Laura and the Lawman

by Shelley Cooper

  Ideally, to protect their identities as undercover cops, he and Laura would be included in the roundup. They would then be released because, rightly, there was no evidence of their complicity with Joseph. No one, not even Joseph himself, would be aware of their true roles, unless it became necessary for them to testify at trial.

  The first thing Antonio saw when he rounded the end of the aisle was Laura. She was studying a group of paintings that had recently been delivered and looked beautiful as always in a black linen skirt and bright-pink blouse. She also looked coolly remote and utterly unapproachable.

  Coward that he was, his first impulse was to continue on past to another aisle. He would have, too, if he hadn’t seen Joseph standing at the other end, and if Joseph hadn’t waved a hand, beckoning him.

  Laura looked up as he neared. When she saw him, she immediately turned back to the paintings.

  “Good morning,” he said as he passed. The wide aisles allowed for easy movement of both forklifts and large furniture items. Though he hadn’t come close to brushing against her, the scent of Laura’s perfume filled his nostrils, and the heat from her body seared him. He could hear how her breathing had picked up tempo, or maybe it was his own respiration he was listening to. His heartbeat had certainly kicked up several notches.

  He wanted to touch her. He ached to reach out and haul her into his arms. But most of all he wanted to kick himself for botching the whole thing so badly. What was wrong with him? He’d seen the promise of heaven in her eyes, felt it in her arms, and instead of reaching out for it with both hands, he had pushed her away from him.

  In essence, he had frozen her out.

  “’Morning,” she replied in a chilly tone that confirmed his thoughts.

  In the eleven days that had passed since they had made love—though he tried, he still couldn’t think of it as merely sex—Antonio had made it a point to stay out of her way. He hadn’t phoned her. He hadn’t tried to catch her eye when no one was looking. He hadn’t tried to engage her in idle conversation.

  He told himself his behavior was for her protection, but he knew that wasn’t the entire truth. He was also protecting himself—from what, exactly, he couldn’t say. All he knew was that somewhere inside him he felt an immobilizing fear. It was buried so deep he had no words to articulate it. He was going to have to do some digging, but that required time spent in quiet reflection, something that was in rather short supply at the moment.

  Thankfully, Joseph hadn’t sent him and Laura out of town together. At least he hadn’t had to contend with the prospect of working side by side with her.

  The first couple of days after their night together, whenever their gazes had chanced to meet, Antonio had seen the questions in Laura’s eyes. He had also seen her obvious hurt and bewilderment. Lately, though, whenever she looked at him, if she looked at him at all, the only thing he saw was her disdain.

  He deserved it.

  Though he’d longed to go to her, to try to explain, he’d held himself back. After all, what could he say that would make any sense? What could he say that would make either of them feel better?

  Despite endless hours spent staring at the ceiling every night, unable to sleep, he didn’t know yet what he wanted to do about the two of them. Of course, that assumed she still wanted to have something to do with him. Antonio knew very well what making that assumption might turn him into.

  The only time they had actually spoken was at the joint meeting with their contact officers, and that conversation had centered around the details of the final showdown. During that time, Laura had remained coolly polite toward him, her manner totally professional. Her indifference had cut him deeper than if she had actually shouted at him.

  “How’s everything look?” Joseph asked, forcing Antonio back to the present.

  “It’s a decent haul. You should get a good price this Saturday.” He nodded toward a truly hideous lamp, the shade of which was draped with a black fringe. “Of course, I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to describe that. And there’s a moose head in another aisle that only a mother could love.”

  Joseph chuckled. “You’ll figure something out.”

  “That’s what you hired me to do.”

  “It is indeed. I have to tell you, I’ve been quite pleased with that decision so far.”

  “Thank you.”

  From this vantage point, Antonio could see the open doorway leading out to the loading dock. A forklift passed them and went through the door. Joseph also watched the forklift’s progress.

  He seemed antsy today, his foot tapping impatiently against the concrete floor. His hands were in constant motion, his eyes were overly bright, and there was an air of suppressed excitement about him. Something was definitely going on. Antonio could only hope Joseph’s behavior indicated that the deal was finally going down, because as yet Joseph hadn’t had the talk with him that he’d promised.

  “Keep up the good work.” Joseph clapped him on the back, and Antonio sent up a silent prayer of thanks that he’d been wired from the front. “Whenever you’re up at that podium, all eyes are on you. That’s the way I like it.”

  Antonio shot a hooded glance at Laura. Not every eye was on him. Not anymore.

  “Thanks.”

  Forcing himself to breathe deeply, he cleared his mind of all thoughts but the job he had to do. If everything went according to plan, Joseph would be in custody by the end of the day. It would all be over.

  And he and Laura would have their chance to talk.

  By chance, the van left just as Laura happened to be passing the loading dock doorway. She watched its departure with mixed emotions. On the one hand it meant this job was coming to an end, and that was a good thing. On the other, it meant the job was coming to an end, and she and Antonio were going to have to have the talk he’d promised her in his note. When it was over, in all probability she would find herself back in Queens, alone, in a house so empty it echoed whenever she walked across the floor.

  While the past eleven days had been torture, at least she had gotten to see him, if only from a distance. But when she went home, she wouldn’t even have that painful pleasure anymore. Earlier, when he’d passed her in the aisle, it was all she could do not to throw herself at him. Only Joseph’s presence and some tiny remnant of her pride had held her back.

  And people said sadomasochists had problems.

  With a heartfelt sigh she turned away from the doorway. She had only taken a step or two, when the hairs on the nape of her neck went up. Glancing to her left, she found that Joseph had fallen into step beside her.

  It took all her self-control not to jump. She hoped he hadn’t seen her preoccupation with the van. Thankfully he seemed as preoccupied as she was herself.

  He came to a sudden halt, and she stopped, too. He looked off in the distance for a long minute before turning his attention to her.

  “How was that new group of paintings that came in yesterday?” One hand jingled the change in his pocket.

  Relief coursed through her. This was a question she could definitely answer. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they’re not very good.”

  “How much do you think they’ll bring?”

  “If anyone else but Michael were selling them, I’d say two, three hundred at the most. But with Michael at the podium, your guess is as good as mine.”

  “He does seem to be a genius at getting people to part with their money,” Joseph said.

  “Yes,” she agreed, “he does.” He was equally good at getting them to part with their hearts, too, she amended silently.

  The jingling change in Joseph’s pocket went silent. “Speaking of Michael. What exactly is going on between you two?”

  Laura caught her breath. “What do you mean?”

  “You don’t seem your normal cheerful self around him. In fact, it looks to me like you two are avoiding each other. Something happen last time you were out on the road?”

  The last thing she wanted at this crucial
juncture was for Joseph to waste time speculating about them. Trying to look rueful she said, “If you want to know the truth, I did what you asked me to. I came on to him.”

  Interest sparked in Joseph’s eyes. “And?”

  She shrugged. “He turned me down flat.” The words were harder to say than she’d expected them to be.

  “He turned you down?” Joseph arched an eyebrow. “That must be a new experience for you.”

  Laura felt her throat thicken with emotion. Why did it have to hurt so much?

  “He did, and it was.”

  “Did he tell you why he turned you down?”

  No, and he didn’t have to. She knew exactly why.

  “Yes, Joseph, he did. He said that I belonged to you, and that he valued his job too much to ever put it in jeopardy.”

  “He said that, did he?”

  Joseph seemed pleased. At least someone was happy with the way things were between her and Antonio.

  “To the best of my recollection, those were his exact words. If I’ve been avoiding him recently, I guess it’s because my pride is hurt.” Her pride, her heart and her very soul, to be precise.

  “Did you come on to him because I asked you to, or because you really are attracted to him?”

  Laura went still. What should she say? She decided the safest route was to stick as close to the truth as possible.

  “A little of both, I suppose.” She gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug and flashed him a smile. “Else why would my pride be so injured?”

  “Why indeed?” The change started jingling again. “This was the first time you’ve been interested in a man since your fiancé’s death, isn’t it?”

  At first she didn’t know what he was talking about, thought he might actually be referring to Jacob. The implications of that had her heart racing with panic before she recalled the cover story she’d given him what seemed like so long ago, when she’d started the job.

  She nodded.

  “It must hurt doubly, then, when you’ve finally worked up the courage to get back into the dating game, only to have him turn you down.”

  Joseph did delight in pouring salt on an open wound, she acknowledged wryly. “You can say that again.”

  “There are other fish in the sea, Ruby.”

  Maybe she’d been wrong about him. Maybe Joseph really was, in his own way, trying to be supportive. It didn’t matter, though. No matter how many fish in the sea there really were, there was only one Antonio.

  Her gaze slipped to the aisle where he stood, his back to them as he studied a silk brocade footstool. Her throat closed with emotion. He looked so blasted wonderful. And so out of her reach.

  It didn’t help that she could still feel the play of his muscles under her fingertips, could still taste him on her tongue. His masculine scent clogged her nostrils like hay fever.

  Did he wish their night together had never happened? Was that regret she saw in his eyes whenever their gazes did chance to meet? She taunted herself with those questions and dozens of others every time her head hit the pillow at night.

  She would have her answers soon enough. Today was D-Day. If all went well this afternoon, the case would be wrapped up in a neat little box and tied with a bright-red ribbon. Joseph and his partners in crime would be behind bars.

  And then she and Antonio would get their chance to talk.

  If only she weren’t so certain she knew exactly what he was going to say.

  “Would you come to my office in fifteen minutes?” Joseph asked. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.

  Her thoughts still on Antonio, Laura’s answer was absentminded. “Of course.”

  It was only after Joseph had turned on his heel and headed out to the loading dock, that she thought to wonder what he wanted from her.

  Fifteen minutes later, as requested, Laura took a seat in front of Joseph’s desk. Like the devoted right-hand man that he was, Matthew Rogers stood at Joseph’s shoulder, gazing at her with his impassive brown eyes. She never could tell what the huge man was thinking, or if he thought at all beyond the job Joseph had hired him to do. She did know, though, that he lived and breathed to serve his employer. Which meant he had to know how things really were between her and Joseph.

  She knew one other thing. When the backup team swarmed down on them, in all likelihood Matthew Rogers was going to put up one hell of a fight.

  Not for the first time Laura wondered if Matthew and Joseph were lovers. There was something a little too overprotective about the way Matthew always hovered over Joseph that seemed to pass beyond the bonds of the employer-employee relationship. Not that it mattered or changed anything. She supposed she was allowing her mind to entertain whatever thought popped into it, versus the alternative of dwelling on the subject that weighed so heavily on her heart. Or, should she say, the man.

  “You wanted to see me?” she asked.

  “Yes, my dear, I did. Thank you for being so prompt.”

  It didn’t surprise her when Joseph nodded to Matthew, who immediately melted into the scenery in a far corner of the room. She knew he was there to gauge her reaction to whatever it was Joseph wanted to talk to her about, although how a man his size managed to blend in so totally with his surroundings still amazed her.

  Looking at Matthew, Laura had a sudden premonition. Before Joseph said another word, she knew exactly what was coming. Finally, after weeks of proving her worth to him, he was going to invite her into his inner circle.

  Not so long ago that invitation would have filled her with excitement and a thirst to learn as much as she could. Today, with the machinery in place to bring Joseph down without it, it seemed a hollow victory at best.

  If only she had been wired the way Antonio was. Then the surveillance team would hear firsthand whatever proposition Joseph put forward to her. Instead, she had reluctantly agreed to forego wearing one when her contact officer had argued that her closeness to Joseph increased the risk of detection. Antonio, who spent more time out of Joseph’s presence, would bear a far lesser risk. They had both been expressly forbidden to bring any weapons into the gallery.

  Joseph’s fingers drummed against the desktop, and he seemed to be gathering his thoughts. “I have been exceedingly pleased with your performance, Ruby. In light of that, I think it’s time we expanded your duties. But before we do, I need to warn you that you might be called upon to perform tasks some people might not find strictly…shall we say, legal. How would you feel about that?”

  What she felt was the heat of both Joseph’s and Matthew’s gazes upon her. This was it. Her premonition had been correct.

  It was ironic, really, that now that things were almost over, Joseph was ready to take her into his confidence. If only he had done this weeks ago, Antonio never would have been sent in. She wouldn’t have lost her heart to him. She wouldn’t be sitting here, resisting an overpowering urge to cry.

  Now was definitely not the time to think of Antonio, she reminded herself. Laura could well imagine Joseph’s reaction if she suddenly burst into tears.

  “Will I be paid well for my efforts?” she asked, knowing that would be Ruby’s number-one priority.

  “Top dollar.”

  “Could you be more specific?”

  Joseph named a figure that, had she been more like her alter ego, would have had Laura salivating.

  “Is that specific enough?” he added, the hint of a smile playing about his mouth.

  “I’ll say.” Laura paused. “Will I be in any danger?”

  “I’ll see that you’re protected.”

  “Will there be any…touching?”

  This time Joseph did smile. “You might be called upon a time or two to exercise your feminine wiles, but in a flirtatious manner only. I wouldn’t advise you to take it any further.”

  Spreading her arms, Laura smiled Ruby’s patented smile. “Then all I can say is, what’s a little illegality between friends? It’s just another word, after all. Like payday…my favorite.�
��

  “Good girl.” Looking satisfied, Joseph sat back in his chair. “I knew I could count on you. Now for the specifics—”

  A loud pounding on his office door interrupted him. Scowling, Joseph nodded to Matthew.

  “What is it?” the other man called.

  “It’s me. Jimmy Dixon. I need to talk to the boss.”

  “Come back later. The boss is busy.”

  “It’s important, Matt. It’s about that new auctioneer of his.”

  Laura caught her breath.

  “Michael?” Joseph’s brows furrowed. “Let him in,” he instructed Matthew. To Laura he added, “I’m sorry, my dear. Hopefully, this will just take a minute.”

  When Jimmy Dixon entered the room, Laura recognized him as one of the truck drivers. He was a tall, wiry man who always seemed full of nervous energy. Even so, Laura had never seen him this agitated before. His color was high, and as he stood before Joseph he began wringing his hands.

  “All right, Jimmy,” Joseph said pleasantly. “You have two minutes. What was it you wanted to tell me about Michael?”

  Jimmy rushed into speech. “I came here as soon as I worked it out, boss. I figured you’d want to know as soon as possible.”

  “I appreciate your loyalty.”

  “Thanks.” Still wringing his hands, Jimmy just stood there.

  “What would I want to know, Jimmy?” Joseph asked with exaggerated patience.

  “Ever since he started working here, I kept getting the strangest feeling, like I knew the guy. I kept my eye on him, watching and waiting, the way I knew you’d want me to. Especially when he started sniffing around the vans.”

  “Michael was interested in the vans?”

  Joseph’s voice had gone dangerously soft, and Laura’s hands clenched reflexively in her lap. Deliberately she forced them to relax. Her cheek muscles ached from the effort of keeping the smile pasted on her face.

  Jimmy nodded. “He tried to pretend he wasn’t, but he always had his eye on us when we were loading. The same way Pete did.”