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She stood at his shoulder, her eye roaming the three working angles. The fourth camera aimed at the kitchen’s back door was still marred by the paint. “Doesn’t look like anyone went up the stairs.”
“That would be too obvious. The cashier has this same four-screen view on a display panel under the counter. I left orders not to interfere if anyone was spotted out there.”
“I’m not sure if I’m relieved or worried that whoever bugged your apartment didn’t take the bait.” Her eyes tracked over each feed again. “You’ve got a sweet setup.”
“I know a guy.”
She laughed. “Friends in high places come in handy.”
“All the time.”
When he aimed a smile her way, her heart skipped a happy beat.Keep it professional.
“Look at this.” He pointed to a camera aimed at the gas pumps. “Why do you think this truck needed gas twice in ninety minutes?”
“Pretty lousy mileage,” she said, eyeing the plain pickup truck. “I can’t see a face from this angle. Too bad he didn’t go inside to pay either time. Can you get a plate?”
“Yeah.” He tapped a few keys. “There. That will give Eva more to play with.”
“Good.” Hannah pointed to the file on the desk. “The Mary Lou background check is comprehensive. Did your friends teach you that too?”
“Nah. I let Eva put it together.”
“Not by herself. Unless she happened to visit and take some pictures when Mary Lou was in town.”
“Fine.” He gave another shrug of that burly shoulder. “I run a business, but they’re all family. I printed a few still shots. You know I protect my own.”
She understood the concept, having felt that way about the agents she worked with on various assignments. “I get it.”
“That file is all I have. Never said more than hello to the woman. I don’t know anything other than Tim would never willingly associate with anyone involved with drugs or gangs.”
“So if the cartel is intimidating anyone around here, it’s probably her.”
“Tim was clean, Hannah. Whether you want to believe it or not.” Bart swiveled the chair around to the file cabinet and withdrew another folder. “Generally, my policy is no one sees these records but me. While a wife might dip her toes in the business in her spare time, I don’t intend to breach the promise I made to the people who work for me.” He held it out to her.
His words made her inexplicably nervous. She hesitated, tucking her hands into her back pockets. Tim was dead and couldn’t care about her intrusion, but if any of Bart’s employees thought she knew more than she should, they would never trust her.
The idea made her sad. She didn’t expect to ever be more than the occasional girlfriend, but she didn’t want the staff to hate her or feel manipulated when this was over. That would only lead to more stress for Bart and stress was the exact opposite of what they’d each claimed they wanted from the relationship.
Until this visit, her time with him had been a respite from the hazards of her job and their infrequent weekends had been blissfully free of unnecessary drama. They’d simply done dinner, movies, and the occasional round of golf as friends. It was important to her that they didn’t lose that. Her thumb rubbed the smooth gold of the wedding band on her finger. In reality, it was too late. Her outlandish lie had screwed up their drama-free status indefinitely.
“No thanks. I believe you.” If Bart was convinced Tim wasn’t purposely working with the new cartel in the area that was all the endorsement she needed. “Shall we see what else we can dig up on the fair Mary Lou?”
“After we get another bag of ice for that eye,” he said. “I feel terrible about it.”
“Not your fault,” she said. Her stomach rumbled. “Any chance of dinner while we’re at it?”
“I have a pan of lasagna upstairs.”
“Count me in.”
They left the office and once more she was following Bart through the gauntlet of customers and the employees wishing them well. He put his arm around her, she smiled and said the right things. It was the perfect undercover performance from both of them.
She knew it was either hunger or her hormones were in overdrive when she started believing the routine. Leaning close, enjoying those small touches couples in love shared. It was almost a relief when they walked into his apartment and discovered someone had taken the bait.
The place was trashed. The tables near the bug, where he’d implied he’d left Tim’s notebook had been searched in a hurry.
“How the hell did this happen?” he roared.
