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He’d cooperated and pointed DEA agents in the right direction of various criminal activities since he’d opened this place. Many a case would not have been solved as swiftly without his assistance and everyone in this room knew it.
Suter and Kellerman exchanged another look. All three of them were aware Bart still had a valid security clearance and the respect of high-ranking officials this pair could only hope tomeet someday. He recognized Kellerman as the weak link in the team. They were both capable agents, but Suter had seniority with an increasing side of cynicism lately.
Surprisingly, Suter relented. “Whatever.”
Bart crossed the kitchen and stood in the doorway while Suter and Kellerman tried to search the freezer before they got frostbite.
He felt Hannah’s worried gaze like an itch between his shoulder blades the entire time, but he refused to look away from the agents. Her tension was a living, palpable thing he could feel all the way across the kitchen. What they needed more than anything were a few quiet minutes of honest discussion.
“Anything?” Suter asked Kellerman.
“It’s clean.”
Damn straight, Bart thought. Clean enough for the health department and definitely free of contraband. Whatever got Tim killed, Bart was sure his cook had been looking into it for the right reasons.
“Guess we’ll have to go through your office next,” Suter said. He blew on his hands to warm them when Kellerman closed the freezer door behind them.
Would the fun never stop today? Bart would rather see just how far he could throw these two off the interstate overpass. “Not without a warrant and my lawyer present.” He had nothing to hide, but he was done being Mr. Cooperative. Wallace had taken a slice of him, Eva and Hannah had demanded more than he’d ever intended to give, and now this pair had been appointed to divert him for some unclear reason.
“I can make that happen.”
“Good for you.” Bart smiled amicably in the face of Suter’s arrogant posturing. The grin stretched a bit further as Kellerman backed up a step. At least one of these two had a sense of self-preservation. “I’ll be right here taking care of business when you’re ready.”
“If I were you, I’d rather take care of my new wife.” Suter winked in Hannah’s direction. The man was a fool to bait him and Bart was sorely tempted to ask the agent what had crawled up his ass.
“Rest assured I can do both,” Bart replied at last. “Now do you two need coffee for the road?” He glanced at his watch. “A sandwich maybe? I can wrap up a couple of meatball subs for you.”
And hope they stained those silk ties and crisp white shirts on the drive back to Richmond.
“We’re good.” With a nod for Hannah, Suter led Kellerman out of the diner, through the store and out to the parking lot.
Bart stood with his arm around Hannah’s shoulders as they watched the agents drive off.
“They really want you out of here,” she said after a long, quiet minute.
“I noticed.” Although he’d started to think the blatant hints to leave were an attempt to make sure he stayed put, he wasn’t about to discuss it here. “Both of us.”
The local authorities should know him well enough by now to know he’d dig in rather than run off at the first sign of trouble. Supposedly they were trained to read people. Which left him wondering if Suter had been a dick because he was in a mood, trying to send a message, or if he’d been fed some intel that changed his mind about Bart and the Patriot Plaza team.
If Eva’s earlier warnings hadn’t been enough, the unexpected antics of Suter and Kellerman would have convinced him this place was definitely wired for someone’s benefit.
It made him angry. He’d never admit it, but the idea worried him more than a little. Who could have managed to sneak that kind of intrusive tech in here right under his nose?
“Come on, let’s go upstairs,” he said, rubbing her upper arm.
She flinched and ducked away from him.
“Injured reserve, huh?”
“Like I said, I’m fine.” She tapped her ear and it dawned on him she had pressing issues she wasn’t comfortable discussing here either.
He knew that and he wanted to hear the whole story before anything else interrupted them. It felt like he’d been riding a runaway roller coaster since Jenny woke him up.
“Yes, you are fine. I’m a lucky, lucky man.” He wrapped his arms around her, bringing her back to his chest and pressing a kiss to the warm satin skin beneath her hair. “Let’s go upstairs and get you settled.”
She murmured an agreement, tipping her head to the side, giving him better access. He took advantage, wanting to cheer when she relaxed enough to cover his hands with hers at her waist. “After we unpack the car, we should probably go do something more honeymoonish.”
“Is that a word?”
