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“I think it’s for the best if we remember why we’re out here this weekend.”
“The case?”
“Yes.” The relief on his face told the story.
Well, she wasn’t the one bringing up the sex, was she? “Don’t worry about it, Dale. I enjoyed every minute with you, but I’m not expecting anything.” It was the truth. He didn’t need to know how much it cost her to say it.
“Maybe I’m worried about me.”
The unexpected admission threw her off. Wanting to ask any of the questions racing through her mind, she felt her smile falter and watched a wave of doubt ripple across his stoic features. Giving his hand a squeeze, she hurried to reassure him. “I can’t imagine why. You gave an above average performance.”
“Above average?” His eyebrows dipped low as he absorbed that verbal blow. “What happened to soul-shattering?”
“Ah-ha! You’re just fishing for more compliments this morning,” she teased, desperate to lighten what had become a heavy mood.
“No. Not really.” His own lips curved upward, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s—”
“Please.” She shivered, blaming the reaction on a cool breeze that skirted under her robe. “I’m a big girl. We’re consenting adults. There’s no reason to review or develop any ground rules.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.” She walked away before she did something stupid and confessed feelings that had to be temporary. Feelings that surely resulted from that heady mix of stress, lust, and admiration. Feelings that couldn’t possibly be rooted in something strong and real.
She and Dale were a temporary situation. She tried to tell herself it was for the best.
Chapter 15
Dale watched her walk away, knowing she was right and strangely dissatisfied with her response. It seemed a shame that life had forced her to develop such wisdom so early. But there was no reasonable explanation for the challenges life tossed out, he knew that first hand.
While he felt old and bitter under the burden of grief and loss, she’d managed to perfect the art of smiling through everything. It was more evidence he should walk away from her at the earliest opportunity. A woman like Heather deserved so much more than he could offer.
So why did thinking of her with some younger, faceless bastard make him want to punch something?
Typical possessiveness, he decided. Human nature. Part of going through a tough time with someone was that strange connection that developed. The sexual encounter had been a simple life-affirming reaction. Nothing to stress over or dwell on.
In a last-ditch attempt at self-preservation, he sat down at the table, determined to close this case. Scrolling through the photos, the faces blurred in and out of focus, but he knew there was more than enough for a prosecutor to take over.
The absolute confirmation of Bingham with Lester sent a cold fury through his system. Dale considered and discarded the notion that Bingham was sharing a car with Lester for some undercover operation. Couldn’t be. Bingham’s face was well-known in this area because of his job. He gave statements on television, his name appeared frequently as a cited source in newspapers across the state. Lester would never have believed Bingham was anything but an agent working undercover. There was no valid reason Dale could come up with to explain why Bingham would be sharing a car with a criminal like Lester.
Except the disturbing reality that Bingham was there as a guest or partner of the event.
Dale suddenly lost his appetite. A partnership explained how Lester operated his dogfights with such cavalier success. With Bingham paving the way, DNR officials like Zelnick would hardly matter.
He drummed his fist against the tabletop. And a partnership between Lester and Bingham meant Dale’s original plan was doomed to fail.
There were too many convenient scapegoats among the crew. Too many men who would willingly take the blame and protect Lester, the man who rewarded loyalty with more and more money and prestige.
Dale kept going, desperate to find something to put the nail in Lester’s coffin. Bingham’s too. As he’d told Heather, if they didn’t cut off the head of the operation, it would just keep on growing.
She might want to stop it for the sake of the animals, but he wanted more. He needed to know she’d be safe when this was over.
Dale kept looking at the pictures Heather had taken. This was more than a crew of lowlifes and thugs looking for gory entertainment to bet on. Lester had convinced several of society’s elite to drive into the wilderness and throw money away periodically.
For what?
The thrill of being part of illegal activity? All of the spectators had arrived in luxury vehicles. Every hand clutching money boasted a shiny watch, a ring, or … “I’ll be damned.” He zoomed in on each hand, as much as the software would allow. It would take a professional to confirm it, but the matching signet rings explained so much. This discovery would drastically narrow the field when it came time to sort out who in the South Carolina DNR was in on the operation.
He wanted to stand up and roar in victory, though he needed to change his plan of attack.
