by Karen Kelley
“Chill out, George,” Jessica said.
Conor looked around him. Barry’s hands were between his legs and he was coughing. The old man looked dazed. And Al wasn’t moving. Okay, so maybe he’d done that one. At least he’d been good for something.
She could’ve at least told him she knew some defense… Visions flooded his mind. The chief had mentioned Jessica could handle herself. Angie had told him the same thing. Even Jessica had tried to tell him. He looked at her now.
She shrugged. “I tried to tell you, but you didn’t seem terribly interested.”
“But… but… this?” He waved his arm around the room.
“I had to protect myself. Growing up in a nearly all-male family can be hard on a girl. I took a few karate classes.”
“A few?”
She rolled her eyes toward the roof. “Okay, I’m a black belt.”
He planted his fists on his hips. “This is information I think would’ve been nice to share with me.”
Al staggered to his feet. With barely a glance, Conor turned and punched him in the face. With an expulsion of air, Al wobbled back to the floor. Damn, that felt good.
He faced Jessica again. “I might not have worried quite so much if I’d known that little fact.”
“You were worried? About me? Why?”
“I think you know why.” He pulled her into his arms and gazed down into her face. He loved Jessica with all his heart, and he wanted her for his wife, but did she feel the same way? He hesitated.
The warehouse doors banged open. Officers spilled into the room. Jessica stepped out of his embrace. A cold chill swept over him. Was she rejecting him?
“Jessica, are you okay?” The chief rushed to his daughter’s side.
She turned. “Sure, Dad, never better.”
“Good job, both of you.” Her father beamed, slapping Conor on the back and hugging Jessica to him. “I knew you could do it.” He sneered at the burglars. “Get these maggots in handcuffs and loaded in the cars.”
Conor willed Jessica to look at him, but she refused to meet his eyes. He couldn’t let her go. He wouldn’t. He took a step toward her.
“Conor! Tell-a them I helped you to escape. I am-a your friend.” George’s voice raised an octave with each word.
Conor glanced over his shoulder. Two officers were handcuffing George. “Hey.” He nodded toward the little guy. “Could you take it easy on him?”
They didn’t have to know it was Jessica who cut the ropes. George’s heart had been in the right place. The poor guy looked scared out of his wits. He’d make sure the courts went easy on him. He might even get probation. He’d be in enough trouble when Trudy got hold of him.
Something occurred to Conor. “Hey, George, do you know anything about the items that were taken from the mayor’s house?”
“The jewels, they were-a fenced.”
So they were the burglars. “What about a tape?” Maybe if the video was returned, the chief’s job wouldn’t be on the line.
“The only tape we have-a…” He shot a glance toward Jessica. “Excus-a, it is not-a so nice a tape. If-a you know what I mean. It was-a in the mayor’s vault with-a the jew els. We shoved everything-a into the sack and it-a went, too.” He stood a little straighter. “I know a little about-a filmmaking. I’ve been in the movies myself-a. This one is very, very poor quality.”
“Where would that tape be?” the chief asked.
“In-a the glove compartment of the truck.”
“You don’t think the mayor has a secret life? You know, that he might have made a dirty… uh…” her words trailed as she glanced at both men. “That would explain its importance, since this is an election year.”
“My job was on the line because the mayor was caught with his pants down?”
“Literally, I believe,” Conor commented.
“But you can’t be sure it’s the mayor,” Jessica put in.
“There’s only one way to find out.” With purposeful strides her father strode to the truck and yanked the door open. After rummaging around inside, he slammed the door and joined them, tape in hand.
“We’ll take it back to the office and see exactly what’s so important it almost cost me my job.” His expression was grim.
“There is-a VCR and TV in-a the room at-a the back,” George supplied.
They looked at each other. Without speaking a word, all three moved to the rear of the warehouse. Once inside the small office, Conor turned the TV on while the chief slipped the tape into the machine.
The screen went from dark to light. A man and two women were in bed together, but they weren’t sleeping.
“I’d say that’s the mayor, but neither of the women re sembles his wife.” Jessica stated the obvious. “This tape is a little more upscale than the last one I watched, though.”
Frowning, the chief reached across and snapped the TV off. “And since when did my daughter make a habit of watching porno films?”
“All in the line of duty, Dad.”
“Humph!”
“What are you going to do now?” Conor asked.
“I’m not giving the tape to the mayor, if that’s what you’re asking. He’s been a thorn in the city’s side for some time. Changing the zoning laws so his friends could open their sleazy businesses. Always been too wily to get caught. I think this should put a stop to him.”
“Good for you, Dad.”
“Well, that about wraps this case up. I guess you’ll be glad to get back to your own homes.” His eyes filled with warmth when he glanced at his daughter. “I know you’ve never wanted to work as a cop. I appreciate what you did for me.”
Here it comes, Conor thought. She’d tell her father just how much she hates law enforcement. His gut wrenched with pain. He didn’t want to lose her.
“Actually, Dad, I enjoyed it. In fact, I was thinking maybe I didn’t give it a chance. Like everyone has told me, what I did could’ve happened to anyone. Maybe wearing a skirt isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, either.” She looped her arm through her father’s and started toward the door. “What do you think about me becoming an undercover cop? I have the skills…”
“No.”
They both turned and stared at Conor.
“It’s too dangerous. No wife of mine is going to put her life in jeopardy. I’m not going to sit at home and worry about where the hell you are.”
She slipped her arm from her father’s and walked the few feet to stand in front of Conor. “That’s about the most unromantic proposal I’ve ever heard.”
He looked everywhere but at her. “Well, will you?”
“Will I what?”
He’d jumped into it with both feet this time. Taking a deep breath, he met her gaze head-on. “Marry me.”
“Of course I’ll marry you. I love you.”
She’d said yes. His heart pounded. She loved him. They’d be a family. He wanted to laugh and shout at the same time. Grinning, he tried to pay attention to what she was saying.
“We could be partners, you know, undercover. Like Marty and Angie. After all, I have redeemed myself by helping catch the Meredith gang. Unless another goat comes along.” She began to pace in front of him as she thought out loud. “We need more than just burglars, though. Something with a little more substance.”
“No wife of mine is going undercover.” What the hell was she thinking? Going undercover… no way.
She snapped her fingers. “I know. I could pretend I’m a hooker.” She struck a seductive pose and tossed her hair over her shoulders. “You know, a woman of the night…”
There was only one way to get her mind off this ridicu lous notion. He pulled her into his arms and brought his mouth down on hers. A couple of seconds passed before she softly moaned and began to kiss back. If he had to kiss her the rest of their married life, he would. Anything to keep her from harm.
He pulled away and gazed into her eyes. “No more foolish talk?”
“Kiss me again.”
; “You won’t ever mention this crazy scheme about wanting to be an undercover cop?”
She shook her head. “No, Conor. Now kiss me.”
He happily obliged.
She sighed, tangling her fingers into his hair. She really was going to hell for lying.