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And she smiled

That smile lit a fire inside hied electrical arousal and a brooding anger, in equal intensity through his body

Because he knew she was holding back So to hi deeper, he didn’t want to delve into at theback

And that just flat pissed him off

"What the hell is she involved in, then?" Zeke asked

Dawg glanced at the sheriff before leaning against the floor-to-ceiling shelving that ran the length of the aisle they were in front of

"Nada," he answered shortly

"Your nada s are getting on et on your nerves worse when I ca pointed out irritably "Leave it alone, Zeke"

"You’re going to get her killed, Dawg," Zeke said quietly "Whatever you’re doing, it’s going to backfire on her"

"Then you’ll have bloodshed to clean up, Zeke" Dawg’s slare

"Anyone even thinks about hurting her, and they’ll die Expect that Count on that Now get the hell out of my way I have a business to run"

Unfortunately, Zeke was right Whatever the hell was going on, so Crista into it, but of striking out at her

As Zeke headed back toward the sators and officers, Natches reen eyes were like flinty ice in a stone-cold expression

Dawg crossed his ar certain no one caators want to think she deliberately left the door unlocked," Natchesbrushed aside because there are no prints So you at the worst"

Dawg nodded slowly

"They struck after you were seen arguing with her After the Rodeo went up in flames None of it oing to cover her closer So why attempt to search your office?"

"Unless the point was to plant soainst her," Natches said softly "Thankfully, I was able to get in there with the first investigators There was a map of the warehouse, the address, and a detailed list of thewith about twenty-five thousand in cash in an envelope tucked into the file cabinet Soet the envelope?"

Natches nodded slowly "Taken care of Security tapes were fuzzed, bad Both the outside and inside monitors were affected There was so much static on the"

"They know my system" His was state-of-the-art with a few additional devices that should have e thief to bypass

"They know you," Natches pointed out "I’ to head to town, spread a little trash, and see what happens"

"What kind of trash?" Dawg stared at his cousin suspiciously

"Well, you hired a new er, and look what happened" Natches nodded to the officers and agentsaround "What if, after they leave, I overhear you and Crista arguing about it? Maybe she’s called her good friend Mark, and she’s heading back to Virginia Whoever’s involved with this is trying to lay the money at her feet to keep suspicion off the, with the pictures they have of the woive that she wasn’t involved won’t ets aith the money"

"Do the thieves know for certain it’s not Crista?" Dawg asked then, reation of the men they had arrested "If they knehy not take the deal Cranston offered them for the woman? From all reports, she was the mastermind behind this"

"Maybe they don’t knoho she is," Natches suggested "They were a few good ole boys contacted because of their knowledge of the ether Someone else was the brains"

"So mused

"Close the store down for the rest of the day I’ll hang around until everyone has left, check things out, then head to the diner with Rowdy and Kelly We can get the inforinia where I think it needs to go Whatever’s going on, that diner sees out there toonodded

"Wait till after dark to leave, and when you do, take the back roads to the marina Stay in the houseboat tomorrow; keep the s and doors closed and Crista hidden Let’s give the nodded It could work At theout the culprit

"KeepCrista too closely at theback, his head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed on her as she and Layla kept the officers supplied with coffee