"I fell. It's not a big deal." The last thing I wanted was a lecture on going into dangerous situations alone. "Explain what you mean by he's your informant." I wasn't stupid, but I definitely wanted him to spell it all out. Make sure we were on the same page this time.
"When I found you in the building, the other day, I believed you. I knew you wouldn't lie to me that you saw someone enter. I wasn't sure who it was or if there really was something going on in my office, but you did, and I've come to trust your gut."
I pulled my hands free of him. Not because I wanted to, but because I couldn't think straight when he touched me. "Go on." I wanted a full confession before I said another word.
"I pulled some surveillance footage of the DA's office hallways from that night. I pulled up the guy's face and ran him through the system."
I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest, feeling a bit smug. "And you discovered it was Rocco Diaz."
The left corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. "Yes. You were right. That's what you want to hear, isn't it?"
I made a circle in the air with my finger. "Oh, this is more than satisfactory. Please continue."
He softly chuckled. I loved a man who could admit defeat. "I tracked him down to Ventura's."
I wrinkled my nose. "A charming place, isn't it?" I bet being a man he had more luck than I had.
"Yes, it is. So I made Rocco a deal that if he turned informant, I'd offer him immunity and protection."
"And he agreed?"
"He didn't have much of a choice. The surveillance tape showed him breaking and entering. Not to mention what would be discovered at Ventura's. I may not be a cop, but I know quite a few. He could be doing jail time."
Technically he hadn't broken in since the doors were unlocked, but I didn't bother bringing that up. Then it hit me. The tapes showed Rocco entering the DA's office. That meant…
"Wait. You have surveillance cameras inside the office building?"
"Yes. We do." He gave me a meaningful look that said he knew I'd been in the offices. Oops.
Then he added a wink. "And I prefer the lace ones."
My cheeks blazed with heat. He'd gotten views of both my pre-laundry and after-laundry panties? I had hoped he'd see them one day. I just would've preferred it was while I was shimmying out of a skirt or performing a provocative lap dance.
"So what's the plan with Rocco?" I wasn't sure if he'd fill me in, but it was easy to ask. Plus I really wanted to steer the conversation away from my ass since I hadn't gotten to see his yet. It was only fair.
"I'm trying to get him to confess what he knows about the big fish."
Oooh, my straight up tactic had worked better than I anticipated. "Vega."
He nodded. "Yes. And hopefully that'll lead to an even bigger fish. Rocco's contact in the office."
Since I was already ahead, I figured why not go for broke. "Miranda Valens."
The corners of his eyes crinkled. "Yes."
I knew it. I almost jumped up and shouted, "Score!" but I refrained. Just barely. "But you've been flirting with her, and taking her to lunch and dinner."
I hated saying it. It made me sound jealous and insecure, and while I wasn't the latter, I didn't want him to know about the former.
He cocked his head to the side. "How do you know that?"
Obviously he didn't know everything. I needed to be careful. As great as this sharing had been, he didn't need to know all of my tricks. I never knew when one of them would come in handy. And while snooping was one thing, I didn't want to trust he wouldn't get pissed off if he knew about the bug.
"There's a clear shot from the street straight into your office. And then I tailed the two of you to…Franco's."
I watched his face, waiting for some tell-tale sign.
His mouth twitched. "I'm sorry you saw that. The only reason I took her there was because I already had a reservation. I go there every Tuesday night since you and I were there."
"You do? Why?"
"They have great fried calamari."
My stomach sank. "Oh."
"And it reminds me of a beautiful blonde who I don't get to spend enough time with."
Okay, so maybe I was acting like a teenager, but I beamed. A huge smile, where I was certain he could see my molars. I couldn't help it. What woman didn't want to hear something like that? And it suddenly didn't matter than he needed time to grieve his wife. Aiden Prince spent every Tuesday night thinking of me. Yeah, very high schoolish.
"Wow, I take back all of the horrible things I said about you."
"You didn't say any horrible things about me."
"It was all behind your back." I flashed him another brilliant smile.
He chuckled.
I took a deep breath and leaned forward. "So what now?"
He hesitated. Maybe this would be the moment he realized he'd said too much and pulled back. But instead of shutting down, he continued, "I'm working on a plan to get Vega and Miranda on tape together with Rocco's help."
I straightened my back, sitting upright. "How can I help?"
He shook his head. "No. I don't want you involved. It's too dangerous."
Here we go again. Same speak, different caveman.
"Danger is my job. I'm not an amateur. I know what I'm doing. Plus, I'm armed."
"The last time you were around bullets, your father was almost shot and your…friend almost died."
I heard the emphasis on the word "friend" but ignored it. There was no place for Danny in this conversation right now.
"My gun wasn't involved in that incident, and I cannot control the craziness of a crazy person."
He stood and paced a small area by the chair. "That's my point. I trust you. It's the crazies in the world that I don't. And whoever is working corruption out of the DA's office isn't sane."
I jumped to my feet, determined to not let this go. I could argue all day if necessary. After sharing a bathroom with other models, I had a master's degree in it.
But before I could defend my stance again, he said, "I also don't want to spook Rocco by bringing in anyone else. Especially CPS," he said, doing meaningful air quotes.
Oh, he figured that one out, too, huh? He was starting to know me better than I thought. That made part of me very happy. The other part, however, knew I'd have to vary my sneakiness in the future.
"These are truly bad guys. Stay out of it, Jamie."
Then just as quickly as he appeared, he turned and left my office.
I stood in that spot, replaying everything I'd just learned. The feeling of relief that Aiden truly and officially wore the white hat flooded me. I knew it. Sorta. Thing was, though, Aiden may be too good. He had a lot more faith in Rocco than I did. Rocco could just as easily be setting Aiden up to take the fall for Miranda's dealings, or worse yet, to conveniently disappear. After all, Aiden just admitted he was the only one who knew anything about this connection.
There was no way I'd just continue to spy on cheating spouses and let Aiden possibly walk into a trap. No, I needed a plan. One that was foolproof. And if I'd learned anything in my two careers, it was that when working with most men, they enjoyed the simple things in life. Fine women and fine alcohol. Since getting Rocco drunk would be beyond difficult, I opted for option one.
I pulled up my contacts on my phone and dialed the first one listed.
Nothing like asking for help from a couple of old friends.
"Hello?" said a voice with a distinctive Valley Girl accent.
"Apple? It's Jamie."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
"And how do you plan on doing this?" Maya asked, while I reorganized my purse.
Hey, some tasks couldn't be put off.
"It's simple. I'm going to get Candy and Apple to cozy up to Vega, get him to proposition them." In my early days with the agency, I'd gone undercover at a strip club called the Spotted Pony to bust a cheating husband. While the undercover work wasn't going on my official resume any time soon, I had manage
d to befriend two of the dancers who worked at the Pony. Candy and Apple were always up for a little side job, and rarely asked too many questions. "The cops," I went on, "will be watching and bust him for solicitation. When they do, he calls his friend in the DA's office for help to get the minor charge dropped. They'll have it on tape that Miranda is helping Vega, and everyone is happy."
I pulled an empty, snack-sized bag of Cheetos from my purse and threw it into my trash.
"And you have the police in your back pocket?" Maya asked.
I smirked. "Not exactly. The cops are actually going to be me and Sam. And the charge is bogus. But I'm sure if we play it right, we can get the confession on tape."
That was what I hoped anyway. I didn't know what Vega's type was, but Candy and Apple had the attributes most men admired. Candy was curvy and luscious with double D's, or maybe they were G's, F's. How big did boobs come? Apple, on the other hand, was not as curvy but she had an ample bottom (probably the reason for her name) and was very athletic. Her thighs…well, I'd swear she could use them to crack walnuts. One of the women had to appeal to him.
Reaching the bottom of my bag, I shook out crumbs and salt granules.
"Of course, phase one is getting Candy and Apple to Vega. Unfortunately the only way to him that I know about is through the car shop." I took a deep breath. "I'll have to go back."
"Is that a wise choice? Your face is still a bit yellow around the edges."
"Yeah, I'll be fine." But I wasn't as confident as I let on.
I gathered my things, shoved them back into my purse, and headed toward the front door. Just as I was about to grab the knob, it opened and Elaine walked in.
Crap, this wasn't the time.
I contemplated charging past her, muttering an excuse behind me. But after drinks, I couldn't do that to her. And she didn't look right. Her hair needed a comb. Her eyes were bloodshot from too little sleep or too much crying. Was Derek really worth crying over? She must've really loved him. Poor woman.
She widened her eyes upon seeing me. "Oh thank goodness I caught you, Jamie. I really need to talk to you."
I glanced over my shoulder, looking for a legit way out of this, something more than "I gotta go," but it was just me and her. "I'm on my way out. Can it wait?"
"Oh." Her bottom lip trembled for a second.
Please, dear God, don't cry in front of me.
"I was…I, um…"
My chest tightened. The last thing I wanted to do was to leave a distraught woman quivering in my doorway. Plus, Derek's words repeated in my head. "Take care of her."
I tried not to sigh too loudly. "I have an errand to run. If you want to come along, we can talk in the car."
She gave a half-smile. At least the trembling had stopped.
* * *
As I flew down the highway, Elaine's words flew out of her mouth. It felt like every time I stepped on the accelerator, she spoke faster.
"I'm sure Derek's cheating on me."
"I don't think he'd do that," I said even though I didn't believe a word of it. I didn't want to lie to the woman. I liked her. I could even welcome her as a step-mom some day, although the chances of that happening were slim, I was sure. That's it, I was going to kill that man when he returned, and then I'd have to listen to Elaine cry about him being dead.
"He's not exactly the committing type," she said.
She was right about that.
"I knew this, but still I couldn't help myself. He's so adorable."
Clearly she had Derek confused with some other man? Or maybe she was in need of glasses? Okay, so if I took my daughter-glasses off, I could see how he was attractive to women. Tall, dark hair, a year-round tan from living on a boat. He wasn't young, but he was still in great physical shape—at least on the outside. I wasn't sure if his cardiologist would agree. But I definitely saw how he wooed women into his lair.
"Then before I knew it, I was in too deep. I'm forty-two years old. Too old to have been blindsided."
I glanced at the way she was biting her lower lip. If she didn't stop soon, she'd have no skin left. "You can't plan who you'll fall for. It just happens. And it's always by surprise, especially when it's with someone you don't expect."
She stopped the feeding frenzy and looked my way. "You know this from experience." It wasn't a question.
Was she right? And if so, had I fallen for Aiden? Or Danny? Or both?
I shook them both from my head and concentrated on Elaine and Derek. "I believe this will work out for you. Try not to worry too much. I'm sure it'll be fine."
Even if that meant she'd be single and available to meet someone who didn't have the track record of Don Juan.
She took a deep breath, probably sucking back any unshed tears, and gave a curt smile. "You really think he and I will make it work?"
I nodded, completely unconvinced. "Of course."
I should've been shot down by lightning at that precise moment, and considering I was going to my favorite spot on Earth, I probably would be shot by something very soon.
When I pulled into Ventura's, I left the car running, wanting a fast get-away just in case.
"Why are you stopping here?" she asked.
"Just needing to see a man named Vega." I wasn't sure why I told her that. I guess I figured she didn't need more lies.
Her brows formed a line across her forehead. "Are you sure it's safe?"
"You stay here. I'll just be a minute," I said to Elaine and jumped out of the car, dodging the question. I considered grabbing my gun from the glove compartment and hiding it in the waistband of my skirt, but I didn't want to freak her out. Maybe it was a foolish decision. I'd be ready for them this time, though.
I walked toward the building. Clanking metal sounded deep in the garage. I spotted Snake Man and took a single step deeper.
He was in the shadows but came closer. "You again?"
"Look, I really appreciate the help you tried to give me the other day. Turns out, the noise wasn't my car, just something rattling in the trunk." I laughed, trying to play the dumb blonde routine.
Snake Man smiled, but he didn't join in on the laughter. His buddies came from the back, like rats, and stepped alongside him.
"So I was wondering if you could help a girl out again. I was looking for a buddy of yours who works here. Vega?"
One of them visibly tensed. No one said a word. The air hung with danger. But then they looked to one another and Snake Man said, "Who? Never heard of him."
Yeah, right.
I took a couple of steps back, ready to bolt to my car. "Are you sure, 'cause a friend of mine said he worked here?"
They moved forward as one, stepping into the sunlight. I guess I should've taken some comfort in knowing they weren't vampires.
Suddenly, my passenger door opened and Elaine stepped out of the car. "Jamie?" she asked.
I wanted to turn and tell her to get back in. She may have wished for adventure, but this definitely wasn't the kind she needed. But I was afraid that if I turned, one of them would get the upper hand again. That gun sounded better and better with each second.
Snake Man blinked, focusing behind me. "Lanie?" He walked, practically skipped, to the car.
"Carlos? That you, sugar?" A huge smile broke out onto each of their faces.
What the…?
She ran to him and threw herself into his arms. They hugged and laughed.
Seriously?
I looked to his buddies who seemed just as alarmed and confused as I was.
Elaine turned to me, still with Carlos's arm around her shoulders. "Carlos and I go way back. I used to work the night shift with his mom."
"It's been so long," he said to her. "What, like five years?"
She nodded and said something in rapid Spanish that left the three of them laughing. Then she glanced at me but said to Carlos, "We need to talk to Vega about a business deal. Jamie's dad has a boat and would like to make some extra money doing night runs, if you know what I mean."
>
Damn, she was quick and good. Now I understood even more why she believed Derek was cheating. A person that good at lying could point out other liars.
He kissed the top of her head. "For you, Lanie, anything. He hangs out every night at a club he owns in Hollywood. Agev."
She wrinkled her nose. "Is that French?"
His buddies snickered. Obviously it was an inside joke.
Carlos shook his head. "Nah. It's spelled A-G-E-V." He smiled to his buddies.
Oh, clever.
Elaine glanced to me and gave a knowing smile. It seemed the lightbulb went off for both of us at the same time. Agev was Vega spelled backwards.
She gave Carlos a peck on the cheek and another hug. "Thanks, Carlos. You tell your mom hi, okay? And take care."
He nodded. "Will do." The he glanced to me. His smile faded.
I spun around and jumped back into the car. No need to stand there any longer.
Elaine got into the passenger seat and tugged her seatbelt across from her. "His mom is so sweet. You'd love her."
As I pulled onto the street, I glanced at her. She continued to surprise me. Derek would be a fool to let her go. "I'm seriously impressed with your skills."
She winked. "Hey, it's not just Bonds who can be charming enough to get info."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Sam, Caleigh, and I stood at opposite ends of Spectrum, a dance spot in West Hollywood, keeping our eyes and spy cams on Ruby St. Martin, the possibly gold-digging fiancée of one Michael Vaughn. She was young, a redhead, and considerably hot. I wasn't sure if it was because we lived in the plastic surgery capital of the world, or what, but I'd met an unusual number of exceedingly beautiful women this week.
Not to say there was any shame in having work done. Ruby certainly had. She reminded me of one of those mid-western girls who arrived in Hollywood to become famous and the first thing they did was invest in silicone. Ruby didn't walk. She bounced. Each step became a game of whether or not she'd pop out of her deep V-neck dress. I kept playing the odds, but so far I was losing. Maybe she taped them in. We models did it all the time on fashion shoots. Some of those bikinis weren't more than baby washcloths with string.
Lethal Bond: Jamie Bond Mysteries Book #3 Page 12
