Previously, in Persuasive Tactics, Maggie Bell starts her first day as an FBI agent in Manhattan's field house. It's also discovered that she already knows Jubal Valentine, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge.
Chapter Two
It took the wardrobe department a few hours but soon Maggie emerges from the changing room area in a completely different outfit than the one she'd put on that morning. Jubal, whose own outfit didn't tak long at all, feels his eyes grow bigger at the sight of her in the dress. Sleevless, it had a round neck that provides enough swell from her breasts without going overboard. The hem of her dress flares out in a kind of skirt appropriate enough for the club where the undercover op would be at and in Maggie's hair is a blue carnation flower clip, holding the soft curls back up away from one ear; the rest of her hair left to cover one shoulder. "Wow," is all that Jubal manages to let emerge from his mouth.
Maggie smiles at the one-word compliment as she steps over to the team of tech experts. One of them works to place a tiny camera just between the metal teeth in Maggie's hair clip before smilining politely at her. "You're all set, ma'am."
"Please, call me Maggie while we're on the job," Maggie says, returning the polite smile.
"Okay…Maggie," the young woman says before rushing off with her boss.
"Already making friends, I see," Jubal says as he holds up a soft denim jacket and a shaw, both items of clothing on hangers in his curled index & middle fingers. Maggie points to the shaw before waiting as he puts the jacket back with the other clothes then walks over to her. Whipping the shawl around her shoulders, Jubal lets his hands linger for a moment as he gazes down into her eyes. "Are you ready for a night of dance & romance, Rose?"
"I'm ready whenever you are, Zach," Maggie replies with a soft smile.
Offering his arm, Jubal leads her out to where the unit is waiting for them by the van. Omar Zidan, whom Dana had introduced as O.A., lets out a low whistle. Dana is talking to Kristen inside the van when she hears this and climbs down, smiling at the pair. "Are you two ready?"
"We were born ready," Jubal says in a joking tone.
"We're ready, Dana," Maggie says in a more serious tone, though there's a hint of a smile beginning to form in her eyes.
Everyone gets into their respective vehicles – the one Jubal drives Maggie in a loaner from the auto shop nearby – and heads to the club.
Outside the swanky dance club, Jubal emerges from the driver's side of the Camaro; handing the keys to one of the club's valets. "Don't get one scratch on her," he says in a warning tone.
From behind Jubal, Maggie begins to giggle in an airy sort of manner. "Don't scare the boy, Zach," she tells Jubal before pressing a playful nip to the lobe of his ear.
Jubal bites back a groan at the intimate gesture, placing his hands over her own on his chest. "Sorry Rosie, you know how I am about the car," he says.
"I know but we're here to have fun and not worry," Maggie tells him, guiding him forward to the crowd gathered outside the club. Giggling a bit more as he twirls her around Maggie walks beside Jubal into the club.
Following his lead Maggie remains silent as they approach a group of people gathered for what looked to be a private party. "Manuel!" Jubal says in an enthusiastic tone to get the other man's attention.
"Do I know you?" the man of Hispanic background demands in a low, gravelly voice.
"It's me, Zach. We have mutual friends in the trading business," Jubal says, offering the hand he wasn't using to hold Maggie to him by her waist.
"No tengo idea de lo que quieres decir," Manuel says thickly, leaning forward. ("I have no idea what you mean.")
"Naw, come on, hermano. I'm willing to trade one of your girls for mine," Jubal says, trying to reason with the Hispanic criminal. ("brother")
Maggie watches Jubal from her spot at his hip before reaching out to offer one hand to Manuel. "Rose at your service, senor," she says in a purr. ("sir")
Manuel gives her a once-over before taking her hand, tugging her away from Jubal and into his lap. Slipping further into her Rose persona, Maggie caresses his cheek as another girl that had been sitting on Manuel's other tight starts to pout. "What about me, Manny?"
Jubal bends forward to grasp the woman's hand. "How 'bout we go somewhere more private, novio?" ("sweetheart")
She nods, stands and follows behind him; frowning when Jubal leads her out of the club through the kitchen. "Where are we going!? What's going on!?" she demands in a screeching voice that would make nails on a chalkboard look bad.
Outside in the alley Jubal turns, flashing his badge at the woman. "Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Agent Jubal Valentine. I need you to tell me everything you know about Manuel Ramirez," Jubal says while returning his badge to the back pocket of his dark denim jeans.
"If you're FBI, does that mean…?" she asks, indicating the club.
"Yes. Now if you cooperate, we can promise full immunity and put you in WitSec. But only if you tell us everything you know about Manuel Ramirez," Jubal says, his hand on the small of her back as he walks her out of the alley and over to the van waiting at the curb opposite of the club.
Back inside the club, Maggie smiles at Manuel as he feels her up. "Tell me about yourself, Rosa," he says.
"There isn't much to tell. Both of my parents are gone and I'm raising my little sisters alone," Maggie says, stretching her own life tale a bit.
"How old are your sisters?" Manuel asks, his expression turning serious.
"They're six, and adopted," Maggie replies, playing with a button on Manuel's halfway buttoned shirt. Manuel puts his hand over hers. "But enough of my sob story. I want to know something about you…hey!" Maggie is gently shoved out of the club by Jubal and whirls to face him once they're sort of alone. "What the hell's going on? I was about to get to know about him."
"Amber already beat you to it. Now we're going to get him to actually confess to the murders," Jubal says.
"Murders? I thought he was in the trading business," Maggie says with a slight frown.