which had been drying in the cup holder, and wrote “R U bugged,” then showed it to Bree.
“No. They were using one of their cells on speakerphone to listen. He said they’d be watching through binoculars.”
He pulled the phone from the console and began to dial.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling the police to pick these guys up. They’ve got to get inside the house again if they intend on grabbing their phone.”
Bree hit the cell from his hand and it tumbled to his feet. “If these two are caught, there are more in Amarillo to do the killing.”
“What the hell are you involved in? Drug running? What money are they talking about?” His hands shook a bit. He was tired, but he’d noticed the tremor had shown up more this past week with the additional stress of the promotion.
“I’ve been trying to figure that out for six very long months. Are you okay, Jake? You look kind of weird.”
“What?”
“I said, I’ve been thinking it has something to do with money laundering. But I have no idea what.”
He popped his neck, relaxing, preventing the anxiety or stress from interfering with his work. “Did you get a look at their faces? Any chance you can identify them? Do you remember the vehicles they used today? Anything special about where they held you?”
“Can you interrogate me after we get moving, Jake? It’s freezing in here.” She brought her hands under her chin, shivering. “They’re also watching. Remember?”
He’d noticed at the house she’d been cold and hadn’t given it a second thought. He’d been too busy making the decision to cross yet another line for this woman. Why was he trusting her and willing to deceive the very men he’d been working with hours before? Did it go back to the attraction he’d felt at the diner? It couldn’t be. There’s no way he’d give everything up again for a woman. Just no way.
“Sorry.” He cranked his truck, turned the heater to high and jerked his jacket from his shoulders to drape around her. “What happened to your coat and gloves?”
“They were wet and he...um, the one called Larry, cut off my coat.” Her voice changed as if she’d made up her mind to say something that wasn’t the complete truth. “I’d be warmer if I could put my arms through the sleeves.” She shook her latched wrists in his direction, then dropped them back to cradle the pup in her lap.
“I’ve got a key at my apartment.” And police headquarters and in my pocket. “We should call 911 and leave an anonymous tip that we saw strangers at the crime scene. That sort of thing. At least let the department know something’s up. They might get prints this time.”
“Please, Jake. We can’t do that. Somehow, they’ll make sure we go to Amarillo. If I don’t, they’ll kill my family. Are you taking me there? Will it cause you more problems?”
“I was suspended today and have broken several laws in the past couple of hours. I don’t seem to be too concerned about causing myself problems.”
“Suspended because of me? But you’re the one who found me and— Why would they suspend a good detective?”
“It’s complicated. This murder was actually my first and last case for the Dallas P.D. Your turn to share some details about what’s going on.”
“I’m so sorry that I’ve wrecked your life.”
“You don’t get to wear that title, Bree. My ex-wife claimed it a while back.”
She covered her face with her hands, acting ashamed. “Have I endangered even more people? Do you have kids?”
He shook his head, glad for the first time in years that he and Jennifer hadn’t pursued children. He hadn’t wanted to be an absentee father. And now, if they had, he’d wonder if they were even his.
The more pressing issue was to get Sabrina Watkins to tell him the entire story. Start to finish—or near finish. It was clear she didn’t trust him enough to share yet. She kept dodging his questions.
It was a long drive to Amarillo and eventually
“No. They were using one of their cells on speakerphone to listen. He said they’d be watching through binoculars.”
He pulled the phone from the console and began to dial.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling the police to pick these guys up. They’ve got to get inside the house again if they intend on grabbing their phone.”
Bree hit the cell from his hand and it tumbled to his feet. “If these two are caught, there are more in Amarillo to do the killing.”
“What the hell are you involved in? Drug running? What money are they talking about?” His hands shook a bit. He was tired, but he’d noticed the tremor had shown up more this past week with the additional stress of the promotion.
“I’ve been trying to figure that out for six very long months. Are you okay, Jake? You look kind of weird.”
“What?”
“I said, I’ve been thinking it has something to do with money laundering. But I have no idea what.”
He popped his neck, relaxing, preventing the anxiety or stress from interfering with his work. “Did you get a look at their faces? Any chance you can identify them? Do you remember the vehicles they used today? Anything special about where they held you?”
“Can you interrogate me after we get moving, Jake? It’s freezing in here.” She brought her hands under her chin, shivering. “They’re also watching. Remember?”
He’d noticed at the house she’d been cold and hadn’t given it a second thought. He’d been too busy making the decision to cross yet another line for this woman. Why was he trusting her and willing to deceive the very men he’d been working with hours before? Did it go back to the attraction he’d felt at the diner? It couldn’t be. There’s no way he’d give everything up again for a woman. Just no way.
“Sorry.” He cranked his truck, turned the heater to high and jerked his jacket from his shoulders to drape around her. “What happened to your coat and gloves?”
“They were wet and he...um, the one called Larry, cut off my coat.” Her voice changed as if she’d made up her mind to say something that wasn’t the complete truth. “I’d be warmer if I could put my arms through the sleeves.” She shook her latched wrists in his direction, then dropped them back to cradle the pup in her lap.
“I’ve got a key at my apartment.” And police headquarters and in my pocket. “We should call 911 and leave an anonymous tip that we saw strangers at the crime scene. That sort of thing. At least let the department know something’s up. They might get prints this time.”
“Please, Jake. We can’t do that. Somehow, they’ll make sure we go to Amarillo. If I don’t, they’ll kill my family. Are you taking me there? Will it cause you more problems?”
“I was suspended today and have broken several laws in the past couple of hours. I don’t seem to be too concerned about causing myself problems.”
“Suspended because of me? But you’re the one who found me and— Why would they suspend a good detective?”
“It’s complicated. This murder was actually my first and last case for the Dallas P.D. Your turn to share some details about what’s going on.”
“I’m so sorry that I’ve wrecked your life.”
“You don’t get to wear that title, Bree. My ex-wife claimed it a while back.”
She covered her face with her hands, acting ashamed. “Have I endangered even more people? Do you have kids?”
He shook his head, glad for the first time in years that he and Jennifer hadn’t pursued children. He hadn’t wanted to be an absentee father. And now, if they had, he’d wonder if they were even his.
The more pressing issue was to get Sabrina Watkins to tell him the entire story. Start to finish—or near finish. It was clear she didn’t trust him enough to share yet. She kept dodging his questions.
It was a long drive to Amarillo and eventually
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