DECOY (Kindle Single) Read Free

he’d got promoted from the fork-lifts to warehouse supervisor. Information courtesy of Tracy. Find out all you can, Megan had said.
    Adam swallowed and blinked again, straining to recall her face.
    ‘Haven’t forgotten me, have you?’ she said playfully. ‘We chatted at the Christmas works do.’ At which, according to Tracy, Adam had got totally blitzed, and of which he was likely to remember little.
    ‘Oh, right. I was a bit wasted that night,’ Adam said with a feeble smile.
    Kate giggled. ‘Yeah, that was a good night.’
    ‘I think I do remember you, though,’ Adam said. Was that a quick downward flicker of his eyes, checking out her cleavage?
    Remember the drill. He makes a move, you’re out of here.
    ‘Heard you got promoted. Nice one.’ Kate laid her handbag and phone on the bar and perched herself on a stool close to his, making sure that the hem of the red dress slid up a little to reveal a few more inches of leg.
    ‘Oh, yeah. Thanks.’ Adam wasn’t the most gifted conversationalist. Still, every word was being recorded. Some seasoned decoys worked with state-of-the-art miniature pinhole cameras transmitting wirelessly to a concealed storage device elsewhere in the room, such as in a bag carried by a second undercover colleague. That was the major leagues. Kate was making do with the digital voice recorder app on her phone that also allowed her to download the recording to disc afterwards to present as evidence to the client. If visual evidence of the subject’s improper behaviour was needed, she could use the phone to catch it on video.
    Client. Subject. Thinking like a pro already.
    ‘Want to dance?’ she asked, smiling.
    Adam seemed to hesitate. ‘I don’t know …’
    ‘Come on. You danced like a nutter at Christmas. Don’t you want to dance with me?’ Although how you could dance to the noise the crappy band was grinding out was a good question. Kate moved closer to Adam. Plenty of eye contact, a bit more leg and loads of opportunity to peer down her top. It wasn’t enjoyable. She had to smile and remind herself that this wasn’t her.
    But whether it was her or not, Adam wasn’t taking the bait. ‘That’s all right,’ he said awkwardly.
    ‘Don’t be like that,’ she said, feigning disappointment. What’s wrong with a bit of fun?’ She smiled suggestively. ‘I can be a lot of fun.’ Now she was beginning to understand how hard acting was, even with a gin and tonic warming her inside.
    ‘I’m getting married tomorrow,’ he blurted out.
    Kate put on a look of surprise. What she was really feeling was a flood of relief. She realised now that his glance down her dress before had been just embarrassment. ‘This is your stag party?’
    Adam shrugged, nodded.
    ‘Who’s the lucky girl? Anyone I might know?’
    ‘Her name’s Tracy,’ he said, and Kate could see the tenderness in his eyes. At the mention of Tracy’s name, he seemed to relax and began to talk more freely. He told her that the stag night had been his mates’ idea, not his. This wasn’t really his scene. He’d rather be at home, getting ready for the big day. He hoped she wasn’t offended that he didn’t want to dance.
    She assured him she wasn’t. ‘Well, it was great seeing you again. Congratulations. I’m really pleased for you.’
    Kate picked up her bag and left him at the bar, already putting together the report she was going to give Tracy. Adam hadn’t even offered her a drink, and didn’t as much as glance at her as she left. He was too deeply in love with his soon-to-be bride, who for the small fee of five hundred quid could now be assured that her man wouldn’t succumb to temptation. At least, not for a while.
    Mission accomplished, Kate checked her watch and realised that she’d earned her money in less than twenty minutes. She shook her head in disbelief and left the hotel to call a cab home.
    She should have asked the driver to wait for her.

Three
    ‘And what happened