“Yeah, I read an article about how he always tries to have a consultant on set.”
It seemed to be the easiest solution. “Why couldn’t that consultant be you? You know about those things. It would be simple for you to answer his questions and then suggest a meeting before you go to the set. You could meet with him and show him what you’ve found out.”
“I’m not a DEA agent.”
She shrugged that off. “But you could be. You’re good at playing a part.”
His jaw tightened. “Nell, this isn’t a part I’m playing.”
That’s what he kept telling her. He claimed he wouldn’t leave Bliss if she decided to end the marriage she still wasn’t sure was legal. “You used to go undercover, right?”
He sighed. “Yes. I did. I often went undercover.”
She bit back all the questions that sprang to mind. It wasn’t the time to be the curious writer. “Why don’t you go undercover as a DEA agent?”
“Because I’m not a DEA agent. And I don’t know one. Even if I did, how would I ensure Hunt would pick me?”
“He doesn’t pick. He asks whatever agency he’s researching to send someone. You might not know a DEA agent, but Nate and Zane do. He came to visit them last summer.”
Henry leaned forward, nodding. “I remember that. He was roughly my age.”
“If you could ensure Nate’s friend gets picked as the liaison, then you take his place and you warn Hunt.” It seemed fairly simple to her. “You can even go down to the set. It’s in Mexico, not far from the state of Jalisco.”
Henry had explained that he was certain that was where it would all go down.
“I could figure out what’s going on and if I need to intervene further.” Henry’s expression had turned distinctly thoughtful. “I would have to go to California, and then possibly to Mexico. I don’t want to leave you.”
He would be off on a mission. It was so hard to think of her Henry that way, but she had to wrap her brain around it. “Will you be able to live with yourself if something happens to Kayla Summers?”
The hollow look was back in his eyes. “No.”
“Then we have a plan. We need to talk to Nate.” Nate would put them in touch with his old buddies at the DEA, and if they needed more influence they had Stef, who could talk anyone into anything, and Seth, who could simply go in and change the records and suddenly reality was whatever Seth wanted it to be. It was good to have a plan.
“Nell,” he began.
She shook her head. “I think you should do this. I don’t like the idea that you lied to that young woman so she would do your dirty work. You have to make it better.”
“Will you forgive me if I do this?”
She sighed. He was trying to make this far less complicated than it was. She couldn’t simply turn off her hurt and suspicions. “Henry, it’s not about forgiveness. I can forgive you but I can’t go back to the life we had before. You’re not the man I thought I married. Can you understand that?”
“No. I am the man you married. I don’t know how to prove it to you. I changed my whole life to fit into yours because you’re everything to me.” He stood and started pacing. It was something he did from time to time, but now she caught the predatory grace to his movements. “I never protested a damn thing in my life before I met you.”
A flare of anger lit inside her. He wanted to argue about what he’d had to give up? “I’ve never been anything but honest with you. You knew exactly who I was when you married me. You never asked me to be anyone different. I don’t know what I would have done, but you didn’t even give me the chance to try to bend for you. So don’t come back and tell me I’m some kind of tyrant who forced you into this. Do you even like tofu? Do you eat meat when I’m not around? I’m not going to judge you for it. I just want to know.”
He stood and crossed the space between them. “I haven’t had a bite of meat since the day before I came home to you. I do not miss it. I love your food. I love eating the way we do because it makes me feel healthy and it makes you happy. I know you think I’ve used you as a cover, but our marriage is the best thing that ever happened to me. Loving you is my whole world.”
She wished she could believe him. “I need…”
“Time,” he finished for her with a sigh. “And me being out of Colorado would give it to you. If I leave you’ll have to go and stay with Stef.”
She stood up and faced him. “I’m not leaving my home.”
“Then I won’t go. I can’t be certain they won’t show up while I’m gone.”
“You don’t know for sure anyone’s coming at all,” she pointed out. “You won’t know until you figure out what the situation is. You can do it by going to Mexico yourself, or you can turn yourself over to the Agency.” It was the only solution she’d come to. He needed to know what was happening or they would be in this perpetual state of fear and anxiety. They wouldn’t be able to figure out if they could move on until they could breathe.
He moved to stand in front of her. “I can’t leave you here alone with no one to protect you. I won’t be able to work if I don’t know you’re all right. I’ll spend every second of my time worried about you.”
She didn’t like the fact that he
