by C. A. Szarek
“He didn’t cooperate with the FBI until the shit hit the fan.”
“Damn. So that’s why Caselli had him killed.”
She nodded.
“He was telling me someone was ticked at him when the shooter burst in. Caselli was his last word.” Nate winced at his shaky voice.
“Oh, Nate. I’m really sorry you had to find out like this, and see him die.”
When she took another step towards him, he wanted to yank her into his arms. He could feel the heat coming off her body. Made tight fists at his sides, instead. If Nate touched her now, it’d only piss her off.
She surprised him when she reached for his hand and squeezed.
“Thanks. That means a lot, really.” He stopped short of entwining their fingers.
“Dawson.” A tall, broad-shouldered guy with a crew cut strode towards them and Lee dropped Nate’s hand as if he’d burned her. The man noticed, his eyes darting to her as he stopped in front of them.
She cleared her throat and shifted on her feet, opening her mouth before the older man had a chance to speak. “Downs, this is Nate Crane. He was the prosecutor on the Maldonado case a few years back down in Texas, as well as involved with the Marchetti case. He’s familiar with Caselli, and an old friend of Fiato. Saw him go down. Nate, this is my partner.”
“Clint Downs.” The guy stuck his hand out, and Nate shook it.
“Nice to meet you, Special Agent Downs. Cole Lucas has mentioned you a time or two.”
“I’m sure.” Downs nodded, one corner of his mouth lifting, making his moustache shift. “How’s my old friend?”
Nate smiled. “He’s great. Married to my brother’s partner. Two kids. Took the shift from FBI agent to small town detective with no problems.”
“Still bossy,” Lee muttered.
Downs shot a look at her but said nothing.
Nate smirked. No doubt the guy was thinking ‘Look who’s talking’.
“I’ve talked to Ms Parker. She got a look at the shooter, but unfortunately is pretty sure he saw her, too. Roberts is going to take her to the office, finish up, and then we need to keep her protected.”
Lee nodded.
“I’m headed to the security office. There’re cameras all over this place,” Downs continued.
“Good deal,” Lee said.
“Hopefully there’s a good view of the guy,” Nate said. “I’d like to see the footage, if you don’t mind.”
Lee opened her mouth, but her partner beat her answer.
“No problem with me.”
“Thanks.”
Her glare burned him, but Nate flashed a smile and followed Downs out of the lounge.
Chapter Four
Lee’s partner hadn’t said much after cajoling the hotel’s head of security to cooperate.
Reluctant pretty much said it all, but the manager and his officers hadn’t refused the huge, dark-haired FBI agent who currently stood over the camera operator’s shoulder, studying the moving images on the wall of computer monitors.
Agent Downs had his arms crossed over his massive chest. Even if the guy wasn’t being intentionally intimidating, his stance pretty much screamed ‘Just do what I tell you’.
Nate snorted.
His cell blared from his pocket and he looked away from the screens in front of him. Pete’s photo and number popped up on his iPhone.
“Are you all right?” his older brother barked even before Nate could say hello.
He stepped into the hallway outside the security office. “Hey, big brother.”
Pete’s sigh echoed in his ear. “Thank God. What happened?”
“How could you have possibly have heard already?”
“Cole. He talked to one of his former teammates today. It came up in passing like it was no biggie. Are you okay? What the hell happened?”
“I’m fine. Angelo’s dead, though. Right in front of me.”
“Damn, I’m sorry. I know you two were close. I’ll try to keep things on the down-low for now, I don’t want Mama freaking if she watches national news.”
Nate swallowed back a groan. “Right. But a high profile attorney with ties to organised crime getting gunned down, hitman-style, at a five star hotel in New York City is gonna be reported nationally.”
Pete’s silence lasted a few seconds too long. “Organised crime?”
“Caselli was on ’Lo’s client list.”
“Shit.”
“You’re telling me.”
“You need to come home, now.” Pete’s order was firm. “Shit, you can’t. You’re a witness. Double shit.”
“Right. I’m a witness. I’m gonna be fine. Didn’t get a good look at the shooter anyway.”
“He probably saw you. You know Caselli. This isn’t our first or even second rodeo. He always ties up his loose ends.”
“Texas isn’t any safer than New York, Pete.”
His brother said a few more choice words. Including fuck, which rarely came out of the detective’s mouth. Pete sighed, and Nate pictured his older brother running his hand through his blond hair, like he always did when he was frustrated. “I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I, but I’m stuck here. I want to help Lee and her partner out as much as I can anyways. I’ve known Angelo for years. I know him best.”
“Lee? You’ve seen her?”
It was Nate’s turn to sigh as his stomach fluttered. His brother knew all about his torrid affair with the FBI agent—and how it’d ended. He’d also told Pete about his plans to get her back. “Yes.”
“And?”
“Went as well as could be expected.”
“Crap. I’m sorry, little bro.”
“Hey. I’m not out just yet. Now she’s stuck with me.”
Pete chuckled. “That’s my brother.” Then his voice got serious. “Tell her to slap you in a safe house and we’ll feel a hell of a lot better.”
“We?
“Me, Cole and Andi. And your sister-in-law is pretty damn fond of you, too.”
Nate laughed. “Wow. Married a month and she already goes from Nikki to the ol’ sister-in-law.”
“Oh, all right, my wife then.” The pride in his brother’s voice made Nate smile, but envy settled in his gut.
He wanted with Lee what his brother had found with the tall, slender redhead.
“Regardless, I don’t like that you’re all the way up there, witnessed a shooting and lost a friend who happened to be killed by a very bad dude,” Pete said.
“I know, but I’ll be fine. Pissed at me or not, Lee and her team will cover my ass. I feel safe with them. Seriously.”
“I’d feel better if you had a gun.”
“I know it. But don’t worry about me. Please. And I agree, don’t tell Mama.”
Pete laughed again. “You got it. I might call Pop to give him a heads-up. Maybe he can keep her from the television.”
“And the Internet.”
“Crap, I forgot about the iPad.”
Nate shook his head and grinned. “Her latest obsession. She knows how to surf the ‘net on it.”
“Never would’ve believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Look, stay safe. I love you, Nate. Call me when you can with updates.”
Shock rolled over him. Sure, Nate knew his brother loved him. But for Pete to say it… Shit. His brother was more worried about this situation than their conversation had let on. He cleared his throat. “I will. Love you, too.”
There was a pause before Pete disconnected, but neither of them filled it.
She heard the steady hum of Nate’s voice when she turned the corner to head to the security office. Lee had followed the directions of the helpful concierge, but her stomach was churning at the news she had to share with Clint…and Nate.
Her phone conversation with her boss, Special Agent Olivia Barnes, had gone badly.
Protective custody.
The words bounced around in her head. Lee would be trapped with Nate.
Evan Roberts was
the lucky one. He’d been assigned to the blonde woman, Miranda Parker. Liv wanted Lee with Nate. Because she was familiar with the attorney, her boss had said.
Lee was going to do her best to convince Clint he owed her one, but their boss had settled Nate in her lap. Said her partner would be working from the office.
The safe house was ready for their arrival. Roberts and Ms Parker would be sent to a separate secure location.
Shit.
“…love you, too.”
The three words made her heart skip. Who did he love?
Six months is a long time.
Maybe he’d moved on. Fallen in love. Lee ignored the pain that seized her gut. It didn’t matter anyway. They’d had a fling. It’d ended badly. There was no going back. Besides, if he’d found someone else, would he have got in her face and declared they weren’t done?
Forget it. Right. Now. You focus on this case. Work.
Keep him safe so she could send him back to Texas and he could truly be out of her life. That was what she wanted.
He turned and their gazes met. When he smiled, her stomach flip-flopped and her mouth went dry. Lee wanted to bark at him to stop looking at her like that, but the guy was being normal… Friendly.
Don’t be a bitch.
He’d lost his good friend today. A smile was an accomplishment.
“I need to talk to you and Downs.” Her voice cracked and she bit back a cringe, but if he noticed, Nate didn’t react.
“He’s watching video.” The attorney thumbed towards the ajar office door behind him.
Lee nodded. “Get anything?”
“Not sure. I stepped out to take a call.”
“Ah.” She wanted to ask who, but didn’t. Lee walked past him, ignoring the heat coming off his body when she turned to go into the office with Security on the door in white lettering. Her spine tingled and she cursed her traitorous body. The scent of his clean, masculine aftershave tickled her nose, familiar. The same as it had always been.
“What’s up, anyway?” Nate stopped her entrance with a hand on her arm.
She fought a shiver. “Don’t wanna repeat myself.” Lee had to break their physical contact. Couldn’t deal with the memories it brought back. She tugged and her skin burned when his fingers slipped away. Lee wanted to beg him to maintain his hold. Pull her into his arms. Kiss her again.
Knock it off, Selena Dawson.
His jaw clenched, but he nodded and stepped out of her way.
Lee entered the office in time to see her victim slip from the stool and Nate rush to his side. Other cameras caught the shooter, but the man was no stranger to keeping his head low. He wore all black. Ball cap covered his face, low brim. Oversized dark sunglasses shot any last chance of a good look to hell.
His movements were quick and efficient, but he didn’t run on his way out. The son of a bitch was an expert.
“Again,” Downs ordered, his gaze glued to a different monitor.
“Damn,” Nate’s curse was low and full of emotion that made Lee want to reach out to him. He, too, was watching the footage.
Instead, she slid to her partner’s side, leaving her ex-lover just inside the doorway.
“One more time, I want to see the exit again. And I need you to burn these for me,” Clint told the camera operator.
“I’ll have to check with my boss.”
“You do that.” Downs scowled and the young guard averted his eyes as he hit rewind.
“We need to talk,” Lee said, keeping her voice low.
Downs glanced away from the screens, one eyebrow up. “You okay?”
No. “Yup. Case stuff. Just got off the phone with Barnes.”
“Okay. As soon as I have our DVDs.” Her partner’s voice rose to make a point to the pimple-faced camera operator, but the kid ignored him, didn’t look their way.
He did, however, reach for the phone and dial his boss.
Lee shifted from foot to foot, ignoring the dull ache in her side. The bullet wound had been shallow and a clean in-and-out, but she wasn’t good at following doctor’s orders. She’d viewed take it easy as an ignorable suggestion. Her two mile run that morning was one she probably should have forgone.
“He said okay, so I’ll get these burned for you, and label which camera view is which.”
“Thanks.” Downs shook the guy’s hand and guided Lee away from the bank of monitors. “What’s up?”
She tried not to look at Nate as he moved closer. Both men regarded her with curious expressions as Lee fought for a coherent sentence. God, I don’t want this. “Spoke to Special Agent Barnes.”
“And?” Amusement rippled across her partner’s face as his pale eyes appraised her. He couldn’t know why she was uncomfortable, but he could see it.
Dammit.
“Roberts is going to take Miranda Parker to a safe house. His partner will handle things at the office and help him when necessary.”
“All right. Good.” Clint crossed his arms over his broad chest. “What else?”
“You and I…” Lee cleared her throat and pretended Nate wasn’t standing next to her. Pretended she couldn’t feel his eyes on her and the warmth of his lean form. Ignored the skip of her heartbeat. “You and I are in charge of Nate.”
“Protective custody as well?” Downs asked.
“Yes.” She blew out a breath and rushed her words. “Liv said the place I’m supposed to take him to is ready. As soon as we’re settled, you can head back to the office. You’re supposed to check in later.”
Clint looked at Nate, and Lee’s pulse thundered in her temples. “I know you’re here on vacation and you didn’t get a full look at the shooter, but trust me, this is for your own safety.”
Nate nodded. He looked at her, a smile playing at his lips. His expression was smug, and Lee cursed him to hell and back. “Believe me, I understand. We can’t take my safety for granted.”
Chapter Five
Darth Vader’s entrance march sounded and Jeremy Stewart made a dive for his phone from the end of his desk. His partner arched an eyebrow over the pretty witness’s head. He ignored them both and dashed into Downs’ and Dawson’s shared office. Prayed no one saw him as he enclosed himself in the dark.
“Stewart,” he barked. A deep laugh greeted his ear and Jeremy cursed. “I’ve told you not to call me at this number.” Of course, the ringtone had given away who was on the other end of the phone. He shouldn’t be surprised the crime boss had oversized balls.
“And I have told you, you work for me, and not the other way around, Special Agent.”
He cringed and cleared his throat. “You pay me for information, nothing more.”
“I tell you what I pay you for.”
Jeremy clutched the cell closer to his ear. “I told you where the attorney would be today, did I not?”
Another laugh. “Worried you won’t be rewarded?”
“No, never that, not from you.”
“Right. I’m glad our arrangement is still satisfactory. I would hate for you to be…disappointed.”
Like he had a choice. “What do you want?” Jeremy stopped himself from barking the man’s name. He was at the office. Needed to remember that.
“Follow-up information.”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Don’t lie to me, Special Agent.” Caselli’s voice was low and deadly, but Jeremy didn’t flinch.
“Fifty thousand.”
The man laughed long and hard. “Don’t try my patience, my friend.”
“I’m not your friend.”
“How many witnesses?” Caselli ignored his irritated statement.
“Like I said before, more information equals more money.”
“Do I need to remind you I know where you live? I know all about you. I know about your family. Your beloved, poor, cancer-ridden mother. Your beautiful ex-wife. Two daughters. They’re gorgeous just like their mother. Even their dog, what’s he called? I believe your oldest named him Scout.”
; Jeremy’s heart took a dive for his stomach. “This is between me and you, not them.”
“As long as you and I are on the same team, you are correct. Don’t double-cross me, Special Agent. I have more resources than you.”
“Then why the fuck are you calling me?”
“Everyone needs insider information once in a while.”
“Hire an investigative reporter.”
Caselli chuckled. “I don’t need a reporter. What I have is better. I have you. Now tell me what I need to know.”
“I’m not lead on this, and neither is my partner.”
“Somehow, you’ll get me what I seek. You always do.”
And people always die. “There’s video surveillance.”
“Have you determined what’s on it?”
“No. Like I said, I’m not lead. But when I get a chance, I’ll check it out. We’ll debrief as a unit, like always.”
“You do that.”
“Don’t call me again,” Jeremy warned. “I’ll contact you when it’s time.”
“Are you threatening me, Special Agent?”
“We’re done.”
Jeremy went to end the call, but Caselli barked his name. “What?”
“You have not told me what I need to know.”
“I told you all I know.”
Caselli tsked as though Jeremy was a kindergartner who’d messed up his alphabet. “You know how I feel about liars, Special Agent. Angelo Fiato lied to me. Look what happened to him.”
A tremor shot down Jeremy’s spine. “What do I have to tell you for my money?”
“The truth.”
“Like I said, fifty K.”
“Done. It will be in the usual drop. Tomorrow morning.”
Jeremy gripped the back of the chair in front of him until his fingers smarted. Why had Caselli relented so easily to his outrageous amount? “What do you need to know?”
“How many witnesses?”
He closed his eyes, sweat breaking out on his brow. “Two.”
Caselli laughed long and hard for the second—irritating—time. “I think it’s time we changed the terms of our arrangement.”
* * * *
Lee scowled as she watched Nate stuff his belongings into a huge black duffel bag. He was humming. Humming. “Hey, can we knock off the whistle while we work?”