Deep Cover (The Extractor Series Book 4) by Mike Ryan (best novels to read to improve english txt) 📗

think they know. Or at least have an idea. Maybe they know who’s behind it and are looking for them too. I don’t know. But I know there’s something going on here. There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark.”

“I hear you.”

“Where does that saying come from anyway?” Bridge asked. “Do you know? Is Denmark a smelly place or something?”

“Uh, no. As far as I know, Denmark’s a beautiful place.”

“Where’s that line come from then?”

“I believe it was a line in a Shakespeare play. Hamlet, I think.”

“Oh. I guess you can tell I’m not a Shakespeare guy then, huh?”

“Yeah, it kind of shows.”

“Hmm. Interesting.”

“Not as interesting as what you got going on right now.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“You got any other leads?” Happ asked.

“Looking into someone named Kenny and someone named Stash. They were in Bevell’s planner the day before he went missing. I don’t know if they have anything to do with this or not. But I guess it needs checking.”

“Kenny and Stash?”

“Yeah, you know them?”

“Not offhand, but I can do some checking on my end too.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

“No problem. Luke?”

“Yeah?”

“I told Nic earlier, so I guess I’ll tell you now.”

“What’s that?”

“You need to be careful on this.”

“I know.”

“Even if it’s not the agency behind this, then it’s a sure thing they know who is. And if whoever it is is taking people out for whatever reason, it’s also probably a sure thing that you’re now on their radar. And if you’re not yet, the more you dig into it, you will be soon.”

“I know.”

“You be careful.”

Bridge tried to sound more upbeat. “You know me, I’m the agent of caution.”

Happ faked a cough. “Uh, yeah, right. More like the agent of incaution.”

“Is that even a word?”

“Of course it is. You think I’d use a word if it wasn’t one?”

“I dunno. Maybe.”

“It’s a word.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Can we just stop with the merry-go-round?”

Bridge tried to make light of it, but he appreciated his friend’s words of advice. “I’ll be careful.”

“Good. ‘Cause I’d hate to see your name cross my desk in an unflattering way.”

“You mean there’s been a flattering way?”

“All right, all right, I’m done. Talk to you later.”

The smile from Bridge’s face after teasing his friend was quickly wiped away after he put his phone away and thought of everything that he was just told. Nicole was kind of listening in, though she couldn’t decipher everything that had gone on. Judging by the look on Bridge’s face, it wasn’t good.

“What’s happened?”

“They found Bevell’s body,” Bridge answered. “Same spot as Abbott’s.”

“Same exact spot?”

“Same spot.”

“Wow. That’s not a coincidence.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Guess we don’t need to bother looking for him anymore.”

“No.” Bridge then looked at the planner again. “But we can find out if these names mean anything.”

“And if they do?”

Bridge looked at the planner again, then his eyes went over to the locked cabinet that he kept his gun in. “Then I’d say business is about to pick up.”

7

Bridge felt his body shake. His eyes flickered, and he saw flashes of light slip through the cracks of the curtains. He turned over on his side, away from the outline of his girlfriend, who was standing next to the bed.

“C’mon, Luke, wake up.”

“Awe, not now, Nic, please. I’m tired.”

“I want you for something.”

“Please, not now. I promise I’ll give it to you later.”

“No, not that. Well, wait, promise?”

“I promise.” Bridge started drifting off to sleep again.

Nicole furiously shook his body to wake him again. “It’s important, Luke.”

“Nic, please. I promise I’ll give it to you later. Twice, if you want.”

“Oooh. That’s nice. Can we do one in the shower?”

“Sure.” Bridge’s voice was groggy. In order to go back to sleep, he would have given in to just about anything at that moment. “Whatever you want.”

“I love it when you’re like this.” Bridge’s eyes closed again, waking up a few seconds later upon feeling his girlfriend’s hands on his shoulder. “Can we get kinky with the second one?”

“Fine. Whatever you want. Just let me go back to sleep.”

“What about on the kitchen counter or something?”

“Uh… whatever. Just let me sleep.”

Nicole was happy with the bargaining session, though it really wasn’t what she came in there for. But it was a win all the same. She thought about continuing to try to get Bridge up, but she didn’t want to seem like she had tricked him into giving her their later love-making sessions. So she left the room for five minutes. It was just long enough for him to feel like he went back to sleep for a while. She came back in and lightly shook her boyfriend’s body. Bridge started to stir again.

“Awe, c’mon, Nic, I gave you everything you wanted already.”

“Come on, Luke, I let you sleep for an extra hour.”

Bridge’s eyes suddenly flashed wide open. “You did?”

“Yes. I was last in here an hour ago.”

“Wow, it feels like it was only five minutes.”

“Well, it wasn’t. It’s now eight fifteen. Time to get up.”

Bridge sat up and stretched his arms out. He yawned, then leaned over to give his lovely girlfriend a kiss. “Thanks for letting me sleep that extra hour.”

Nicole faked a cough. “Oh, yeah, no problem. Feel better?”

“Yeah, I think I really needed that extra time.”

“Well, you deserved it.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t forget what you agreed to later.”

“Wait. What?”

“For letting you sleep extra, you agreed to a few of my suggestions.”

Bridge batted his eyes. He kind of sort of remembered something, though he was fuzzy on the details. “What did I agree to?”

“Two little sessions later on tonight.”

“Little sessions?”

Nicole grinned at him seductively. “Well, we’ll see how little it is.”

Bridge closed his eyes and slumped his head, wondering what he had agreed to. “Oh, boy.”

“It’ll be great. One will be in the shower. Nothing unusual.” Bridge made a face, suggesting it wasn’t so bad. “The other will be on the kitchen counter.”

“Wait, the kitchen counter?”

“If you want to keep things fresh and alive, Luke, you have to be willing to experiment with different things.”

“Are you sure I agreed