Page 102 of When You Became Mine

I squealed.

Me: OMG yes! I’m totally in. You have NO idea how much I need one of Melinda’s pedicures!!!

I gulped down a cup of coffee and then raced to the bathroom to shave my legs. I wasn’t sure how long it’d been since the last time I’d done it, but I knew the masseuse probably didn’t want to have to rub the abominable snow man’s legs today. My phone chimed again.

Smith: Perfect. Pick you up in half an hour.

I squealed again. This was just what I needed today. When he got here, I was going to kiss Smith for thinking of me.

Lawson

I’d gone into the field office before the sun had even come up. Armed with the letters Piper had gotten over the last six months, I was ready to talk to the agent in charge about the new leads in the case.

There was only o

ne problem: Pieters was right. I was still missing something. And I knew it was something vital.

Piper had gotten the very first sponsorship letter exactly seven months ago. It was just a generic plea for donations with the typical verbiage that was on every letter. She’d probably only skimmed it before tossing it in her drawer.

It was about six weeks later when the second letter came, this time with the picture of the kid attached. This was the letter that had hooked Piper.

She’d immediately filled out the sponsorship form and sent it back.

It was just a few days after that when the prescriptions started to be written.

But I couldn’t figure out the connection between The Children of the Ministry and Piper’s prescription pad or how she’d gotten on their radar in the first place. They usually went after people with money. And while Piper was well on her way to making a good living, she wasn’t there yet.

I was still sitting in the conference room at the office, the files laid out on the table when Pieters walked in.

He was the last person I wanted to see, so I didn’t do more than tip my chin in his direction before turning my attention back to the papers before me.

His voice was tight as he called, “Reed.”

“Pieters,” I mocked in a bored tone.

He pulled the chair beside me out from its place beneath the table and lowered his bulk into it. “I spent the rest of the night thinking about what you said.”

I cut my eyes to see something that almost looked like remorse in his face. “Yeah?”

“You’re the smartest man I know. If you say there’s a connection here, then who the fuck am I to question that?”

Finally, I turned my entire body toward him. He stretched out a hand and it hung in the air for a brief moment before I clasped it in mine. “We cool?”

I nodded.

He released my hand and blew out a breath. “Good. You’re the only asshole I know who listens to me talk about chicks.”

I rolled my eyes but chuckled. “When they certified me as a genius I’m not sure if they actually meant dumbass.”

He clapped my shoulder and said, “Whatcha got so far?”

I filled him in on everything, which unfortunately wasn’t a whole lot more than what we’d gone over the night before. “You’re right. There’s no evidence to connect them to the prescription pad. I just can’t figure out how they even got it in the first place.”

He rubbed the scruff of his jaw, lost in thought before saying, “Let’s go talk to your brother.”

“Hampton?”

Pieters was already on his feet and headed for the door. “Who else knows better about prescription pads and how to get them than that asshole?”

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