FBI Damsel: Foreign Affairs

It was yet to be another cold morning in dreary London. An American couple, newlyweds with a child on the way, made their usual walk through the nearby park. The husband held his wife close so she wouldn’t freeze.

“What was that?” she asked.

He shrugged. “You’re being paranoid again. There’s nothing there!”

“No, Heath, I swear there’s been a guy following us for the past few days!”

“No one is following us, Andrea! I know you’re still not completely over what happened last year, but-“

“Heath.” He stopped arguing. “There’s no way I’m being paranoid because of that. More careful than ever, sure, but I am over it. I’ve tested it to see if it was coincidence, and I’ve been proven right time and again that there’s a man following us! And sometimes a woman!”

He patted her arm and smiled, humoring her. “Yes, and their dog is the one who keeps pooping on our doorstep.”

“Heath, you know that’s not what I’m meaning!”

“They’re neighbors, Andrea! Of course they’re going to be in the same area as us all the time.”

“No, Heath, I swear-“

He stopped walking and faced his wife. Taking her head in his hands, she shushed for the first time all morning.

“No one is out to find you, I promise.”

She sighed. “I know.”

“Stop worrying. Malcolm is dead, so is Barbie, and what’s-his-bucket is back in the institution, where he belongs. None of them are going to get you anymore.”

“I know!” she groaned. “I know they’re not, but I swear to God someone is following us!”

He looked around. Not seeing anyone, smiled and kissed his wife. “No one’s here now. Nothing to fear, sweetheart. Can we go home before you freeze? I don’t want you nor the baby getting sick!”

“The baby can’t get sick,” she rolled her eyes. He took her hand in his and they continued walking towards their rented flat.

“When is the next doctor’s appointment?”

“Tomorrow. We get to find out the sex of our baby!” she answered excitedly.

“It’s a boy.”

“You seem pretty confident, Mr. Martinez,” she said, eyeing him.

“Of course. I have one brother, my only other sibling. Sex of a child is usually dependent on the father, therefore we are having a boy.”

Andrea laughed. “You are so...! Heath, someone’s inside the house.”

He shook his head. “I told you, no one is in... get behind me.”

The TV played silently in the living room. He put his hand behind him, protecting his wife. She handed him her gun. He looked at her, one eyebrow raised. She shrugged.

“Can you see them?” she whispered.

“Shh.”

“Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Martinez! I’ve been waiting for you,” the girl said. She flicked on the light and stood up from the couch.

“Who are you?” Heath asked.

“Detective Lisa Caraway, head of London’s Foreign Criminal Department. The two of you have been under my radar for nearly three weeks.”

“Why would we be under your radar?” Andrea asked nervously.

Lisa smiled. “It’s best we save this discussion for my office. Shall we?”