Disclaimer: The characters are property of Janet Evanovich and I am not making any money from this story. The story line is mine.

Sequel to: Finding Yesterday

Warning: Angst and High Drama

Bed of Lies

Chapter 3

By Elissahara30

Boston, Massachusetts

I drove down Franklin Street until I got to Post Office Square underground garage. I turned off the street and drove down the winding tunnel until I got to the very bottom the seventh floor parking garage. The lighting was dim, and I didn't care. I had been on the road for over five hours only stopping once to change out of my dress into a pair of worn jeans and a black sweater.

I've never felt to warn out as I do now. My eyes burned and as I turned the key off the ignition I slumped back completely. Even though my body ached, there was no way I could sleep.

I pulled the keys out of the ignition and held the old warn copper key in my hand. In the two years that Ranger and I had been married I never once thought about our contingency plans. When Ranger had made me memorize six "safe" addresses with a special catch of money and identities, I had accused him of being a paranoid bastard and I worked hard at pretending that I would never need to use any of it.

I worked hard at pretending away what happened in France.

But . . .

I knew I would need this information someday. Because no matter how hard I tried not to think about it, "it" was always there. God I just wish I could have had more than just two years. Not enough breathing space or room to get comfortable with just being Stephanie again.

I opened the car door and got out. I reached into the back and grabbed my duffel bag, opening the top and pulling out my Sig, I dropped the clip into the palm of my hand checked the ammo and slammed the magazine home then I slid the gun into the back of my jeans and pulled the black sweater over the top. I took one large step back away from the car and set the alarm. Hell my Porsche didn't have as an elaborate of a system as this crappy Nissan did, and I pity the asshole who tried to jack this car.

I made my way to the elevator and pushed the call button and tried to calm my nerves. I wonder if DM has been close this whole time. Did he know what was going to happen with Ranger? I wouldn't put it past him at all, DM has a lot of baggage and his biggest prize right now would be getting The Christian for all the shit that went down between him and Eleanor.

When the elevator doors opened I stepped in and keyed in the street level button. I eyed the camera in the corner and gave it a finger wave, just to be a little more mysterious, because if Davers didn't find me, I knew others will.

I exited out of the elevator and started walking northeast toward Water Street, It was quiet for a Sunday, of course being that its Sunday I didn't expect to see a lot of people out even if its Boston. I turned left at Water Street keeping my head down and my hands in my pockets. I wanted to look as small and insignificant as possible. I turned left on Devonshire Street. I remember last fall when Ranger and I walked this very route.

"See that over there Babe," he said to me, "The cameras on these buildings here, you want to keep your face down. It makes it harder to identify you. Always wear baggy clothes, hunch over if you can. Make yourself look as unisex as possible."

I linked my arm through his, "Today I want everyone to know that I am with the sexiest man around."

Ranger smiled at me even though his eyes were serious, "Just remember."

I leaned into him, letting his body warm mine, "Yes I will."

And I continued on down Winthrop Square. Sometime between Winthrop and Otis Street my neck started to prickle. I stopped and looked into the storefront window and waited. My phone rang.

I reached into my jeans pocket and pulled out my second cell, ditching the other one when I had changed my dress. "Yeah," I answered.

"You look like crap Jersey," DM said over the line.

I snorted, "Way to win a woman's heart DM," I said.

"Good thing I'm only talking to you then," DM replied.

"See there's the wit and charm that I've been missing," I grouched. "Where're you at?"

"End of Bedford Street," he said, "I tapped into the camera grid, and if it stays clear when you get here I'll rendezvous to pick you up."

"And if it's not clear," I asked.

"Just try not to draw attention to yourself," And the line went dead, I flipped the phone closed and put it back in my pocket. I wanted so badly to turn around and flip off the camera, but I didn't want to give up my position.

I continued my way down to Otis Street and continued on to Kingston until I finally turned right on Bedford Street. I didn't see anyone or any vehicle that could have belonged to DM. I made my way to the bus stop against the poll right beside me.

I didn't move as someone stood at the bus stop next to me. Out of my peripheral vision I could see a man in a dark suit. "It's getting late for the bus," his cultured voice said. "It would be my pleasure to take you were you were you need to go."

Good lord was he hitting on me? The idea that I looked like a desperate homeless woman flashed through my mind. I was vain enough to realize the thought didn't sit well with me. But before I could turn around and tell this guy to take his pity or whatever else he wanted to offer and shove it up his ass.

He said something else to me that made my heart speed up, "I can help you Mrs. Manoso."

I didn't move as I sat there, "I think you have me confused Mister," I said as I flattened my voice out, washing away the New Jersey and adopting a bland accent.

"I know I have the right person," he said his voice silky smooth and dangerous.

I shifted ever so slightly closer to the street, still keeping my face averted and down, "Supposing that I'm this Mrs. Manoso, what you offering?" I asked.

"This really isn't the venue for this kind of discussion." He commented, as I felt him reach out and grab my arm.

Without much conscious thought on my part I spun around and my Sig Sauer was pressed into the man's side below his ribs, "Who are you?" Because if I didn't meet up with DM soon I was going to crawl out of my skin and go do something very stupid.

The tailored man beside me didn't seem fazed by the gun that was pressed into his side. He cleared his throat, "I'm Agent Mateo Jones," he said.

Well shit not some random sicko, and I was disappointed. Perverts I could deal with, the government was another matter all together, "Are you NSA?"

Jones snorted roughly beside me, "Hardly Mrs. Manoso, I work for the CIA."

And my day just keeps getting better and better. "You've nothing I really want to listen to, so if you don't mind you can go on your merry way."

Jones turned towards me so the gun was now pressed into his stomach, he flashed me a full on white toothed smile, "Are you willing to bet your husband's life on that?"

I gritted my teeth, "Are you?" Because damn it I've had enough with the fucked up cryptic remarks shit.

"I'm not playing any games with you," he said.

I narrowed my eyes at Agent Jones, "See you're not the first agent I've ever had to deal with and I doubt you're going to be the last. And in my experience every single one of you like to play head games."

"Dose that include your husband?" Jones asked as a grimace graced his lips.

eHe H

I smirked as a flipped the safety off my gun, "Damn straight."

I heard the sound of a car screaming down the quiet street, I heard a few upset shouts from further away and I moved back until my heels hung over the concrete and I gave Jones a two fingered salute and the car screeched to a halt behind me, "See around Agent Jones."

"You're making a big mistake," he called after me as I got into the car.

I didn't bother saying anything more. I sat back in the seat as DM punched the gas and took off. "I thought you weren't going to get me if I drew attention to myself."

DM scowled at me, "I'd forgotten about how much attention you attract Jersey. Plus I know Jones and I didn't want you to have to wrangle with him."

"Former associate of yours," I said quietly as the events of the last several yours caught with me and I started to feel myself fall into weary exhaustion.

Something dark and unreadable passed over DM's face, "Yeah you could say that," he flicked a flash drive to me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"The information on what happened to Ranger."

"Oh," I said as curled my fingers around the flash drive. I reached into my pocket and grabbed my keys and touched the copper one on the key ring. "I need to get to go to my apartment here."

"What's there?" DM asked as he checked the rear view mirror before making a sharp turn down a side street.

I looked out the passenger side window, letting my head rest against the cool glass. Everything and nothing, I wanted to answer. The path to my loneliness and heartache maybe, "My gear," I said instead.