She picked up the smallest one and held it in front of one of her buttons with her thumb and index finger. “This one is the closest.”
Hawk uncrewed the lens tip from the camera and installed the smaller one.
“Which buttonhole would be best?” she asked.
If the camera missed something, they would have audio, but they wanted Pennington’s video to be clean enough it could be used in court. Hawk wouldn’t mind seeing it plastered across every possible news source and social media site, too.
He wanted to destroy the man.
“Whatever the camera sees, Hawk will be able to see on his cell phone.” Cole pointed toward the camera.
“Let’s turn it on and see how it looks.” Hawk slid the switch to the “ON” position, then tapped his phone screen a few times. “Okay, it’s on, and I’ve got the app open.”
“Charlotte, go ahead and start at your top button and move it down one button at a time.” Cole stood next to Hawk, their heads down, looking at his phone. “Try the next one.”
She lowered it down one.
“That’s it. That’s the one.” Hawk set his phone down. “Here, let me help you put it on.”
The door to the office opened, and Dulce hurried in.
“Oh, good. You’re still here.” She walked straight up to her husband and kissed him. “I hurried through the meeting so I could be here before you leave.”
“Hey, babe.” Cole wrapped his arm around her, curved his big hand over her butt, and smiled down at her. “We’re getting Charlotte all set up.”
Hawk undid one button, and his knuckles brushed over Charlotte’s breast. He caught her quick inhale.
“You did that on purpose,” she whispered.
He lifted his head from the task at hand to find her fighting a grin. He winked at her and returned his attention to making sure the camera was in place. If teasing her got her out of her own head for even a few seconds, he considered that a win.
“Okay, let’s see how that looks.” He checked his phone. “Why don’t you sit on that couch. Cole, can you sit across from her?”
They took their positions.
“Now, let’s try it with you sitting behind the desk, and Charlotte, you take that chair.” He pointed to the chair in front of the desk, and they took their positions.
“Perfect.” Hawk closed the app and tucked his phone in his pocket. “We’re all set.”
“Hawk, give her this earpiece once you get to the office.” Cole handed him a small black case.
“Earpiece?” She looked back and forth between them.
“It’s like the ones we use to communicate with each other during an op.” Hawk flipped the box open and showed her the small device. “If something goes sideways during your meeting with Pennington, I can communicate with you without him knowing it.” He snapped the box shut. “Mine’s in the truck.”
“They’re very comfortable.” Dulce had used one before. “And if you just keep your hair down over your ear, he’ll never even notice it.”
She accepted the box from Hawk and placed it in her bag.
“Dulce, now isn’t the right time, but when the dust settles from this, I’d like to talk with you about an idea I have.” Charlotte fidgeted her shoulders and adjusted the front of her shirt.
He would need to make sure she didn’t do that around Pennington.
“Does this idea of yours involve you leaving HRA and working as a consultant full-time?” She put her hands together. “Please, please say it does.”
“It does.” Charlotte smiled.
“Then, yes, I absolutely want to hear everything,” she said.
