Chapter Nineteen
Dylan
It didn't matter that Bethany's breathless confession meant I was being investigated. I wanted to be with her no matter what. Plus, I didn't have anything to hide. Or so I thought.
So what that she'd used my name to get into an exclusive party? I had cringed at the thought of Collin Maxwell blaming me but then I saw him with Bethany. She had made him laugh so easily, and they had moved together like old friends. I had to trust that Bethany would discern the truth. Neither I nor Maxwell had anything to do with the chop shop ring she sought.
I knew it was a conflict of interest for Bethany but I couldn't stay away. Not when it seemed that tonight would be the only time we could be together for the foreseeable future.
I took her arm and strolled with her through the shipping magnate's elaborate party. It felt like a world apart; reality couldn't really seep in between all the over-the-top touches. There was a trio of acrobats dancing on ribbons suspended above the main staircase, for god's sake.
Bethany winced now and then when other couples acknowledged us. Even in the unreality of the ball, Bethany was worried someone would recognize us. I wondered how many problems that caused for her at work.
"Want to get out of here?" I asked.
She nodded, relieved, but I caught a look of regret as she tucked her gorgeous ballgown into the front seat of my Ferrari.
"You know, our outfits are too good to waste. What do you say we go out on the town?" I asked.
Bethany bit her lip. I thought she would say no. I thought her part in the DA's investigation would prevent her from spending any more time with me but I was surprised.
"I am a little hungry," Bethany confessed.
I grinned and pressed on the gas. We tore out of the mansion’s driveway and were into the city in minutes flat.
"I hope you like burgers. You used to, right?" I asked Bethany.
She looked surprised. "You came over one time when my parents were barbecuing," she remembered.
"No offense to your father but this place makes burgers one hundred times better," I joked.
Bethany eyed the old burger shack with its peeling sign and buzzing neon. Then she grinned. "I hope they have banana peppers."
We made quite an entrance at the small little walk-up window but that only made my grin wider. As we ordered onion rings and hefted plastic baskets full of over-sized burgers, it was hard to worry about anything else between us. I was with Bethany and, even if it was just for a little while, it was worth it.
And she was a sight to behold. A cheap paper napkin fluttered above the haute couture neckline of her dress. Bethany's spicy burger was so big she had to use two hands to heft it up to her mouth for a bite.
I laughed out loud when she came away from her first bite with a broad smear of mustard on her lip.
"What? Is there something on my face?" Bethany gave me a goofy look, and we both laughed.
Then I saw the spark of sadness pop back into her eyes.
"What is it?" I asked.
She shook her head. "I don't remember the last time I ate something while sitting down."
My jaw stiffened; there was just no avoiding what stood between us. "Work is that stressful, huh?"
"How about your shop?" Bethany asked. "Is everything okay?"
The question knocked me back a bit. It wasn't possible that Bethany herself was investigating me, was it? I hoped it wasn't true even as I realized it made the most sense.
Would a woman like Bethany spend time with me otherwise?
I finished chewing an onion ring before I answered, "Things have felt a little bit off lately but my business always kind of ebbs and flows."
"Off? Are you worried about something?" Bethany sipped her soda and tried to look innocent.
"Like what?" I asked.
Bethany choked a little on her soda and then cleared her throat. "You drive so many cars just like that one in the carjacking. Aren't you worried you might become a victim, too?"
I frowned. "And here I thought I looked like I could take care of myself."
Bethany's giggle cleared the air just a bit. "Maybe on a normal day but I gotta say that tuxedo makes you look more like Alfred than Batman."
She remembered my childhood obsession with Batman. I had to laugh. "Fine. But to answer your question, I think that carjacking was an anomaly. The driver must have surprised the thief. Normally, those kinds of thefts are very careful. Can't scratch the merchandise."
I realized too late that my casual observation could be quite damning. I had to hope that Bethany knew me better than to think I was involved in any such criminal activities.
The idea that she might hurt too much to think about. Her good opinion, like everything else about her, mattered a lot to me.
* * * * *
After I dropped Bethany off, I knew I couldn't wait for her case to wrap up before I saw her again. I called her the next morning.
"I have muffins, and I make office calls," I said when she picked up.
Bethany laughed. "That's very nice but if you bring them here all my co-workers will descend on you like a pack of wild dogs."
"Starved and over-worked? Yeah, not sure I want to go anywhere near that." I tried again. "Can I at least help you escape? Just one quick spin around the block and I'll give you a muffin for your trouble."
"Um, all right. I'll be down in a minute," Bethany said.
I pulled up outside her office building with a broad grin on my face. I felt a bit like Romeo on the fringes of the Capulet's garden. I'll admit it was exhilarating. Bethany had agreed despite the fact that everyone in her office would be able to see her get into a flame-orange Lamborghini with me.
I didn't think anything could ruin my mood until I caught sight of a platinum-blond head low in the crowd coming along the sidewalk.
Jasmine saw me and waved energetically.
The windows on the custom car were darkly-tinted so there was no way Jasmine could know for sure it was me. Still, I slipped on dark sunglasses and hoped she didn't come any closer.
Traffic stopped her on the opposite side of the crosswalk, and I prayed that Bethany would make it outside quickly. Then I jumped and almost blasted the horn when the passenger side door popped open and Bethany slid inside.
"I'm sorry! I thought you saw me coming," Bethany said.
"You must be hungry," I said. I tossed her a muffin and sped away from the curb.
"Who's that?" Bethany asked.
"Who? What?" I pretended not to see as I threaded the humming Lamborghini into traffic.
Jasmine hopped up and down on the curb behind us and didn't give up until I careened around the first corner I could find.
Bethany's lips tightened but she didn't say anything. Still, the strange sighting hung over the rest of a sunny drive. Bethany ate her muffin and kept the conversation light.
"Would you like some late-night reinforcements?" I asked as I circled back toward her office. "I'm assuming you're working late again tonight."
"You don't need to swing by on my behalf," Bethany said.
"It's not a problem, if that's what you're thinking. My shop is only about fifteen minutes from here and I'll be working late, too."
Bethany brightened a little bit. "Any fun new projects?"
I hesitated to talk to her about cars and clients but I couldn't stand the distance between us. "Restoring a classic. I can't count how many hours Joey and I agonize over the repairs."
"So, you're not alone at the shop?"
I snorted. "Hardly. Joey's been keeping an eye on me lately."
I could see Bethany making mental notes, but I decided if I was going to trust anyone, it was her. I just wished she could feel the same.
Then I pulled up outside her office building and spotted Jasmine again. The short, very noticeable blonde bobbed out from behind a nearby fountain and made her way toward us.
"I swear she looks familiar," Bethany said.
Jasmine was wearing a shiny blue dress with a stretched snake-skin pattern. "She's kind of hard not to notice. Maybe you've seen her on the sidewalk before."
"Like when we left?" Bethany tore open her car door before I'd even stopped at the curb.
By the time I got the Lamborghini in park, the two women were already toe-to-polished toe. I jogged over with my heart in my throat. What lies was Jasmine telling Bethany?
It turned out that Jasmine wasn't doing any of the talking. Bethany recognized her from my parking lot incident, and she was severely dressing down the shorter woman.
"We can spot your scheming a mile away. What is it this time? Extortion? Another overnight stay in a holding cell? What exactly are you after?" Bethany asked.
Jasmine tottered on her platform heels. "Better back off, jealous bitch. My business is with Dylan, not you!"
"Don't be so sure," Bethany said.
I stepped in between them. "Whoa. What is going on? Jasmine, if you think you have business with me then you better go ahead and spit it out."
"You do know her!" Bethany turned on me with an angry twist to her normally sweet lips.
"Yeah, he does, honey. Now butt out," Jasmine said.
Bethany took a deep breath, but I could tell it was a struggle. "You had contact with her after she let you be taken away by the cops? What were you thinking?" she asked me.
"He was thinking I'm too good to miss out on a second time." Jasmine smoothed her hands onto her hips to accentuate her outrageously displayed curves.
"It's not what you think," I started to say but it was too late. Bethany marched up the steps and disappeared back into her office building without another word.
I watched her all the way through the foyer until I lost her in the crowd before the elevators.
"You've really got a thing for Ms. Uptight there, huh?" Jasmine asked.
I whirled around and stuck a finger in her face. "Don't ever talk about her again. Hear me?"
The petite blonde nodded and then her eyes filled up with tears. "I wouldn't have bothered you, it's just I'm so scared. I need help, Dylan."
"I'm not taking on charity cases, Jasmine. If you need help, go to the police," I said.
She grabbed my arm and clung tight. "Please! Who else is gonna help me?"
"Well, she might have but you made a royal mess out of your introductions." I jerked my head toward the office building.
Jasmine blinked up at the bright building. "Oh, yeah. She's a lawyer, right?"
"Not just a lawyer; assistant to the district attorney. Never mind! Why are you bothering me? What do you think I'm going to do to help you?" I asked.
"I think someone's trying to get rid of me," Jasmine said.
I almost sympathized with whomever it was. There was no way to shake off Jasmine without looking like a jerk, so I stood there and let her give me big, sad puppy dog eyes.
"Get rid of you? In what way?" I asked.
Jasmine's expression changed; this time, the fear was real. "I think I might know something I'm not supposed to know. They're going to kill me just so I don't talk."
"Then why in the hell are you talking to me?" I wrenched my arm free.
"They won't think I'd tell you. You're the only person I can talk to." Jasmine's hands went limp, and she started to cry for real.
"Why me? Why do these people think you won't talk to me?" I asked.
Jasmine snuffled and then drew herself up to her full, diminutive height. "Because you're supposed to be my mark."
That stopped me in my tracks. I reached out for Jasmine's arm, but she went rigid all of a sudden. Something off in the distance behind me spooked her, and I didn't dare turn around.
Without another word, Jasmine spun around and took off into the crowd, leaving me with more worries and questions than ever before.