Page 24 of Risky Match
How can my judgment have been so bad? He comes across as a dedicated tennis player and good guy. Sure, he can be somewhat of an arsehole if you interrupt his concentration, like we did today. But I’d never suspect he’d be involved in illegal smuggling. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate distraction if he were always worried about being caught?
There must be another explanation, and I’ll be in the perfect position to find it.
Rather than share those thoughts, I say, “I’m shocked, but that explains why Blake is a suspect. What do I need to do?”
“I assume you know the top players on tour, but how well do you and Blake know each other?” Adrian asks.
I cough, almost choking on a bite of tomato. That’s a loaded question. He doesn’t need to know that Blake has an adorable birthmark on his left butt cheek or that he has “Love means nothing” tattooed across his lower abdomen in reference to “love” being a score of zero in tennis.
Clearing my throat, I simply say, “I’ve always been one of his fans. We met at Wimbledon a couple of years ago and danced at the gala. He was smart and enjoyable to be around but extremely focused on tennis.”
“It’s good that you’re not strangers. As his tennis partner, you need to gain his trust and convince him to talk to you. Find out if he’s stressed about money. Figure out if he’s hiding something. See what he knows about coin collecting. Any information you can gather will be helpful,” Matt says.
“Blake and I met briefly this afternoon. It was difficult to convince him to practice with me. It will be even harder to find opportunities to talk. He keeps a strict schedule from what I can tell. Will I be staying anywhere close to the house he rented?”
“We haven’t found anything as close as we would like yet.”
“I should have taken him up on his offer for me and my bodyguards to stay at his house.” I laugh.
“Did he actually invite you to stay at his place?” Matt asks.
“He asked where we were staying. When I told him the details weren’t confirmed yet, he said he had three extra bedrooms we could use. I’m not sure if the invitation was real, but I knew no one would want me to be that close to a suspect. I was joking about taking him up on the offer.”
“Staying with him would be perfect,” Stephen says.
“It would. Call him and accept the offer. You can move in tomorrow afternoon,” Matt orders.
“Should I be staying with someone who may be involved in criminal activities?”
“He’s not suspected of any violent crime. Don’t tell me you have cold feet. You’ve been begging for a more substantial assignment. Have you changed your mind?” Matt asks.
“That’s not it. I was concerned about what people would think. Blake and I aren’t a couple, but you know the tabloids love to crucify me when they suspect I’m spending nights with someone. It will be even worse if he turns out to be involved in smuggling.”
I leave out the fact that I don’t trust myself living in the same house as Blake. The fiery desire he ignites in me is off the charts. My body doesn’t seem to care that he may be a criminal.
“Don’t worry about the tabloids. We’ll take care of them. It’s more important for you to be close to him. We also want you to plant surveillance devices. This will give you the best opportunity. It’s a brilliant solution!” Matt smiles.
“I told him other arrangements were being made. Won’t he be suspicious if I change my mind now?”
“Tell him that those arrangements fell through and now you’re desperate for a place to stay closer to the venue. Remind him that you can’t commute from the castle. It would take too long,” Adrian says.
Out of excuses, I say, “I’ll take care of it.”
We may have to share a house, but that’s all we’ll share. I can’t let my walls down.
“Excellent,” Matt says.
“How do I report what I learn?” I ask.
“You’ll use the encrypted app on your phone. We’ve also devised a backup plan in case that doesn’t work. That way you’llstill be able to exchange messages with these two even if you can’t text,” he says, pointing to Adrian and Stephen.
Adrian says, “That’s right. We’ve arranged for all your doubles matches to be on Centre Court as part of the backup plan.”
“How did you manage that?” I ask.
Stephen says, “It was simple. We reminded the organizers that people love seeing a princess on the court, and Blake is a top seed. You two will be a popular draw.”
When I’m focused on tennis, I forget that royal watchers don’t care that I’m not a high-ranking player. Sometimes it’s like I’m a sightseeing attraction rather than a competitor in their eyes, which is discouraging. I want people to respect my hard work and my tennis wins.
