Single Lady Spy 01 - The End of Me

those things, stop him here and there, make it look like we were putting in an effort. The orders were to let him run it, and if he slipped up, and got carried away, to slap his wrists."
    I shook my head at how much it hadn’t changed. We didn't want to stop them and end the wars; we wanted the appearance of trying. Funding was dependent upon supply and demand. No demand, no supply.
    He shrugged and continued talking, "We kept an eye on him until three years ago. Then, things changed again. He got harder to trace and then he would pop up somewhere. It was like he was putting himself in our way, trying to be noticed."
    "Diversion," I said softly.
    He looked back at me: our eyes met in the dark, "Exactly." I noticed the way the light hit his lips when he pursed them, "He was toying with us. We sent James in, not as a spy obviously, but as a rogue informant. Trying to create misinformation amongst his people. We wanted to see how his line of command went and how he reacted to the lies we created. We wanted to know, who we could get to. We think it was then, that James went rogue for real."
    "Not to sound disinterested, but when the hell do I come into the picture?"
    He chuckled, "The video you saw, we were watching him, and we caught that transmissions between him and Melanie Ashcroft. It was dumb luck..."
    I cut him off, "Bullshit. You knew he was cheating, and you kept close to blackmail him if you had to. You were building a file against him."
    His lips curled, "In the yoga pants, it's easy to forget you used to play this game. We had more than enough to charge him and ruin his life, but then we caught wind of him and Servario talking about the Burrow. Then again with Melanie ; you heard it there on that video. It was taken only a couple weeks before he died. We don't know what the Burrow is, and we don’t know where it is. We think Servario believed that James had it or had access to it, through you…"
    I cut him off again, "Why would he kill James, if he believed him to have it? Who does that? Who kills the man with the answers?"
    He sighed again, "We think it was you he was after. Kill James and get control of your whole life. Then he could make you his pawn and make you give him the Burrow. All I know is, we didn’t kill James, and the only actual proof we have of you being mentioned, is that video. I said it wasn’t enough to bring you back in. I honestly think , he might have suspected us watching him and made the video to lead us off the tracks, or to bring you in. But higher-ups feel like you have the answer, and they’re willing to gamble with you."
    I sat up fast, ignoring everything he had said, "What? Wait… If he died in the line of duty, I'm not paying for the whole funeral." I felt outraged. I didn’t even want to go to the damned thing anymore. I was angry on a whole other level of angry. I covered my eyes and massaged my temples.
    He started to laugh, “Did you hear the rest of what I said?”
    I shook my head, "I’ve never heard him or anyone mention the whole Burrow thing. I think it might be some bullshit he was doing, ‘cause he knew you were on to him. Where the hell is Melanie? I was told she was on mission. Why haven’t you all brought her in? James is probably still alive and with her. Burned-out bodies in cars tend to be someone we found along the way to replace us, when we fake our deaths. Typical cover-up."
    “I know that.”
    Of course he did. I wouldn’t be surprised, if they never suspected James dead at all. But they had no problem letting my kids think it.
    I looked up at him, feeling the years of abilities and skills finding their way back to me. Granted they had to crawl through layers of bake sales and fuckerwear parties. I made a duckface and processed the fact, I should have bought a dildo at that last one I went to; it had been almost half a year since I'd been laid.
    I mentally slapped myself. I was losing my mind.
    I started to giggle.
    I gathered myself and wiped my face of the tears I hadn't realized I was crying, "What a night."
    The awkward silence was broken by his voice, but it was softer than before, "More like two months. I'm sorry this is all happening to you."
    I nodded, "Me too. I feel bad for Melanie. Her heart must be broken. Will you be bringing her in? You never answered me.”
    He cleared his throat, "If it was really him in the car, then she was in there with him. It was a bomb."
    I was frozen again; she had been one of my best friends in the