Wild Card Undercover

by Kari Lemor

  “What should I be?” He tried to add a little sarcasm but wasn’t sure it worked.

  She cocked her head and smiled. “You could be human.”

  That was the problem. He felt far too human right now, as in very capable of making mistakes.

  “I’d rather be superhuman.” He threw her a smirk. She narrowed her eyes. “I told you, I’m fine.”

  “You’re sweating.”

  “It’s July and we’re in Miami.” Hadn’t he just used that as a reason he couldn’t stick her in flannel? Oh, right, he hadn’t said it out loud.

  “It is,” she agreed then rubbed her arms. “But we’ve got the air conditioner on.”

  They did have the AC on but it was low. She still rubbed her arms. Had he hurt her when he’d woken up? His hands had been wrapped around her arms. He hated to think he’d left marks like Moreno.

  Chris leaned in closer and took one of her hands in his. “Did I hurt you? When I…woke up?”

  Meg moved her face nearer. “I’m fine, you startled me that’s all. I made the mistake of waking up one of my brothers once and he threw me across the room. I practically got a concussion. At least here, I landed on the soft couch.”

  “You’re still rubbing your arms.”

  She stopped and rolled her eyes. “Air conditioner, remember.”

  He threw his arm on the back of the couch and jerked his head. “Come here. I’ll warm you up.”

  Bad idea. He knew it was a mistake as soon as she scooted over and settled into the crook of his arm. When he put his hand on her shoulder, the thought was confirmed, loud and clear. Her skin was too soft and she smelled terrific. The hotel shampoo was lavender scented and she used it all the time. Her head was too close and he couldn’t stop inhaling her fragrance.

  “Warmer?” Maybe if she said yes he could send her back to her room. He should have already. The nightmare had dissipated somewhat but she was still far too close.

  Stop, you idiot. You do this all day with her. Why is it different now? Pretend you’re acting for the sake of Moreno.

  She snuggled closer and gave a dainty shrug. “A little.”

  He ran his hand up and down her arm, hoping to get the circulation going, and then her going back to her room. But she looked up and again the sympathy in her eyes got to him.

  “Sometimes it helps make a nightmare less real if you talk about it. All of a sudden you realize how some of the things that happened were stupid or funny.”

  Nothing about Samira and Tariq had been funny. They’d both died. Eddie was dead too and Meg risked her life every day. Because he had asked her to. He’d been foolish. There were enough people working this case. They should be able to get clear evidence on Moreno without involving her.

  She turned in his arms and knelt next to him, her face level with his. “Tell me. I want to help. You helped me yesterday when I was upset. I want to pay you back.”

  Tariq and Samira had wanted to pay him back for his help. Look where it got them.

  “Meg.” He curled his hand at her waist around her back, accidentally slipping under her top. “You don’t have to repay me. I’m not keeping a tab. You don’t owe me anything.”

  “Please. Show me I’m not the only one who has human flaws.”

  She wanted flaws, did she? He had them by the dozens.

  “I’m trying to be nice here.” Her shoulders sagged. “I don’t do that often, so take advantage of it.”

  His lips quirked. “You can be a little schizophrenic at times,” he agreed. “Telling me off one minute, crying in my arms the next, then attempting to be nice.”

  She got right in his face and poked him in the chest. “You try dealing with what I’ve been dealing with for the past year and a half. One of the first things I learned here was that I had to be tough. I couldn’t put up with any crap. And I had to take care of myself in any way I could. My brothers gave me lots of practice with the sarcastic comebacks but I also always knew they loved me. I haven’t had anyone around here love me since I arrived. Not even Eddie.”

  Her face crumpled and he felt like a louse. She slumped on the couch with her back to him. Great, he’d hurt her feelings again.

  He reached out and pulled her in close against his chest. Her body stiffened at first but when he didn’t let go, she drooped in his arms, giving up. He hated to see her this way.

  “So if I tell you all my faults, you’ll feel better.”

  She turned her face toward him and glared. “Go ahead, make fun. Yes, tell me your one fault then I’ll leave you alone.”

  He chuckled. “There’s a lot more than one. Truthfully it may take some time if you want to go through the whole list. We might have to do this every night for a few months.”

  She remained quiet but her body relaxed against him, waiting patiently. Not something she did often.

  “You’re right about the dream making no sense,” he started. She shifted but remained leaning against him, her head cocked so she could hear his low words. “There were lots of people in it. You, Moreno, Barone, even Sonny and Gunther. But there were also a few people from Afghanistan.”

  She spoke softly. “One of the damsels you couldn’t rescue?”

  He inhaled her lavender scent again, filling him with her beauty as his memories were filled with anything but.

  “We rescued her at first. She and her brother.”

  “We?”

  “My unit.” His mind pictured the guys who were like brothers to him. Jack, Scott, Drew, Nick, Keith. They’d had each other’s backs.

  “Her name was Samira and her brother was Tariq. Their parents had been killed by the Taliban and they were roaming the streets begging meals. We cleared them out after some bombings decimated the village. They offered to help us.”

  “And you let them.”

  “Yeah. My understanding of their language was a little better than most so it was my responsibility to keep them safe and find out any information they had. It wasn’t much but we needed people who knew the area and could blend in, help us find the best routes through the mountains. The locals knew lots of them but we had no idea where they were.”

  “What made them different from any other locals you encountered?”

  He paused at the question, guilt rolling through him.

  “They weren’t at first. But they were around for a while and I started teaching them some American card games. Samira was a regular card shark though Tariq could bluff with the best of them. I got too close. I even arranged for them to come back to the States with us. That was done occasionally with locals who helped the military.”

  She pressed back against him and her hand squeezed his. Nothing sarcastic or wise had come from her mouth for a while. Nice. She stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue. He wasn’t sure he could. The memories were too painful. He’d spent a long time trying to push them to the farthest corner of his mind and had almost been successful. Until Meg came along and wiggled her way in to pry them loose.

  “They gave us some information about potential weapons being used to kill our military, and some of their own people who didn’t support their cause. Unfortunately there was no way they could tell us where. They had to show us.”

  He inhaled deeply, the trek through Afghani territory returning vividly to his mind. “Lots of things could have gone wrong but they didn’t. We found the weapons, learned of some new paths through the mountains that took time off our travels.”

  She leaned against him more firmly now. Her head sagged back and her eyes fluttered. He rubbed her arm again and she shifted, gave a tired smile then snuggled deeper into him. She was awake, but barely. It was well after four in the morning. He caressed her arm some more, enticing her to sleep.

  “Everything probably would have been fine,” he continued, needing to talk it out even if she didn’t hear. “But I was getting to know them, like them. Jack and Drew warned me not to, but I didn’t listen. I figured what harm could it d
o?”

  “Jack and Drew?” Her sleepy voice drifted to him.

  “Guys from my unit. I probably should have stayed distant but I didn’t. I gave the kids some trinkets as a thank you. Stupid little items, snack bars, cards, obvious American items. They showed them to some others from their village and tried to trade them. Damn Taliban knew someone had found their stash. When Samira and Tariq were flashing around trinkets from the States, somebody got suspicious. They were found with bullet holes in their heads.”

  Meg slipped her hands into his and squeezed, letting him know she was listening. But he didn’t want her listening to the confession of his sins. Describing the scenery in Afghanistan and the types of vehicles they used had to be the most boring thing he could think of. His voice droned on as he continued rubbing her arm and back.

  Her breathing grew rhythmic but he kept on talking, back to his earlier confessions. He needed the catharsis. “It was my fault they died. I never should have let them help, never should have given them anything. I should have stayed professional and focused on my job. It’s my fault they’re dead.”

  Meg was now asleep. Her chest rose and fell against him. He held her for a few more minutes even though he shouldn’t. It went against everything he’d talked about. Never get involved.

  He lifted her into his arms and carried her through to the bedroom. Her sheets were already rolled down so he gently slid her in then pulled the comforter over her body. She wiggled a bit then settled. He reached down and touched her silky hair.

  “That’s why I have to keep thinking of you as only a case, an informant and nothing more. You can’t mean more to me than that. It hurts too much otherwise.”

  He leaned down to press a soft kiss to her cheek then walked back to his own bed. Sleep wouldn’t be easy in coming and looking at Meg as he left, he knew it was because of her and the rule that he may have already broken.

  Chapter 13

  “What are you looking for, Dave?”

  Dave whipped around, breathing a sigh of relief at Tina standing in the doorway of Moreno’s office. He’d have to be more on alert. He hadn’t heard her walk past. She must have been in the locker room changing for her shift. Moreno was out front with Barone so he hadn’t worried.

  He pasted on a smile and took the earbuds from his ears. “Hey, gorgeous. Just trying to find a pencil for this liquor order.” He held up the clipboard and checklist he had. Always have props when you’re going to search someone’s office.

  Tina walked over to the desk and dug in a small cup. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “This is a pencil. Do you need anything else?”

  Dave took the pencil and plopped into Moreno’s chair. He usually did the liquor order in here so it wasn’t any big deal. “I need you.” He winked and reached for her hand.

  Tina allowed him to pull her closer but rolled her eyes and stopped before he could get her in his lap. He didn’t argue, wasn’t planning on actually getting her there. Too many customers already treated her like a piece of meat.

  He’d been looking for the stamp Shaunessy had told him about. The one used to mark the card left under Eddie Ballantine. Not that he could do anything if he found it. He didn’t have a warrant. But if he knew it was here, he could mention it and maybe the police could get a warrant.

  He didn’t mind being interrupted by the mocha-skinned beauty. Spending time with her was nice when it was something other than him filling her drink order. Aside from a few minutes before and after work, they didn’t get much of that.

  Her pulse jumped as he stroked his thumb over her wrist. He looked up to see her eyes staring intently at his hand. Was she actually affected by his touch? His pulse hammered faster from simply holding her hand and gazing at her shapely figure, exposed by the ridiculous uniform she wore.

  She pulled her hand away with a shaky breath and gave him an impish grin.

  “I’ll let you get back to your work. The place opens in a few minutes.”

  He missed the feel of her hand in his but nodded knowing he had things he needed to do. “Then you better get out to the club floor. There are two other bartenders right now so I have time to finish this order before it gets too crowded. I’ll see you around.”

  She smiled as she left and he wished he knew what she was thinking. Letting out a breath he walked to the door, peeking out. Moreno and Barone were coming toward the office. He settled into the chair, put his earbuds in again, though he kept the volume down. Picking up the clipboard he earnestly looked at the liquor order. Needed to appear busy, doing his job.

  Voices carried toward him and he could hear the two men having a disagreement.

  “I’m getting tired of waiting for her, Salazar. It’s been over a year since I first spied her and now she’s living with another man.”

  “Augustus, you must settle yourself down. Katie is young and of course would prefer her handsome gentleman. This obsession of yours will have to wait. We have much business to discuss.”

  “You promised me I could have her when we first started this partnership. She was part of the deal we made.”

  Dave’s gut twisted hearing Moreno had promised Katie to Barone as part of whatever business arrangement they had. His department had done extensive background checks on Barone. He was linked to gun-running organizations and was suspected in the disappearance of several women. But there was no hard evidence, and anything that materialized swiftly went missing, just like anything they got on Moreno.

  “My friend,” Moreno soothed. “I told you I would do what I can to get Katie to you but I did not signify when. For now I benefit from her excellent waitressing skills without actually paying her. I cannot simply tell her to service you. If we forced her, it would make things difficult for us. She has morals, that one. I think if we pushed for this service she might seek out the police. I do not need that kind of hassle or unwanted attention.”

  “You’ve dealt with witnesses before, Salazar. You could do it again.”

  Moreno laughed low. “But then you would not have her more than once. Do it my way and you will have her longer.”

  “I don’t like the fact Martin is getting what I was promised.”

  Moreno’s voice moved closer. They were right outside the door now. Dave made sure to look busy in case they wandered in. He didn’t want them thinking he’d overheard anything.

  “Martin could come in handy to us if my sources are correct. Next week is quite important and I’ll need people to help distribute the large inventory I’m expecting.”

  “And you trust him to do this for you?”

  “No, but I’ll start him off with something small and test the waters. If he comes through then I will perhaps let him in on some bigger items.”

  “But if he hangs around then I’ll never get Katie.” Barone sounded angry.

  “Don’t worry, my friend. Part of my plan is to expand my territories. Martin already has businesses set up in the north. Having him move my merchandise there will relieve some of the local pressure, then he will be out of your way.”

  “That doesn’t mean Katie’ll suddenly wish to be with me. She’s shown no interest yet. But I want her, Salazar. I want her very much.”

  “Yes, and you will get her. Once Martin is gone, Katie will no longer be able to stay in her fancy hotel suite. She is used to the nice amenities by now and won’t wish to return to her filthy hovel. This is when you make your move and offer her a nicer place to stay. You understand?”

  Dave could almost hear the smile as Barone answered, “Yes, I’m seeing your point.”

  There was a pause then Barone continued, “But what if Martin decides to take her with him up north?”

  “She still owes me. She can’t go anywhere without paying off her debt and you know I always collect on my debts.”

  “I heard her debt may have already been paid in full.”

  Dave’s ears perked up at this. Did Barone know Moreno had killed Eddie? He kept as still as p
ossible hoping for some incriminating information.

  Moreno chuckled. “She doesn’t need to know this. She’s worth a lot to me, and has a potential for even more. But first I must finish my deal with Smith. He would like some fringe benefits too.”

  “Not my Katie,” Barone protested.

  “No, you have nothing to worry about. Smith doesn’t want vanilla. He would like something a bit more exotic.”

  Dave listened but silence filled the air.

  “He’s interested in her?” Barone questioned. Dave wanted to see who they were looking at but couldn’t risk moving near the door. “I didn’t think she was the type.”

  “She isn’t. But I have ways to motivate my employees.”

  Barone joined in with Moreno’s laughter and the sound drifted closer. Dave swung the chair around so his back was to the door and flipped the volume up higher. When Moreno appeared in the doorway he turned quickly and smiled an apology.

  He reached up and pulled the earbuds from his ears, the loud music coming from them. “Oh, sorry, Mr. Moreno. I didn’t hear you come in. I was checking the liquor order for next week.”

  He motioned to the headphones and grinned. “You know I don’t listen while I’m bartending, right? Just for mundane tasks like this. I hope that’s all right.”

  Moreno smiled and waved him off. “There is no problem, Dave. I am happy with your work. But now I am in need of my office. Are you finished in here?”

  Dave rose and nodded. “Sure, do you want me to leave this here for you to look at? I need your signature before I call in the order.”

  Moreno took the clip board, scanned it, scribbled his signature then gave it back. “It looks good. I trust you to order what we need.”

  Dave left as Moreno settled into the chair he’d vacated and moved toward the bar. He looked around to see who was out serving on the floor. Tina, Marietta, and Katie were the only waitresses right now. His gut clenched as he recalled the conversation between the two men. They’d said Smith wanted someone as part of the deal. It wasn’t Katie and they’d said the person wasn’t the type. Marietta was most definitely the type. She loved the extra money she earned from entertaining Moreno’s business friends and was happy with any ‘tasks’ he had for her.