“Don’t I know it. Besides, except for one last run-through, I think I’m nearly finished.” Her eyelids fluttered closed, shades of exhaustion evident. “But I have to finish tonight.” She grabbed for the first book in their pile, the one that began the list of names, and fanned through. “We have a growing list, but we’re no closer to…Kane?” Her voice rose in excitement.
He sat forward in his seat. “What is it?”
“Major change here. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before. Look. All the earlier books were done in pencil, right?”
He nodded. Not that he’d have noticed if she hadn’t pointed her family’s quirk out earlier. Experts at crosswords did them in pen with no fear of mistakes.
“But here—there’s a mix of pencil and pen.” She studied the book for a second and grabbed another, glancing through it. “This one, too. Look.”
He was beside her in an instant.
“Here. Black ink instead of pencil. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it first time around.”
“I missed the change, too.” He skimmed the pages of the remaining books. “Same with these.”
“This is it. It’s what I was looking for. It’s my aunt’s clue.”
“What?”
“It was her way of letting us know she wasn’t doing this willingly, Kane. I’d bet my life on it.”
He closed his eyes at the thought. He was getting damn tired of her life being on the line. She didn’t need to remind him. “Okay, let’s say you’re right.”
“I know I’m right. When the guy grabbed me the other day, he mentioned money, and when he called, he mentioned the books. These books.” She drew a deep breath. “Not only do they have the names, which is incriminating enough, but maybe he knew Aunt Charlene was dropping clues.”
“Possibly,” Kane muttered.
“So tell me why we can’t find a trace of the money,” she said with frustration.
“There’re plenty of places to hide cash without an accountant knowing,” he said. “Offshore accounts, for one. Without a number, they’re untraceable.”
“But this guy seems to believe I know where the money is. Why?”
He shrugged. “Impossible to know what he’s thinking. But whoever is involved wants their take. Any clue in those books where the money could be hidden?”
She shook her head. “Just the names. No phone numbers, either, since these are all letter puzzles.”
He shrugged. “The money is something we might never find. Unless things unravel well at the end. My guess is the men in those books contacted someone at Charmed!, not vice versa. Too risky the other way. Your uncle probably took the calls.”
“My uncle?” A grin edged the corners of her luscious mouth. “That means you believe me—Aunt Charlene was being used or threatened.”
“Like I said, anything is possible, sweetheart. But the lists are extensive. At the very least, she knew what was going on.” He hated like hell to remind her, but he didn’t want her hurt more in the end because she hadn’t considered the possibility.
She folded her arms across her chest. “That doesn’t mean she was a willing participant. I think she had no choice.”
Kane didn’t know what to believe other than the fact that Kayla trusted in her aunt. Hell, he didn’t blame her. If he’d had even one person to rely on in his life, he wouldn’t want to give up hope, either.
He glanced at Kayla. He wanted to believe in her. But his job required proof. They didn’t know what the change from pencil to pen meant. Maybe they never would.
But she wasn’t ready to count the older woman out. Kane groaned, wishing for her benefit she wasn’t so naive. And yet that was what he loved about her…
Kane coughed.
“Are you okay?”
He forced a nod and mentally changed topics. “Whoever these clients contacted, they probably paid cash; your uncle supplied the women, took his share, and cut his partner in on the rest.”
“The man we want.”
“Or woman,” Kane reminded her. “Remember the Mayflower Madam from years ago? Similar situation.”
“Our guy also wants these books.” She lifted one in her hand.
“Your uncle’s leverage,” Kane said. “With these in his possession, he was guaranteed his take.”
She glanced at her watch. “It’s been hours since the last call.”
“It’s a waiting game. The more time that goes by, the more nervous you’ll get. They hope.”
“Well, they’re right. I’m more than nervous. Just the thought of what could have happened terrifies me.”
“You’ve realized how dangerous it would be to get even more involved.” Fear released its hold. He exhaled a rush of air, the first easy breath since she’d announced her plans in the captain’s office hours earlier. “Don’t worry. Reid won’t mind,” he went on. “We can work around it, use a decoy. Just remember, when he calls, keep him talking. Maybe we can trace it. Agree to a drop, not a face-to-face meeting and—”
“I haven’t changed my mind.” She interrupted his instructions in a soft but determined voice.
“But you just said…”
“I admitted I’m afraid. I’m human. So sue me. But I haven’t changed my mind.”
“If you’re shaky, it’ll show. Things could get messy. Go with your gut.”
“I am, and my gut tells me I have to do this.”
“Dammit, why?” He slammed his hand against the end table beside his chair until it rocked on unsteady legs. He’d roared.
She didn’t flinch. Not a sign he was even close to convincing her to opt out.
“Look.” He braced his hands on his thighs and leaned forward in his seat. “There are experienced people to do this for you. No risk. Why not take advantage?”
She ran a hand through her hair. The soft strands fell back around her face, creating a vulnerability he knew was part real, part illusion. This woman was tougher than the softness on the outside revealed. It was just a part of why he was drawn to her.
“It’s my life that’s been turned upside down, and I want to be the one to get it
