She was drawn to him in a way that she’d never felt before. He was her safety net. Her safe harbor. It was only right that she’d cling to feelings of security now, wasn’t it?
This wasn't like her. Cassie prided herself on keeping a level head where men were concerned. It was true a part of her didn't want to go through the same heartache she had three years ago, the last time she'd been involved in a serious relationship with a man. But things had changed since then. She couldn't blame Dennis for becoming bitter. How could she expect him to spend the rest of his life with a woman who didn't feel anything when he touched her?
Jake was impossibly close. She could feel the heat of his body against her back as he moved his fingers into the tender flesh of her shoulders. His hands were strong and warm, reassuring. In less than twenty-four hours she’d let her guard down with Jake Santos. Why couldn't she have done that with her fiancé?
Cassie couldn't let it happen. It became painfully obvious three years ago that she was no good at romantic relationships. That's why she'd purposely chosen not to write about them. She knew crime. She could deal with guns and broken bones, not broken hearts.
Cassie had written her main character, CJ Carmen, as an able-bodied heroine who knew just what to do in every situation she encountered. She didn't cower in a barroom brawl or hide from her enemy. She stood up and gave as good as she got. She wouldn't want a man like Jake Santos to shield her from bullets. She'd turn the tables and protect him and everyone else around her.
And when it was over, she'd have no trouble taking a man like Jake Santos to her bed and sharing the pleasures that only a man and woman could share. She wouldn't have to pretend to feel anything, as Cassie had done with Dennis. CJ was comfortable with the primitive dance of giving and taking on all planes. She could meet Jake Santos, and all the desire and passion he could unearth in her, head on and give back just as much.
But Cassie wasn’t CJ.
Jake's deep voice pulled her from her reverie. “You seem a little more relaxed now.”
Cassie straightened her back, trying to pretend Jake's touch had no effect on her, that she hadn't been thinking of what it would be like to have his rough hands roam the length of her body. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of meaningless, mind-altering sex. She had to figure out how she could stay alive while taking back control of her life.
“I'm fine.”
Jake stepped away from the chair, leaving her cold in his absence. Voices out in the hall drew their attention to the door. Kevin opened it.
“Are you two ready for this?” he asked.
“No, but then I wasn't ready to be witness to a barroom shooting last night, either. So I guess it doesn't matter.”
Jake placed a hand on her shoulder. “Whatever happens, it's going to be okay, Cassie. Just remember that.”
As she rose from her chair, Cassie wondered just whose benefit those words were for. She didn’t feel it. In the short time she'd known Jake, he'd been up front with her. She could trust him. And that was the most vital thing she could cling to right now.
The noise in the hall grew louder as they approached the interrogation room door. Jake turned back to her, his eyes settling on her for a brief moment as he hesitated.
“You're shivering. Are you cold?”
Cassie stood then, mindlessly wiping her sweaty palms on her denim-covered thighs, feeling shakier by the moment with the prospect of being caught in a tug of war, with her being a frayed rope. Regardless, she had to put one foot in front of the other and keep doing it until she felt her unraveling world twist back into place.
She slipped her hands into her front pockets to hide their obvious trembling. “I'm fine. Really.”
The look of compassion on Jake's face was almost heartbreaking. She was just a material witness in a case he was involved with. He was doing his job. Cassie wasn't a part of his life for any other reason. Playing the nice, agreeable witness would most likely make Jake’s job, and everyone else’s, a lot easier.
His lips stretched into a smile, revealing the lone dimple that marked his cheek, and her heart beat at a dizzying rate.
Trust. Yes, she could trust Jake Santos.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go meet the woman of the hour.”
* * *
“I want her out of the city. In fact, I don’t want her anywhere near the state of Rhode Island.”
Captain Russo had succeeded in pulling some strings all right. But what he'd managed to pull, Special Agent Charlotte Tate managed to snag right back.
“She wants to remain at home.”
“That’s out of the question,” Charley said, pacing the floor. “We can protect her better in Virginia.”
“She wants to be home,” Jake said.
“Near you?” Charley said sarcastically. “I don’t even want to know what that’s all about. But I warn you, Jake. If you’ve done anything to compromise this investigation—”
“Easy, Charlotte.” Agent Radcowski had remained quiet for most of the discussion. “I’m sure the detective is as eager to see Fagnelio’s head roll as we are. After all, he could have been killed last night, too.”
“I’m just relaying what Cassie has said to me,” Jake said. “You have my report. It’s complete. I haven’t slept since last night and I’m not in the mood for—”
Charley swung around mid-pace to face him. “I don’t really care what you’re in the mood for.”
Radcowski cleared his throat. “We’re all a little jumpy this morning. Agent Novak was a friend of mine as well. His loss at the Bureau will be felt for a long time. But let’s stay focused. Keeping Ms. Alvarez in Providence is out of the question. I’ve been to the safe house in Virginia. It’s very pleasant and she’ll be comfortable there.”
“Try convincing her of that.” Jake stood. “Are we done here?”
“Just one more thing,” Radcowski said, glancing at Jake’s report. “You said you didn’t see anyone. Does that mean Fagnelio never mention anything about Agent Novak?”
“He knew him as Junior Canfield,” Jake said. “That’s all in my notes.”
Radcowski nodded. “And you didn’t suspect there was a problem when Mr. Fagnelio didn’t show for the meeting?”
“I did. I was about to leave with Ms. Alvarez when the shooting happened.”
Charley grabbed the report and quickly scanned it. “That was nearly a half hour after the time you were supposed to meet Angel.”
“A little less, actually.”
“Did you recognize Ms. Alvarez as Cassie Lang, the author?” Charley asked.
Jake shook his head. “I didn’t know who she was at the time.”
Charley lifted an eyebrow. “Her statement says she was doing research, dressed up like a hooker. You were soliciting?”
Captain Russo rolled his eyes. “He was on the job. She looked out of place and he tried to get her out of there.”
Charley looked directly at Jake. “I’d like Jake to answer this.”
“I could tell she wasn’t a hooker within five seconds of meeting her. As soon as you see her, you’ll know why.”
Charley gave him a hard look. “Okay, where is she?”
* * *
Watching Cassie with Charley now, Jake had to admire the power of Cassie's will going up against the Federal Bureau of Investigation as if she were talking to the PTA. The people in this room could protect her life, but they could also make it a living hell if they were so inclined. And Cassie seemed unaffected by that.
It was clear right from the onset of their meeting that Charlotte Tate wasn't in any mood to negotiate, but Cassie insisted on having her say. Even something like Charley's impenetrable personality Cassie seemed to win over with a mix of police know-how and undeniable charm.
Maybe it was because they were both women and women spoke the same language. They understood it. Or so his eldest sister, Caroline, kept telling him. In fact, she'd called it a handicap that all men were afflicted with; the inability to spea
k the language of the female race.
Regardless, Cassie seemed to melt the glacial stare Charley had given Jake and agreed to a conference before any final decisions were made on Cassie's behalf. Since Charley Tate hated to be forced from the power seat, this was a major coup for Cassie, one that perhaps Cassie only won because of her status as a crime novelist.
The conference room was filled with a mix of police officers and FBI agents alike. As Cassie stood at the head of the room and addressed them all, Charley kept herself at the sidelines, merely listening. And Jake watched her.
Not a thick black strand of hair in her perfect hairstyle was out of place. She'd cut her hair since the last time he’d seen her. Instead of waves of raven hair flowing down her back, it was now shoulder length. She no longer wore bangs that emphasized her youth. Instead, she combed her hair back, making her eyes appear larger, more direct.
Jake could see how Tyler, his former partner, had been attracted to her. Charley was a looker, no doubt about it.
“I understand how serious this case is and how much you want to capitalize on Angel Fagnelio's involvement with Ritchie Trumbella by having me as a witness,” Cassie stated, tapping the eraser end of a pencil against the table. “But it is vitally important to me that I not be used as a pawn in the legal system.”
The room erupted in a wave of rumbles.
“You don't need to worry. I intend to cooperate with both the police and the FBI,” she continued above the noise. “And I'll go to a safe house that you feel will give me complete protection only until Angel Fagnelio is securely behind bars.”
“We appreciate your cooperation,” Charley said, starting forward. “And we'll do—”
Cassie held up a hand. “Hold on, I'm not finished. I've done enough research to know that protective custody isn't always the sweet piece of cake it seems like in the movies. You all may be doing your job, and I'll even agree that this is necessary. But at the end of the day, you'll get to go home to your own lives. I'm the one who has to live this way twenty-four hours of every day.”
“As I started to say, we'll certainly try to make you as comfortable as possible. I understand how hard this must be for you, Cassie. The safe house is designed—”
Cassie cut Charley off yet again before she could finish, rising up stronger than a tornado raging through the flatlands of Texas. Jake had to laugh when the agents directly in front of her seemed to shrink in their seats. How could one woman be sass, steam and innocence all rolled up into one?
He stole a quick glance at Charley and saw how her lips had thinned and her face had become tight with frustration.
Cassie's fists were clenched by her sides. He wasn't sure if it was from nerves or if she were ready to take a slug at anyone who didn't agree to her demands.
Sweet Lord, you've just met your match, Charley.
“I'm not asking for the world here. As I stated, I intend to cooperate. But there are some things I need if I'm going to be away for a while.”
When no one made a move to interrupt, Cassie continued.
“The first thing is quite simple.” Her delicate chin jutted out just enough to show her fire, enough for Jake to notice the deep color of her eyes and how they sparked as she spoke. “When I go to this safe house, I don't want to be hovered over like a two-year-old. The events of the last twenty-four hours were traumatic enough without having an agent assigned to count and report on how many times I go to the john to take a pee.”
A rumble of laughter rolled through the room.
“It won't be like that,” Charley cut in harshly.
Cassie wasn't intimidated. “I'm not a fool, Agent Tate. I know how this system works. I want my computer, some references books and to be left completely alone. It’s the only way I can write.”
“You're going to need to be under constant supervision. Round the clock,” Charley said, coming up alongside Cassie.
“I understand that,” she said. “Detective Jake Santos can guard me there.”
The room came to life with whispers that spread around the closed room and echoed off the stark white walls. Jake was sure he'd heard a few snickers in there as well.
“I'm afraid that's not possible, Ms. Alvarez.” Charley finally took her place at the front of the room with Cassie. “The agents I’ve assigned to the safe house are fully trained to act as your bodyguards.”
“None of them are agents I’ve met or trust. I won’t be able to relax unless I feel I’m safe, and that means I need someone I can trust completely.”
“That’s out of the question,” Jake said. Cassie looked at him, her jaw set, and he knew he was in for a fight.
Agent Radcowski spoke up. “Agent Bellows will be driving you to Virginia. Agent Tate and I will follow in a day or two. There will be details to sort out but I can assure you, you will have your privacy there. You won’t even know an agent is there.”
“It’s Jake Santos or I’m not going,” Cassie said resolutely.
Charley parked herself in front of Jake and said in a low voice that oozed anger, “You and I need to have a serious discussion.”
* * *
Richie Trumbella's autopsy report lay closed in a manila folder on Captain Russo's desk. Coffee rings marked the blotter underneath and were accompanied by happy- and sad-face doodles. An ashtray filled with stale cigarette butts, emitting the scent of spent tobacco, lay next to a jar of butterscotch candy. Jake sat on the corner of the desk, staring at the Captain's artwork. He waited for Charley to close the door behind her before looking up.
“What have you done to my witness!” Charley charged. “I agreed to let Ms. Alvarez speak to the agents on this case as a formality because I understand how difficult this must be for her. It's also given me the opportunity to judge my witness from a distance and get a little insight into her state of mind before she's transferred to the safe house in Virginia. We don’t need any more publicity focused on our witness. The press is already all over it. She needs to leave here quietly. The last thing I need is for her to have a hissy fit because she wants you to babysit her.”
Jake stood up. “The last thing I want is to babysit anyone. I’m just as interested in finding Fagnelio and getting him behind bars are you are.”
“You can't very well do both, now can you.” Charley sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. “I don't even want to know how you did it, but somehow between last night and this morning you managed to turn our star witness—our only witness—into a lovesick admirer of yours.”
Jake cursed low. “You've got it wrong.”
She laughed wryly and began pacing in front of him. “I've got eyes, Santos.”
“Cassie has a mind of her own.”
“You mean to tell me you didn't have anything to do with this little escapade?”
“I don't work under the same deceptive umbrella you've held up to move yourself ahead, Charley.”
She stopped pacing and glared at him. “You're never going to let that go, are you?”
“Tyler has to live with it. Why not you?”
She pointed her finger towards the closed door. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to gain the respect of every agent out in that room? How long we've all been working on this case? I'm not going to let you waltz in and—”
“I've been working three months on this,” he boomed over her.
“I hate to interrupt,” Captain Russo interjected, leaning back in his chair. “If we’re going to make sure that everyone in the building can hear, why not just go up on the roof and have at it. Otherwise, I suggest you keep it down.”
They settled into a strained silence before both Charley and Jake dropped into the chairs opposite Captain Russo’s desk. After a few controlled breaths, Charley turned to Jake.
“I've worked a long time to put that incident behind me, Santos. Despite what you think, I never meant to hurt either you or Tyler. A decision had to be made at the last minute and I made it.”
“And you hung us out to die in th
e process.”
“I was doing my job. So were you.”
With that, Jake stood and planted his fists deep in his pockets in an effort to control his fury. It amazed him how after five years he still felt an overwhelming anger from her deception. “You lied to Tyler just to get a damned promotion. You lied to us and it almost killed Tyler. He was a good cop.”
“I know that!”
Charley closed her eyes and was quiet for a moment. Jake didn't want to think what he'd seen in her eyes was sadness and regret. He didn't want to think about Charley having feelings at all. All he could think of was seeing his partner lying in a pool of blood and Jake not being able to do a damn thing. Not being able to radio for help because he'd been sprayed with bullets himself. He'd been lucky the Kevlar vest he'd been wearing spared his flesh the bullets. But with two broken ribs and a punctured lung he was unable to get enough breath to do anything to help his partner. If it hadn't been for Kevin…
“I know Ty was a good cop,” Charley finally said, her voice low and thready. “I wish it hadn't been so, but Tyler made his own decision to leave the force. Despite what you think, I had nothing to do with that.”
She cleared her throat and blinked away the last trace of emotion he'd seen misting her eyes a few short moments ago. The glacial stare she seemed to reserve just for him was back.
“But we're not talking about the past or Tyler Jacobsen here. I want to apprehend Angel Fagnelio and squeeze as much information from him as I can about the Trumbella family. Cassie Alvarez is the key to that, and for some strange reason she wants you to be her bodyguard. I want to make sure my witness is cooperative and protected from Angel Fagnelio, as well as herself.”
Jake folded his arms across his chest. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means I still don't know who called that tip in to the papers. Cassie has something to gain from this, and it could potentially compromise this case if she's hell-bent on furthering her career with the publicity.”
“Oh, come on, Charley. You saw how scared she is. She didn't do it.”
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