Code Name: Nanny (SEAL and Code Name #5)(36)

Audra shivered a little, pulling her jacket tighter as she studied the darkness. She’d called the guy from her biology lab but he sounded odd, so she’d hung up. Probably he’d tell the other kids and they’d all laugh at her. On top of that, the cigarettes were making her stomach churn. She’d have to ditch her clothes and change, or her mother would smell the smoke.

Well, to hell with that.

Audra stood up, scowling—and when she did, someone grabbed her hard from behind, cutting off her breath.





[page]chapter 12

Summer punched on the lights in the guest cottage. “I want to see exactly where you’re installing the infrared sensors for the beach access.”

Gabe dropped the blueprints onto her desk. “Be my guest.”

Summer peered at the diagrams intently. “Along the main path?”

“For starters. More sensors will go near the garage. They’re marked by the broken lines on the diagram.”

Summer peered some more, then dug into her briefcase. Muttering, she slid on a pair of glasses.

“Reading glasses?”

“One more word and you’re toast, Morgan.”

Gabe sat down in an overstuffed leather chair and stretched out his long legs. “In that case, no comment from me.”

“Good.” Summer ran her fingers slowly over the diagram, as if feeling her way over possibilities and dangers. “This array should cover everything.”

Gabe held back as long as he could. “Aren’t you a little young for reading glasses?”

Summer ignored him. “We need more surveillance cameras, one at the back porch and one along the path near the garage. The bushes make it hard to see anyone coming up from the road.”

“I already asked. Ms. O’Connor nixed the additional cameras. The senator is going to work on her, but for now she says they’re too intrusive.” Gabe crossed his arms behind his head. “What gives with the glasses?”

“It’s genetic.” Summer shoved a strand of hair behind her ear, frowning. “My dad had the same thing. Hit him hard when he was thirty. He hated it.” She looked off into space for a moment. “I was going to get the surgery, then this mission came up and everything got put on hold.” She toyed with her wrist. “Who is the team handling the upgrades?”

“They’re reliable, don’t worry.”

“It’s my job to worry.” Summer rubbed her neck. “Are they civilians?”

“Yes and no.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, the matter is taken care of. No more questions needed.”

She swung around, staring at him. “In case you forgot, I’m a federal agent. It’s my job to ask questions.”

“Fine. You asked, and that’s my answer.”

“So he’s really hush-hush.” Summer nodded slowly. “In that case, it’s fine with me. Just as long as he’s good.”

“He’s so good that you’ve never heard of him. And you never will.”

“Are you in the CIA? SWAT maybe?”

Gabe shrugged. “I’m a professional. That’s all you need to know.”

“Not by half. What are you looking at?”

Gabe steepled his fingers. “You. I’m trying to figure you out.”

“Don’t bother. I’m as dull and boring as they come, Morgan. I do the job and then I go home.”

Gabe watched the smooth curve of her neck when she lifted her hair. He saw the muscles tighten at her thigh when she leaned over the desk. No, she was wrong. He had a ticklish instinct that she was far from boring once you got beneath all that spit-polish and edgy nerve.

Not that he’d ever get there or see her in anything but an ugly, plain-Jane dark suit.

Irritated that he couldn’t seem to stop imagining Sum-mer Mulvaney with her hair loose, her lips soft, dressed in something light and gauzy, Gabe stood up and checked his watch. “Time for a grounds check. I won’t be comfortable until that new equipment is online. Right now a Russian tank battalion could probably get in here.”

Summer pulled off her glasses. “I’ll go with you.”

Gabe opened his mouth to nix the idea, then stopped. She was assigned to Cara O’Connor and her family, and that made them partners.

Whether he liked it or not.

He pulled on a black nylon knapsack. “Let’s get moving.” He looked at her feet and nodded. “Rubber soles. Good.”

“I know my job, Mr. Morgan.”

Gabe smiled blandly. We’ll see about that.



Audra’s heart was pounding. She twisted hard, then gasped. “What are you doing here?” A small hand gripped her tightly, half-hidden in the bushes. “If Mom finds you outside, she’ll kill us both.”

Sophy held Liberace against her chest, shivering. “I heard a noise. When I went to your room you were gone, so I checked the window.”

“I closed it,” Audra snapped.

Behind her Tracey snorted. “Busted.”

“The window wasn’t completely closed, not quite. I saw the rope you used to raise and lower the ladder, too. It was still hidden in the tree branches. But I already knew something was wrong. And since I knew that Tracey sneaks out at night—”