Page 86 of Armed ’N’ Ready

As Myer continued detailing the specifics of how he wired money out of the country to all of Argyle’s offshore accounts, he texted the screenshot to Eric, along with a message to ask his friend in Scotland to pull some strings. It was a long shot, but if they got lucky and Eric’s friend came through, it could shortcut the process, saving them a boatload of precious time.

Eric came back with a quick reply. On it.

Myer started to click on the folder marked Belize but stopped and looked at Andi. “I’m sorry about using your account. It was stupid, and thoughtless, and I’ll never forgive myself for doing it.”

Andi nodded slowly but didn’t say anything. The only evidence of her internal struggle over Myer’s admission was the tightening of her jaw. Nick wanted her to let loose and slug the guy, but she didn’t. She was too kind a person, which was one of a hundred reasons why he loved her.

Two hours later, they finished. Nick and Saxon escorted Andi and Joe to the cafeteria for coffee and something to eat, then to Conference Room B, where Andi had been waiting earlier. She set her purse on the table next to the sandwich she hadn’t eaten. Joe set his plate down, then pulled Andi into his arms.

At the abrupt movement, Saxon lowered his head, glaring up at Myer. Nick smirked. His dog didn’t like the guy much, either, but probably not for the same reasons Nick didn’t. Myer didn’t like dogs, and Saxon knew it. Nick’s reasons for disliking him went gut-deep.

Over Myer’s shoulder, she met his gaze for a long moment before shutting her eyes and uttering a long sigh.

“Joe, are you really okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine, baby.” Myer clasped the back of her head, stroking her hair. “I’m more worried about you.”

Nick clenched his hand into a fist around Saxon’s leash. Myer could be a goddamn altar boy, and he’d still hate the guy’s guts—for loving Andi and for being the one she had her arms around.

It’s your own damn fault. Words he found himself repeating over and over the past twenty-four hours.

Knowing the depths of Myer’s feelings for her, the idea of leaving the two of them alone grated on his nerves, but he had no choice.

“I have to go verify the grand jury is ready. Don’t leave this room,” he ordered Myer before heading to the door, taking no small amount of gratification when Andi pulled out of the guy’s embrace. “As long as you stay here, you’ll be okay. Tonight, you’ll go to a safe house.”

Saxon shot Myer one last wary look before following Nick.

He jerked open the door, slamming it shut when he and Saxon were in the hallway. Dealing with Myer was going to be a lot harder than he’d expected. More accurately, seeing him with Andi would drive him abso-fucking-lutely nuts.

Shake it off, Houston. For now, he’d do it, but only because he had no say in the matter. Later on, he’d move heaven and earth to get back in Andi’s good graces. There was no way on this earth he’d let Joe Myer or anyone else stand between him and the woman he loved.

After taking Saxon outside for a few minutes to do his business, he found Cox and Bennett back in the other conference room discussing their next move. He suspected this would be a long day, stretching well into the evening with additional interviews of both Myer and Meera. With that in mind, he’d brought Saxon inside again, not giving a crap whether Bennett objected. Not only that, when it came time to move Myer to wherever he’d be spending his first night, he wanted his partner there backing him up.

“We’ve been going over Myer’s and Meera Devine’s statements,” Bennett said as he and Saxon rejoined them. “For the most part they mesh, but we’ll re-interview them to button down the details before putting them in the grand jury.”

Nick figured that might happen. He unhooked Saxon’s leash and pointed to the wall behind him. Saxon lay down, resting his head between his paws.

Leaning against the same wall was Nick’s discarded body armor. He reached out to retrieve it when his cell phone buzzed. He looked at the screen to see an incoming text from Eric.

Call me. Interesting news from Scotland.

“Back in five.” He headed for the door, preferring to have this conversation out of Bennett’s earshot. The guy would throw a fit if he knew they were circumventing DOJ protocol by involving foreign officials in an investigation without filing the requisite red tape.

Red tape, my ass.

Anything that would get them to the end game faster was fine with him.

Stepping into the hallway, he pulled the door shut behind him then punched up Eric’s number. “What have you got?” He leaned against the wall opposite the conference room, absently noting that the door hadn’t completely shut again, and he could glimpse Saxon watching him. His snout still rested on the floor, but his ears twitched as he kept an eye on Nick.

“I sent the bank account numbers you gave me to my friend in Inverness. They checked with a security guy at the Royal Bank of Scotland, who figured out pretty quickly that the three accounts were opened at a branch in Portree.”

“Where’s Portree?”

The conference room door squeaked open another inch, and Cox eyed him suspiciously.

“On the north side of the country, near the Isle of Skye,” Eric continued. “My friend in Inverness has a buddy in the Portree Police Department. Turns out the Portree PD is located literally thirty yards across the town square from the same branch where these accounts were opened. Apparently, Portree isn’t that big, and everyone knows everyone. This cop is dating one of the tellers, and she told him who opened the accounts.”

Nick straightened. Now they were getting somewhere.