Outsider by Diana Palmer Page B

a statement like that out in the open, especially after what Hunter and I did to him.”
    She didn’t understand what he meant. He didn’t elaborate.
    â€œHe was speaking in Spanish,” she corrected, and he recalled that she was fluent.
    â€œDid he see you?”
    â€œYes. But he doesn’t know I speak Spanish,” she replied with a grin. “I was apparently reading a paper and didn’t even look at him.”
    â€œYou’ve put us ahead of the game,” he said with genuine praise. “I’ll get Hunter and we’ll see what we can do with that tidbit of information. Maybe we can flush him out. Thanks, Sarina,” he added gently. “You’re a wonder.”
    â€œNo problem.” She hated the pleasure the praise gave her.
    He cocked his head and studied her. “You might consider coming to work for me,” he murmured, not altogether joking. “It’s more exciting than typing up requisition forms.”
    She averted her eyes. “That’s not a bad idea. Maybe I’ll think about it.”
    â€œYou do that.” He left her in her office and went looking for Hunter. This might be just the break they needed to find that drug shipment.

CHAPTER FIVE
    H UNTER WAS TALKING to an accountant near the front entrance when Colby found him.
    â€œSomething wrong?” Hunter asked.
    Colby grinned. “Nothing major, just a little snag we need to discuss.”
    â€œSure.” Hunter excused himself and joined Colby farther down the hall.
    â€œWe spooked Vance,” he said with barely contained glee. “Sarina heard him talking to a woman. He switched to Spanish when he saw her, unaware that she’s fluent. He said he had to give us the names, and she asked if she could get into the warehouse. He said no, because it’s under constant surveillance.”
    â€œGood for Sarina!”
    â€œShe’s wasted in clerical work,” Colby scoffed. “What a dead end job for a woman with her potential!”
    Hunter groaned inwardly. He couldn’t give her away. “Well, she does like the work,” he said evasively. “We can have the number that Vance called traced,” he added, working out strategies.
    â€œDo you know someone at the phone company?” Hunter asked wistfully.
    â€œI have my contacts. Later on, I’ll share them,” he promised when Colby looked frustrated. “Listen, I know you feel like I’m deliberately keeping you in the dark. But I can’t buck Cobb. This is his operation. He’s been working on it for a long time.”
    â€œThat’s not a problem,” Colby assured him. “I’ve been in the same position you are, from time to time.” He pursed his lips and frowned. “I really need to stick that wire in Vance’s car, in case he decides to meet personally with his evasive girlfriend.”
    â€œThere’s going to be a staff meeting this afternoon,” Hunter mentioned. “He’ll be tied up for at least an hour.”
    Colby’s dark eyes twinkled. “What a lucky break.”
    Â 
    H E HAD THE WIRE in Vance’s car in minutes, as well as a homing device under the trunk. It would be a backup, in case Vance somehow discovered the wire. But since Vance didn’t think he was under suspicion, Colby mused, he probably wouldn’t even look. Now, all they had to do was wait.
    He’d planned the next day to spend some time monitoring Vance’s movements on his way to work. The weather put a hitch in the plan. Rain started coming down in buckets and didn’t stop. Parts of Houston were prone to extreme flooding. Fortunately Colby’s apartment house wasn’t near a river.
    But when he got to work, Hunter met him in the hall.
    â€œYou’ve got an SUV, haven’t you?” he asked the younger man.
    Colby nodded. “Why?”
    Hunter hesitated. “I know you and Sarina have your problems, but she and