It was working out even better than she’d hoped for. Not only was she getting a date out of the deal, she’d been invited to his place. She could scope it out and take note of who worked closely with him. She wanted to avoid running into anyone in town she might know from her past anyway.
“Why don’t you give me your address? That way, if I’m a little late you won’t have to wait for me in town. You know us girls, always running on our own sense of timing. Besides, if you live out of town, it will give me the opportunity to see the countryside a bit.”
He hesitated and looked at her carefully.
“Yeah, okay. That works. I’ll get a pen.”
ELEVEN
Antsy didn’t even begin to describe how Shyla felt as she prepared for her date with Victor. It wasn’t anxiety; it was the anticipation of walking into the lion’s den. A person’s home could be very revealing. She had every intention to keep her eyes and ears peeled for any possible leads into his seedy world of drug dealing. A name here, a subtle question there - you never knew where it could lead.
As she drove up his long, winding driveway, she licked her lips and quieted her mind. She donned the secretary alias like a well worn hat and pushed the doorbell.
It surprised her when the body guard answered as opposed to a butler. He offered his hand.
“Hello. I’m Brennan. Victor is on an important phone call. He asked that I show you around. I hope that’s all right.”
“Well, hello, Brennan. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Shyla, but I’m sure you already know that.”
When she took his hand he held it for a heartbeat longer than she’d expected and looked deep into her eyes. She noticed his were a vivid green, similar to her own. They looked straight into her soul as if seeing past her façade. She felt suddenly vulnerable. Her breath caught. What was he looking for?
She smiled. Brennan released her hand and stepped back.
“Come in, please,” he said, “I’m sure it won’t be long before Victor joins us. He has been looking forward to it since this morning.”
Shyla followed him out of the foyer, heels clicking on the marble floors. She’d broken her promise to avoid them, rationalizing that flashing a little leg never hurt on a mission such as hers. They took a left and stepped down into a lovely living room.
“Can I get you something to drink? A lemonade? Something stronger perhaps?” Brennan asked.
“Patron on the rocks, please,” she answered while taking in the decadent surroundings of Victor’s home. It had high, cedar-beamed ceilings. The décor was vibrant in Native American designs and colors. It had a masculine feel. The far wall was mostly windows displaying the vast expanse of land which lay in the valley just at the foot of the mountain. No wonder he’d fallen in love with it. It was beautiful.
Brennan lifted an eyebrow but poured two fingers of the requested drink.
“Did you enjoy your shooting lesson today?” he asked.
“It was…interesting. Let’s just say that. I think maybe I’ll find a new hobby, though. My shoulder is pretty tender.”
She smiled and took a moment to observe him better. His face had strong features. Everything about him exuded strength. It seemed as if the space around him had to expand just to fit his presence. An image of him wrapping his strong arms around her filled her mind. She wasn’t sure if the embrace was passionate or violent, but it sent a shiver through her body.
He was still looking at her harder than she liked. She was under his scrutiny. It was time to turn the tables.
“So Brennan, how do you know Victor? You don’t look alike so I’m guessing you’re not brothers. But I’ve been wrong before.”
If it bothered him that she was asking questions he didn’t show it.
“No. We’re not brothers. He and I are business partners.”
“Oh yeah, what kind of business are you in?”
“Jewelry. We buy and sell gems from all over the world.”
It was Shyla’s turn to raise an eyebrow.
“Oh, really? How interesting. And Victor said that he just moved to town. Did you move here too? Or are you a local?”
Brennan propped himself on the edge of the back of the sofa and cocked his head to the side.
“I’m fairly new in town as well.” His answers were short. He looked uncomfortable talking about himself.
“Oh, yeah? I only just moved here last week from Seattle. Where are you from?”
Something very brief but very intense flickered over Brennan’s face. It was enough to pique Shyla’s interest.
“Nowhere special,” he answered.
“Oh, come on. We all come from somewhere,” she prodded.
“Shouldn’t you be saving the twenty questions for your date?”
Shyla heard the dark warning in his tone. He was done talking about himself. She held his gaze. She would not be intimidated.
He stood.
“Make yourself comfortable. I’ll let Victor know that you’re here. It’s not nice of him to keep you waiting.”
*
Brennan was glad to get out of that room and away from her searching gaze. Her questions had been fairly innocuous, but there was something about her penetrating stare which unsettled him. It was more than just inquisitive curiosity. It was an instinctive knowing that he was more than met the eye.
He knew she knew it, even if it wasn’t on a conscious level. She was watching him. But he was watching her, too.
He took the stairs two at a time and glanced over the banister when he reached the landing. She was standing at the window, looking out. Her outline was trim. Her dark hair was pulled back into a long pony tail. There was something about the way she held herself that was familiar to him. She looked like a feral cat; guarded, wary, and ready to pounce, ready to defend.
He understood that all too well. What he didn’t understand was why a girl like her would need to feel like that.
A small twinge crept into his gut when he thought of the possibility of Victor and Shyla’s date becoming intimate. It made him uncomfortable. He didn’t want Victor to touch her at all and that thought shocked him. What did it matter to him? It would likely happen whether he liked it or not.
Still, he didn’t like the idea at all. He wanted to touch her. He had since he’d spotted her at the shooting range. It was a reaction he had chalked up to simply being deprived of the touch of a female for much too long.
He knocked softly on Victor’s door then poked his head in.
Victor waved him in.
“Is she here?”
Brennan nodded.
“Good,” Victor said, “I’m nearly done here. You shouldn’t have left her down there alone. That’s not nice.”
“That’s funny. I just told her that it wasn’t nice of you to keep her waiting.”
“True, true,” Victor smirked, “I’ll be right down. Thanks, Brennan.”
Brennan walked out of the door but he didn’t go back down and join Shyla. He figured he’d better keep his distance for the time being.
TWELVE
“So, Brennan says that you two are business partners,” Shyla said, sipping on her glass of Chardonnay. She’d have preferred to stick with the tequila, “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone in the gems industry before. What can you tell me about it? I bet there’s a lot of traveling to exotic places.”
“There can be, at times,” Victor chuckled, “but I don’t travel overseas too much these days. I did that back when I was younger and establishing business relationships. Now, mostly, I deal with the distributors I trust via the convenience of e-mail and cell phones. When I travel, it’s usually just up and down the west coast since the majority of my customers are located there. I’m afraid it’s not very exciting.”
“The west coast, huh, like Los Angeles?”
The cook walked into the dining area and set out two large casserole sized dishes.
“This here is roasted duck and the other is garlic green beans,” she said, “There is
peach cobbler on the stovetop cooling.”
She wiped her hands on her apron and stepped back looking quite pleased with herself.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll just be heading home then.”
Victor gave her a beaming smile.
“No, that should do it, Emily. Thanks. I’m sure it’s delicious as usual. You’re an angel.”
Emily blushed and waved him off before excusing herself.
“She’s incredible,” Victor said, “I’m so lucky that I found her when I moved to town.”
“Does she cook for you every night?”
“No, she typically visits twice a week, Tuesday’s and Saturday’s,” Victor said, lifting the lid from the duck, unleashing a tantalizing aroma, “she prepares the next few days worth of dinners and freezes them for me to reheat. It makes my life a lot simpler. I hate to cook and, to be honest, I couldn’t cook toast if I wanted to.”
Shyla laughed.
“Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration,” he said, “but seriously, I’m terrible in the kitchen.”
He methodically cut the meat and served her a heaping plate of hot food.
“Now, what had you asked me before Emily came in…oh, yes, LA. Yes, I do frequently travel to LA, as I have many clients in that area, as well as San Diego, and San Francisco.”
She took a mouth-watering bite of the duck. It was succulent and practically melted in her mouth.
“Do you like southern California?”
“Yes, I actually moved up here from LA,” he said before taking a bite.
“Really? I’ve always wanted to see southern Cali. I hear the beaches are wonderful. Wow, this meal is incredible. Emily really out-did herself.”
Victor cocked his head to the side and gave her a sly smile.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. As for the beaches, they are pretty great. Nothing like Hawaii, but they’re nice. Maybe you’d like to go down with me sometime?”
“Maybe, I would,” Shyla smiled.
*
“I agree with Shawn,” Shyla said to Hal.
She, Hal, Shawn, and Jason were gathered in Hal’s office, debriefing. To observers it would simply look like Shyla was taking meeting minutes while Hal met with his top police officers.
“This Brennan character mystifies me. There is definitely something about him and his relationship with Victor. I’ve looked over the files. There isn’t a single photo, a single mention of him anywhere in Victor’s past dealings. He seems to have no connections within these circles or any other circle. He just appeared out of the blue. Not only that, but Victor appears to have full trust in him. They are nearly inseparable. He actually lives on the property in a building across the driveway.”
Jason leaned forward and rubbed the stubble on his chin.
“I think he’s a hired body guard. It makes sense to me.”
“I agree. The question is: who is he and where’d he come from?” Shawn said.
“Okay, so we all agree that Brennan is a mystery. And we should look into that. But let’s not lose focus here,” Hal said. “Victor is the central guy. He’s the one running the show.”
Shyla nodded.
“Agreed,” she said, “but everyone surrounding him is a possible lead, a possible weakness. It can’t be overlooked.”
“What else did you get out of this date?” Shawn asked, “and by the way, none of us are too thrilled with the idea of you dating this guy. He’s dangerous.”
“What did you think I was going to do? Stalk him from a distance?”
Shawn narrowed his gaze.
“Look, I’m saying that you need to be careful. If he finds out who you really are, you could wind up in a shallow grave somewhere. Don’t let his easy charm fool you.”
“Hey,” Shyla scoffed, “just because you two are new to this under-cover business doesn’t mean that I am. I know what I’m doing.”
“You know what…” Shawn said leaning forward and jutting out his finger. Hal interrupted before he could finish.
“Alright, you two, let’s stay focused. None of us like the idea of one of our fellow officers putting their life on the line. We’re protective over you, Shyla.
“And, Shawn, chill the hell out. She’s done this a few times. Give her some credit.”
Shawn leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest but kept quiet.
“Victor was on the phone when I got there,” Shyla said, not missing a beat, “I don’t know who he was talking to, but before I left, he took another phone call. He stepped out of the room but I could make out part of his side of the conversation. He said he’d meet whoever he was talking to at noon the Saturday after next - the fourteenth. That they’d take the Shannon out for the afternoon and work out details.”
“The Shannon?” Hal asked.
“It’s his boat. He keeps her docked in San Francisco Bay. He stays on the boat when he’s in town for business. He does a lot of sailing. It’s another one of his ‘passions’,” Shyla said, hooking her fingers in quotes, “anyway, I have no doubt a deal will go down that day. I’d like to work my way into an invitation.”
Jason straightened in his chair.
“That’s the weekend after next. How’re you going to finagle your way to a weekend away in less than two weeks?”
Shyla shrugged and gave a casual grin.
“I have my ways. The first date went pretty well and when I asked about his traveling south, he hinted that maybe he’d invite me along sometime, so it’s not a far-fetched idea.
“Also, he invited me for a drive up to Shasta Lake this Friday evening. We’re going to have a picnic. I’m sure it will be very romantic. Who knows - maybe he’ll invite me to spend the night at his place, after that. It’ll just be a matter of time before he takes me with him on one of his trips, maybe even this next one.”
“Moving pretty fast, if you ask me,” Shawn quipped.
Shyla’s head whipped around.
“What is it about this mission that you’re not getting, Shawn?” she snapped, “I’m here to work. What the hell are you contributing?”
“Seriously, Shawn,” Hal said, “if you have a problem, then say it. Otherwise, shut up and do your damn job.”
“I want more info on this Brennan guy,” Shyla pressed on, “there’s gotta be something out there on him. Meanwhile, Jason, I want you to get surveillance equipment together. If I’m going to be at Victor’s house again, I want to tap his phones. I want you guys to find out any information you can on the place he docks his boat. Get the registration and name it’s under in case it’s in an alias. Find out who runs the port and if they’re in any of the circles we’re familiar with.”
She looked to Hal. He nodded .
“Tapping his phone is definitely a priority,” he added, “and, if you get the chance, make yourself available for this trip that’s coming up. I think it would be productive. But of course, above all else, be careful.
“Our goal is to start building a solid case against Victor and link him to the activities he’s in with hard evidence, which has eluded the system for a very long time because he has friends in high places. With someone on the inside, chances of getting something that will hold up in court are much better. What we aren’t willing to sacrifice, Shyla, is you. So be on alert and watch your back.”
Shyla nodded, her head bent, as if scribbling down notes.
“Yes, Sir,” she said. When she looked up, Hal and Jason were staring at Shawn, waiting for his response. He remained silent.
“You’re excused,” Hal said, “we’ll keep each other in the loop as things progress.”
Chairs scraped linoleum as the three of them left Hal’s office. Shyla was three steps ahead of Shawn and Jason as she moved toward her desk. She heard Shawn mumble under his breath. Though she couldn’t make it out, she knew it was directed toward her.
She turned on her heel.
“I’m sorry, Shawn, what was that?”
She kept her voice low to prev
ent eavesdropping and making a scene. But her sharp tone was to remind him of who was really in charge of the team. She answered to Hal, but everyone knew who was taking the lead on the case.
Shawn hesitated then gave a pretentious grin.
“I didn’t say anything,” he said, “you must have been hearing things, Shyla. Have a nice day.”
He turned and walked to the back of the station.
Jason pursed his lips. He looked torn between whether he should follow his partner or not.
When Shyla turned toward her desk, she heard his approach. He stood at her left shoulder and pointed at her notepad, as if addressing a matter during their meeting. He was making sure to keep their interaction formal for anyone who might be watching.
“Don’t mind him, Shyla. He’s not used to working under a woman. He’s more the type to protect her. I’ve known him my whole life. He feels like he should be taking risks, not you. He just wants to make sure you’re safe. He’s actually a really nice guy.”
“I’m sure he is,” Shyla said, peering at him sideways, “but he needs to get his shit together if he wants to remain on this team. If we are going to work together, we all need to be on the same page. We do what it takes to take down Victor. Understand?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jason nodded. He stepped back.
“So I’ll get of copy of these minutes to you by the end of the day,” Shyla said in a louder tone.
“Sounds good, thanks.”
Jason turned and went after his partner.
THIRTEEN
Shyla woke to what sounded like a brawl just outside her second storey bedroom window. She glanced at the luminescent red digital numbers of her bedside clock. 12:30 AM. What was the deal? What was she going to have to do to get a solid night’s sleep?
At least this time she didn’t have a hangover. She’d made herself stay away from the liquor cabinet all evening, just to prove that she could. It was the first sober night she’d had since she found out she was relocating to Redding.
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