“And what else?”
“I don’t let you leave my side.” She was definitely taking this seriously. She was throwing his exact wording back at him.
“Right. I don’t trust that mic they put in your handbag. It’s not as reliable as a wire.”
“You should’ve let me pick a dress that would’ve accommodated one. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about that part.”
He glanced over at her, memories of the other afternoon threatening to overtake what should’ve been an entirely professional train of thoughts going through his head. The dress was perfect. Dani was perfect. He loved seeing her in it, and he knew exactly how lucky he was to have had the privilege of taking it off her the other afternoon. It had been such an incredible physical reunion, but could they get on the same page with their other issues? Could he finally just tell her his secret? It had felt good to come out with one untruth the other day, but she hadn’t taken it well. There was no telling how she’d react if he finally told her everything.
“You look very handsome in that tux,” Dani said.
Cole had gone all out with the Armani, his most expensive pair of cuff links, and his Rolex. No detail was too small for tonight. “Thank you. You look even more amazing now in that dress than you did the other day.”
Dani reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you.”
Cole stole another eyeful of Dani, but now he was second-guessing the dress. Did it make her too much of a sitting duck? Too enticing? There was no way this sheriff, with a known weakness for beautiful women, didn’t glom on to her right away. It was the perfect plan. And that scared the hell out of him.
“Honestly, I’m glad you aren’t wearing a wire. I don’t want you thinking about being alone with him for even an instant.”
“Look. I’ve been around this guy before. I can handle him. Plus, I won’t put myself in danger. The boys need me.”
Don’t remind me.The plane dipped down, and Cole saw the small airstrip below. “There’s still time to back out. You’re not obligated to me or this investigation.”
She turned and gave him a look of admonishment. “I have to do this for Megan. And for Savannah. Iwasthat little girl. The little girl without the family she should have had. I can’t let her down. We have to catch the men responsible for Jason’s death.”
“Okay then, Melanie. It’s showtime.”
The plane landed safely and taxied down the short runway. After a few moments, the pilot stepped out of the cockpit. “Your car is waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. He’ll bring you right back when you decide to fly home. Enjoy your evening.” He winked at Cole but otherwise kept a straight face. The pilot worked for the FBI and would be on hand to leave at a moment’s notice if needed.
Cole squeezed Dani’s hand three times as a reminder that they were officially in sting mode. From this moment on, they were Chet and Melanie. Eyes could be watching and ears could be listening. Sheriff Orson’s influence was all over this damn county. His deputy wouldn’t have been so nervous about offering information if that wasn’t the case.
As they rode up into the mountains along a winding road, Cole reminded himself that this was for Jason. It was for Savannah and Will and Megan. Rich belonged behind bars for the rest of his life.
Miles away from the landing strip, the car pulled up to an ornately scrolled iron gate. It was flanked by massive stone pillars and tall walls that trailed off into the dense woods on both sides. As the driver buzzed the intercom and requested entry, Cole noticed a security camera panning the length of the car. They drove onto the property, which was sprawling and immaculately landscaped, lit up with dramatic lighting. At the top of the hill—the highest point, as near as Cole could tell—the house sat waiting. It, too, was lit up, glowing in the inky blackness of the night.
“I remember this place,” Dani muttered under her breath, referring to the time she’d done a catering job out here years ago. “He made it sound like he was a businessman who just happened to be sheriff.”
“No. He’s a sheriff involved in business he shouldn’t be. That’s the reality.”
“How are the citizens here not completely up in arms about this place? The man is clearly abusing his power.”
“He’s greased a lot of palms along the way. Only trouble with that is people will only stay quiet for so long, especially when your misdeeds keep getting worse.”
Dani wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. “We need to get this guy good.”
They came to a stop, and the driver opened the door on Dani’s side. She slid across the seat and climbed out. Cole followed. Now that they were out of the confines of the car, things were about to get that much more real.
“I’ll be waiting for you, Mr. Pearson,” the driver said to Cole. He, too, was one more agent on-site. That definitely gave Cole a sense of security.
“Thank you. We might be late.”
He nodded. “Take as long as you need, sir.”
Two armed security guards were waiting outside the front door. “We need to check you for a weapon, sir,” one of them said, patting down Cole with little warning. “He’s good.”
Dani smiled and held up her hands in mock surrender. “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but I can assure you I couldn’t hide a gun in this dress if I wanted to.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The guard seemed embarrassed. “But we need to check your handbag, as well.”
