Single Lady Spy 01 - The End of Me

I need answers, Fitz. I’m done risking you. Tell them I went back to Boston. Tell them to forget they ever met you.”
    He smiled and I could see the glint of his teeth from the streetlights shining in the window, “I’ll be out of here the minute they are, kid.”
    I shook my head, “I’m so sorry to have involved you.”
    He chuckled softly, “I knew it would come for me one day. I’m glad it was you. The Burrow can’t stay hidden without a lot of work, and unfortunately, times are changing. It’s getting increasingly harder to keep its secret.”
    I frowned, “What do you do with the doctors that don’t want to stay hidden?”
    His eyes narrowed as he stepped forward and hugged me, “Have a safe trip, kid. Go easy on the arms dealer.” He ignored my question.
    I pulled back, “How do you know it all?”
    He kissed my cheek, “I still know people.”
    He slipped something like a business card in my hand, “If you get stuck, call this number. But don’t call, unless you want to be gone forever.”
    I nodded, “Okay. Thanks, Uncle.” I kissed his weathered face and opened the front door to the store. I walked down the cold sidewalk and turned up an alley. I pulled on my boots and tucked the card in my clutch.
    The phone vibrated.
    ‘Done with your uncle then?’
    My heart hurt instantly. I went to the phone function and dialed in the code and then the number to the shop. Fitz answered, “You missing me already?”
    “RUN, FITZ! DON’T WAIT! WAKE THEM AND RUN NOW!”
    He hung up before I had a chance to explain. I started to run. I dialed the number that had called repeatedly.
    “To what do I owe the pleasure of this midnight call?”
    I sighed, “I need you to help me.” I ran to a corner and stopped there. I pressed my back into the concrete wall and spoke softly, “I will do whatever you want, if you help me.”
    He sighed, “You know how to play hardball. Whatever I want?”
    I bit my lip. I wanted to call him a pervert degenerate, but I didn’t. I nodded, “Whatever you want. But you can’t hurt anyone. Not my uncle, not the team helping me, and not my family.”
    A large black SUV pulled up the corner of the street. The window lowered. I gasped when I saw his face, “We can negotiate in the car.”
    I lowered the phone. How had he done it? No one should have known about Fitz. There was no way we were followed, unless one of us was a mole. And yet there in front of me was Servario, with a look that could skin a cat.
    I looked both ways and walked across the road softly. I expected a bullet to strike me in the back, as he moved over and I climbed in.
    The new car smell struck me. “Did you buy this today?”
    His eyes had none of the green hints in them, that were there when he was happy. I closed the door and looked down, “Please don’t hurt them,” I whispered.
    He tapped the glass in front of us and the SUV drove away. As we rounded the corner, I caught a glimpse of Coop running after us.
    “Ironic, isn’t it,” he said and sipped from his glass, “Last time it was me running, desperate for you to stay with me, and it was young Cooper driving away with you in his car.” He leaned over, taking a good look at Coop, “I have to say, I think he has a bit of a thing for you.”
    I shook my head as I watched Coop from the window, “No, he doesn’t. He’s like that with everyone. He’s flirty and fun away from the job, and serious and controlling on the job. Somehow he makes it fun still, even when he’s serious.”
    His tone changed to angry, “I dare say, you have a thing for him as well.”
    I looked up at Servario’s stoic face, “I’m sorry I ran.” I needed the subject changed.
    He turned, “Are you?”
    I swallowed and nodded, “I am.”
    “We’ll see.”
    He made me shiver.
    He didn’t speak to me as we drove. I continued to look at him, to try to catch a glimpse of how he was feeling or what he was thinking.
    We arrived at the airport and the door was opened. He climbed out and walked to the plane. Roxy was startled to see me. She looked down as I boarded. I assumed that was bad.
    My heart was in my throat. I sat in my seat from before and fought the nervous tears that were threatening me. I was cooler than that, a better spy than to cry from his possible anger. I would take what he would dish.
    He didn’t sit beside me, like before. He went to the cockpit.
    Roxy brought me a glass of wine and quickly left again. Her eyes never met mine.
    Steve