Cole would’ve been lying if he said that he was feeling completely certain the sting would go off as planned. All of this effort—an entire team of people, a private jet, countless hours and resources, bringing Dani into it—it had to add up to something. If it didn’t, there would be no justice for Will or Megan or Jason. Cole couldn’t let this operation fail.
“Folks, we’ll be landing in a few minutes,” the pilot said.
Cole took Dani’s hand. “You got everything straight?”
“Yes. You’re Chet Pearson, one of the largest private investors in crude oil and natural gas in the US. I’m Melanie Skye, aspiring actress and your girlfriend of six months. I really wish I could’ve been a chef.”
“Too dangerous. We don’t want to remind him that he’s met you.”
“It was a lifetime ago. I mean, I’m memorable, but not that memorable.”
Cole managed a nervous grin. “Just stick to the plan, okay? You’ll give me a heart attack otherwise.”
She slipped her hand from his and picked a tiny piece of lint from her dress. “It’s pretty straightforward, isn’t it? I do everything I can to ingratiate myself to Sheriff Orson and try to get him to brag to me about how powerful he is and the sneaky things he’s done.”
“And what else?”
“I don’t let you leave my side.” She was definitely taking this seriously. She was throwing his exact wording back at him.
“Right. I don’t trust that mic they put in your handbag. It’s not as reliable as a wire.”
“You should’ve let me pick a dress that would’ve accommodated one. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about that part.”
He glanced over at her, memories of the other afternoon threatening to overtake what should’ve been an entirely professional train of thoughts going through his head. The dress was perfect. Dani was perfect. He loved seeing her in it, and he knew exactly how lucky he was to have had the privilege of taking it off her the other afternoon. It had been such an incredible physical reunion, but could they get on the same page with their other issues? Could he finally just tell her his secret? It had felt good to come out with one untruth the other day, but she hadn’t taken it well. There was no telling how she’d react if he finally told her everything.
“You look very handsome in that tux,” Dani said.
Cole had gone all out with the Armani, his most expensive pair of cuff links, and his Rolex. No detail was too small for tonight. “Thank you. You look even more amazing now in that dress than you did the other day.”
Dani reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you.”
Cole stole another eyeful of Dani, but now he was second-guessing the dress. Did it make her too much of a sitting duck? Too enticing? There was no way this sheriff, with a known weakness for beautiful women, didn’t glom on to her right away. It was the perfect plan. And that scared the hell out of him.
“Honestly, I’m glad you aren’t wearing a wire. I don’t want you thinking about being alone with him for even an instant.”
“Look. I’ve been around this guy before. I can handle him. Plus, I won’t put myself in danger. The boys need me.”
Don’t remind me. The plane dipped down, and Cole saw the small airstrip below. “There’s still time to back out. You’re not obligated to me or this investigation.”
She turned and gave him a look of admonishment. “I have to do this for Megan. And for Savannah. I was that little girl. The little girl without the family she should have had. I can’t let her down. We have to catch the men responsible for Jason’s death.”
“Okay then, Melanie. It’s showtime.”
The plane landed safely and taxied down the short runway. After a few moments, the pilot stepped out of the cockpit. “Your car is waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. He’ll bring you right back when you decide to fly home. Enjoy your evening.” He winked at Cole but otherwise kept a straight face. The pilot worked for the FBI and would be on hand to leave at a moment’s notice if needed.
Cole squeezed Dani’s hand three times as a reminder that they were officially in sting mode. From this moment on, they were Chet and Melanie. Eyes could be watching and ears could be listening. Sheriff Orson’s influence was all over this damn county. His deputy wouldn’t have been so nervous about offering information if that wasn’t the case.
As they rode up into the mountains along a winding road, Cole reminded himself that this was for Jason. It was for Savannah and Will and Megan. Rich belonged behind bars for the rest of his life.
Miles away from the landing strip, the car pulled up to an ornately scrolled iron gate. It was flanked by massive stone pillars and tall walls that trailed off into the dense woods on both sides. As the driver buzzed the intercom and requested entry, Cole noticed a security camera panning the length of the car. They drove onto the property, which was sprawling and immaculately landscaped, lit up with dramatic lighting. At the top of the hill—the highest point, as near as Cole could tell—the house sat waiting. It, too, was lit up, glowing in the inky blackness of the night.
“I remember this place,” Dani muttered under her breath, referring to the time she’d done a catering job out here years ago. “He made it sound like he was a businessman who just happened to be sheriff.”
“No. He’s a sheriff involved in business he shouldn’t be. That’s the reality.”
“How are the citizens here not completely up in arms about this place? The man is clearly abusing his power.”
“He’s greased a lot of palms along the way. Only trouble with that is people will only stay quiet for so long, especially when your misdeeds keep getting worse.”
Dani wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. “We need to get this guy good.”
They came to a stop, and the driver opened the door on Dani’s side. She slid across the seat and climbed out. Cole followed. Now that they were out of the confines of the car, things were about to get that much more real.
“I’ll be waiting for you, Mr. Pearson,” the driver said to Cole. He, too, was one more agent on-site. That definitely gave Cole a sense of security.
“Thank you. We might be late.”
He nodded. “Take as long as you need, sir.”
Two armed security guards were waiting outside the front door. “We need to check you for a weapon, sir,” one of them said, patting down Cole with little warning. “He’s good.”
Dani smiled and held up her hands in mock surrender. “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but I can assure you I couldn’t hide a gun in this dress if I wanted to.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The guard seemed embarrassed. “But we need to check your handbag, as well.”
With no hesitation, Dani handed it over. “Oh, sure. Just a bunch of tampons in there.”
Just as Cole was wondering why in the hell she was choosing to share that bit of information, the guard returned her bag without looking. “I’ll take your word for it, ma’am.”
Cole grinned and snuggled Dani closer as she hooked her arm in his and they made their way up the stairs to the front door.
A tuxedoed waiter with a silver tray of champagne was waiting inside the door. A young woman with a clipboard was checking names. “You must be Mr. Pearson and Ms. Skye. Sheriff Orson is eager to meet you both.”
Dani smiled and said, “We’re eager to meet him, too.”
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Cole caught sight of their target, Sheriff Orson. A trim and fit man, he was well groomed, wearing a fitted dark suit and crisp white shirt.
The sheriff noticed them and came right over, introducing himself. “Sheriff Billy Orson. You must be Mr. Pearson and Ms. Skye. Pleased to meet you both.” He turned to Cole. “Mr. Pearson, I hope you’re going to write me a big fat check this evening. It won’t be much fun if you don’t.”
This guy does not mess around. Cole couldn’t believe he’d hardly been through the door before he was the recipient of a thinly veiled threat. “I assure you, I’ve come here tonight with only the best intentions.”
“Glad to hear it.” He then turned to Dani. “As for you, Ms. Skye, I hope you will join me for a drink. I’ll be sorely disappointed if you say no.” The man had the nerve to reach out and take her hand, looping her arm around his and leading her to the far side of the room, where a long line of bar stools sat along a counter with a view of the gourmet kitchen.
It took every ounce of control Cole had in his body not to pounce on the guy. He followed them closely, watching every move. Orson asked Dani to sit at the bar but didn’t offer Cole a seat. He did, however, pour them both a drink. He and Dani had agreed ahead of time that they would fake their way through drinking this evening. They needed to be on top of their game.
“Could I get some extra ice?” Dani asked, her voice dripping with sweetness.
“Why of course, you can, beautiful,” the sheriff replied. Cole wanted to strangle him.
The sheriff downed his drink in a single gulp and poured himself another, then proceeded to go into his sales pitch to Cole about the pipeline investment. He said everything a wealthy man who wanted to get wealthier could want to hear—that it was not just a gold mine ripe for the taking, but that he was the only person who could get the pipeline approved. He had the contacts with all local authorities. They would do whatever he wanted. He also knew how to put the thumbscrews to what he called “the do-gooder environmental groups.” He claimed that he would have no problem rushing through the project and getting the oil flowing, and the money would start rolling in. Sheriff Orson would simply be receiving a generous cut of the deal for his expertise and connections.
Dani hung on every word, and there were a lot of them. The guy would not stop talking. Every time another high-roller guest walked by, the sheriff would pull them into the conversation and start the sales pitch all over again. Cole and Dani endured hours of the sheriff bragging about his power and unfortunately witnessed his inappropriate flirtation and not-so-subtle innuendo with the women at the party. By the end of it, Cole felt like he needed to take a shower.
The sheriff was very good at closing the deal, though. He got signed investment agreements from every guest at the party.
“Are you ready to sign on the dotted line, Mr. Pearson?” Orson asked now that Cole was the sole remaining holdout.
“What do you think, Melanie?” Cole asked Dani the question as if it actually mattered. Chet Pearson’s signature meant nothing.
“I think you should do it. Then we can have a drink to celebrate.”
The sheriff squared his sights on Dani. “I’m not sure which is better, hearing those words or hearing them come out of your gorgeous mouth.”
Cole glanced at her as she smiled through what had to be unimaginable disgust. All he could think was that they had to steer this conversation in the right direction, or Sheriff Orson was going to be dead. A few more comments like that about Dani, and Cole would have to kill him with his bare hands.
* * *
The other guests had departed, meaning Dani’s determination to nail Sheriff Orson to the wall was as strong as ever. After hours of watching him be inappropriate with women and boastful with men, he’d proven himself to be exactly what Dani had thought the first time she’d met him—scum of the highest order. Knowing that he’d played the pivotal role in the cover-up of Jason’s death made it that much more certain. Now they just needed to get him to talk.
“Sheriff, now that Mr. Pearson has signed your agreement and we’ve had our celebratory drink, I think we should go. I’m afraid we’ve overstayed our welcome.” She had no intention of leaving. She just wanted to threaten him with it.
“Little lady, as long as you’re wearing that dress, you can stay as long as you like.” Sheriff Orson was slurring his words now. All the drinks he’d had were taking effect. Little did the sheriff know that Cole and Dani had been dumping their drinks into a nearby potted plant all night.
Dani really hated being called little lady. “Sheriff, I have to say that you have quite an impressive home. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a public servant with such a grand setup.”
Cole took a sip of his drink but stayed otherwise quiet, letting her take the reins.
“Public servant? Is that what you think of me? The people of this county are damn lucky to have me. I work hard.”
Judging by the way he was raising his voice, Dani knew this was the right approach. Men like Sheriff Orson felt that they weren’t like everyone else. They were above the law and the rules simply didn’t apply to them. “I’m not saying you don’t work hard. I’m sure you do. I just wasn’t aware that driving around in a car with a shotgun all day was so lucrative.”
“I have business interests on the side. A man is entitled to augment his salary.”
“Of course. Like your little pipeline, which sounds like such a neat project.” Dani was sure to lend extra emphasis to little and neat. She knew how much egotistical men hated to be dismissed like that.
“It’s not a little pipeline. It’s a massive project. We’re talking millions of dollars on the line.”
“Million with an M, right? Not billions, like they would have in Alaska or the Dakotas.”
“Excuse me?” The sheriff’s eyes blazed with an anger that made Dani distinctly uncomfortable. She had to calm him down a bit.
She reached out and touched his arm. “I’m not trying to disparage your hard work. I’m guessing you’re by far the most powerful man in this corner of the world.”
His shoulders visibly relaxed, and Dani felt as though she could breathe again.
“Oh, absolutely,” Cole chimed in.
The sheriff glanced over at him, and Dani had the distinct impression that she wasn’t going to get anywhere with Cole in the room. His role as protector was getting in the way.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to visit the little cowboys’ room,” the sheriff said.
Dani smiled, thinking that only a complete buffoon of a grown man would refer to it as that. As soon as he was out of sight, she grabbed Cole’s arm.
“You have to leave me alone with him. Just for a few minutes. I think I can get him to say it.”
Cole shook his head. “No way, Dani. It’s too dangerous.” His jaw was firmly set and he stood a little straighter. He was determined to keep her safe. It was so damn sexy, even if it was giving her problems.
“My purse is sitting right there. Just go to the bathroom when he’s done and listen. If I’m not getting anywhere after five minutes, come back and we’ll try something new.”
He grasped her bare shoulder with his warm hand, his thumb landing on her clavicle, sending a zip of electricity through her. “I don’t like this.”
From the hall, she heard the sound of a toilet flushing and water running. “I can do it. Just give me a chance.”
“Can I pour y’all another drink?” Sheriff Orson asked, returning to the room, his presence making Dani’s skin crawl.
“Oh, sure,” Dani answered. “How about you, Chet? Another drink?” She stared him down as subtly as she could.
Cole swallowed hard enough that she could see his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “That sounds great. But I think I need to use the washroom, as well. I’ll be back in a few.”
Bingo.
As soon as Cole disappeared down the hall, the sheriff made his move, as she’d been certain he would. “What’s the deal with you and Chet there? He doesn’t really seem like your type.”
“You’ve only known me for a few hours. How did you deduce that?”
“Gorgeous woman like you deserves a man with money and power. Chet seems to have the first, but that’s about it.”
She took a calm breath, even though her stomach was churning. “I appreciate the gesture, Sheriff, but I’m not sure you wield the kind of power that really turns a woman on.” She bit her lower lip, looking into his eyes and seeing nothing but pure evil. In her head, she repeated the reasons she was here. Do this for Megan. Do it for Savannah.
“I have more power than you could imagine.” He leaned against the kitchen counter, narrowing his sights on her cleavage.
Dani had no choice but to sit a little straighter and employ her assets. “Somehow I doubt that.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded confidently, feeling nothing of the sort on the inside. “Sorry, but yeah.”
He moved in on her, coming closer until he was only inches away. With him standing and her sitting on the bar stool, she felt overpowered. Overmatched. “I can make a person disappear.”
Dani laughed, but it was out of sheer nervousness. Oh my God. He’s going to say it. “Like a magician? Or for real?”
“For real. I’ve done it many times. Did it to a man just a few weeks ago.”
She dared to look up at his face, stretching her neck and making herself more vulnerable to him, knowing she only had a few more seconds until Cole would be back. “You were daring enough to do that? Aren’t you afraid of getting caught?”
Sheriff Orson shrugged it off. “I told you, darling. I’m in charge here. A man showed up and told me he needed a body cremated, ASAP. I took his money, put a phony name on the coroner’s report and told them to flick the switch.”
Before Dani knew what was happening, the front door burst open and a stream of men wearing navy jackets emblazoned with FBI stormed inside. They were all over Sheriff Orson, bringing his hands behind his back, reading him his rights and slapping handcuffs on him.
The sheriff stared her down. “You bitch.”
Dani didn’t know what else to do other than smile. She watched as he was led away, overcome with the most intense rush of relief and accomplishment she’d felt in her entire life. Well, aside from when the twins had been born. That was no small feat, either.
She was still standing there in a daze when she felt Cole’s presence and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “You were unbelievable. I’m so impressed.”
She turned to him and looked up into his gorgeous blue eyes, feeling almost as if she was living outside her body. Everything was surreal right now. “You are?”
“Are you kidding? I heard every word. I never went to the bathroom. I was standing right around the corner, ready to pounce. I couldn’t have done this without you. I hope you know that.”
It meant so much to hear him say that. Having Cole’s approval and appreciation felt so good. Six years ago, she’d lived for it. Now that she had a taste of it again, it brought back a flood of the best feelings between them. They’d been as rock solid as a couple could be. Could they have that again? “I couldn’t have done it without you. You believed in me. You believed I could do it. And you let me run with it, even when things were getting a little hairy.”
Cole laughed. “You definitely waded into some waters I wasn’t quite sure of.”
“And you trusted me.” She didn’t take having Cole’s trust lightly. That made her extra appreciative of it now, and that much more scared of losing it. Would he forgive her when she told him about the boys? She knew now that no matter what Cole’s secret was, even if he never told her, she had to tell him about the boys. And if that killed the trust, she’d just have to rebuild it, brick by brick.
“Of course I did, Dani. I never doubted you could pull this off. I was just waiting to see how you were going to do it.”
Just then a tall redheaded woman with a pretty sizable baby bump strolled over, wearing the same jacket the other agents were. She held out her hand for Dani. “Special Agent Marjorie Stanton. I’ve conducted an awful lot of sting operations in my day, and I have to tell you that was a top-notch performance.”
“You were listening, too?”
“Down the street in a van. I heard every word. If you ever decide to give up your culinary career, give me a call.” A walkie-talkie at her hip buzzed. “I’m sorry. I need to grab this. Cole, I’ll talk to you tomorrow when we’re all back in Royal. Bird is closing in on Richard Lowell’s stash. We’re getting close to catching him and putting him away.”
“Great news. I’ll get the update tomorrow.” Cole took Dani’s hand. “I know this is an awful lot of excitement, but are you ready to get out of here?”
“Are you kidding? I never want to come back. What a slimeball.”
“A slimeball who’s about to go away for a very long time. Right after he gives up Richard Lowell.”
“Music to my ears. Now let’s get back to the plane.” All Dani wanted right now, was for the world to go away so she could be alone with Cole.