"The Coffee House Spy" 7

Emily had fed Sir Harry his breakfast when they returned from their walk in the park and brewed a fresh pot of coffee. She’d just placed her filled coffee mug on the counter next to the manuscript she needed to finish, when someone knocked on her door.

“Who can that be?” she grumbled to Sir Harry.

The dog was napping on the floor next to her chair and opened his eyes giving her a non interested stare, but he did get up and follow her to the front door.

Emily peered through the peep hole and saw a scruffy face staring back at her. She had no idea who the man was, and wasn’t about to open the door to the gruff looking stranger.

“Ms. Smith? Are you home?”

The man’s gravelly voice came through the door and Emily froze. How did he know her name? It made her even less inclined to open the door.

“I have your mail; it was in my mailbox and I think you may have mine.”

The stranger continued to speak, as if he knew she was standing there.

Emily looked back through the peep hole and saw he was holding up several letters and the top one did appear to have her name on it.

“Look fierce,” she whispered to Sir Harry before she released the lock and opened the door but, as a caution, she kept the safety chain in place across the opening.

“Thank you,” she said, waiting for him to slip the letters through the small opening, but he didn’t.

He gave her a smile that looked more like a pained grimace and said, “I was hoping you’d check your mailbox; since it appears the postman may have mixed up the mail delivery?”

“Oh…ahhh sure,” she agreed reluctantly closing the door in order to slide the chain off. When she reopened it, she got a better look at the stranger. She noted he was tall but couldn’t gauge his true height due to his hunched back stance. The shape of his face was hidden under that pitiful, misshapen beard so his features were undetectable. But all in all, he didn’t appear to be a threat. Besides, she theorized, with his sluggish physique she could out run him easily.

Sir Harry bumped her knee to peek around her leg at the stranger in the hall and his tail began to wag fiercely.

“Nice looking dog,” the man said staring at the dog and giving a firm nod.

Sir Harry immediately sat down as if commanded to so and Emily took the dog’s reaction to be a good sign the dog agreed, the stranger was harmless.

“I’ll get my mail key and check it out for you; which apartment is yours?” She asked as she reached out for her mail.

“I just moved into 4D; I’m Peter Perocino,” he said releasing the mail into her hand and extending his other hand in greeting to her.

Emily stared at his long, slim fingers and strong looking hand and it registered that they didn’t seem to fit with the rest of him. She gripped her mail with both hands and nodded.

“Uh…it’s nice to meet you,” she said, but didn’t reach out to shake his hand.

Brent realized his error; he hadn’t affected the arthritic movement or exaggerated stiffness for his character, and she’d noticed the disparity. He slid his hand into his jacket pocket and gave her a sheepish smile.

“I’m sorry; that was too forward of me.”

“No, not at all, but I should go get my key so…I’ll be right back,” she said stepping back and closing the door, and locking it.

Brent waited in the hallway until she returned with her key in hand and stepped back as she stepped into the hall and turned to lock her apartment door.

“Okay, let’s go check that mail box,” she said breezily and headed towards the stairs.

 

They walked over to the wall of tenant’s mailboxes and Emily inserted the key in her apartment’s corresponding mailbox. Inside she found one piece of mail and it did indeed belong to this new neighbor.

“I guess the mailman was off his game this morning; this is yours,” she said handing him the envelope.

“Thank you and I’m not upset he mixed up our mail. It was an unexpected pleasure; I got to meet you.”

“Uh yeah, same here,” she agreed and tried to smile but it faltered; she was not your warm and fuzzy neighbor. She liked to keep to herself, and expected the same of the other occupants in this building. Still, he looked a little lost and she couldn’t help thinking he needed a friend…just not her.

“Okay; we’ve got the mail situation cleared up and I’ve got a lot of work to do so, have a good day Mr. Perocino.”

“It’s Peter, please.”

“Well then, have a good day Peter,” she repeated then turned to go but his hand touched her shoulder. She tried not to cringe as she turned back. “Yes?”

“Maybe, we can share dinner some time?”

It took her a second to realize her mouth had dropped open, and another to close it.

“I’m awfully busy with work; I really don’t have time to…to…Look, I’m sorry but I don’t think I can.”

The sad man nodded his understanding and Emily turned and fled back up the stairs embarrassed for him, and wishing he hadn’t asked her for a date.

Brent watched her race up the stairs to get away from him and chuckled under his breath. He was not the least bit embarrassed, but it was justification for his decision to get rid of this pitiful disguise.

“You’ve sure got a way with the ladies Peter,” he mumbled as he adjusted the bulky girth around his middle before following her up the stairs. He made sure to take slow, plodding steps in case she looked back, though he highly doubted she would.

*

Brent returned to his apartment and once inside he walked to his desk and opened the right side drawer. He took out a small receiver and a pair of wireless ear buds which he placed in his ears as he turned the receiver on.

He opened the frequency to each bug he’d placed in Emily’s apartment yesterday and after the initial static cleared, the bug in the living room came in clear; he heard Sir Harry’s happy snoring.

He clicked open the bug in the kitchen and heard nothing.

He pictured Emily reading one of her manuscripts and assumed that was why the room was quiet.

He lifted up the small video screen on the receiver that projected images from the miniscule, remote camera he’d placed outside her apartment door. It gave a panoramic view of the hallway, and having these remote eyes and ears on her space would keep him aware of any change in her situation. If somehow, someone discovered her connection to him, or the dog, he’d know.

The silence in his ears stretched on for an hour as he stood by the window watching the street below through the high-powered binoculars. He saw the agent sitting in the car parked on the side street and flicked the blinds once as a greeting to Thies’s partner, his code name was Santa. The car’s headlights flashed on and off in reply, acknowledging the greeting. It also told Brent, nothing out of the ordinary was happening out there; nothing suspicious anyway.

Brent put the binoculars down and paced the room; he was too restless to sit around and wait for something to happen; he was normally the catalyst in a mission; it felt unnatural for him to play the pigeon.

He flicked on the TV, surfed the channels but nothing caught his interest so he shut it off just as his phone pinged.

He looked at his phone and saw a coded message from Thies; he had information to share and was on his way over.

Brent smiled and messaged Stacy.

It took her all of three minutes to use her key and walk into this apartment.

“What do you think he found out?” She asked dropping her large purse on his couch and walking into his kitchen to grab a club soda and a twist of lemon from his fridge. She’d stocked up on her favorite beverage and a supply of lemons in a grocery order she’d had delivered while she'd waited for his furniture to arrive yesterday.

She walked back from the kitchen and Brent answered her question.

“I’m not sure what he’s found out but we’ll know when he gets here. Oh and you should know, I made contact with Emily today, as Peter.”

Stacy chuckled. “I wish I could’ve seen that; how’d it go?”

“About as you’d guess; Peter is not Romeo material and she wasn’t smitten.”

“Good; she won’t suspect you’re watching her. What about Sir Harry?”

“He was calm and obeyed the nod to stay because he was trained well.”

“You trained him like an agent didn’t you?”

“I’d like to take the credit but he was already trained; I just had to get him to obey the commands from me.”

“Was he trained by his former owner, or your brother?”

“Russ didn’t tell me, but I think it was him. Wouldn’t you train a pet for optimum reliability, to be useful and not blow your cover?’”

“I guess,” she shrugged, but she had no clue what she’d do because she had no time for a pet. “So when does Emily get to meet Peter’s sister, Heather?”

“I think their paths should cross the next time she walks Sir Harry.”

“Okay; then I’d better brush up on my sister act.”

 

Thies didn’t bother to knock; he used a key to enter Brent’s apartment and, as he’d expected, stepped inside to a show of agent’s guns. Both were pointed in his direction and expertly trained on his heart, which he’d also expected.

“How did you get in?” Brent asked, not holstering his gun.

Thies raised his hands as he explained.

“I was given a key when I got the assignment to protect you and Stacy; I thought it was a good time to let you know I have it.”

“A good time to die you mean?” Stacy asked, holstering her gun but then she thought about taking it out again when a suspicion took hold, “Do you have a key to my apartment too?”

Thies shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. “What do you think?”

“I think you’d better give it up,” she threatened holding out her hand palm up.

Thies laughed.

“Are you sure; I may need it to protect you.”

Stacy looked into those cool blue eyes and it took a few too many seconds for her training to kick back in.

“Just give it up pretty boy,” she warned with a frown and continued to hold out her hand for the key.

“Pretty boy…?” Thies chuckled, “I haven’t been a boy in awhile but, if you're in need of a pet name for me; I’d prefer something more manly,” he said with a suggestive grin as he placed the key in her hand and closed her fingers over it. He kept his hand wrapped around hers for another second.

Stacy felt a strong feminine reaction to those warm fingers but she blasted it away and shook off his hand.

“Yeah, I’m sticking with Pretty boy,” she told him, pocketing her key and giving him a threatening look.

“Hey, enough spy vs. spy here what did you find out?” Brent asked Thies as he finally holstered his gun.

“Don’t you want your key back too?”

“No. I think you know if you use it again, it better be a dire situation because I won’t wait to shoot.”

“Okay, I’ve been warned,” Thies smiled and dropped the key onto the coffee table before sitting down on the couch and continuing, “What I’ve learned is very interesting and I think you should sit down,” he suggested this to Brent.

Brent gave him a skeptical look and joked, “You think I’ll faint?”

“No, but you’ll need to reign in your anger when you hear it.”

Brent frowned and sat down in the side chair.

“Okay, you've got my attention.”

Thies looked over at Stacy but she shook her head.

“I'm good standing right here,” she told him crossing her arms. The only other spot was next to the suave agent, and she wasn’t about to tempt her chemical reaction to him.

Thies nodded and looked back at Brent.  “I got into the classified files at headquarters and you were right,” Thies nodded, “Russ was on a sanctioned mission.”

“I knew it! So what was it and where did they send him?” Brent asked as his hands balled into fists.

Thies took out a thumb drive from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table next to Brent’s key.

“So what’s on it?” Brent nodded to the drive.

“I don’t know, the file was heavily redacted but the order was signed by the director. I copied it on that drive so you can check it out for yourself, only…trust me; they were thorough.”

“Damn them!” Brent punched the arm of the chair with deep frustration and they all heard the wooden frame crack.

“Hey, before you destroy this furniture, which by the way we have to return,” Stacy warned him, “Reel in your temper Brent; you know it won’t help.”

Brent’s jaw tightened but he nodded. Yeah, he knew that, but his temper wasn’t negotiable; this was personal; it was his brother's life that was in jeopardy. Still, a hot temper wasn’t a solution.

“What could you tell from the order?” He asked Thies.

“Only the date, which corresponded to the day Russ left and the clear signature of the director but, there was one more clue.”

“What?”

“There was another document below the order; it wasn’t redacted. It was for a release of funds for the mission.”

“And…?”

“It was for half a million in Euros.”

Brent’s eyes widened. “A half a mil in Euros…Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Thies nodded grimly.

“That would point to a deep, undercover operation somewhere in the European Community; could you tell which country?”

Thies shook his head. “Sorry, as I said, the redaction was thorough.”

Stacy gave a low whistle.

“This changes everything. If the director signed off on those orders and Diamond didn’t know it, then he was telling us the truth…so, do we tell him what we’ve learned?”

“No!” Brent and Thies answered in unison.

Stacy held up her hands. “Okay, I get it; we don’t trust anyone, not even Diamond.”

“That’s right, we can’t,” Brent warned her.

“We’ll need to get into that storage facility,” Thies told them, “There might be something in the contents of Russ’s apartment that could give us a clue to his whereabouts.”

“You know where they took it?” Brent asked.

Thies laughed. “Yes, and I’ve got the key.” He held up a large silver key that appeared to fit a fortified steel lock.

“Why didn’t you lead with that?” Brent demanded.

“Had to see your reactions first; you understand.”

“You still didn’t trust us.” Brent stated flatly.

“Suspicion is ingrained my friend but my intuition is edging slightly in your favor,” Thies admitted and handed Brent the key.

Brent’s fingers closed around it. He felt the cold steel, the weight of the key and the weight of his brother’s life in his hand. He gave Thies a grim look.

“Give me the location.”