Free Play by Play (A Play Makers Novella) by Kate Donovan Page A

adult level—as Josh discovers firsthand how Nikki makes the airwaves sizzle.
     
     
     
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    From the moment the abduction of four-year-old Linzie Ainsworth was reported to the FBI, Special Agent Josh Saxon had owned the case. He negotiated the ransom, made the drop personally, then found the child’s frail, unconscious body in the trunk of a car and brought her back alive.
    It was truly the case of a lifetime, and he wanted to see it through. To cuff the scum who had terrorized this helpless victim and make them pay. Grill them, toss them behind bars, testify against them, then throw away the key.
    The thought of bringing someone else into the investigation, especially at this point, seemed counterproductive. But he trusted his boss’s judgment, so if Matt Moreno thought he needed a partner, Josh would go along with any agent he chose.
    But a fake one? An actress ? That crossed too many lines. Plus, it was an insult. And worst of all, Josh hadn’t even been consulted ahead of time.
    Because Matt knew you’d burst an effing blood vessel.
    So here they stood—Matt Moreno, Special Agent in Charge; Josh Saxon, Special Agent but obviously not in charge of much; and the Ainsworth parents—waiting on the sunporch of the family’s posh D.C. mansion for the actress’s arrival.
    True to its name, the porch was brightly lit even though the sun itself had set two hours earlier. Strings of dazzling white lights crisscrossed the glass walls and ceiling, highlighting the marble statuary and reflecting off the tile cabinetry, creating a truly stunning display of pseudo daytime brilliance.
    Fitting, since actress Nicole Gower hailed from the land of artificial lights and grand entrances.
    “We didn’t mean to spring this on you, Agent Saxon,” Lorna Ainsworth was telling him. “But the idea came to me out of the blue, and when I mentioned it to Agent Moreno, he ran with it.” The sexy, dark-haired mom with the amazing rack moved in closer. “You don’t really mind, do you? I’m just so desperate to get my baby talking again, and she loves Agent Trace so much.”
    He wanted to ask, or rather beg her not to refer to the actress as an agent, but he didn’t trust his tone, which had been referred to more than once as a growl. So he just remained silent.
    “I’m going to borrow Agent Saxon for a minute,” Matt said cheerfully. Then he ambled into the glittery hall and toward the richly furnished media room that served as the FBI’s base of operations. It was state-of-the-art times ten, from its black leather stadium seating, to the huge primary screen, to the awe-inspiring sound system. Yet it also provided a more intimate venue, with a plush blue love seat off to one side, subverting the grandiose display with a romantic, almost frilly, touch of warmth.
    Immune to the contradictions, Josh followed his boss into the room, then shut the double doors and glared. “An actress? Are you fucking kidding me?”
    “I knew you’d be pissed, but get over it.” Matt crossed to the well-stocked bar and lounged against it, the picture of power and ease. “I’m convinced this can work. And even if it doesn’t, so what? It makes the parents happy. Keeps them motivated. We need their continued cooperation, right? The kid’s safe—thanks to you—but we still need to catch the fucks who took her.”
    Matt was right, of course. Matt was always right. Except about the actress. So Josh countered him coolly. “The shrinks are providing the motivation. Not just the ones from the Bureau, but the private ones Lorna and Kevin hired. Their diagnosis is consistent. Linzie’s getting worse every day, withdrawing deeper and deeper, deteriorating before our eyes. She can’t begin to heal until she knows her captors are behind bars.” He rubbed his tired eyes. “It’s taking forever to find those assholes, and that’s on me. No argument there. So if you think I need help, fine. But turning the investigation into a