The irony was that she’d fought to be seen as a good agent because of her skills, but the biggest case of her career thus far would hinge upon her ability to use her looks to her advantage.
Time to put that pretty face to work for more than being someone’s trophy.
No one was going to take this opportunity from her.
Especially not Shaine Kelly.
The plane touched down in Miami and they were immediately whisked away in a nondescript black SUV to the debriefing at a secure location.
The small room, located in a government building disguised as an insurance office, was cramped with everyone inside.
Introductions were brief and to the point, with Chief Hobbs doing the introducing via video call.
“I’ll call your names, you raise your hands. This ain’t no tea party and there’s no time for a meet and greet. Miami police officers Richard York and Ben Rocha, DEA agents Marcus West and Poppy Jones, FBI special agents Shaine Kelly and Victoria Stapp, Miami DEA contact Rosa Ramirez.” Murmured greetings were exchanged and Hobbs continued, “From here out, Ramirez will be your primary on-scene superior. Ramirez will be in constant contact with me via videoconference. She will handle all immediate concerns regarding the investigation. Any questions?”
No one ventured a comment and Hobbs took that as a cue to turn the meeting over to Rosa.
“Thank you, Chief Hobbs,” Rosa began, a no-nonsense woman with slicked back dark hair pulled into a tight bun. “This is the biggest covert operation in recent history, and we’re anxious for a successful end to this El Escorpion character.”
Rosa gestured to the packets on the table. “For the agents going undercover, you’ll find IDs, cash and backstories for your covers. Officers York and Rocha will be your only contacts inside the Miami PD for obvious reasons. We know there are cops on the take, but we haven’t figured out who. York and Rocha have been determined to be trustworthy.”
“And who vetted them?” Shaine asked. When his life was on the line, he didn’t care about being nice.
Rosa smiled. “Ahh, Special Agent Shaine Kelly. I’ve heard about you. Smart, fearless...a chameleon in the field.”
“Guilty as charged,” Shaine said with a grin.
But Rosa wasn’t finished. “Also known for having an issue with authority. Let’s be frank, Agent Kelly...the reason you’re here is that your ability to close cases outweighs your undesirable qualities. But make no mistake, eyes are on you, so watch yourself.”
Shaine caught the tiny, infinitesimal twitch of Poppy’s lips and his own thinned, though he chose to remain quiet.
So Rosa Ramirez wasn’t a fan.
Great.
Nothing like your direct superior looking for reasons to toss you out.
Rosa moved on briskly. “The Scorpion has been a thorn in Miami’s side for years, but until now the product of choice was always the usual, heroin or meth. This new drug is lethal, cheap and moving quickly. It’s the new cash crop, and unless we put a stop to it here, it will spread. We could have an epidemic within months. That’s not going to happen. We’re counting on this team to bring The Scorpion to justice. Please open your packets.”
Paper rustling was the only sound in the room as they quickly read through the details.
Shaine and Poppy would pose as twentysomething college kids. Shaine would bartend at a popular upscale bar and strip club, Lit, while Poppy would be a dancer.
A strip club? Poppy didn’t outwardly react, but he suspected her gut was churning. He knew Poppy didn’t have hang-ups about her body, but she wasn’t an exhibitionist, either.
Poppy’s attention was focused on the paper in front of her, but the absent way she chewed her bottom lip told him her thoughts were elsewhere.
“The idea is to blend into the scene where Bliss is commonly found. The dealers are like sharks circling the chum. It’s your job to seek out the higher level dealers to get close to anyone who knows El Escorpion’s identity. Once we discover a name, phase two will start, which is why we need a male and a female undercover agent. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to get this information. Are you up to that challenge?”
“Not a problem for me,” Shaine answered, looking pointedly at Poppy.
“Nor is it for me,” Poppy replied coolly, adding, “Looks like all those dancing classes in my childhood are going to finally pay off.”
“You’re sure about that?” Shaine asked, not buying her answer.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Poppy returned with a dispassionate expression. “Do you feel you can handle being a bartender?”
“All right, all right, settle down. We’re all on the same team. Like I said, the bar is upscale, so it’s not going to be some seedy place with sticky tables. Full nudity is not required, though many of the girls finish with a topless number.”
“Again, I’m fine with it,” Poppy assured Ramirez, dismissing Shaine’s comment.
“Good.” Rosa seemed pleased. “You are dismissed to settle in. Tomorrow is your first day of work. Remember, you’re college kids looking for a good time. Leave your law enforcement persona behind. These people are pros. They can smell a cop from a mile away.”
Shaine smirked. “Like I said...not my first rodeo. This is the fun part.”
Rosa said, “Both Kelly and Jones will have separate cars, but a rental is outside to take you to the location where your cars will be assigned. It may seem as though these are extraneous precautions, but we can’t take the chance of an overlooked loophole.”
He went to grab the keys to the rental car, but Poppy beat him to it.
“I’ll drive,” Poppy said, snatching the keys. “Being a passenger makes me carsick.”
Since when?
The little liar.
He always used to drive.
But someone was proving a point.
“Be my guest,” he said, following her out the door.
Yeah, this was going to suck.
Thanks a lot for ruining what could’ve been a cool undercover gig, Poppy Jones.
* * *
Having Shaine in the car was unnerving. Her plan had been to treat him like any other undercover agent.
Dispassionate.
Professional.
But the humid air lifted the scent of his skin straight to her nose and she was awash with memories.
Her breath caught.
No. She wasn’t going to do that—no going backward.
Do the job. Stay focused. Be chill.
As it turned out, Shaine broke the unbearable silence first.
“How’d you get this gig?” he asked.
“The usual way. Working harder than everyone else. Harder than every other man in my way.”
“Still the ballbuster. Glad to see some things never change.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve changed plenty. I no longer care what small-minded people think of me.”
“Whoa, right out the barrel, an insult. I was trying to make polite conversation.”
“Right.