“It’s the turtle’s name I haven’t been able to get yet.”
“I don’t have a pet turtle.”
Cain snapped her fingers. “That would explain it, then.”
“Why couldn’t you be a nice accountant I could bring home and introduce to my mother?” She gripped Cain’s arm again, only this time she felt like caressing it.
“You wouldn’t find me this interesting if I crunched numbers for a living. Admit it.”
“True, but as one of the senior agents in the New Orleans office is fond of saying, dating you wouldn’t be a career-advancing move.”
“But think of the fun you’d have if you took a walk with the devil in the moonlight. What do you say, Agent Daniels. Do we have a deal?”
“There’s nothing like being painted into a corner.” She laughed, then reached over and ran her fingers along Cain’s jawline. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I get to live out the night?”
“You have my word.”
“Then yes, we’ve got a deal. I never really thought my fieldwork would end so quickly.”
Cain looked confused as to why she would say that. “Do you think I’m going to post your picture on the gangster Web page?”
“The thought does seem reasonable, you have to agree.”
“Shelby, I wouldn’t recommend you take any other plane trips with Vincent to plant these babies.” Cain dropped the minute listening devices into her palm and pressed her hand closed. “And I’ll have a hard time forgetting such a pretty face, but the only way someone else will blow your cover is to do their homework like I did. It won’t be because I sold you out. Despite my less-than-reputable ways, I understand you have a job to do. You’ve worked hard to get here, and I’m not about to mess that up for you.”
“You’re something else, Cain Casey.” As their time together drew to a close, Shelby felt like she had run up a mountain carrying a boulder on her shoulders. “Thank you for not recommending he just toss me out.”
“You’re welcome, and you be careful from now on. The world’s full of big bad wolves waiting for pretty sheep to come along.”
“I’m a trained agent, Cain, hardly sheep material.”
“Uh-huh. Does the term ‘fish food’ hold any meaning for you?”
Shelby laughed and thanked the heavens Cain had asked for so little in return. Gazing into the beautiful blue eyes any longer would have made it easy to forget which side she was on. “Point taken.”
“Good, and good night.” Cain reached for her coat and started to get ready to leave. The deal had taken longer than she thought, and she would be pushing it to get back before the good citizens of Haywood were awake and witness material. It was a safe bet to say helicopters dropping off outlaws at the feed store weren’t normal occurrences in the small farming town.
“Cain, I hope I get to see you again under better circumstances, but I do want to thank you. I had no idea you two had made me.”
“Rookie mistake, Shelby. You’ll get better, I promise. I was impressed when I read your jacket, but don’t believe Barry when he says all of us are idiots.”
“How did you know?”
“I have a few tricks of my own.” Cain smiled once more and moved to the door.
Shelby stopped her and pulled her down for a thank-you kiss. It was out of character for her, but at the moment she felt like celebrating life. “I won’t forget what you did tonight.”
Cain nodded, and they both made their way back to Vincent.
“Why don’t you entertain Agent Daniels on the way home with stories about your last vacation, Vincent?”
“Are we set to all fly back to New Orleans?” Vincent asked.
His meaning wasn’t lost on Shelby. The seriousness of her situation slammed into her brain so hard she had to sit down.
“Yes, sir, I gave my word you
When Cain stressed the word “all,” Shelby wanted to kiss her again.
“Good, I’ll wait to hear from you, Cain.”
Cain waved them good-bye and headed back to the helicopter. She and her pilot waited for Vincent’s craft to clear the runway before they took to the air themselves.
Shelby watched the ground getting farther away and shuddered at the possibilities of “what ifs.”
“She’s something else, don’t you think?” Vincent’s question dragged her attention back to her travel companions.
“Yes, sir, she is.”
“Now you understand a little better, I think, why Agent Kyle’s hair is a little grayer and a lot thinner.” Vincent smiled at her and arched his brow. “You might want to fix that smudged lipstick before we land. We wouldn’t want the federal government to think you were taken advantage of.”
Shelby laughed and was grateful this was the last bit of small talk she would have to exchange with Carlotti for the rest of the trip. She spent the rest of the flight mentally writing her report of their night at one of Biloxi’s casinos. She would have to ask Vincent which one he frequented most so there would be no other questions about
