Perfect opening. “It’s fine. A little dizziness, but nothin’ I can’t handle.” As if to emphasize his point, Raider leaned back against the stair railing.
“Tough man.” Eddie’s nod came with a grin of what appeared to be approval. “Okay. Back to business. With cash, we obviously need to take more time and use even more businesses. It’s easier to keep from getting caught, but it’s a lot harder to accomplish for that reason. How much cash do you want to move?”
“Let’s just work on one project at a time,” Raider said, counting the computers in the room. He needed to get his watch into one at some point. There were several empty consoles, but he couldn’t just sit down and start typing, could he?
“Fair enough,” Eddie said. “By the way, where’s the evidence I want?” His eyebrows wriggled. “Does the pretty redhead have it?”
Raider scoffed. “Of course not. It’s still with my friend, who’s unreachable.”
Eddie shrugged. “Yeah, it’s not the insurance policy you think. I’m not too worried about the evidence.”
In other words, Eddie might still shoot him in the head. But the senator was worried, and that might or might not matter to Eddie.
Raider glanced at Jonny P, who hadn’t stopped watching him since he’d arrived. The guy definitely wanted to take a piece or two out of Raider’s hide. “I think he likes me.”
Eddie smiled.
“What’s up with the explosives outside the door?” Raider had clocked enough to blow up the entire building.
“The whole room on every side is wired,” Eddie said easily. “Can’t have this kind of evidence in the cops’ hands, now can we?” He shot Jonny P a hard look. “We had a cop infiltrate our organization a year or so ago, and I’ve never forgotten the betrayal.”
Every cell in Raider’s body went cold as ice. “Is that so? What happened to the guy?”
“Jonny P took care of him,” Eddie said, gesturing carelessly.
Raider barely kept a snarl from ripping his lip. “Interesting. How did you find out? I’m always watching over my shoulder with my enterprises.”
“People make mistakes. Anybody leading two lives always has a trail back to their real one.” Eddie watched a big screen in the corner. “For instance, your woman’s father. He’s on the run, but I’m gonna find him.”
No, he wasn’t. But that didn’t mean he’d fail to find Brigid’s real life. “I’m sure you will,” Raider said. “Unless, of course, those explosives accidentally detonate. That happens, you know.”
Eddie just grinned.
Rex’s typing didn’t pause. Apparently the computer guru had accepted the risk of being blown up with the job. How much did a guy like him make, anyway? It couldn’t be enough to remain in bed with Eddie, but once in, always in. “How long is this going to take?” Raider asked, drawing in a large breath as if in pain. Which he actually was.
Eddie read the screen. “We’re staying here until Rex confirms the transfers. Should only be a couple of hours?”
Rex nodded.
Raider cleared his throat. “In that case, I’m taking a seat.” He chose a chair a couple down from Rex in front of a PC with a smaller screen. “Any chance this thing has solitaire on it?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Brigid paced the small computer room, her eyes gritty after a long day of working on the computer, reading and listening to all of the evidence her dad had collected, and trying to forget the fact that Raider was in a secured room with Eddie Coonan. Hopefully. Or maybe he’d been shot and left for dead.
She eyed the plain black coffee Wolfe had left for her that morning before leaving with Raider. No whipped cream. No sprinkles. She’d shoved down tears the second she’d seen it. Oh, why hadn’t Wolfe just yelled at her? It’d be so much easier to handle than the plain, unflavored coffee.
Apparently the soldier was angry after hearing of her betrayal. She gulped down more tears.
Angus Force had been absent all day on doctor’s orders. Apparently his internal bleeding had gotten worse, and he’d had to visit the hospital late the night before. Now he was cranky and at home, according to Nari. Brigid felt a little guilty that she was happy not to face him yet.
Her phone dinged, and she lunged for it on the desk, lifting it. “Raider? Hello?”
“Helloooo, Irish Rose,” Raider drawled, his voice low and slurred.
She sat down, her entire body stiffening. “Raider? You okay?”
“You know what I like? You.” He snorted out a laugh. “Usually. I mean, not right now, because you lied. But you make the cutest noises when you sleep. I hope we can sleep together again.”
