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“Are you jealous?”
Anne huffed. “I have a wire, you jerk.”
“I’m sure Jeffers has heard worse. I’m sure he’s said worse.” William pulled her up and moved his face close to hers. He mouthed: “Turn your mic off.”
“No,” she replied silently.
William squeezed her close. “Fine. Let me give you a rundown of what I’ve sorted out here.”
***
Soft, jazzy crooning surrounded them as they danced, and the lights from above cast a warm glow over Anne’s face. She had been a vision all night, but right now, William couldn’t take his eyes off of her even if he tried.
William filled her in on the conversations she’d missed while making friends with the Egertons. He hadn’t gotten confirmation that Egerton was the one following him, but it was clear that Jarvis Pigg hadn’t ever worked for the man. William had asked after Pigg under the pretense that he was looking for some extra security.
“He’s definitely one of Santiago’smen. Well, was. So either Pigg double-crossed him, and Sant ordered him taken out, or someone had him killed as a message to his boss,” William told her.
“So, it could still be Egerton,” Anne said. “He’s the one who tried to have you killed before, and it’s the same mark. And you said that these guys only left a body if it was a message.”
“You’re right. Nothing says I love you like a bloody corpse.”
Anne ignored his tone. “Jeffers found quite a few cases that sported that mark. No one connected them together before because the mark looks random. We’ve been trying to connect those victims back to Egerton somehow.”
“But not all of them connect,” William surmised. At her surprise, he smiled and gave her a twirl. “This is the work of a hit man. He probably works for more than one man.”
“That makes this complicated.”
William pulled her close. “Everything’s complicated with us, love.”
“Why do you have to do that?” she whispered.
It was a fair question since he knew they couldn’t be together, and he also knew from their morning in his hotel room that she was uncomfortable being so near to him. William couldn’t help wanting her. It was at once animal and deeply personal. He could spend the day in bed with her or just talking with her, and he would be almost equally as happy.
Actually, that reminded him of the entire weekend they’d spent in bed together. They’d barely gotten up for food. He grinned as he thought about how gingerly she’d moved toward the shower that Monday morning.
“I’m glad the threat to my career makes you so happy,” she drawled.
“I was just thinking about that weekend in Napa.”
Anne’s cheeks colored. William let her go for another twirl. She came back into his arms looking flustered and angry. He should really stop teasing her.
The song ended, and she left the dance area and picked up a glass of champagne. It was her first of the night. He’d been watching, and she’d been very careful not to imbibe anything while they were working. So diligent. So responsible.
William gave her a minute before coming up to her. “Look, it’s been almost an hour. I rented us a room. Why don’t we do another lap, make sure we haven’t missed anyone, and head up so you can get a moment out of those heels?”
Anne started to frown, but then shrugged and took another sip. Good. He would work with that, even if she were so annoyed that she didn’t have it in her to scold him right now. He couldn’t help if he kept remembering what they’d had together.
They ea
ch took their tour of the room separately. Anne transforming into a bubbling idiot who made sure to stand close enough to people for her wire to pick up conversations, and William kept it light enough to prevent any former enemies from joining in the hunt for his hide. If anyone knew he was working for the police, his business would be done.
He ran into Egerton once more just as he headed back to Anne.
“Ah, Will. I wanted to have a word with you before you and your lady flitted off.” Egerton stood uncomfortably close to him. “I’ve heard that you’re looking for additional security. Wisdom would suggest that a proper alliance would give you more security than any idiot thug you could hire.”
William raised a brow. “Would it? And what would my partner get out of such an alliance?”
“A certain cut, of course. But moreover, it would be best if both parties could be certain you were going to remain at work.” Egerton put his hand on William’s shoulder. “Can’t do business behind bars, can you?”
