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“There was some spray paint on a Wyatt vehicle regarding animal rights. The Wyatt women probably have a closet full of fur coats. The team will follow up on those two angles.”
“All right.” Grady stared at the blonde beauty on the screen. She had honey-colored curls to her waist and big blue eyes. If she was done with college, she was just barely. She looked young.
“Go home. Get some sleep. Her plane lands at noon tomorrow at DFW.”
Great… right back where he just left an hour ago.
Chris slapped his shoulder. “I’ll email you all her info.”
“Thanks.” Grady turned to the door. He had his hand on the knob before Chris’s words stopped him.
“Oh, and Grady?”
“Yes, sir?”
“You did good today.”
Grady nodded and went through the door. It was a long walk out to his black truck. He climbed in and sank into the leather seat, then flipped on the seat warmer, regardless of the weather. It felt amazing on his aching back. He sat there a long time, thinking about the last mission and trying to decompress. He knew it wouldn’t be long before his mind would shift to the next mission. Finally, he put the truck in gear and pulled out.
CHAPTER TWO
Tinsley stared out the window of the Wyatt private jet as it taxied to a stop, wishing she were still back in Paris, where she’d spent the last month hiding out from Palmer.
She’d been shocked when Daddy gave him the use of the jet to fly to France with the singular goal of bringing her home like a recalcitrant child.
The only reason she’d let Palmer get his way was because she had to be back for her mother’s charity ball. She’d never be forgiven if she missed it. The Ice Ball was an iconic event in Dallas. Everyone who was anyone attended. She’d be practically disowned if she missed it.
“On behalf of the flight crew, welcome home, Miss Wyatt. It’s a balmy 82 degrees in Dallas,” the pilot’s voice came over the speaker.
Before the jet even came to a full stop, Palmer flicked his seatbelt open and stood in the aisle, shrugging into his Armani suit jacket.
“You know, Tinsley, I’m beginning to resent these hoops you’re making me jump through, as if I have nothing better to do than fly around the world chasing after you.”
“No one asked you to chase after me, Palmer.”
He adjusted his cuffs. “It’s all just a big game to you, isn’t it? I thought this littlehard-to-getact you’ve been playing was cute at first, but it’s getting old, Tinsley.”
She stared out the window at the crowd of reporters and photographers waiting for them to disembark.Paparazzi.God, she hated the attention, but she knew Palmer loved it. It especially worked with his plan to run for political office. Which reminded her of the stark facts before her. She’d avoided it all as long as she could, but it couldn’t be put off any further, not with the way things would soon accelerate in Palmer’s plan.
Tinsley knew exactly what her father wanted—what he expected—to happen between her and the soon-to-be senate candidate Palmer Pace. A marriage between his only daughter and the young senate candidate would be the cherry on top to the Wyatt’s position in Texas, as well as give her father a very useful connection in Washington. Tinsley wasn’t stupid; she knew there were ulterior motives to everything.
All her life, she’d been expected to be the perfect daughter. Graceful, educated, charming, able to converse with high society, and oh, how she’d tried. Just once, she wished someone would ask what she wanted.
Her three brothers had all followed in the business in whatever position their father had wanted them in. They were all good little soldiers in the Wyatt army, doing exactly what was expected. As the only daughter, marrying for power and position had fallen to her. She’d tried to buck against it, to rebel by traveling nonstop for the last year, but it had only delayed the inevitable.
It was time to come home and face the music.
She knew in her heart she’d never go against her parents. She’d been given so much, but there was a price to be paid: perfection and obedience. Since she was a child, she was raised to be the perfect daughter. Nothing less was ever good enough.
She just wished she could make her father understand how she felt. She didn’t want to marry Palmer, but she knew she’d go through with it; she’d never let her father down. But one worry kept her up late into the night; she’d stare at the ceiling and wonder if when the moment came, as she stood at the altar in a beautiful white bridal gown, if she’d be able to really go through with it, to give her promise to love, honor, and cherish a man she didn’t love.
Tinsley tried to envision standing in her father’s office and telling him she was going to break things off with Palmer. Her father would stare at her with disappointment written all over his face, as if she’d failed him. Somehow, she didn’t think she could bear that.
The jet swung around, and the Wyatt limousine came into view, along with the three bodyguards her father had hired before she left for Europe.
A tall man she’d never seen before stood with his feet wide, his hands clasped, staring at the plane. Although his wardrobe was exactly the same, he stood apart from the other men dressed in suits like Secret Service. “Who’s that man?”
Palmer dipped to look out the cabin window. “Your father added another man to your security detail. I’m guessing that’s him.”
