Collier leaned against the Jeep beside him. “When you say it that way, I get it. But that doesn’t mean you need to permanently quit. Extend your leave. Go see a shrink or get drunk or whatever you need to do to work through this. You’re too damn good to quit, boss.”
They stayed there a few minutes in silence, looking out at the trees around them.
Finally, Collier straightened. “Are you going to tell me about this job? The one you supposedly weren’t looking for while on leave?”
“I’m not lying about that. It’s a recent development.”
“How recent?”
“This morning. Right before I learned about the secret meeting to vote me out.”
“And that stupid meeting helped you make the decision to resign?”
“Sometimes timing is everything. Speaking of that new job, I need to get to work right now. And you need to get back to your work before the mayor paints a target on your back too.”
“Where is this job? Here? At the Haversham mansion? I heard some Spanish lady rented it.”
“Cuban. Or so she tells me. It’s not a formal job or anything like that. I’m just helping her, doing a favor. Kind of investigating on the side.”
“Going into the private sector. I hear there’s a lot more money in that. Maybe I should help you.”
“No thank you.” The feminine voice had both of them turning to see Sierra standing about ten feet away.
The tension on her face told Beau something was wrong.
“What is it?” he asked.
She was holding her phone and started toward him, then stopped, looking at Collier. “Do you trust him?”
Collier narrowed his eyes.
Beau held up his hands. “Truce, all right? Collier, forget you ever saw this woman. I can’t introduce you two. And her safety depends on no one knowing she’s here.”
“We don’t have time for this, Beau.” She hurried to him and held up her phone. “Get mad at me later, but I planted a minicamera inside your foyer to make sure I could keep an eye on you, to make sure you were safe.”
“What the—”
“This just happened. Look.” She turned the phone to face him. Collier edged up beside him to watch the video she played.
The front door of Beau’s cabin burst open, splintered wood from the ruined frame flying around the foyer as the door slammed back against the wall. Four men dressed in black wearing ski masks rushed inside. They split up, running past the camera.
“Who the hell are they?” Collier demanded.
Sierra gave Beau a sharp look. “I told you that you could be in danger.”
“Can’t fault you there,” he said.
Collier looked back and forth between them. “The chief’s in danger?”
“Sorry, Beau,” she said. “I thought we had more time.”
“Okay,” Collier said. “While you two carry on your little insider conversation without me, I’ll call for backup.” He pulled out his phone.
Beau took it from him and shook his head. “This one isn’t for the police. Not yet, anyway. This is the job I was telling you about. Go home, Collier. Or back to the station. Just pretend you didn’t see that video. I’ve got this.”
“Four ninjas just busted into your house!”
Beau rolled his eyes.
