you’ve got an inside source. Who is it?”
When she didn’t answer, he said ominously, “I’m sure I can think of a few charges that’ll get you some jail time while you try to remember.”
She said something that sounded like “ Eek !” then clamped her lips tightly together. She wouldn’t rat out Tootsie. She never ratted out friends.
His eyes narrowed even more, and a muscle leaped in his clenched jaw. He looked mad. Really mad. Harley tried to blend into the wall, but the cold white tiles stayed firm. Her head bent to one side a little because of the vending machine that dispensed fake Giorgio, Beautiful, and White Diamonds perfume, and she tried to ignore the condom machine that advertised Ribbed Lambskins for Added Pleasure on her other side.
“You’re irritating me, Miss Davidson,” he said again, softly this time. It was eerie how he could sound like a cobra. She closed her eyes when he put his hand up to her throat, his fingers closing gently on it, his thumb pushing her chin up so that she had to face him. “Open your eyes. Tell me what I want to know and you can go.”
She opened her eyes, but kept her lips firmly together. He was a cop. He couldn’t really hurt her. Then again, Bobby hadn’t actually affirmed that Jett was an undercover cop. What if she was wrong? The thud of her heart sounded suddenly too loud, thundering in her ears, so that she could only watch his lips move without hearing a word he said, lost in the loud buzz in her head. She understood he was threatening her. Wild threats. An occasional word slipped past the high-pitched whine in her ears: “. . . incarcerate . . . obstruction . . . prison . . . .” She hoped Tootsie appreciated her stab at courage and loyalty. It was waning fast.
Then, remarkably, he released her and stepped back, though the space between them was still close enough she felt his breath on her face. The small confines of the Ladies room felt like a sauna. The mirror was probably fogged, and she wondered if he could see his own reflection in it anyway. She sucked in a deep breath.
“You’re doing a sting operation, aren’t you? I won’t tell anyone. I can be trusted. I’m bonded.”
He leaned a hand on the door, looking down at her. “And that’s supposed to impress me?”
“I was hoping.”
He was quiet for a moment. Maybe he was thinking about it.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said, and she straightened with hopeful anticipation. He leaned close, his hand catching her chin between his thumb and finger. “Keep your mouth shut. Or else.”
Not exactly what she had in mind.
“How can a girl refuse an offer like that?” she cooed, batting her eyes at him and resisting the urge to bite. “But I’ve got a better deal. We can help each other. Think of it this way. We both have something to gain, so why not turn this little inconvenience to both our benefit? I want to keep Yogi out of jail, and you want to catch some bad guys. If it works out, we both get what we want. Deal?”
Silence. Well, heck, she’d tried. She hadn’t really thought he’d go for it, but it’d been worth a shot. And he hadn’t arrested her for anything yet, so maybe the day wasn’t a total loss.
“Fine,” he said shortly, startling her. “Deal.”
Shocked, since she really hadn’t expected agreement, she stared at him.
“We’ll talk over a beer,” he said, and flipped open the lock on the door. “After you.”
She hesitated, then straightened her shoulders and gave a nod. “Sounds good to me, sport. You buying?”
His gaze had dropped to her chest when she flung back her shoulders. Now he dragged his eyes up to her face and nodded. “Sure.”
While it wasn’t the most awkward time she’d ever spent with a man, it hardly ranked with the Top Ten Best. Bruno Jett bristled each time she dragged the conversation back to who he was and why he’d moved next door to her parents. Not exactly the cooperation she’d hoped to
When she didn’t answer, he said ominously, “I’m sure I can think of a few charges that’ll get you some jail time while you try to remember.”
She said something that sounded like “ Eek !” then clamped her lips tightly together. She wouldn’t rat out Tootsie. She never ratted out friends.
His eyes narrowed even more, and a muscle leaped in his clenched jaw. He looked mad. Really mad. Harley tried to blend into the wall, but the cold white tiles stayed firm. Her head bent to one side a little because of the vending machine that dispensed fake Giorgio, Beautiful, and White Diamonds perfume, and she tried to ignore the condom machine that advertised Ribbed Lambskins for Added Pleasure on her other side.
“You’re irritating me, Miss Davidson,” he said again, softly this time. It was eerie how he could sound like a cobra. She closed her eyes when he put his hand up to her throat, his fingers closing gently on it, his thumb pushing her chin up so that she had to face him. “Open your eyes. Tell me what I want to know and you can go.”
She opened her eyes, but kept her lips firmly together. He was a cop. He couldn’t really hurt her. Then again, Bobby hadn’t actually affirmed that Jett was an undercover cop. What if she was wrong? The thud of her heart sounded suddenly too loud, thundering in her ears, so that she could only watch his lips move without hearing a word he said, lost in the loud buzz in her head. She understood he was threatening her. Wild threats. An occasional word slipped past the high-pitched whine in her ears: “. . . incarcerate . . . obstruction . . . prison . . . .” She hoped Tootsie appreciated her stab at courage and loyalty. It was waning fast.
Then, remarkably, he released her and stepped back, though the space between them was still close enough she felt his breath on her face. The small confines of the Ladies room felt like a sauna. The mirror was probably fogged, and she wondered if he could see his own reflection in it anyway. She sucked in a deep breath.
“You’re doing a sting operation, aren’t you? I won’t tell anyone. I can be trusted. I’m bonded.”
He leaned a hand on the door, looking down at her. “And that’s supposed to impress me?”
“I was hoping.”
He was quiet for a moment. Maybe he was thinking about it.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said, and she straightened with hopeful anticipation. He leaned close, his hand catching her chin between his thumb and finger. “Keep your mouth shut. Or else.”
Not exactly what she had in mind.
“How can a girl refuse an offer like that?” she cooed, batting her eyes at him and resisting the urge to bite. “But I’ve got a better deal. We can help each other. Think of it this way. We both have something to gain, so why not turn this little inconvenience to both our benefit? I want to keep Yogi out of jail, and you want to catch some bad guys. If it works out, we both get what we want. Deal?”
Silence. Well, heck, she’d tried. She hadn’t really thought he’d go for it, but it’d been worth a shot. And he hadn’t arrested her for anything yet, so maybe the day wasn’t a total loss.
“Fine,” he said shortly, startling her. “Deal.”
Shocked, since she really hadn’t expected agreement, she stared at him.
“We’ll talk over a beer,” he said, and flipped open the lock on the door. “After you.”
She hesitated, then straightened her shoulders and gave a nod. “Sounds good to me, sport. You buying?”
His gaze had dropped to her chest when she flung back her shoulders. Now he dragged his eyes up to her face and nodded. “Sure.”
While it wasn’t the most awkward time she’d ever spent with a man, it hardly ranked with the Top Ten Best. Bruno Jett bristled each time she dragged the conversation back to who he was and why he’d moved next door to her parents. Not exactly the cooperation she’d hoped to
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