The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents 6)

Mr. Mysterious stared at her.

Just stared.

She stared back, not about to let him think he was pushing her around—even if he was.

“I want this rogue stopped,” he said clearly. “And I also want you to keep living. Despite what you may believe about me, my organization doesn’t target innocents. We save them.”

“The killer isn’t saving anyone, and he’s part of your organization.”

Mr. Mysterious glowered at her.

Noelle focused on Gabrielle. “He’s called you. He’s broken into your house.”

Gabrielle’s eyes darted to Cooper, then back to Noelle. “There seems to be a lot of that going around.”

Noelle’s lips tightened. “The next move he makes could be to kill you.”

She wasn’t in the mood to die.

Cooper’s boss straightened his, well, already ramrod-straight shoulders. “There are over two dozen of my agents currently working undercover missions. They are putting their lives on the line in order to protect innocents.” That gaze of his was practically arctic. “Before we go any farther, I have to know that I can trust you, Ms. Harper.”

Wait. He doubted her? “I’m not the one who’s been pretending here!”

“Gabrielle,” Cooper snapped out.

“Don’t ‘Gabrielle’ me.” She marched right up to Mr. Mysterious. “Look, I’m not interested in blowing the covers of your agents. I’m interested in stopping this killer. I made a promise to Kylie Archer’s little brother. I told him I’d do everything possible to give his sister justice, and I mean to do exactly that.”

“Even if the price you pay for that justice is your own life?” The man asked her. “Don’t you think that price is too steep?” His gaze slid to Cooper. “I can already tell you, he thinks it’s too high.”

“I don’t plan on dying,” she managed to say. “I’m not blowing the covers of your agents, and I’m not winding up in a morgue.” She paused. “Happy now? Can I go?”

“Once you agree to let Agent Marshall stick to your side—24/7—yes, then I’ll be...happy.”

She wasn’t sure anything could truly make this guy happy. “Why are we even playing this game? You’re going to stick me with your agent, no matter what I say.”

His eyes seemed to warm as he studied her. “Cooper was right, you know. The two of you did make a good team.”

Her gaze snapped to the mirror. She’d been in enough police stations to know how those two-way viewing mirrors worked. “I wondered how much of an audience we had.”

Apparently, a pretty big one.

Gabrielle sighed. To get out of that place, she’d be ready to promise plenty. “I agree to the deal.”

“You won’t regret it,” Cooper promised softly.

She already did. Actually, there were quite a few things she regretted concerning Cooper Marshall, but she’d shared enough with these folks.

“We’re going to be monitoring your phone line. If he calls you again, we’ll trace his call,” the big boss said.

“I’m surprised you weren’t already monitoring me,” she muttered.

Cooper’s cheeks flushed. “We were,” he confessed. “After the first phone call—”

“Right, I got it.” She shoved back her hair. “So I’m a target, the killer is coming, and I’m supposed to be the bait to lure him out. I think I’m up to speed now.” Though she’d rather not be just then.

“You’re not bait,” Cooper immediately denied. His arm brushed against hers. “You’re my partner. I keep telling you that. We’re working together from here on out.”

She wanted to believe him.