.38 Caliber Cover-Up

“I’ll make the arrangements,” Thrumburt said. “It’s too bad, Erren.”

Yeah, it’s too bad. A lot of dirty cops would be brought to justice with no guarantee they would go away for life. And with her testimony she’d lose everything. He positioned the phone cards in the green case for safekeeping and stuck it in his pocket.

They’d had a nice run while it had lasted.

The hair dryer cut off and she walked from the bathroom. He plastered a blank look on his face in order to convince Darby their encounter hadn’t meant anything to him. He had to become the man who didn’t care or she’d see through his act later.

“Let me grab my boots and I’m ready to take off.” She walked to the closet. “What did you mean you’ll be ‘proceeding’?”

Erren dreaded what he had to do next. She wouldn’t react well. He’d hurt her with his stupid remark about wasting his time. They’d worked through it, learning to trust each other. He doubted she’d be able to forgive him for the blindside he was about to hit her with. He was lying for her this time in order to protect her family—not because he didn’t think she could handle the job. She’d eventually find out, but not before the damage was irreparable.

“I’m dropping you off at the hospital.” He inwardly flinched at what he might be losing. It wasn’t his. There wasn’t any hope in his line of business.

“What about the meeting with Brian?” She sat next to him on the bed to pull her boots on and arched her eyebrow.

God, he wanted to kiss her. One last time? Her soft lips begged to be kissed, but he couldn’t risk it. If he touched her, he wouldn’t be able to hide his desperation and need.

“You can handle the meeting with Thrumburt on your own,” he said.

“Where are you going?”

“Hey, my job was to get the package delivered. That’ll be done in about half an hour.” He forced his words to be normal, unconcerned. The next ones would cut a lot deeper. “All the fun’s over here. Time for me to disappear.”

Her sharp intake of breath let him know the words had served their purpose. The last thing he wanted was for this afternoon to end. Their oasis in her bedroom was something to keep his nights restless for a long time.

He stood, waiting for her to come back with an equally demeaning phrase.

Call me a coward. Call me a son of a bitch.

She didn’t. Her expression froze into a mask. The easy, confident smile had vanished as she’d stiffened. She seemed to be that insecure cop he’d met on her kitchen floor.

He called himself worse and gave her the credit.

“We should probably go.” He crossed to the dresser and slid his gun in the back of his borrowed jeans. He handed her the Glock. “We’ll need to collect your backup disks.”

He searched her expression in the mirror. Staring at the door, still not speaking. She’d shut down in a way that scared the hell out of him.

Erren had assumed her laptop had been collected after her “kidnapping.” But in the hands of the dirty cops, they’d probably confirmed she knew facts which could take them all down. They’d want her eliminated as quickly as possible.

“Not a problem.” Her voice was level, without emotion. Those emerald-green eyes held a deep wound he was responsible for. Guilt slashed into him deep and hard…and the scar wouldn’t easily go away.

God, he hated hurting her.

She walked into her closet, knelt on the floor and pulled up the carpet. She had a safe. A stack of CDs, a second Glock and some cash were stacked on the floor while she put everything back into place.

Good. A secret she’d kept…even from him.

ONE MINUTE DARBY HAD BEEN a part of an undercover operation, and then with one comment was back to a paper-pushing nonentity. This afternoon she’d found a man who was different—perhaps special. And now she was just a good time.

Thank goodness the drive had been short. Straight highway, deafening engine. Her father’s car had provided the perfect reason not to say anything. Now they were parked in front of the VA hospital with the same loud engine idling through the open windows and silence.

What could she say? Or what was she supposed to say? Have a good life? If you’re ever in Dallas look me up? Thanks for some of the hottest sex I’ve ever experienced?

“I’ll make sure the Sergeant Major’s car is returned,” he said.

“Do you need the address?” Lame. She really couldn’t think of a thing to say.

“I’ll find him.”

Find her father. Not her. That certainly showed where she rated. She opened the door, and standing by the car, she retrieved the oversized purse where she carried the evidence, money and her Glock.

“Darby?”

She wasn’t about to be lame again and held her tongue. No telling what she’d end up saying.

“I should have asked about your brother’s message as soon as I met you, but I wanted you to…” Secret Agent Man struggled for words. He finally shrugged. “Hell, it was fun.”

“All right then. It was…fun.” Be sarcastic, angry—not hurt. If she said anything else, she might ask him not to go. And that wasn’t a good idea. There wasn’t anything more to be said or done.

“Just one more thing,” he said. “I need your disks.”

“What? Why are you asking?”

“I’m not asking, darlin’.” His fingernail tapped metal, drawing her attention to the 9mm SIG now in his left hand, resting on his lap. “The bag, hon.”

“You’re pulling a gun on me? I thought we trusted each other.” She opened the purse. Why would he want her files? What was he up to? He didn’t need the evidence in San Antonio. Would he back off if she pulled her weapon? He wouldn’t shoot her. At least she didn’t think he would.

“Careful now, O’Malley. I know what you’ve got in there. And forget the gun in your boot. Woman, your thoughts are as clear as a neon sign flashing on your face.”

He laughed and the sound scraped over Darby like fingernails on a chalkboard. He really was a charming SOB. She’d been taken in by everything. She threw a CD case at his chest, wishing she’d aimed a little higher. He didn’t flinch, almost as if he’d anticipated she would miss.

“All of them, Darby.”

She pulled her backup copies and set them on the floor-board.

“This isn’t right, Erren. You know Thrumburt won’t have a case without the disks.”

“I’ll keep them in a safe place.”

Could she believe him? What place was safer than the district attorney’s office?

“This wasn’t a part of the plan.”

“Sorry, Darby, but it’s always been a part of my plan.” He reached across the seat and shut the door. “Stay close to your family. We’ll get you and your family out of here safely.”

The car tires screeched from the parking lot. Fighting back the hot sting of treachery, she also swallowed back the hurtful emotions threatening to explode.

She turned around and walked straight into Brian Thrumburt. “You got here fast.”

“As did you, Darby.”

“You don’t seem too surprised that Agent Rhodes is driving off in my father’s car with the copies of my files.”

“He warned me that would be a possibility.” Thrumburt pushed his glasses up on his nose.

“Don’t you want to know where he’s headed or go after him or something?”

“Oh, I’ve got it covered. There’s a GPS locator on the cell phone he’s using and I have a unit standing by.”

A unit? Brian obviously knew more about what was going on than she did. What else was there to do? It seemed they had been lying to her the entire time.