From Sanctum with Love (Masters and Mercenaries #10) - Lexi Blake Page 0,117

is not my scene.”

She preferred Sanctum, where she knew everyone and they all watched out for each other.

Mia nodded and sank down beside her. “That’s what Kai told Case. They went off somewhere. I guess Case had something to say to Kai.”

“What’s wrong? Did you not have fun with Case?” Kori was watching her and she didn’t look like a woman who was happy with the way her evening had gone. It surprised her since when they were out on the dance floor, Mia had clung to Case and her eyes had lit up.

“I think someone went through my purse. Did you need something in there? It’s totally cool if you did. I just want to make sure it was you.”

“No, I didn’t touch it except to pass it off to Kai. I’m sorry. I know I said I would look after it, but Jared was kind of insistent on dancing.”

“It’s okay.” She pulled out her phone. “It’s weird though. It says I put the security code in ten minutes ago. I haven’t touched it all night.”

“Phones keep track of that stuff?” She mostly played Candy Crush on hers. She didn’t even realize they had security codes. Not that she would put one in. If someone wanted to play Candy Crush that badly, she would let them.

“This one does. It’s something my brother built in. He’s paranoid. Now I’m getting a little paranoid, too. I was dancing with Case ten minutes ago.” Mia flicked her finger across the screen, obviously checking it.

“Maybe it’s wrong. Or the screen came on when the bag got moved.”

“I don’t think so. I think someone got to my phone. Why would Kai want to get into my phone?”

Kori thought Mia was definitely paranoid. “He wouldn’t have a reason to do that and Kai would never do something like that. Sweetie, is there a reason you think someone’s spying on you?”

Mia frowned. “Look, there are some things you don’t know about me. I think I should probably tell someone anyway. You know how I told you about my friend?”

“The one who was killed?”

Mia nodded. “Yes.” Mia’s eyes squeezed shut, and when she opened them again there was a determined look on her face. “I’m a reporter. I used to work at a paper in Austin, but once I put together the pattern surrounding the murders, I decided to dedicate myself to this story, to getting justice for my friend.”

Her night had taken a surreal turn. Had she taken a worse fall than she thought? She didn’t remember hitting her head. “Murders?”

“Yes, I’ve been tracking Jared for the last year. I think it would be best if you came home with me tonight. I can show you everything I have. I can lay it all out for you. I need you to listen to me because I think you could be in danger.”

Kori mentally recounted the shots she’d taken. Nope. Not enough to make this conversation go away. “How am I in danger?”

“In the last couple of years, several women have been murdered, all with connections to Jared Johns. All with the same MO and all shortly before Johns left the area. I tried to quietly get myself on his set in Canada, but I couldn’t get hired on.”

Pieces began to fall into place. “So when they announced Love After Death would be filming here, you decided to move to Dallas? Not because you got a job at a dentist’s office?”

“That’s a cover. I don’t actually work there. When I realized the connections between Jared Johns and Kai Ferguson and McKay-Taggart, I knew I had to come here. I had to imbed myself here. Sanctum was a good bet since the rumor in the publishing world is that’s the club the whole series is based around. I knew Jared would come and stay with his brother. He would come and hang out at Sanctum and McKay-Taggart.”

She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Shock. A bit of betrayal. “You lied?”

“I had to. No one will listen to me. The FBI blew me off when I took this to them. I need solid proof to get a newspaper to print the story. They’re all terrified of getting sued.”

“Yes, I think if you ruin a man’s career and reputation with no real evidence, you’re likely to get sued.” Anger started to thrum through her system. The club was a place where everyone got to be safe. Sometimes it was the only place in the world where she felt safe. Mia