The Seduction of Suki

“Who is it?” Agent Hughes heard from behind the door. Poor Suki. Her voice sounded so hesitant, and even a little fearful. “It’s Agent Hughes, Suki.” She heard the chain being slid back, the deadbolt click, and then the door swung open. “Yes?” asked Suki with concern. The agent couldn’t see very far into the apartment. Suki barely had the door open even a foot. She just hoped she was as alone as she seemed to be. Once she learned the full name of her roommate and what she drove, she made a point of visiting when she didn’t see the car in its usual spot. “Everything okay?” Agent Hughes asked. “Yeah, I’m fine,” Suki said, opening the door wider. “What’s going on?” “May I come in?” “Oh, sure. Yeah. Sorry about that. I was just finishing up dinner and wasn’t expecting anyone.” “Roommate not home?” Agent Hughes asked as she stepped inside. “No. She works second shift as a restaurant manager.” “Oh, really? Good for her. What restaurant?” “Comfort Foods. It’s down off of Main Street.” The agent shook her head knowingly. “I know where it is. Good stuff there. Had their chili mac and cheese one time, and it was fabulous.” There was a moment of silence as the agent scanned the living room, which was mostly neat but a little cluttered, as would be expected with young renters. Then Suki said, “Well, I’m guessing you didn’t come here to learn about my roommate, so do you want to tell me what’s going on?” “Well, after what you went through with Ted, I was a little concerned for your safety.” “Oh,” Suki said, surprised. “Well, it’s no big deal. Really. I’m pretty sure we set him straight, and while he may not be fond of rejection, he seems pretty harmless to me. Why? Did something in particular happen?” “Oh, no, not at all. I mean, there are some things I’ve learned, but I’m not at liberty to discuss that.” Suki’s mouth formed a confused oh. “Why would he be allowed to work for the FBI of all places if he had any questionable behavior?” “Well,” the agent said, searching for the right words, “that’s what we’re looking into.” Suki looked at her as if unsure of what to think. “Anyway, I don’t want to keep you long, but my bladder is screaming to be emptied. Can I use your bathroom really quickly before I leave?” “Oh, yeah,” Suki said, making room for her to walk past. “Sure. It’s right down the hall to the left.” Once Agent Hughes was in the bathroom, she placed the listening device behind the toilet, making sure to flush it and run the sink afterward to keep Suki from becoming suspicious. Now she could listen to at least some of the conversation in the apartment, just like she would always know when her bike was moving with the GPS device she’d slipped under the seat. Stepping out into the hall, she said, “Nice place you have here.” “Yeah, it will do for now.” “For now? What comes after this place?” “Hopefully a house.” “Oh, that would be nice. I remember the day my daughter and I moved into our house, and it was definitely an exciting day.” Suki gave a slight smile but didn’t seem to want to entertain her company any further at the moment. Still, being as polite as she was, she said, “I’ll bet it was.” “Want to go out this weekend and maybe catch a movie together or get a bite to eat? It doesn’t have to be just comfort food either, and then I’d love to give you a tour of my house.” “That’s kind of you to ask, but I’m going to be pretty busy. Sorry.” “Let me guess. Boyfriend called.” “Not yet, but if he doesn’t, I’m planning on spending quite a while being single. It’s easier that way. Maybe once I’ve had a little more time to focus on my career and get settled in a house, I’ll be up to the idea of meeting some guys.” After an awkward moment of silence, with the agent checking her out in her cute after-hours shorts and tank, Hughes said, “Okay then. I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. You have a good night and keep your doors locked, okay?” “I will, and you have a good night, too,” Suki said, letting the agent out and then relocking the door. The agent left Suki’s building disappointed but not discouraged. If anything, Suki’s lack of interest only made her more determined to pursue the girl. At home later that evening, she listened to whatever she could pick up from the listening device, but it wasn’t very good at picking up many decipherable words in other rooms. There simply hadn’t been any way she could discreetly place it in the living room, where Suki would spend most of her time. She couldn’t see her Facebook account or anything like that because she seemed to be a very private person. So, your average social media sites were out. Or so she thought, until she found that Suki had just signed up on a dating site claiming that she was career-oriented, not looking for casuals, and loved to travel and cook. She also loved to read and believed that honesty was the key to a healthy relationship. No smokers, no drinkers, no jokers. “Yeah, like you’re really honest yourself, you stuck-up little bitch,” the agent said aloud, surprised by her own anger. “I’m just not good enough for you because of what? Because we work in the same building? Because I’m a woman?” Agent Hughes closed her laptop and rubbed her eyes. Why would Suki lie and say she wanted to remain single? Was she embarrassed to admit she joined a dating site, something that people often associated with losers or desperate people? Picking up useless bits and pieces of conversations with her roommate and with those they appeared to chat with by phone, she knew it was time to move on to the next step of her plan… seizing Suki.