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“Those missing dogs will be bait at the fights tonight,” she said quietly, as they left Main Street behind them.
“Most likely,” he agreed.
“Their confidence is damned insulting.”
He agreed with that too. “They believe they sent us a message. What I’d like to know is how you want to respond.”
“Deadly force works for me.”
Dale chuckled.
“Hey, you just laughed.”
“It’s a normal reaction when I hear something amusing.” He reflected on their dinner together. “I laughed last night.”
“Doesn’t count. That was all pretend.”
It should have all been pretend, but he’d found her company—regardless of the purpose—comfortable. Frustrated by the uncomfortable realization, he forced his attention back to the task ahead of them.
“It’s not yet eleven.” Hard to believe, considering all that happened. “We need to make it look like we’re going ahead with our weekend.”
“So they don’t expect us to show up with the cavalry at tonight’s fights.”
“That’s one way to put it.”
“How should I have put it?”
“Well, unless you call on your brother, there’s no cavalry.”
“But you’re the FBI.”
“Yes. And there’s a reason I’m working this case undercover with a civilian.”
“A reason beyond your ‘mistake’?”
“Yes.” He didn’t like the way she put that in air quotes. His error had put her in jeopardy. “Don’t push me, Heather. The attack on the shelter is proof they know you’re involved.”
“Fine.”
“I’m thinking if we can get video evidence during a fight we’ll have something strong enough to take to the prosecutor.”
“Fine.”
He put a leash on his irritation. “We’ll get to the site ahead of them tonight and document everything.”
He didn’t even get a “fine” this time. “Do you have a better idea?” he pressed, wondering what was going on in her head.
“Not unless you let me stuff Lester in a small cage without food and water for a few weeks.”
“You have a very dark side behind that perpetual smile.” He shouldn’t find it attractive, but he did. “I like it.”
Good grief did I just say that out loud? Nothing about this case was going as planned. Especially not her. She was a civilian. Untrained. A risk. Her sense of justice was on target, but she was nowhere near objective. In the field that made her dangerous. To him as well as the case.
He took his eyes off the road and caught her fidgeting with the ring again. “Problem with the fit?” It was quite possible he was the one with the problem. She fit the role too well—except for being eight years younger than him and nowhere close to equal in life experience.
“No. I’m just getting used to it.”
“Your brother didn’t seem too eager to welcome me to the family.”
