“Good call.” That wasn’t exactly why Jane had opted to spend her Saturday night in a van with Hal, but she did appreciate the distance from her moody cousin. “You know, I get that she can’t tell me what went down to sour her on her job. But she’s not great at expressing her feelings.”
“Pot, kettle. Hel-lo.”
“I’m an open book.”
He just looked at her as he shoveled in a few handfuls of popcorn and said with his mouth full, “Do you believe the lies coming out of your mouth?”
“Hey, not being a fan of drama doesn’t mean I’m a liar. I choose to detach emotionally from the job so I can focus on what’s important. Raine takes everything to heart.”
“Because she has to get deep to see the truth.”
“Maybe.” She popped open the soda and took a swig. “Or maybe she’s just a hothead like Uncle Chris who runs aroundfeelingeverything to death instead of being objective and getting the job done.”
“I will give you fifty bucks to say that to your uncle’s face.”
“What am I, stupid?”
He chuckled. “A hundred? A thousand?”
“Do you have a thousand?”
“Joe does, and he owes me.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. That boyfriend of Shantelle’s… I found some dirt on the guy. She’s no longer seeing him.”
“Hal.” Jane shook her head. “You need to let the girl make her own choices.”
“Hey, don’t blame me. I just passed the word. I’m not involving myself in anyone’s business. Well, just yours.” His smile blinded her. “You owe mebig.If your uncle knew you were using my talents, he’d insist on billing Uncle Sam for my services.”
Not to mention rubbing it in her face that she’d finally caved. He’d been telling her to use the family’s talents for years, but she’d always resisted, trying to keep on the straight and narrow at work.
“Oh stop. You know this isn’t official.” Her face heated, the embarrassment at what she’d stooped to not beyond her. “I’m desperate. I tried all the legal ways of finding out if my boss is scum. I got nothing.”
“That’s right. And that’s when you cometo me,” he ended in a low, creepy voice.
“I swear, if you rub your hands together and crow like a dastardly villain, I will sock you one.”
He grinned but didn’t give the evil laugh she knew he wanted to.
“Please note the personal security feeds of our target. He’s home, and he’s alone.”
She watched as Scott pulled into his driveway, waited for the garage to open, then drove inside before the garage door shut behind him. Hal scrolled through his many views of the man’s house, and she watched as Scott walked inside and up the stairs into his living room, then up again to one of his four bedrooms.
When he pulled off his tie and started to change clothes, she studiously looked away.
“He’s not a bad looking guy, I guess,” Hal commented. “If you like the professional hot yoga and gym type. I guarantee none of that muscle is from actually being out in the field and running from insurgents.”
“Since when are you a combat snob?”
“I’m not. I prefer no yoga and no gym. Give me a hand-to-hand workout or a fast walk and I’m spent.”
“Just let me know when he’s dressed.”
“Prude.” Hal drank loudly, gave a gentlemanly burp, then tapped the screen. “He’s back. And joy, he’s calling someone.”
Haversham, as a matter of fact. As Scott moved into the kitchen to get some food, Jane perked up when she heard Sullivan’s name mentioned in the conversation that he’d put on speaker.
