Page 87 of Exposed

“No way,” I argue. “I appreciate your concern?—"

He’s on a roll and just won’t stop. “You’re staying at her place, which I’m not even going to get into how I’m not supposed to be okay with it, and still, I get it. But that means you have to watch your back when you come and go.”

“Which I can do. I was a fucking Ranger.”

“And you worked with a team.”

“You think I’m not used to watching my back? I’m not some kid fresh out of college who went straight to the academy. I’m good, and I’m going to make sure Goldie is too. She’s in this position because of the DEA, but really because of me. If there’s no other reason for me to see this through, it’s that Carter needs to be taken down so she can live her life without having to look over her shoulder.”

Finally, he shuts up.

I lower my voice. “If you want to stop me, you’re going to have to officially take me off this case. No one knows Carter like I do after my time in Panama and the last year. You know I’ll be careful.”

“You’d better be. I allowed my wife to become too invested in my agents’ lives. Annette is on my ass about this, and not in a good way.”

I stand and move for the door. I need to get out of here before he tells me Annette has been talking to Trippy. I’ll never hear the end of it.

“Tell Annette I appreciate it.”

“You can tell her. Dinner is at our house this weekend. Be there. And I can’t tell you who to bring or not to bring, but if youdon’t want the attention focused on you as to why you’re there alone, I suggest a plus one.”

I stop at the threshold. “Another time. It’s too soon.”

Tim slides on a pair of reading glasses and doesn’t look at me, but he does mock me. “Too soon? I thought you were on your way to thirteen kids. You’ll be ninety before you can enjoy being an empty nester.”

“What the fuck is it with my age. I’m not that old.”

Tim peeks up at me over the rim of his glasses. “A couple kids no. A bakers’ dozen? No one needs that many kids.”

“Even the cartel could tell I was being facetious. You all need to get a life.”

“I’d tell you to get a life, but you’re on your way to one it seems.”

All I can think about is getting Goldie out of here. Every time I bring her into the interrogation room, I piss her off. I need to remedy that.

“King!” Tim calls.

“What now?”

“Tell Goldie good work. There’s an envelope for her in exchange for her information. Be sure and give it to her before you leave. Maybe that’ll help make up for pissing her off again.”

That’s it.

I’m done.

But I do stop at the next hall to pick up the money.

17

COFFEE, EGGS, AND A THROAT PUNCH

Goldie

“Where are we going? My apartment is the other way.”

“I need a change of clothes,” King says as he pulls onto the highway. “And I haven’t seen my sister since they got to town. I figure two birds, one stone. The only problem is that she’s going to go ape shit when she meets you.”

I lean back on the headrest and close my eyes. “I’m getting the feeling no one in your life is happy about me.”

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