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.""Turn around.""No.Give me the towel.""Just once."She spun on one heel and almost lost her balance in the slick tub.Trey handed her the towel and she wrapped it around herself."Finally."Trey stood, a grin creasing his face."You still look good.Guess that's why I keep pretending to be married to you."CHAPTER 20Mallory opted for the bike shorts and large shirt that Jo had left for her.She found the other three at the dining room table, food in bowls and platters."You didn't have to wait." She picked a seat far away from Trey.He nodded his head at her from across the table."I wouldn't dream of eating without my lovely wife."Mallory groaned."Really, Trey, I know you don't need that much time to get into character."His grin spoke volumes.He was going to enjoy this way too much, despite the seriousness of the work.She rolled her eyes.Only Trey could make her do that."Let's eat," Jo said and passed a bowl with chicken salad in it to Mallory."Hope you're hungry.""I can get into any meal that I can finish without getting blown up or shot at," Mallory said."I can second that.Boy, I do not miss those days," Jo said.Mallory dished chicken onto her plate and a bit from every other serving platter."Do you guys do lunch like this all the time?""No, just when we know someone will appreciate it," Stone said."Mm," Mallory said.She did appreciate the effort.Trey watched her, but she refused to make eye contact."So what's our game plan?""You know we've got to convince him we want in.Then we can get a better idea of his operation and what he's planning," Trey said."Got that.But what's our reasoning for wanting to get involved?" Mallory asked."We're just concerned citizens.""Wouldn't concerned citizens be doing the opposite?" she asked."You're forgetting that the Stanley Foundation is supposed to be a relief organization.We aren't supposed to know about his terrorist stuff," Trey said."Mm.Right.I'm out of practice.""You'll fall back into it," Stone said."I hope so.I wouldn't want to blow this," Mallory responded.Could she really do this? She'd be going back into a lion's den.One she'd been close to on that fateful day five years ago.She shook off her concerns.Too many people depended on her."Can you do this?" Jo asked.She put a hand on Mallory's arm.The look she gave Mallory was that it was okay if she didn't want to.Only one who had resigned from a government agency could ever understand."I can.I just need a little practice.""Then we'll just have to act like a married couple," Trey said.Mallory did not like the twinkle in his eye."You mean bicker all the time?"Jo and Stone laughed."That's a start," Stone said."Mal, we've done it before.It'll be fine."She nodded, not so sure."Well, we have that settled.Let's talk about something more positive.How did you two meet?"Booth sat with his legs dangling off the examination table.In the movies, doctors had large rooms.This one barely fit the table and the rolling stool that must be for the physician.Canned music wafted out of the speakers.Was it supposed to be soothing? Booth found it annoying.The nurse had taken his blood pressure and weight and then cheerfully told him the doctor would be by in a minute.That had been fifteen minutes ago."Damn insurance."The doctor he wanted, the specialist for his disease, wasn't on his plan.So he had to go with his second choice.He had money to go to the first choice, but he wanted to stay under everyone's radar.Especially the guys at the firehouse.They'd know just what he could afford based on the job that was his cover.He shook his head.Not much longer, though he wasn't sure where Mallory was at this point.That would be priority one, after he filled whatever prescription he got.He'd done his research and he knew there were drugs he could take.Drugs to stave off the worst of the symptoms.Just until he made this last kill.That's all he needed.Then he'd be off to the island and he could hire a beautiful nurse to take care of him.In many ways.He glanced at his watch again.Another minute had passed.He heard someone take his file out of the slot on the door.He took a deep breath.What if the medication doesn't work on me?Mallory's insides twisted as they pulled up to the Sheraton again.Why does this job bother me now? She shook off her feelings.No time to look back.Trey put his hand on hers."You okay? You've been quiet.""I'm nervous, but I'll be fine.""Good."A valet opened their doors.Mallory alighted in the hot pink sheath dress that she'd borrowed from Jo.Her heart skipped a few beats.Trey's hand on her back reassured her.A man in a hotel uniform directed them to an elevator.Trey pushed the button for the top executive level—where they'd been before.Paul Stanley had insisted they meet for dinner.Another day they could go to his foundation's office.The idea that Stanley had tracked down a cell phone given to them by Stone unnerved her.This man was more dangerous than Trey or she first thought.Certainly more connected.Kono greeted them, or grunted at them, when the doors opened.He sported a bump on the side of his face and a sour look about him.Guess he thought they'd been the culprits."What a nasty bump? How did you get it?" Mallory said before she could think about it.Instead of an answer, he led them to the suite where the party had been.A table had been set for four and upon it, long white tapers burned.Kono left and a very young woman entered the room from one of the bedrooms."Hello, I'm Vanessa Francesco."Mafia princess, Mallory knew.Maybe there was something to Stanley's alleged mob connection.She threw a glance at Trey and he stared at the woman as if entranced
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