Free Person of Interest by Debra Webb Page A

hadn’t ever really known him. She only knew what had drawn her to him.
    She didn’t really know David the man. She only knew David the lover.
    She knew what he’d allowed her to see.
    That realization was the hardest of all.
    Her gaze dropped to Joe Hennessey. This time he was definitely sleeping. She couldn’t help wondering if he’d done this on purpose. Made her see.
    She tugged her hand free of his and admitted yet another painful truth. No. This was no one’s fault but her own. She’d seen what she’d wanted to see.
    Nothing more.
    And now she knew the whole truth.
    Her relationship with David had been based on an illusion that she had created in her mind.
    Elizabeth left Hennessey’s room.
    She progressed down the stairs and walked to the front door. She unlocked and opened it and came face-to-face with the agent assigned to that location.
    “I need to see Director Calder,” she said, her voice lacking any real emotion.
    “Is there a problem, Dr. Cameron?” the agent asked, his dark eyewear no doubt concealing an instant concern for the two principals it was his job to protect.
    “Yes, there is,” she said bluntly. “I need to go home. I’ve decided I can’t complete this assignment. Please call the director for me.”
    Elizabeth closed the door. There was nothing else to say.
    She’d made up her mind.
    Agreeing to this part of his mission had been a mistake. Giving someone David’s face was one thing but she could not do the rest. There had to be someone else who knew David’s personality well enough to help Hennessey grasp the necessary elements. Surely there were videos the CIA had made, tapes of interviews David had conducted.
    However they conducted this portion of the mission from here had nothing to do with her.
    She wanted out.

Chapter Six
    Three days elapsed before Elizabeth would again speak to him about her relationship with Maddox.
    Today was his first “official” Maddox lesson. They were finally getting down to business. ’Bout time.
    That first night at the safe house she had left him sleeping and called the director. Not the director of field operations. The frigging director of the CIA himself. She had demanded to be taken home, had insisted that she wanted no further part in this operation.
    Somehow Director Calder had changed her mind.
    Since Joe had slept through the whole thing he had no idea how the director had accomplished the feat.
    At any rate, Joe had awakened the next morning to an edict from the good doctor. She refused to discuss anything about the assignment with Joe until three days had passed. She wanted him to stay on thefull dosage of the medication and in bed during said time. He hadn’t liked it one damned bit, but what choice did he have? It wasn’t like he could disobey a direct order from Calder.
    During those three days Elizabeth had attended to his medical needs. She’d changed his bandages. Thankfully at this point the bulkier gauze was gone. The swelling was still pretty ugly as was the redness. He looked like he’d been on the losing end of a pool house brawl.
    “Not like that,” she said, her impatience showing.
    “Show me,” Joe countered, his own patience thinning.
    It wasn’t like he’d been around Maddox that much. Getting his mannerisms down pat wasn’t going to be easy without a better understanding of how he moved.
    Elizabeth did the thing with her right arm that she was convinced Joe would never get right. A clever little salute of a wave Maddox had tossed her way every time he saw her. It wasn’t that big a deal. He doubted Maddox waved at his targets.
    Since she waited, glaring at him, Joe assumed she was ready for him to try again. So he did.
    She shook her head. “That’s still not right.” At his annoyed look she threw up her hands. “This is impossible! You’re not going to get it. You’re not him!”
    Enough.
    Joe got right in her face. She blinked, but to her credit, she didn’t back off.
    “You know what, you’re