Saving Rose Red - Maggie Dallen Page 0,23
traitorous mind had taken, he spoke without thinking. “Not yet.”
He wanted her to be scared for her safety but not terrified. Of course, she didn’t look all that terrified. If anything, she looked…amused.
“It’s sweet that you’re worried about me.” The look she was giving him. It slayed him. Part smug, part sweet, all Andie.
He wanted to kiss her again. He shouldn’t, but he didn’t know if he could stop himself.
Andie spoke just in time or he would have lost himself to the overwhelming urge. He needed to get a grip or he would never survive this. “Why were they shooting at you? And who are the other guys in the picture?”
Her gaze and her stance could only be described as fierce. This little firecracker meant business and if he stood any chance of getting that camera back so he could start making any headway in his case, he’d have to cave.
“I’m not entirely sure why they shot at me, but I have a suspicion. If I can send that picture off to one of my associates, he might be able to confirm.”
Her brow furrowed. Clearly he’d just opened up a whole new line of questioning.
He cut her off before she could start in. “I’m an undercover cop.”
Boom. There went his most closely guarded secret and the last remnants of an alias he’d spent six months creating. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes bugged out. “I thought…I thought you were—”
“A criminal,” he finished. “Yes, I’m aware. And yet you still took me in. Don’t you have any sense of self-preservation?”
He was honestly puzzled but she ignored the question. “So you’re investigating Anthony?”
“Yes.”
“Was your cover blown?”
She sounded far too excited. Especially when she was supposed to be afraid. “I don’t know. I have to assume so at this point.”
“And you think my picture had something to do with your cover being blown and you being shot at.”
She said it as a statement but he answered it as a question. “It’s an awfully big coincidence if they are two separate incidents.”
Nodding, she bit her lip as she appeared to think it all over. He tried not to focus on the lip and how he wanted to be the one nibbling on it. Now was definitely not the time.
“You never answered my question before,” she said finally.
“Which one?”
“Who are the other guys in the picture?”
Clearly she was starting to piece it all together. “The tough-looking guy with the long hair—that’s Cisco Hedron, the leader of the Corada gang.”
He heard her swift intake of air but she kept quiet.
“The other guy…well, that’s the mystery. Judging by the suit and the timing of the shooting…” He left off with a shrug. He didn’t want to even put his suspicions into words. The very thought made him nauseous.
She blinked up at him. “You think he’s a cop.”
Ugh. There it was. The suspicion he hated to give voice to—that one of his own team would turn on him like that. But he’d seen worse in his time and he wouldn’t put it past them. He shrugged. “I’m hoping that if I send it to my partner at the police department, he can take a closer look at the image. Maybe he’ll see something I couldn’t.”
Andie was already handing over the camera before he finished speaking. “Take it. In the meantime, stay as long as you need.”
He found himself at a loss for words. The offer was so generous and natural, as if it never even occurred to her think this through—that maybe she wouldn’t want to harbor an undercover cop who was being hunted by criminals.
Finally he shook his head. “Thanks, but I can’t stay long. I just wanted to make sure you were safe but we can find you a safe place to go until this blows over. Once we do, I’ll be out of your hair.”
Her response was a snort of amusement as she turned to the counter and started unloading her bag of groceries. “Nice try, Cole.”
Hearing her use his name so casually and in that sweet voice of hers floored him. It shouldn’t have, but he found himself staring at her back as she set some food aside and some in the cabinets.
Unaware of his stupor state, she kept chattering on. “I hope you like chicken parm because it’s kinda my specialty.”
He didn’t answer but she didn’t seem to notice. “My laptop’s over there if you want to go ahead and send that picture to your friend.” She smiled at him over her