Up in Smoke - Tessa Bailey Page 0,86

his dead body would that be happening. So at the very least, he would be paying the man a visit. A visit where the man would answer for what he did to Erin as a girl. Maybe that brought him down to the fucker’s level, made him a villain. But the simple knowledge of knowing someone who had caused her untold agony was out there, walking around free and clear? It strangled him with helpless frustration. Erin thought it was pathetic that she didn’t know right from wrong? They weren’t so different. To him, wrong meant leaving her open to a threat. Nothing else.

Erin didn’t give him a chance to speak. She picked up the cell phone he’d bought for her that morning and hit one of the programmed numbers. “Hey, hacker. What’s the racket?” He almost smiled over the unique greeting she gave Polly, but the resignation in her voice stopped it in its inception. “We’re outside May’s house, watching a truck vomit fancy furniture all over her lawn. The furniture store is called Lazzoni. Can you get into their system and see how she paid? Credit card, bank account…”

Connor considered her a moment. The girl was so much smarter than she gave herself credit for. What kind of potential might she have reached if she’d been allowed to attend school? If she’d had the supportive family she deserved and gone to college?

“Yeah. We know she doesn’t have it in the bank records you pulled. If she’s hiding money, maybe Lazzoni can lead us to the end of the rainbow.” Erin hung up the phone and placed it back in the cupholder. “I kind of like Polly. Don’t tell her, though.”

“Why not?”

“It would mess with our dynamic.”

His lips twitched as he considered the scene across the street. Mrs. May was directing the furniture movers with one hand, holding a Chihuahua in the other. “Even if we find out Mrs. May is receiving money, it might not be traceable. I can’t imagine Stark has gotten this far without learning how to make cash invisible.”

“True. Even if we trace the money to Stark, Derek needs May to testify. He’s the only one who can prove Stark took the bribes.” She sighed and dropped her head back onto the headrest. “Where would be the last place anyone would expect May to hide?”

“With all the suspicion over Stark silencing May?” Connor scratched his chin. “The last place I’d expect to find him is living in Stark’s basement.”

Erin turned impressed eyes on him. “You read my mind. Not easy to do with all the caution tape and potholes I’ve got scattered in there.”

He bit his tongue against admonishing her. “How do we test our theory? And if you suggest climbing over the ten-foot-high gate surrounding his house and going in to investigate, let me rid you of that fantasy right now.”

“I’ve gotten in and out of worse.”

Connor clamped his jaw shut. It was either that or start shouting.

Erin winked to let him know she had no such plans, but he didn’t relax entirely. She had that familiar spark of mischief in her eye, telling him there was more than caution tape unfurling in her head.

“Erin—”

She reached over and dug her nails into his thigh to quiet him. He followed her line of sight and found Mrs. May peering across the street, lifting her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Erin moved at the same time he reached for her, settling on his lap. They couldn’t be caught watching the house, and obviously were of the same mind that kissing was the best way to detract from suspicious attention. Erin’s ass nestled over his already hardening dick as their mouths met in a long-overdue kiss.

What had it been? An hour? Jesus, he’d missed the taste of her. He’d taken her to Starbucks on the way over and she’d picked a peppermint mocha at random, never having been there before. Now her mouth tasted like Christmas and he couldn’t get close enough. He pinched her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tugging it down so he could revel in her texture with his tongue. Her head fell back on a groan that he echoed in his chest.

She twisted her hips on his stiff lap, biting his bottom lip and tugging as she did it. Tease. She knew he couldn’t have her here. In retaliation, he reached under her skirt and gripped her pussy. Her mouth left his, breath panting in and out. Connor squeezed