Laura and the Lawman

by Shelley Cooper

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “When did you get in?”

  “A couple of hours ago.”

  They had left the Bickham estate shortly after three. The drive back to Pittsburgh had been a silent one, with both Ruby and him seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Since neither of them had wanted to stop for dinner, or for a break of any kind, they had driven straight through, with Antonio behind the wheel. For much of that time he had ignored the posted speed limit. As a result he had managed to shave an hour off their anticipated travel time.

  What was Ruby doing right now? he wondered for the thousandth time that night. He’d dropped her off at her apartment shortly after nine. Had she unpacked and gone straight to bed? Or had she rushed over to Joseph, as he secretly dreaded, and into his bed?

  He needed to concentrate on the job and to forget about Ruby O’Toole, he told himself firmly. He’d wasted enough time on emotions that had nothing to do with the work he was expected to perform.

  It was time for him to face facts. The facts in this case were that, even if Ruby were to leave Joseph for him, even if he could overlook her lack of morality and her difficulty with fidelity, they had no future together. He was an undercover cop, and he still didn’t know whether she was involved up to her pretty little earlobes in Joseph’s drug dealings. He couldn’t compromise the case by getting involved with her.

  But what if she was an innocent bystander—if, that is, a woman like Ruby could still be called innocent. What then? Embarking on any kind of relationship necessitated a certain honesty between two people, namely that he wasn’t exactly who and what Ruby thought he was. He couldn’t break his cover to her. That would put both of their lives in jeopardy.

  Which put him right back where he started. By himself. Alone.

  The way he had always liked it.

  Until he met Ruby.

  “So whose lights were you punching out?” Carlo asked.

  Antonio started back to reality. “No one’s. After four days on the road, I just needed a good workout.”

  Carlo gave him a “get real” look. “This is me you’re talking to, remember? And the way you were going after that bag tells a different story. A man punches a bag like that, he’s definitely imagining a face at the other end of his fist. Since I know you don’t hit women, I’m assuming it’s a man and that he’s somehow standing in your way.”

  “That’s a lot of assuming,” Antonio said.

  “Then tell me I’m wrong.”

  Antonio wished he could. He could lie like a pro on the job, but when it came to his family, and especially Carlo, there was precious little he could slip by them.

  “That’s what I thought,” Carlo said. “So who is he?”

  “My quote-unquote boss. And that’s all I can tell you about him.”

  “What about the woman?”

  Antonio blinked. “What woman?”

  “The one you told me about on the phone. The one you thought I could help you figure out.”

  “Oh. She’s fine.”

  “She’s really gotten to you, hasn’t she?” Carlo said.

  Antonio stared down at his hands. “What makes you say that?”

  “For one thing, the way you can’t look me in the eye.”

  Raising his head, Antonio did just that. In his brother’s eyes, eyes that were almost a mirror image of his own, he saw understanding and sympathy. He was a goner, and Carlo knew it.

  “What’s she like?” Carlo asked.

  How to describe Ruby in twenty words or less? It was an impossible task. Still, Samantha had been right. He had wanted someone to talk to.

  “She leaves outrageous tips for service workers. She knows the solution to the most obscure crossword puzzle clues. She loves anything old. And she gets all sentimental over love letters written by people she’s never met.”

  “Uh-oh,” Carlo said.

  “What?”

  “You didn’t mention her looks.”

  “So?”

  Carlo spread his arms. “Every other woman you’ve been with, all we ever heard were the praises you sang about her beauty.”

  Antonio felt his back go up. “Ruby’s beautiful. Very beautiful.”

  “But,” Carlo said, his voice lowering, “her beauty isn’t the main reason you’re attracted to her.”

  It was a first for Antonio. “No, it isn’t.”

  “You’re a goner, Tonio,” Carlo said, speaking the obvious.

  Antonio sighed. “I know.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “My quote-unquote boss.”

  “The face on the punching bag. What about him?”

  “She’s with him.”

  “Ahh.” There was a wealth of understanding in the drawn-out word.

  “‘Ahh’ is right.”

  “She’s not married to him, is she?” Carlo asked.

  Not yet. “No.”

  “Then what’s the problem? Go after her. Remember what Mom always said? All’s fair in love and war.”

  “You don’t understand, Carlo.”

  “What’s not to understand?”

  Antonio looked down at his hands again. It was an effort, but he finally spoke the words.

  “I don’t have the one thing it would take to make her leave him.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A six-figure bank account.”

  There was a pause. “You mean she’s only with your boss because he has money?”

  Antonio nodded.

  “And she will only leave him for you, if you can offer her more money?”

  Even though he knew Carlo was just trying to clarify the situation, it felt as if he was rubbing salt into an already open wound. Antonio swallowed hard.

  “Yes.”

  “Why would you want a woman like that?”

  Good question. He wished he had the answer. And he really wished he knew what Ruby was doing that very minute.

  Chapter 11

  “S orry to be calling so late, my dear,” Joseph said, “but a business dinner ran longer than I had anticipated.”

  Blinking fiercely, Laura sat up in her bed and clutched the telephone receiver to her ear. Using her free hand, she pushed the hair from her face and tried to clear the fog from her brain.

  A glance at the clock told her it was half past midnight. Amazingly, since she’d expected to spend the night tossing and turning, she’d been asleep for more than two hours.

  She hated feeling at such a disadvantage, and she had the niggling suspicion that Joseph had called so late to put her at one. “You know you’re welcome to call me anytime.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.”

  That’s why she’d said the words.

  “Did I wake you?” he asked.

  She could flatter him, tell him she’d missed him and had been sitting up, awaiting his call. That line might even have had a chance of working, if Joseph wasn’t gay. And if she hadn’t already sounded like a swimmer who, after diving to the bottom of the pool, was slowly making her way to the surface.

  Laura struggled to pull her wits together. She must have been deeply asleep if it was taking her this long to fully awaken. Now, more than ever, she needed to be on guard. Given the still-confused state of her mind, it wouldn’t take much to trip her up.

  “Yes, Joseph, you woke me.”

  “I hope this unexpected intrusion isn’t too unsettling for you.”

  “Not at all,” she replied blithely. “After all, that’s what you pay me for, isn’t it? To be at your service when you need me?”

  “It is indeed.” His chuckle was low and appreciative. “That’s what I like about you, Ruby. You know your place. I can always count on you to do what you’re supposed to do. The challenge is going to be figuring out those secrets you say you’re not hiding from me.”

  Laura felt a jolt of fear. Not a large jolt—it was almost like the shock a person got while walking across a carpet in stocking feet—but it was definitely t
here. Another sign she wasn’t the cop she used to be.

  She would have to keep an eye on the feeling. She certainly would have to conceal it from Joseph. Hopefully, if she used it to her advantage, this new awareness would sharpen her reactions.

  He’d said he had a business dinner. A long business dinner. Laura wondered if this was something she should know about, something she should report to her superiors.

  “I take it, by the length of it, that your meeting was successful?” she asked.

  “Beyond my wildest imaginings.” Joseph sounded triumphant. “If things go according to plan, very soon the Merrill Auction Gallery is going to be riding on a huge wave of cash.”

  To Laura’s disappointment he didn’t elaborate. Unfortunately, she couldn’t arouse his suspicion by asking who the meeting had been with. Instead she’d have to keep her eyes and ears open around the gallery and try to learn more that way.

  “I hope this means I’m going to get a huge bonus,” she said.

  Joseph chuckled. “I’ll see what I can arrange.” After a brief pause he added, almost as an afterthought, “How did the estate valuation go?”

  This, she knew, was the real reason for his call. Joseph was checking up on both her and Michael.

  “Very well. I think you’ll be pleased. You should definitely get your money’s worth, plus a good percentage more.”

  “Excellent. Excellent. And Michael? Everything work out fine with him?”

  She didn’t want to think about Michael, let alone talk about him. “He did a very thorough job. He knows furniture, and he’s a hard worker.”

  “I wouldn’t have expected any less from him after reading the recommendations that accompanied his résumé.”

  “He came highly recommended?” she asked.

  “Very highly.”

  By whom? Laura wondered. Others in the auction community, or the men with whom Joseph worked in secret? Men who lived on the fringes of society and preyed on people’s weaknesses. Men only concerned with the money to be made, and to hell with anyone or anything else.

  Men like Michael himself.

  Joseph’s next question interrupted her thoughts. “What about you two? Anything going on there?”

  Laura drew a deep breath. She’d known this was coming, had spent the moments before falling asleep formulating her response to this very question.

  “It’s proceeding slowly,” she replied with caution. “But I have hope that, in the not too distant future, it will produce the results you desire.”

  “Excellent.” Approval filled Joseph’s voice. “One last thing, and I’ll let you get back to your beauty sleep. Have you learned anything useful about him? Something I might need to know that wasn’t included on his résumé?”

  She couldn’t tell him about the gun. To do so would be to admit she had been in Michael’s room. Even if she revealed to Joseph that she possessed the skills to pick a lock, he would assume she had slept with Michael. And that was even more dangerous than the gun she had found in Michael’s luggage. Because the minute Joseph suspected she was having an affair with Michael, even though he had encouraged it, he would begin questioning her loyalty. It was inevitable. She was caught squarely in the middle of a Catch-22.

  “He told me he spent two years in prison for possession with the intent to sell.”

  “Anything else?”

  Joseph didn’t sound surprised, so Laura assumed he’d already known about Michael’s incarceration. What she didn’t understand was why she felt as if she was betraying a friend. Why, all of a sudden, was she feeling so protective of Michael?

  “He hinted he wouldn’t mind crossing the line when it came to earning some extra money.”

  “Think carefully.” Obviously this was news to Joseph, because his excitement was palpable. “What were his exact words?”

  Laura searched her memory for that particular conversation. Each of them seemed to be indelibly etched on her brain.

  “I believe he said that he wasn’t going to be stupid enough to get caught again.”

  “Well, well, well,” Joseph murmured to himself, obviously pleased. “I knew I could count on you, Ruby. Keep up the good work. And keep me posted.”

  Instead of feeling satisfied that she had passed another test and moved a step closer to gaining Joseph’s total confidence, when she hung up the phone, Laura felt depressed. And not a little alarmed. In truth, the excitement she’d heard in Joseph’s voice bothered her. If Michael wasn’t already involved in the drug operation, something after this conversation she was beginning to suspect was true, she had a feeling he soon would be. And if he did become involved, when the case broke she would have no choice but to see that he was punished along with Joseph.

  Sleep was a long time coming.

  “Going once. Going twice.” Antonio brought the gavel down. “Sold to bidder number 118 for twelve hundred dollars.”

  While he waited for the image on the screen to change to the next item up for bid, he looked out over the auction floor. Every seat was taken. A number of people stood in the rear of the room and lined the side walls.

  There was an electricity in the air that was unmistakable, and he felt a surge of adrenaline. This Saturday he was much more comfortable behind the podium. The crowd was with him—he was getting market value and, in some instances, a lot more—and he could feel himself feeding off their energy. This was the one part of the job that he truly did enjoy and would really miss when it was all over.

  Though he’d kept his eyes open, he hadn’t seen or heard anything suspicious. Nor did there seem to be any additional activity out on the loading docks that would indicate something was going down. According to his contact officer, none of the moving vans had made any unscheduled stops on their return to Pittsburgh, although they would be tailed as they departed for their destinations when they were loaded up with the items he sold today. It was just a gut feeling, but Antonio felt certain that no drugs were being moved during this auction.

  One of Joseph’s aides approached him. Closing his hand around the microphone, he leaned down to listen to what the man had to say.

  When he straightened, he addressed the crowd. “We seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties.” Spreading his arms, he smiled ruefully. “Apparently, despite having the best equipment money can buy, the projector is stuck.”

  Heads shook. There was the sound of tittering, some groaning and a few appreciative chuckles.

  “I know exactly what you’re thinking,” he continued, trying to keep the mood light. “All this technology is wonderful, but it’s a royal pain when it doesn’t work. We apologize for the delay and ask for your patience while we correct the problem. I would sing for you, to pass the time, but I’m afraid that might cause a stampede for the exits.”

  More laughter. “Seriously, though, folks, I hope you bear with us. The next item up for bid, an exquisite eighteenth-century Windsor chair, is really worth waiting for. You might want to take advantage of the unscheduled break to get a cup of coffee or a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. I personally can vouch for the Krispy Cremes, as I’ve eaten more than my fair share today.”

  The noise level in the room amplified as people stood up, stretched and began milling around. Thankfully, no one seemed in a rush to leave. Antonio looked down at his notes to refresh his mind about the upcoming items. As usual, when he had a spare moment, his thoughts veered to Joseph and Ruby.

  Whenever he had caught a glimpse of Joseph in the crowd, he had appeared pleased. In fact, he had appeared more than pleased with Antonio since his return from West Virginia.

  Ruby wasn’t speaking to him. The only time she seemed to pay him any attention was when Joseph was near. Was she trying to make Joseph jealous? That didn’t make any sense.

  What had she told Joseph about their four days in West Virginia? Obviously, if his behavior toward Antonio was any indication, she’d kept her word. As a result Antonio still had his job. And he was still in one piece.

&n
bsp; Earlier this morning he’d arrived at the gallery and Joseph had greeted him, Ruby by his side. After a first searing surge of jealousy at the sight, he had searched Ruby’s face for signs of guilt. He’d seen nothing. Either she was not bothered by her betrayal of Joseph, or the kiss they had shared meant absolutely nothing to her. The truth, he acknowledged wryly, was probably a little bit of both.

  Before his arrival he had even half convinced himself that he had succeeded in eradicating her hold over him. One look at her on Joseph’s arm, and he knew he’d been deluding himself. Despite everything he knew about her, despite her involvement with another man, he wanted her more than ever. He had to be the biggest fool ever to walk the earth.

  A cheer rose on the air, and Antonio glanced over at the screen. The projector was working again. Giving the crowd a couple of minutes to reclaim their seats and settle down, he shoved any further thoughts of Joseph and Ruby to the back of his mind. There would be plenty of time to think about them later. Whether he wanted to or not.

  Three hours later the auction was over and the huge gallery had emptied. While during the height of the sale nearly four hundred people had crowded onto the floor, now the only people left were Antonio himself, the twenty or so buyers still awaiting their turn to make final payment on their purchases, the refreshment vendors closing up their stalls and the janitorial staff, who were busily folding up chairs and sweeping away litter from the gleaming hardwood.

  He had just gathered up his papers and was preparing to leave when he caught sight of Ruby at the cash register. Before her stood a woman with a baby in one arm. From the opposite shoulder hung a diaper bag and a purse she was awkwardly searching.

  He didn’t know why he hesitated. Something about Ruby’s posture registered on his internal radar, making him take a second look. Though her face was an impassive mask, he recognized the obvious signs of tension. By now he knew them well: the stiff back, the shoulders rigidly squared, the thrust-out chin. Hadn’t she looked at him that way often enough, whenever he’d pushed her patience to the limit?

  Maybe Ruby was simply eager to keep the line moving, but he didn’t think that was the cause of her distress. Something else had her on edge.