Chapter Nine
Vick got up early to run a few errands before work. Last night’s fiasco was fresh in her memory, and this morning she’d gotten a text message from Justice saying they’d run into a “complication” with the Simon situation.
Fantastic. Exactly what I need, another friggin’ problem.
Vick was in an awful mood. She’d gotten smooched by her best friend and the man of her dreams, only for him to say it was a mistake. Just what every girl dreams of. The kiss had been fireworks until Jasper opened his big mouth and ruined it all.
Last night, she hadn’t gotten much sleep. They’d arrived in Crimson Creek in the early hours of the morning. She’d practically shoved Jasper out of the SUV and then went home to find a mess. Jack had cooked dinner for himself and left a sink full of dirty dishes. And he’d even left the milk out on the counter.
Earlier, she’d texted Jasper, saying she didn’t have time to train or go to breakfast. It was a lie, but Vick was mortified. She couldn’t bear to be around him right now. How long would it take for this bump in their friendship to smooth out?
Oh, no. What if it never did?
So, she pushed a buggy down the grocery store aisle with a vengeance, making quick, jerky movements. When she arrived at the self-serve cash register, Vick slammed each item down on the metal countertop, swiped and then chucked them into a bag.
Vick tried to focus on the task at hand, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Jasper.
She’d gone on a few dates, but there hadn’t been anyone special since she’d met Jasper. Vick had made the classic mistake of falling for someone she couldn’t have. And she hated to admit it, but all the time they spent together, felt like dating.
All except for the sex part. Admittedly, it was the key factor in a romantic relationship. And she wanted more. The thought that Jasper didn’t want her too, was depressing.
The reasonable part of her, however, figured Jasper was right. They had enough stress in their lives without jamming a relationship into the mix.
Plus, the Simon factor. She couldn’t start anything with Jasper until she’d shut Simon down for good. Although, it’s not like Jasper wanted to entertain the notion anyway.
So, what’s the friggin’ point? Ugh.
Vick felt like slapping somebody. When she got outside, Vick found a tall, lanky fellow propped against the hood of her car. Vick hesitated, wondering if Simon hired somebody to harass her, but the man pulled out a badge and flashed his FBI credentials.
And then she remembered him from the other night— the cowboy from the strip club. She knew he’d been up to something.
“Mornin’, Ms. Hale.”
And he knows my name. Terrific. Could this day get any worse?
Wait a second. Don’t tempt fate.
“You have me at a disadvantage Mr.…?”
“Hawthorne. Special Agent Jim Hawthorne, to be exact, but most folks call me Thorne.”
Hmm.
The name rang a bell. A couple months ago, Byron had a run-in with Hawthorne, but the agent had been lying low ever since, no doubt gathering evidence. Byron had mentioned it at a meeting and told them to keep an eye out for the fed.
Hawthorne wore a pair of snakeskin cowboy boots, faded Levi’s, and a shiny silver belt buckle. Unlike most of the FBI agents she’d met, this one didn’t wear the requisite blue or black suit. Instead, Thorne had a buttoned-up black shirt and a silver cross around his throat.
He looked to be in his early forties, judging by the gray hair at his temples and the lines carved into his forehead. A couple of days’ worth of stubble covered his square jaw. He was a real looker, in a rangy sort of way.
And his eyes missed nothing. Thorne scanned her up and down, as though gathering info for his next report. There’s no telling what nasty thing he had in store for them, and the outfit had to be prepared.
“You’re the new head of the organized crime unit out of Abilene, right?”
“That’s right.” He smiled in an aw shucks kind of way, meant to disarm. “Byron Beauregard, tell you about me?”
“Maybe. What can I do for you?”
“It’s more like what I can do for you. Mind if I have a word?”
Yup. Vick was up to her eyeballs in frustrating men and didn’t want to add another into the mix, but Vick had to know what he was up to.
“About what?”
“Your employer.”
Yeah, like I said, awful day.
Vick silently counted to ten as she tried to rein in her temper. The FBI must’ve figured her for the weakest link in the organization. So, they’d decided to put the screws to her, to get information.
“Ain’t got nothin’ to say.”
She pointed her key chain at the SUV and unlocked it, so she could shove her groceries inside. As soon as she got home, Vick would call Dix and spill every detail of the encounter.
“Why don’t you hear me out at least?”
“No, thanks.”
“Let me help you out then.” Before she could protest, he’d grabbed a couple sacks and stashed them in the backend. Vick felt like smacking his hands away but doubted it’d do much good. Together, they unloaded her buggy. As Hawthorne worked, he ran a hand along the trunk surface. Was he searching for hidden compartments?
“Stop feelin’ up my car.”
He shrugged. “Force of habit.”
Yeah, right. When Vick got home, she’d do a sweep for bugs, in case he’d left a little something behind.
After they finished, she shut the trunk with a loud thunk. Vick didn’t thank him for the assistance either since she hadn’t asked for any help.
“You tryin’ to sweet talk me into helpin’ you, Agent Hawthorne?”
“Why? Is it workin’?” He tilted his head to the side.
Lord help me, the agent’s flirting. Hawthorne was a handsome man, and he knew it. From the time he’d hit puberty, Hawthorne had probably persuaded girls to do things his way, and they’d been happy to oblige him. Not Vick. She’d had enough of gorgeous, infuriating men to last her a couple of lifetimes.
“No.”
He snickered. “Then, I’m just bein’ neighborly.”
“You ain’t my neighbor.” Vick swung the keys around her thumb. “Have a nice day. Bye.” Before she could round the corner, he caught her arm. Vick stared at his hand until he released it.
“What’s a nice girl like you doin’ with a bunch of hardcore thugs?”
“Which thugs?”
“We both know you work for the Lone Star Mafia.”
“Do we?”
Vick could play dumb with the best of them. This wasn’t the first time she’d been harassed by an officer of the law.
“Don’t play games with me. You won’t like where it leads.”
“You started it.” She scowled. “Let me guess. Thought I’d go all weak-kneed over you? Then blurt out everything you wanna know?”
“Well, I am easy on the eyes.” He rubbed his square jaw for effect.
Vick had the sudden urge to assault a federal officer. She imagined punching him one, right in the kisser. It’d serve him right.
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but the men I work with, aren’t exactly homely. It’s gonna take a lot more than a handsome face to throw me off my game.”
“What kind of work?”
“The kind I’m not at the liberty to divulge to a perfect stranger.”
“That right?”
She smirked. “Propriety information and such. You understand.”
“Oh, I do.” He sneered at her. “And here I thought you were a good girl mixed up with some bad men.”
Vick rolled her eyes.
“Given your background and education, I figure you’re the tech expert, right? Searchin’ through databases to uncover all kinds of useful info?”
Good guess. But she didn’t confirm or deny his suspicions.
“Well, I learned a thing or two about you. You supported your brother after your mother died in a drunk driving accident. Didn’t she injure two other people in the wreck?”
Vick clenched her teeth and didn’t reply.
“Then you went to college on a mixture of scholarships and loans.” He folded his arms across his muscled chest. “But why didn’t you take a legit position? Workin’ for one of those Silicon Valley bigwigs?”
“So, you’ve been Googlin’ me.” He hadn’t told her anything that wasn’t a matter of public record.
“I have and a bit more. You ain’t the only one with computer skills. Why, we got a whole unit searchin’ for info. So, you see, it’s only a matter of time before we find somethin’. It’s why I came to you first. You’re the only halfway decent human bein’ among them. So, I figure, if we give anyone a deal, it should be you.”
Vick didn’t take the bait. The agent might be trying to spook her into giving up details. Law enforcement loved to trip a person up with misleading information. This could be a huge fishing expedition for all she knew.
“Hmph, you don’t say.”
“From what I can tell, you haven’t killed anyone. You don’t have a record, although your brother’s been in and out of jail and rehab for drugs. Where is he now, by the way?”
And now he’d gone too far. “None of your business.”
“I see. And why’d your daddy leave?”
“Don’t know.” She blanched. How the tables had turned. Usually, she was the one burrowing through someone’s past, looking for useful pressure points Dix could push. It put her job into perspective.
“Ain’t surprised. From what I understand, you were a bitty thin’ when he up and disappeared. Bet your momma didn’t bring it up much.”
“Are you finished? Because my ice cream’s meltin’.”
She’d bought a few pints of Ben and Jerry’s. Usually, she shared the frozen treat with Jasper. Although, she’d be eating it by herself now, probably while watching a Lifetime movie and crying, like a freaking cliché.
“Not quite yet. How do you know Simon Caldwell?’
Her stomach clenched. The agent knew about Simon?
“You been tailin’ me?”
“Perhaps. What’s the nature of your association?”
“The kind protected by the Bill of Rights. You can look it up under freedom of association.”
“From what I’ve read, you’ve known him since college, right?”
“How did you…?”
“Like I said, we got a whole department.”
“Isn’t that nice?”
“See, we can’t find any payments.”
He knows. “Payments?” Vick shut her eyes. She felt lightheaded, like she might pass out.
“Simon was smart about it, but we do have several cash withdrawals which coincide with your little rendezvous. Was he your sugar daddy? That's how you paid off your college bills?”
At least he hadn’t called her an escort. Although, wasn’t it nearly the same thing?
“Bullseye.” He made a gun with his hand.
“If you’re finished, I have to go.” She stomped over to the car door.
Hawthorne followed her. “Hey, now, I understand. A beautiful girl like you has options. It’s the way of the world. So why are you seein’ him again?”
She glared. “None of your darn business.”
He whistled. “Gotta admire your fire. Knew I’d like you.”
“The feelin’ ain’t mutual.”
Hawthorne chuckled. “You should watch out for Simon, he’s a dangerous man. Then again, you seem to have a knack for findin’ those.”
“He is?”
His brows knitted. “You don’t know then…?”
“Know what?” Vick felt like grabbing the agent by the shirt collar and shaking him until he spit it out. She’d had enough cat and mouse games, thank you very much.
“Ain’t at liberty to comment. Unless you’d like to cooperate with me?”
“Not so much.”
“Fine, but I’ll give you a hint, since I’m such a good guy. If a person has the right connections and enough money, he can make a lot of problems go away.”
Well, duh. But what the heck does it mean?
“Byron Beauregard can tell you all about it.” His lips twisted. “Hmm. I’m bettin’ your employers wouldn’t be too happy about Simon. A situation like that could attract attention. What would happen if they found out?’
“Are you threatenin’ me?”
“Of course not. I’m an FBI agent, darlin’. I make promises, and I keep ‘em, too. Have yourself a good mornin’, Ms. Hale.” He tipped his hat and then ambled off.
Well, somehow I managed to land in even deeper dog doo.