“I’ll do it,” Viola said, sitting straighter, and Shelby wanted to weep with relief. If anybody on this team had to watch her participate in an erotic scene, she’d pick Viola. “Carson would be too busy gawking at all the half-naked women to be of any help, and Darrell would get arrested for assaulting anybody who even looks at Shelby.”
“I would not,” Carson said, only slightly offended.
“Fuckin’ A right,” Darrell said at the same time as he crossed his arms and focused his glare on Shelby. Yeah, she knew there was no way in hell Darrell could sit idly by and watch.
Viola rolled her eyes and looked at Rick. “Dave and I can go as a couple interested in the lifestyle. If we’re asking a lot of questions, it won’t seem suspicious.” She looked at Shelby but kept talking to their boss. “And if anything goes wrong with her scene or my inquiry, I’m trained to handle it.”
“Will your husband agree?” Rick asked.
Viola nodded. “I’m sure he’d like the idea of being there with me rather than me going by myself. If I show up alone, some other guy might hit on me and complicate my objective.”
Shelby nodded and looked at Rick. “That could work. He knows I have a friend named Viola, and that she’d been worried about me before. I know the scene is going to be public, and a concerned friend might want to be there after finding out.”
“The three of us could all go together—”
“No,” Shelby said, cutting her off. “I don’t know what will happen after. He could keep me well into the night. I don’t want to be stranded there without transportation.” She bit her lip as she thought. She liked the idea of not going in the club alone, but no way did she want to rely on Mason for transportation. Before last night, she might have felt differently, but he’d made it clear to her that they were not in a relationship. No matter how her chest hurt at his words. “I could follow you there in my car, arrive at the same time.”
“Yes.” Rick nodded. “That’s cleaner than you going as a couple interested in the lifestyle. Dave might be immediately repulsed by what he sees, and I don’t know how good of a poker face he has. If he becomes intrigued, then fine, you can work that angle into it, too. Either way, you could ask questions and see what you can find.”
“Works for me,” Viola said.
“Okay, people. Let’s get back to work,” Rick said as he stood, never one to mince words.
“Thanks,” Shelby murmured to Viola as they both got up.
“Anytime.” She smiled at her. “Let’s go shopping tomorrow, so I can find the perfect outfit to wear.”
Crap. Shelby needed to go shopping. She had a costume to purchase. Did stores even have French maid get-ups this time of year? “Sounds good.”
Viola’s face suddenly fell as she looked to the side, behind Shelby, and back at her. “We’ll chat later.” She flitted away before Shelby could ask what the rush was.
But when she felt a meaty hand on her shoulder, she knew the answer.
“Are you okay?”
She swallowed and faced Darrell. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He pulled her into a quick hug, which shocked her. Not that Darrell hadn’t hugged her before, but he was usually all business at the office.
“I’m worried about you and this case.”
She stepped away and sighed. “I know. But I’m doing okay. Two more weeks and it’ll be over.”
“Will it?” he asked, furrowing his brow. “Who says you don’t get anything out of him during that time and you have to keep seeing him?”
She couldn’t think about that right now. At the rate she was going, she wouldn’t get anything out of Mason, but after last night, she was sure he would not be extending their arrangement past the initial four scenes. She had two weeks to get what she needed. Either way, her time was limited.
“If you need to talk, you know where I live. I don’t care what time of day or night, little bit.”
She smiled at him. “You worry too much.”
“I have too much to worry about.” He squared his shoulders, the business facade etching back into his features. “Now get back to work. We have a case to solve.”
“Sir, yes sir.” She smiled, and hoped it looked real. Talking to her team about what had happened and what was yet to come had been much easier than she’d anticipated, easier than what she’d gone through so far on this case, and a whole hell of a lot easier than what she would experience when Tuesday night got here. Her dread was multifaceted, but she would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t feel any a spark of excitement. What did that say about her?
She didn’t want to know.
Chapter Twelve
“I know the perfect place where we should start. Punky’s,” Viola said excitedly as she navigated the treacherous traffic toward Main Street, lovingly called Pain Street by the locals. It had boutiques with the latest fashion trends housed in hundred-year-old buildings. Back then, there hadn’t been a need for four-lane roads. Not that there was enough room, but the city had carved them in anyway. And parking? That was atrocious.
“There’s a spot over there,” Shelby said, pointing toward one of the few paid parking lots. Punky’s was a good idea since it catered more to the party crowd and sometimes had some pretty eccentric clothing. Viola could find something cute to wear, and maybe Shelby would have some luck with the costume.
“Good eye.” She whipped the car around, and Shelby grabbed the oh-shit handle.
“You’re gonna get us killed,” she groaned.
“Quit whining. Were you sick the day they taught defensive driving at Quantico?”
Shelby laughed. “It was more than one day, and I highly doubt the bureau would be pleased you’re using the skills you
