Nodding at the information pa.s.sed discreetly, he smiled. "I will be more than happy to take a look at the list for you. Of course, it is outside my normal duties, but I will certainly get to it as time allows."

Bending her head slightly toward him, she stood and walked to the door, with Yeng on her heels. Taking her hand in his, he bowed low.

Deciding to take the elevator, she walked to the end of the hall before turning to look over her shoulder. Yeng was still in the doorway to his office, his head bent over the file she had given him. As she stepped into the elevator and turned back around, he was piercing her with his stare as the doors closed.

Penny used the low security at night to slip back through the clinic to the wing where David's room was. Peeking inside to a.s.sure he was alone, she made her way to his bed. No longer coughing, she felt his forehead, pleased to find it cool to the touch.

Waking suddenly, he jumped. "Geez, you scared me," he exclaimed.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "I'm much better, so you don't have to keep checking on me."

Staring at him, she blanched. "What's wrong? You don't sound like you."

"Nothing, I just...nothing," he complained.

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, she stared at him. "David, come on. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I can tell something's not right."

He averted his eyes for a moment before finally looking at her. "It's just...well, I was talking to the doctor today. He asked about us...about you and me."

Rearing back, she narrowed her eyes. "Why was he asking about us?"

"Just about us not having a home...us living on the street. He wanted to know if I'd like to make some money...so I could take better care of you."

A sneaky-sick feeling began to crawl through Penny as she watched David appear to battle with something. "How, David? How did he tell you to make money?"

He lifted his gaze to her, his eyes moving over her thin face. "Penny, I'd give anything to be able to offer you a little place for us to live. Then we could get jobs and pay the rent. Actually have our own little home...even if it was just a single room."

Licking her lips, she shook her head slightly in confusion. "David, we're only sixteen. Who's gonna give us money? Who's gonna rent to us or give us jobs?"

"I'm almost seventeen," he stated, a slight pout on his face. "Don't you see, Penny, if we had the start up money to tide us over, we could have a place to live until everything else fell into place."

"You're not making sense. Tell me what he offered," she demanded.

"You know you can live with only one kidney, right?" David asked.

The silence in the room was deafening as she struggled to comprehend what he was talking about.

"One...one kidney?"

David's mouth twisted in a grimace, even as his eyes appeared hopeful. "There's a waiting list for people who need kidneys and will pay good money to get one. He said that his clinic can help with that. Instead of making people wait years to be on some list, he can match up donors with those in need. And he said that they'll pay top dollar for a kidney, especially one from a young person."

Realization slammed into Penny and she jumped up from the bed, her face a mask of horror. "You can't be serious? He's trying to get you to sell a body part?" Stumbling backward, she b.u.mped into a chair, causing it to sc.r.a.pe against the floor. The noise startled them both.

"Shhh," he admonished. "Do you want to get caught in here?"

"I...I don't know what to say. You can't do this. You can't let them take a healthy organ from you. What if you need it? Or need it down the road? Or something goes wrong?"

Patting the mattress beside him, he coaxed her over. Taking her hand in his, he said, "Penny, if I could give you a place to live with me that was out of the cold and the rain, I'd sell my soul." Giving a slight chuckle, he said, "But I only have to sell a kidney."

"This is madness," she finally said, chest heaving with emotion. Moving up on the bed, she lay beside him, allowing him to curl his arms around her, pulling her tightly to his side.

"I don't have to make up my mind now," he said, "but I will soon. If I agree, then I get to stay here in the clinic while they make sure I'm healthy. They'll treat me well...feed me...give me medicine...and then I can recuperate here after the surgery. And I got his word that you can stay the whole time too."

"I don't want to live without you," she vowed, the youthful promise of love overwhelming to the young woman who had had little love in her life.

"I'll be fine," he promised. With Penny in his arms, David made up his mind. A kidney for the chance to provide for her...it was a no-brainer. It'll be fine...nothing will go wrong.

Yeng Chow descended the staircase, hidden discretely in an empty supply closet. At the bottom of the stairs he walked to the wall, pressing the switch that sent the wall sliding to the side. A musty smell a.s.saulted him, but he quickly closed the door behind him as he continued forward. The dark hallway led down several twists and turns until he came to another door, this one leading to more stairs. Smiling, he utilized the old steam tunnels beneath the city that made for the perfect clandestine walkways. At the top, he entered a side door to the Cheung clinic and made his way un.o.bstructed to the second floor, walking along the waxed, tiled floors. Stopping at the door labeled, Director Cheung, he stepped inside.

A pretty a.s.sistant sat in her seat behind her desk and smiled as he walked in. With a bow in her direction he proceeded to the door to her side. Opening it, he smiled at the incongruent surroundings.

Dark paneling lined three of the walls with heavy, built-in bookcases filling the last wall. Brocade draperies in red and gold hung along the sides of the windows, with matching valances covering the tops. A ma.s.sive mahogany desk filled one side of the room, while a red sofa and upholstered chairs took up the rest of the s.p.a.ce. Sitting behind the desk was Jian Cheung.

Staring at the powerful man running the successful clinic, he bowed before greeting him. "Good afternoon, cousin."

Charlie sat at Luke's dining room table staring at the computer screen before leaning back in a huff. Her legs were curled up under her but the seat was hard, causing her foot to fall asleep. Standing, she stretched her arms above her head and heard her back crack. The house was empty since Luke had left earlier to go to Jack's for a video-conference with someone from the FBI. He said Jack trusted her, but she had to accept that whatever was being discussed was not for her ears. He offered to take her so that she could work upstairs since Bethany would be there working on her wedding venue business, but Charlie had declined. Sometimes, it was just nice to work alone with no other distractions.

After getting a cold bottle of water from the refrigerator, she glanced back down at the notes scattered across the table in front of her. Taking a long swig of the refreshing liquid, she set the bottle to the side and sat back down to work.

She had hacked into the computer systems of over twenty clinics in the northern Virginia area, but had been unable to determine if any of them were the clinic Eli had discovered. She considered narrowing her search to those with directors of Asian heritage, but was afraid that was too narrow.

She moved over to the notes on runaways and homeless persons being exploited for human trafficking. So, how would a clinic make contact with these people if they wanted to use them for their nefarious gains?

Looking out the window into Luke's back yard dotted with trees, she was filled with the desire to get out of the house. She found a hammock tied between two small trees and could not wait to try it out. Gingerly sitting down, she spread her arms out for balance as she swung her legs up. The hammock teetered precariously until she managed to wiggle into the middle. Lying back, she watched the clouds float through the sky between the tall trees.

The breeze gently blew across her body and she dropped one foot to the ground so that she could use it to push the swing. Relaxing, Charlie smiled. Luke's right...sometimes you have to get outside and just feel. Within a few minutes, she drifted off to sleep, dreams sliding in and out as thoughts of the investigation swirled about her mind.

Startling suddenly, Charlie bolted upright, shaking the hammock. Flinging her arms out to the side, she remembered where she was as she steadied the swinging motion. Wow, I must have been really tired to have fallen asleep.

Surprised that she had napped, she ungracefully stood up and walked back toward the house, her mind clear and fresh from the beautiful autumn day. Sucking in one last deep breath of crisp air, she made her way back into the kitchen. Walking into the dining room, she looked down at her notes, an idea filling her thoughts. How would a clinic discover homeless persons or runaways? By offering them health services...for free!

Charlie plopped back down into the chair, tucking her legs up under her, and refined her searches with renewed vigor.

Chapter 19.

Luke patched Nick into their secure video-conference and, after greeting him, allowed the camera to pan the room, introducing the agent to the rest of the Saints. Moving the camera back to him, he immediately started questioning Nick on Eli's murder investigation.

Appearing momentarily uncomfortable, Nick began reviewing his findings. "I won't go back over what you already know, but I've been able to uncover a few more facts in the case. When Eli Frederick first contacted the FBI, his call went into a general call-center that handles the first line of communication. The Bureau gets hundreds of calls, emails, messages, texts a day. You name it, and someone calls it in. He left no name and wouldn't give much info so it ended up in a database for future reference if he contacted them again through the same number.

"The next time, he gave his first name and more information. It was pa.s.sed to the next level and an agent spoke with him. Based on the information he gave, he was a.s.signed to an agent to deal with him." Nick stared at the camera, his hard face not moving except for the tick in his jaw. "The agent a.s.signed to him was Lin w.a.n.g. They spoke on the phone at least three times that she recorded and then a meeting was arranged."

"What can you tell us about that arrangement?" Luke asked.

"It was to take place in Baltimore. Eli had chosen a library room in a public library. It appeared he craved privacy as well as a public place to meet."

"But he didn't give his address?"

Shaking his head, Nick said, "No, but later, with his full name given, I'm sure Ms. w.a.n.g had his address pulled up immediately."

"Who would have known about the meeting?"

"Obviously Ms. w.a.n.g, her partner, and her direct supervisor, for sure. And quite frankly, if they felt it was warranted, then a team could have known about it ahead of time. The meeting was to be with just her, but that doesn't mean she went alone. In fact, I'm sure her partner would have been close."

"So any number of people could have known about the meeting?" Luke confirmed.

"Absolutely. Just because he was dealing with Ms. w.a.n.g and then was compromised, doesn't mean she was the one who arranged to have him neutralized." He leaned back in his chair, the wood squeaking under his weight. "It just feels wrong to make the a.s.sumption she was involved."

"We have to investigate every angle," Monty reminded.

"Yeah, I know." Heaving another sigh, Nick continued. "According to the report, when he did not show at the appointed time, Agent w.a.n.g drove to his house after gaining approval from her superior. She also arranged to have her partner meet her there. There was no answer, either at the door or with his phone. She walked around the side, saw blood through a window, and called for backup."

"We've read the official report of the investigation-"

"How the h.e.l.l did you get your hands on that?" Nick asked, his eyes widening before narrowing in anger.

Luke did not reply and, after a tense moment, Nick shook his head. "I guess you've got your ways. Probably not legal," he grumbled. Shifting in his seat again, he asked, "So what do you want to know?"

"Who was collecting the evidence at the crime scene?"

"The team that responded to Agent w.a.n.g's call."

Jack spoke up as Luke panned the camera around to him. "But with Agent w.a.n.g there by herself until her partner and the team showed up, she could have tampered with the evidence." He quickly added, "I'm not saying she did...just that she could have."

Pressing his lips together, Nick nodded. "Yeah, it's possible."

"Do we know her movements two hours before the meeting?" Monty asked. Seeing Nick's hesitation, he added, "You've seen what we've got. We've got a witness who was at the scene two hours before the meeting was to take place. The witness saw three people, including one Asian woman who was wearing a white blouse and a dark jacket. She was the one who killed Eli. On top of that, she was wearing a badge!"

"I know, I know," Nick growled. "Look, I don't know Agent w.a.n.g personally, so I've got no preconceived ideas of her innocence or guilt, but I'll be d.a.m.ned before I turn against a fellow Agent unless I know she's guilty."

Luke's quiet voice broke through the deafening silence. "And how will you know her guilt until you try to prove her innocence?"

"That's not the way it works," Nick bit out. "Innocent until proven guilty, remember?"

"I've got a woman who has been on the run for the past five months because of someone's guilt!" Luke shouted. "Her life has been turned upside down and she is still being chased because of what she saw. So I don't give a f.u.c.k if you hate checking into a fellow agent...are you going to help us or not?"

"Luke," Marc said softly, gaining his friend's attention. "Hold your s.h.i.t together."

Sucking in a deep breath through his nose before exhaling loudly, Luke nodded. Once more the silence in the room settled on everyone as the Saints watched carefully to see what Nick would say; he appeared to be wrestling with a decision.

A long minute ticked by before Nick finally nodded. "Okay. I'll check to see what her daily log included the day of the murder. I'll also check to see what was on the books for any of her team members."

"Thank you," Luke responded, his heart rate slowly returning to normal.

Hours later Luke returned to his house and, as he drove into the driveway, he smiled knowing Charlie was inside. Rubbing his hand over his chest, he realized the house had always been a safe place...a comfortable place...even a refuge. But never more than a house. Now, with her inside waiting, it felt like he was coming home.

Opening the door, he noticed the dining room table was covered in papers, two laptops, and an empty cup of coffee with only the coffee dregs in the bottom.

"Charlie?" he called out. Walking through the kitchen, he heard music coming from the garage. Smiling, he headed through the hall and threw open the door to the workout room.

Leaning against the doorframe, he watched as Charlie, dressed only in tight yoga pants and a t-shirt, sweat glistening off her body, ran through her exercises. Her lean body, muscular and strong, made his mouth water.

As she shouted with her jabs and kicks, she never noticed him as he approached. As his fingertips touched her, she startled with a scream, swirling around with her hand flying toward his head. Ducking her hand, he caught her as she tumbled backward. Twisting so he would hit the mats first, she landed on his chest with an "umph".

"Jesus, woman," Luke ground out, his hands now trying to still her wiggling. He had wanted her on him, but in difference circ.u.mstances.

"Luke!" she managed to say, as the adrenaline rushed through her body. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?" She scrambled as she rolled to the side before attempting to sit up. "I could have hurt you!"

"Babe, I was in more fear of you getting hurt than anything else," he retorted. "You never heard me approach."

"Why would I be cautious in here?" She took his offered hand, allowing him to pull her up.

He took her hand and pulled her over to him, tucking her gently, chest to chest. "Because you need to be cautious everywhere," he warned. Leaning back as she was about to protest, he added, "You may be good at sneaking up on someone to take them out when they are unaware, but you haven't had enough training in handling someone who comes up silently from behind."

Pouting slightly, she looked into his concerned eyes and asked, "So, what do we do about it?" Her eyes began to twinkle as she said, "You want to train me some more?"

Holding her close, he chuckled. "That'll never work because every time we get in the workout room, we end up having s.e.x!" As she giggled, he said, "What you need is a training partner...one that I trust." Her brow creased, but he continued, "And I know just who to call in."

Loving the way her body was molded to his, Luke twisted around so that her back was pressed against the wall, pinning her there with his larger body, covering her mouth with his own. Deep, wet and hard. An unrestrained kiss that spoke volumes as their arms entwined. Lifting her up, she wrapped her legs around his waist as her arms clutched his shoulders. Their heads moved from side to side, noses banging, as their tongues dueled in a frenzy for dominance. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, swallowing the groan emanating from deep in his chest.

Thrusting his tongue deeply into the warmth of her mouth, he tasted the heady combination of mint and her. Distinctly her. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed into his chest, as one arm held her a.s.s and the other cupped her delicate jaw.

He pushed her more firmly against the wall, supporting her so that he had both hands free. She immediately began to grind herself on his torso, desperate for the friction to ease the ache that was deep inside.

Grabbing the bottom of her shirt, he jerked it upward until it caught on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She reached out to a.s.sist and whipped it up over her head, allowing their kiss to break only long enough for the material to pa.s.s their lips.

He glanced down, consternation replacing the rush of l.u.s.t as he realized she was wearing a tight sports bra and it did not appear to have a closure. "Babe?" he moaned, now dodging her lips as he tried to see how to remove the now offending garment. "What the h.e.l.l do I do with this?"

The l.u.s.t-filled fog lifted momentarily as Charlie glanced down to see what he was referring to. "Oh," she grunted as she leaned away from the wall and grabbed the bottom edges of the bra. Struggling as she wiggled it over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, finally allowing them to bounce free, she continued to writhe as she shimmied the tight spandex over her shoulders and head before dropping it to the floor.

Lifting her gaze back to his, she saw the concern in his eyes. "What's wrong?"