“So that leaves only one question.” Again, it was Boss who spoke up. He gestured with his sucker, which looked tiny and incongruous in his big, work-worn mitt. “Why did McClean include his son and Eliza on the guest list?Theyweren’t on the committee.”
O’Toole wrinkled her nose and glanced with sympathy toward Eliza. “If I had to guess, it was Miss Meadows whom Senator McCleanreallywanted present that night. As powerful as Chuck Reynolds is, he’s still not as powerful as the chief of staff. McClean probably hoped the information he planned to share would get passed along to the White House through unofficial channels.”
“Makes sense.” Boss nodded. “Wearetalking politics and politicians here, and the bastards are always working some angle.” His wife smacked him on the arm—which was the equivalent of a fly bumping into an elephant. Even still, Boss feigned a wince. “Ow. What was that for?”
Becky widened her eyes and hitched her chin toward Eliza.
“Oh.” Boss looked chagrined. Or…as chagrined as a middle-aged man with a buzzcut and facial scars could look. “Sorry, Eliza. No offense to your dad.”
“None taken.” She shrugged. “You’re right. Heisalways working an angle.”
“Yes, well…” O’Toole wrapped her last croissant in her napkin and slipped it into her pocket. “That’s the long and short of it. But I think it’s safe to say you all are free to start taking down your window dressings.” She checked her watch again. “I expect to be getting the call any minute now that Reynolds is in custody. And with him locked up, I seriously doubt there will be any more attempts on Miss Meadows’s life.”
“Hallelujah!” Eliza threw her hands in the air. “Sweet sunshine, here I come!”
The group disbursed. Ozzie and Becky went over to the computer bank and started playing around with the CAD drawings. Boss retired to his office. And the rest of the Knights headed down to the shop to work on the five spec bikes that were in various stages of completion.
We’re just your regular ol’ custom motorcycle mechanics, after all.
Britt and Eliza escorted the feds to the front door. And when Eliza pulled Agent Douglas aside to thank him for his service on the day of the shooting, Britt crossed his arms and smiled down at O’Toole.
“I reckon this is goodbye, then.” Was there a note of dissatisfaction in his voice?Nah.That was just his imagination.
“I suppose so.” She tilted her head. “Unless you plan to commit a felony anytime soon. And then you might find me knocking on your door.”
“Commit a crime? Me?” He lifted his hands. “I’m as pure as the driven snow.”
She chuckled. “Somehow I doubt that.” She was still grinning when she added, “You know, the first time I met you, I thought you were the world’s biggest dickhole. And I’m not usually wrong about people. But I’m glad to find out I was wrong about you.”
He grimaced. “I wasn’t my best self that night. I’d like to blame it on the circumstances. But the truth is, I’m usually shitty to law enforcement.”
She blinked. “Why is that?”
“Tough childhood. And the cops getting involved always tended to make a bad situation worse.”
“Well, I hope I’ve given you reason to rethink your stance on those of us who carry a badge.”
He hesitated, wondering if he should say what was on the tip of his tongue. Then he thought,screw it.“You’ve changed my mind aboutyou, specifically. But law enforcement in general? Not so much. Still feel like too often y’all hurt more than you help.”
She grunted. “You don’t believe in bullshit for the sake of bullshit, do you, Sergeant Rollins?”
“Call me Britt. And actually, I can bullshit with the best of them. But when someone asks me an honest question I try to respond with an honest answer.”
“Hmm.” She nodded. “I like that. In fact, I think maybe, despite first impressions, I kinda likeyou.”
His breath strangled in his lungs. His heart thundered like it did every time he jumped out of a plane. And the lovely, familiar spurt of adrenaline he felt had him scrubbing a hand over the top of his head.
Adrenaline was his crack. He sought it with a single-mindedness that probably warranted a trip to a good psychiatrist.
Which meant Julia O’Toole was dangerous to him in ways that went beyond her nose for rooting out the truth which stood in direct opposition to his position there at Black Knights Inc. where he had to keep most things about himself a secret.
Therewasa bit of honesty he could give her though. “I like you too, Agent O’Toole.”
“Julia,” she corrected. And the smile she wore was so genuine he felt another little spurt of adrenaline. “You can call me Julia now that I’m no longer working a case that involves you. Or…involves one of your coworkers and you by proxy, rather.”
“Julia it is then.” He liked the sound of her name when he spoke it out loud.
She opened her mouth to respond, but the buzz of his phone had her closing it again.
