the push-up bra. Her blonde hair hung free, falling to her shoulders.
Max took one look at her and arched one brow. "Wow. Your new friend is going to take one look at you in that outfit and forget about all his problems. Maybe I should go as a chaperon."
"I'm too old for a chaperon, Max, but thanks just the same. Where have you guys been all day?"
"Maybe you should sit down first," Dave said, "because you're not going to believe it."
Jamie looked at Max. "Oh, yeah?" she said.
"We found Santoni's place," he told her.
Her jaw dropped. "For real?" She couldn't hide the excitement in her voice. "What's it like?"
"Nice hideout," he said, "surrounded by what looks like the Great Wall of China."
Dave nodded. "Max attached a recording transmitter to his telephone line so we could monitor his calls."
"Wow, we're finally getting somewhere," she said. "Did you happen to get a look at Santoni?"
Max shook his head. He looked disappointed. "I wish. The place is under heavy guard. We had to do the job and get out so we wouldn't attract attention." He didn't look happy as he walked over to his laptop and sat down.
"We have pictures of his place," Dave said. "Or should I say his fortress." He handed Jamie several photos.
"Looks like a prison," she said.
"It's secure," Max told her as he checked his E-mail. "He's got almost as much security on his place as I do on mine. Of course, what I use is more sophisticated."
"Yeah, but you don't have a herd of Doberman pinschers walking the grounds," Dave said.
"I would love to know what Santoni looks like," Jamie said. Even as she said it, she hoped she would get the opportunity later. She suspected Santoni was the one threatening Michael, but what she didn't know was whether he would show up personally to meet with Michael or send one of his men.
"What are you doing?" Jamie asked Max.
"Muffin is sending me what stats she has on Santoni. The reason we couldn't find anything at first is because he has everything in his sister's name and she's deceased."
"You're not thinking of trying to get into his place, are you?"
"There's no need," Max said. "We wouldn't find anything in his residence. That would make him vulnerable to possible search and seizure if he got busted. If the cops even know where he lives," he added. "I figure he's operating out of the back room of one of his businesses under an assumed name. Hopefully, we'll hear something in a phone conversation."
"What's next?"
"We're going to grab some gear and equipment and spend the night near Santoni's place," he said. "We have to be within range of the transmitter in order to tap in to his phone calls. Dave and I found a shack in the woods not far from the house. You can tell it hasn't been used in a while."
"It sounds dangerous."
"Damn right," Dave said. "The place is full of spiderwebs, not to mention ..." He paused and glanced at Max. "Dust mites."
"Will you be spending the night out there?" Jamie asked. Not only was she anxious at the risk they were taking, but she also didn't relish the thought of being alone at night in the cabin.
"I'll take the first watch," Dave said. "No sense us both being there."
Max looked at Jamie. "I'll stay with Dave for a while and try to be back by the time you get home. You
are
coming back tonight, I assume." He gave her outfit another once-over.
Jamie tossed him a look. "Very funny. I should be home before midnight."
"That's kind of late, isn't it?"
"I'm not meeting him until eight-thirty."
"I hope he's not married, too," Dave said. When Max and Jamie looked at him, he shrugged. "I know you and Jamie aren't really married, but this guy she's going out with doesn't know it. What if he has a wife? What if she's the jealous type?"
"He's not married," Jamie said.
Max looked troubled. "Maybe you and I should talk further before you meet this guy. I don't even know where the two of you are going."
"Would the two of you relax?" Jamie said. "I'm having dinner with the guy. He's probably
Max took one look at her and arched one brow. "Wow. Your new friend is going to take one look at you in that outfit and forget about all his problems. Maybe I should go as a chaperon."
"I'm too old for a chaperon, Max, but thanks just the same. Where have you guys been all day?"
"Maybe you should sit down first," Dave said, "because you're not going to believe it."
Jamie looked at Max. "Oh, yeah?" she said.
"We found Santoni's place," he told her.
Her jaw dropped. "For real?" She couldn't hide the excitement in her voice. "What's it like?"
"Nice hideout," he said, "surrounded by what looks like the Great Wall of China."
Dave nodded. "Max attached a recording transmitter to his telephone line so we could monitor his calls."
"Wow, we're finally getting somewhere," she said. "Did you happen to get a look at Santoni?"
Max shook his head. He looked disappointed. "I wish. The place is under heavy guard. We had to do the job and get out so we wouldn't attract attention." He didn't look happy as he walked over to his laptop and sat down.
"We have pictures of his place," Dave said. "Or should I say his fortress." He handed Jamie several photos.
"Looks like a prison," she said.
"It's secure," Max told her as he checked his E-mail. "He's got almost as much security on his place as I do on mine. Of course, what I use is more sophisticated."
"Yeah, but you don't have a herd of Doberman pinschers walking the grounds," Dave said.
"I would love to know what Santoni looks like," Jamie said. Even as she said it, she hoped she would get the opportunity later. She suspected Santoni was the one threatening Michael, but what she didn't know was whether he would show up personally to meet with Michael or send one of his men.
"What are you doing?" Jamie asked Max.
"Muffin is sending me what stats she has on Santoni. The reason we couldn't find anything at first is because he has everything in his sister's name and she's deceased."
"You're not thinking of trying to get into his place, are you?"
"There's no need," Max said. "We wouldn't find anything in his residence. That would make him vulnerable to possible search and seizure if he got busted. If the cops even know where he lives," he added. "I figure he's operating out of the back room of one of his businesses under an assumed name. Hopefully, we'll hear something in a phone conversation."
"What's next?"
"We're going to grab some gear and equipment and spend the night near Santoni's place," he said. "We have to be within range of the transmitter in order to tap in to his phone calls. Dave and I found a shack in the woods not far from the house. You can tell it hasn't been used in a while."
"It sounds dangerous."
"Damn right," Dave said. "The place is full of spiderwebs, not to mention ..." He paused and glanced at Max. "Dust mites."
"Will you be spending the night out there?" Jamie asked. Not only was she anxious at the risk they were taking, but she also didn't relish the thought of being alone at night in the cabin.
"I'll take the first watch," Dave said. "No sense us both being there."
Max looked at Jamie. "I'll stay with Dave for a while and try to be back by the time you get home. You
are
coming back tonight, I assume." He gave her outfit another once-over.
Jamie tossed him a look. "Very funny. I should be home before midnight."
"That's kind of late, isn't it?"
"I'm not meeting him until eight-thirty."
"I hope he's not married, too," Dave said. When Max and Jamie looked at him, he shrugged. "I know you and Jamie aren't really married, but this guy she's going out with doesn't know it. What if he has a wife? What if she's the jealous type?"
"He's not married," Jamie said.
Max looked troubled. "Maybe you and I should talk further before you meet this guy. I don't even know where the two of you are going."
"Would the two of you relax?" Jamie said. "I'm having dinner with the guy. He's probably
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