NorthernPassion by Cynnamon Foster Read Free Book Online

nowhere here does it say there
was a body. There is no mention of where he was buried.”
    “Didn’t think of that. So, he might not be dead, then.”
Desiree’s statement was so matter of fact, it was impossibly clear. She and Sam
locked gazes. The mystery might be bigger than they thought and she was itching
to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter Five
    Pleasure and Pain
     
    Reed’s face was as unmoving via video conference as it was
in person. Just a few short months ago, he would have been intimidating to
Desiree, but she’d quickly gotten over that and was now used to taking his
misogynist barbs, letting them slide off her now the way water slipped off a
duck’s back.
    She’d laid everything on the line in the last assignment in
India. Her eyes stung as she thought about it. She’d had to put all her personal
feelings aside and act comfortable where she was not. Desire would like to
believe she’d gained some respect in Reed’s eyes. She’d proven she was just as
willing to go all-in as any other agent, so she had no idea what his problem
was.
    “I know you like playing house,” Reed said, his words slimy
as they slipped from his lips. He’d agreed to Sam and Desiree’s assignment, but
that didn’t mean he had nothing to say about it. Both Sam and Desiree expected
some push back. Reed was generally resentful of the two of them and took every
opportunity to let them know who was in control.
    When you worked for the agency, a relationship or connection
of any kind was virtually impossible. It wasn’t as if you could actually have a
relationship, at least not an outside one. There weren’t many people who would
be tolerant of their partner just disappearing for months at a time, or
dropping off the face of the earth and not coming back. You really couldn’t
even disclose what your job was or you might put them in danger and there was
no such thing as balance between work and life in their profession. There was
only work, no life. Most of the agents avoided relationships because of that.
Sam and Desiree were unusual--and lucky. They were a couple in both realms and
so far had only been assigned together. There was no telling how long that
would last.
    Desiree ignored Reed’s comment, instead redirecting him to
the problem at hand. “We believe the crying woman in Toulouse was no relation
to the deceased, contrary to what she said. We’ll figure it out though. All we
know is there is somehow a connection between the bridal party and the family
next door—the Jenilhams.”
    Reed didn’t bother to try to hide his annoyance. “All you
know? What does that mean? And what kind of connection? Tell me something that
I don’t already know. You’ve got to give me more than that.”
    Sam piped in, “We’ll have more soon. Tonight, I believe.
We’ve already been invited to a neighborhood soiree.” He moved from foot to
foot behind Desiree, all the tension in his feet. From years of practice, Sam
was very good at keeping a poker face, but his feet were his tell. He often had
to force himself to stand still, but since Reed could only see his shoulders in
this chat, he didn’t bother. Technology was a wonderful thing.
    “Tick, tick, Romeo. Time’s a-wasting. I have other stuff you
could be working on, you know.” Normally clients came to them and asked for
help, but Sam and Desiree had requested this mission. They’d both been so moved
by the distraught woman and the tragedy that had practically taken place on
their doorstep, it was all they could do. Back at the inn, she made it seem as
if no one in France seemed to be helping her at all. The French just wanted to
clear the name of the tour operator so tourism in the area wouldn’t suffer and
back in the United States, the news had just focused on the heartbreaking story
of the tragedy before the wedding.
    This was the agency’s version of a pro-bono assignment. The
only ones being paid would be Sam and Desiree and solely with satisfaction for
their