my director. They gave me a crash course so I could go undercover here.â
âDoes Ethan know?â She was starting to feel like a fool. If her head chef had known about this all along, sheâd skewer him with his own butcher knife.
âNo. Nobody did. I was hired blind.â
âAnd if you hadnât gotten the job?â
âWeâd have found another way to conduct our investigation.â
âYour investigation,â she repeated. Suddenly she felt far adrift from Gray. Like he was floating away on a strange tide and she couldnât reach him any longer. âWhich is what, exactly?â
He cleared his throat. âDo you know a man by the name of Manny Delacruz? Or his older brother, Joaquin?â
âNo. Should I?â
âNot necessarily. The Delacruz brothers are crooked casino owners Iâve been after for years. Joaquin is a billionaire, but heâs got his fingers in just about every dirty pie you can imagine.â
âWhich has
what
to do with me?â
âManny planted some of his men here, in your employ. Theyâve been using Floor Fifty-Five as the base of their drug running operation almost since you opened your doors.â
âWhat kind of drugs?â she asked. This could not be real.
âCocaine.â
âHow?â She shook her head. âIâm sorry, but I donât see how thatâs possible.â
âItâs really quite easy,â he said with a tired sigh. âTheyâre using your catering service and hauling the coke out wrapped up in empanada dough. Every time someone contracts your restaurant for their event, Mannyâs men add on an extra van to make a âspecial delivery.â Their scheme wouldâve worked for years if Manny hadnât been stupid enough to place a couple of his men here who were already on the FBIâs radar.â
âHave you found those responsible?â
âYeah. Weâre about to make a bust, so I want you to stay away from here for the next few days.â
Moving inside her office, she approached him. Some of the shock was starting to wear off, and in its place came a sick feeling in her guts. âIâm grateful that these scumbags are going to be removed from my sight and put in prison. But thatâs not the whole issue here, is it?â
âNo, itâs not.â His beautiful eyes were begging her to understand. âI had to make sure you were innocent.â
âDid you, now?â Her voice was cold. Distant. She rounded the desk and moved into his space. âAnd did that entail planting the bugs I found in my apartment tonight? Ransacking my office for good measure?â
âIt was my assignment,â he said hoarsely. âI had to make sure. I wanted your name cleared so we could be together.â
âAnd was fucking me part of your
assignment
?â she spat.
His shattered expression spoke volumes. â
No.
It wasnât like that. I mean, yes, I had to get close to youââ
âClose to me? You mean, lie to me, charm your way into my bed? Sweep my
mother
off her feet?â She gave a sad, broken laugh.
âIâve had feelings for you since we first met. Donât you remember that? I wanted you as a
man
, not an agent, and my feelings are real. Iâm falling for you, Anna,â he said, voice cracking.
âFalling for me? I was falling for you, too, but you blew it apart! How am I supposed to ever trust you again?â
âAnna, I loveââ
âFuck you!â she shouted, shoving him.
Just then, the door to the office swung open and two men walked inside holding weapons. Men she instantly recognized as her employees Hernandez and Keene. The latter smirked, his smile ugly.
âLook what we have here. Good thing the old goat in the lobby is so observant, right?â He glanced at his partner. âHelpful of him to let us know one of our friends was up here working late.
Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins