’t be stopping in traffic.”

“I’ll be careful.” Sophy pulled out a pair of pink gloves and smoothed them on over her hands. “Can we go now?”

“Head ’em up, move ’em out,” Summer muttered.

Audra glanced at her sister. “Race you to the car, Sophy. First one there gets to choose the music.”

The two charged off in a chorus of taunts and laughter, and Summer shook her head. For a moment Audra had seemed almost human. Then again, maybe that had been sheer imagination. No matter what, the two girls were going to have to face the music tonight when their mother got home.



Dropping off Audra at the Monterey Bay Aquarium was Summer’s first task. A burly guard let the teenager in through the staff entrance, then walked over to the car.

“You must be the new nanny. Ms. O’Connor told me you’d be starting today.” He watched Audra stride inside. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye out for her. Ms. O’Connor told me about the security arrangements.”