Free Investigating the Hottie by Juli Alexander Page B

“It’s the only option I’ve got at this point anyway.”
    Great. How flattering. He’d do it because he had no choice. As a girl, I was insulted. As a spy, I’d done my job, and set up the rest of the investigation. “Can we work on it tomorrow night?”
    “I don’t know. Can’t we wait until Friday? Then we’ll have all weekend.”
    I’m thinking, no. Because I’m desperate to see you in action, prove you’re the culprit, and have you punished. But, what I said was, “Sure. Whatever.” 
    He started walking again. “We’d better hurry to the cafeteria or we’ll get stuck with the meatloaf.”
    “I hope it’s better than at my school. I mean, my old school.”
    He lowered his voice. “I’m pretty sure it’s dog food here, so if your old school served something designed for human consumption, PA’s going to win this contest.”
    “I wonder if this best of the worst stuff is bad for our character development.”
    “Well, we’re not doing our Art project that way,” he said, “because I have to get a good grade.”
    “Of course not!”
    “We have to take it seriously,” he said.
    “I’m the one who wants to start on it right away. Remember?”
    He gave me a look I couldn’t quite define. He seemed like he was stressing, and I couldn’t understand why.
    We made it to the cafeteria. I grabbed the last burger and an apple. Will was still loading up his tray, so I went and paid at the register.
    I walked over to the table.
    “Dude,” Colin said to me as I sat down. “Where’ve you guys been?”
    Kyle muttered something to Mark and laughed.
    “Ms. Roberson held us up,” I explained. The last thing I wanted was for them to think we’d ducked into a broom closet. It wasn’t the last thing I wanted to do, but I didn’t want them thinking it.
    “Sure,” Colin said.
    Whatever dude.
    “Actually, Mrs. Roberson was looking for some nude models for her night class at the college. Will suggested you, but she said she needed a more mature form.”
    Colin opened his mouth and closed it. I guess he hadn’t expected that from me.
    The others broke into laughter.
    Will finally showed up. He’d just set down the tray and pulled out the plastic chair when my boob started to vibrate.
    Wonderful. I had no choice but to leave. So I said, “Excuse me gentlemen, but my breast needs my attention.”
    No. Actually, I jumped up, grabbed my backpack and the burger, and said, “Forgot about something. See you guys later.”
    Clutching my backpack to my chest, I fled the cafeteria.
    I could just hear Kyle asking why I’d run off when Colin was the one who should have been embarrassed.
    I heard Kyle’s “oof” when Colin slugged him just as I went out the door.
    Veering into the restroom, I glanced around and whipped out the boob phone.
    “Hello,” I said.
    “Tina?” asked a voice on the line.
    “No.”
    “Oh, sorry. Wrong number.”  
    “What?”
    Click.
    A wrong number on an agency wireless? You gotta be kidding me.
    Instead of flushing the phone down the toilet, I went back to the hall, sat on the floor, and ate my burger.
     

 
    Chapter Seven
     
    Nic picked me up from school and ran me by Christie’s apartment to change clothes. The girls were playing at five, so we ordered Chinese and ate at his apartment. It was the mirror image of Christie’s with all the furniture black instead of white.
    “So you’re like the bad guy with the black wardrobe.” I pushed the remains of my Beef and Green Peppers across the dining table and looked around.
    Nic chuckled. “That’s probably what Christie would tell you. I think the agency keeps it black and white for simplicity. Most of the furniture has hidden compartments or hidden technology.”
    “What’s hidden in the couch? A sofa bed?” I glanced over at the completely ordinary black leather sofa.
    Nic coughed. “No. Weapons actually.”
    I turned to see if he was kidding. “Weapons. I’ve been sitting on a pile of weapons?”
    He appeared