Dangerous Liaisons by T. C. Archer Page B

are we going?”
    “Colombia.”
    “Lanton expects me back at Langley tomorrow,” he said. “If I don’t show, he’ll get suspicious.”
    Jesse brushed past him, grabbed her sneakers from the bedside, and sat down. She slipped on the first shoe and laced it. “I’ll give you a contact number. It’s an internet message center where I can retrieve voice mail.” She slipped on the second shoe, tied the lace, and stood. “I’ll be in touch.”
    “Too many things can go wrong.”
    She crossed to the laptop, yanked the cord free, then picked up the computer and stuffed the cell phone into her pocket. “That’s how it has to be.” She hurried to the door. Jesse started to turn the knob, but felt Cole beside her even as he shoved the door closed. She stared up at him. “I don’t want to hurt you Cole.”
    “This is a bad idea.”
    Headlights cut through the fabric of the curtains covering the window that overlooked the rear of the motel. Cole released the door and strode to the window. He pulled the curtain back without care.
    “Cole,” Jesse hissed, but didn’t wait for a response. She slipped out the door.
    “Jess,” she heard him say as she clicked the door shut.
    She hesitated. Leaving again like she had at the diner hurt. Despite the fact she knew leaving was the right thing to do, it felt even worse. A car door slammed and she hurried forward, turning right onto a well-lit walkway and following it to the end of the building. She peered around the corner into the parking lot, saw no one, then turned left and bolted toward the office and main road. At the road, Jesse glanced over her shoulder. No one followed. She started to cross the deserted street, then stopped. Cole had called her on Tom’s cell phone. She withdrew the cell phone and tossed it in a nearby storm drain.

Chapter Nineteen
     
    Jesse snapped a photo of a giant fern growing at the edge of a manmade pond in the Criptogamio section of Bogota’s Botanical Garden. She stepped sideways and refocused the compact digital camera for a close-up of a fiddlehead. Footsteps slowed behind her. She turned and smiled as Juanita Pinto approached.
    Juanita’s wavy, jet black hair and eyes beautifully accented her perfect Mediterranean features. In three-inch heels, she stood an inch taller than Jesse’s five eight, and her neat, caramel-colored Versachi pantsuit, white camisole, and matching wide-brimmed hat made Jesse feel like the tourist she pretended to be. Juanita, a past runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant, didn’t mind using her God-given talents to further the Spanish government’s cause. Jesse pocketed the camera as Juanita stopped in front of her.
    “Jesse Evans.” With a manicured index finger, Juanita slid her sunglasses lower on her nose and peered over the rim. “How long has it been?” Her impeccable English held only a faint Spanish accent.
    Jesse forced a brighter smile. Jesse wasn’t likely to forget their last encounter during the Madrid operation, when Juanita had comprised Spain’s agent contingent and observer—and spied on The Professor. Juanita had never mentioned the disc that had gone missing from her purse, but Jesse figured she knew she had taken it.
    “Three years, I think.” Jesse embraced her, exchanged kisses on both cheeks, then pulled back. “How’s work at the Consulate these days?”
    Juanita dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. “Too much to do and not enough resources to do it. You know, the same old story.”
    Yeah, Jesse thought. The Spanish had a miniscule but effective Secret Service thanks to people like Juanita. I’m glad you could spare time for an old friend,” she said.
    The corners of Juanita’s mouth curved upward. “I hear you’ve been…shall we say…busy lately?”
    A vulgar flash of hot pink appeared amongst the dark green ferns to Jesse’s right and she glanced at the only other people around. She winced inwardly at sight of the gaudy Hawaiian style shirt worn by one