he’s just trying to stir up trouble.” To make her life miserable.
“That may be,” Emilio said. “But I think Dutch can help me get to the bottom of it. Dutch, would you come with me?”
It might’ve sounded like a question, but it was an order.
“Can this wait?” Isabel asked, tension surging through her. “I need Dutch’s help with the final preparations.”
“No, it can’t wait.” Emilio delivered the statement like the crack of a whip. “Max will stay at your side and assist you with anything you need.”
Her stomach plummeted to her toes. The plan was to show Dutch the office and let him take it from there. She wasn’t a marshal or a spy or remotely capable of handling this.
Dutch flashed a cool smile. “It’s okay, Isabel.” He got up and leaned over toward her. As he kissed her cheek, he slipped the strip of tape with the fingerprint into her hand. Then in her ear, he said, “The degausser needs to be in contact for two minutes. Leave me behind.”
Her breath hitched. No, no, no.
She couldn’t do this without him, and she certainly wasn’t leaving him.
Isabel went to grab his arm and keep him there with her, but he stood, moving out of reach.
Dutch looked at Emilio. “There must be a misunderstanding. I’m sure we can clear it up.”
“I hope so.”
The two guards seized Dutch by his arms.
Her pulse skyrocketed. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she knew it wasn’t good. Dutch was in trouble.
“This is ridiculous. Where are you taking him?” she demanded.
“It’s okay,” Dutch said. “Don’t worry about me. Focus on why you’re here.”
The auction. The hard drive.
She swallowed hard, hating the sensation of being trapped in an impossible situation.
Emilio spun on his heel and stalked back to the house with Rodrigo beside him, and the other guards hauled Dutch along.
What could Chad have said to upset Emilio?
The prospects had her growing lightheaded. With someone as deranged as Chad, there was no telling.
“What’s going on?” she asked Max and sipped her coffee, trying to appear casual instead of freaked out.
He clasped his hands behind his back. With his sunglasses on, she couldn’t read his eyes. “Nothing to concern you. Your uncle wants you to worry about the auction.”
Part of her wanted to follow them and do everything in her power to help Dutch. But she had to think strategically, not based off emotion. This was the opportunity they’d been waiting for. One where her uncle and the main guards would be focused on something away from the office.
If she had any hope of pulling this off, it’d have to be now, while they were distracted, but the one thing they hadn’t accounted for was Max.
“Once you’re done eating,” Max said, “I’ll help you in any way you require. The great room is being set up now per your instructions.”
To hell with breakfast.
“I’ve lost my appetite.” She grabbed her purse and discreetly slipped the piece of tape with the fingerprint on it into an inner compartment of her bag. “Let’s go take a look at the progress.”
* * *
EMILIO LED DUTCH downstairs to an empty alcove in the wine cellar. Thanks to the stone walls, it was dank and ten degrees cooler than the rest of the house.
With a flick of his hand, Emilio gestured to his guards.
Someone hit Dutch across the back of the head. The world blurred and he fell off his feet. They slapped handcuffs on Dutch and lifted him from the ground, catching the chain on a hook suspended from the ceiling.
They must’ve used this space for interrogation before. It made sense. There were no windows and the stone walls would act as natural soundproofing.
“Chad Ellis tells me that you’re a US marshal,” Vargas said. “Care to explain?”
Dutch’s head pounded. “Ellis is a psychopath. He’s obsessed with Isabel. He can’t be trusted.”
Rodrigo punched Dutch and pain flared in his jaw. The taste of salty copper hit his tongue.
Vargas held up his cell phone. On the screen was a picture of Dutch, flashing his badge to the cops. “I asked Mr. Ellis to email those to me. He was more than happy to oblige.”
Good old Chad. “Bet he was.” Dutch spit blood from his mouth onto the stone floor.
“He even offered to drop off glossy five-by-sevens personally, but I said that wasn’t necessary.”
Did he follow them down here? Dutch hadn’t been looking for a tail. So stupid of him. He’d been too preoccupied with Isabel, trying to help her contain her emotions, and prepare