Part 7 (1/2)
”What we need is a plan,” she said after a moment.
”I have a plan.” He turned back to her, gave her a hard look. ”It doesn't include you.”
”Then change it so that it does.”
”Jess, d.a.m.n it, it's dangerous.”
She stared at him, wondering if he didn't want her involved because he was concerned about her safety or because he thought her incapable. ”It's even more dangerous not to do anything.” When he didn't speak, she went to him. ”I've never been one for sticking my head in the sand. Madrid, I need to do this. Please. If I can help, let me help.”
Growling beneath his breath, he went back to the table and sat. ”I've been running everything that's happened through my head. Everything goes back to the Lighthouse Point PD.”
She took the chair across from him. ”I agree.”
”They're hiding something.”
”Something Angela found out about. Something she saw. Something Nicolas saw.” She bit her lip. ”Something involving that photo?”
Madrid's gaze latched on to hers. ”If you were a cop and you had something to hide, where would you keep it?”
”The safest place I could think of.” Jess felt a p.r.i.c.kly sensation on the back of her neck. ”Safe deposit box. Home safe.”
He shook his head. ”The police station.”
Her eyes widened as realization dawned. ”You want to break in to the police station?”
He stared at her, saying nothing.
Jess choked out an incredulous laugh. ”That's suicidal.”
”Do you have a better suggestion?”
”It might be more expedient to just put a pistol to our heads.”
”Too b.l.o.o.d.y.” He smiled, but there was little humor to it.
”You're right about one thing,” she said.
He arched a brow.
”Your brother got the better genes.”
”The smarter ones, anyway.” But then he sobered. ”Jess, I think the Lighthouse Point PD is into this up to their crew cuts.”
”Into what?”
He tapped the photo Angela had given her. ”Whatever this is.”
She stared at the photo for a moment, then at Madrid. ”What about Angela's house?”
”What about it?”
”If she had stumbled onto something at the police department, surely she would have made notes or written something down.”
”I thought of that. If the cops are in on this, they've probably already gone through everything. They probably have the house staked out.”
”We're considering breaking in to the police station and you're worried about a little stakeout?” she asked dryly.
”I'm mainly worried about getting shot. In case you're not up on the science of a 9 mm piece of lead penetrating the human body at two hundred miles an hour, it can be fatal.”
Even though he'd said it in a dry tone, she s.h.i.+vered.
”I'll find a way into Angela's house first.” He leaned back in the chair, set it back on two rear legs.
”That sounded singular.”
”It was.”
”I lived in the apartment above Angela's garage for three weeks, Madrid. I know my way around.”
”I can figure it out.”
”I know a way in where you can't be seen from the street.”
”I'm not going to have this conversation with you.” He rose, but she reached out, grasped his arm and stood, as well.
He blinked at her, then something hot flashed in his eyes. Suddenly she was aware of how hard the muscles in his arm felt beneath her fingertips. How energy ran like electricity through his body and into hers. She felt it all the way to her bones.
She didn't want to acknowledge it, but her heart was pounding. A response that had nothing to do with sneaking into police stations and everything to do with the man standing so close she could feel the heat coming off his body.
She dropped her hand from his arm. ”I know how to get in without being seen.”
He contemplated her with cool dark eyes. ”Okay. I'll bite.”
”Only if we go in together.”
”d.a.m.n it, Jess.” Sighing, he sc.r.a.ped a hand over his jaw. Jess heard the chafe of his heavy beard, realized that he hadn't shaved. That his hair smelled of pine needles. That his muscles were like steel...
”Th-there's a cellar door on the north side of the house.”
”I noticed it.”
”Then you know there's a hedge that runs from the back fence to the door. The lock is broken on the cellar door.”
”How do you know that?”
”Because Angela and I were doing some yard work one day and she was complaining about having to fix it.”