Page 42 of Exposed

“Grip life by the pearls, baby girl. Go get ‘em!” she cries with so much enthusiasm, it makes me want to take a nap. “Okay, love you too.”

I hang up, toss my phone to the side, and stare at the papers in front of me.

I made King sit while I read every word. I know he works for the DEA and is more legit than Dex, but I refused to take any chances. I can’t refute that it is my signature on those bank documents. That’s what I get for not signing in blue. I’ll never make that mistake with a document again.

I have no desire to reread the legal mumbo jumbo and skip straight to the good stuff.

Well, not good.

More like the anxiety-ridden details that have freaked me out more and more since I agreed to them.

Talk about signers’ remorse.

To sum up the details…

Marigold Violet Carter agrees to be a confidential informant to the Drug Enforcement Administration for the term of one year from today and will be compensated for the information provided to the government.

I still can’t believe I did it.

I signed.

And I start tomorrow.

King

“I hear congratulations are in order,”Tim says over the phone. “On your engagement.”

“Very funny,” I mutter.

Tim Coleman is my supervisor. Brax and Micah have worked for him their entire careers at the DEA, but not me. I had to weasel my way into this tight-knit group a few years ago. My case headbutted Micah’s at the time.

This is not my first rodeo with the Carter Cartel. I landed in Central America the first time I targeted Carter. My case was picked up by the CIA, and the officer I was assigned to knows this group from Brax’s big case. My CIA contact put in a good word for me. Brax and Micah actually listened to him, but it was Tim who pulled the strings to get me back to Miami.

I knew Dex Carter had ties here. It made jumping back into this case easy. I thought I knew them when I was in Panama, but it’s nothing compared to what I’ve learned over the last few months.

It’s Sunday. There’s no reason for any of us to be in the office, but after I decided to drive by Goldie’s place to see if she was home, I realized what was happening and had to call in Brax and Micah.

Exposing my real identity to Dex Carter’s sister was the last thing I wanted to do. The woman I made my fake fiancée was about to skip town. I need her and had no other choice.

That was hours ago. I have affidavits to write and reports to catch up on, especially now that I have a new informant that’s all mine.

I keep talking as I climb into my car and start it up. “She signed. I don’t know why she signed, but she did. This isn’t going to be easy, but I can wrap this shit up faster with her. If you would’ve asked me yesterday if I thought I’d be face to face with Dex Carter this fast, I would’ve called you crazy. But here I am.”

“The only problem I see is your confidential informant isreluctant,” Tim goes on. “If you’re counting on her to have your back and keep your secrets, you’ve got a bumpier road ahead of you than you thought.”

“This might be new for Goldie Carter, but she’s not reluctant. If I know anything, I know that. She hates her brother and walked away from her inheritance because she had no one at her back. She’s got as much or more on the line than anyone. I actually feel good about it.”

That’s a lie.

I have no fucking idea if the prim and proper Marigold can do what I need her to do. But if I’m going to carry on as Daniel Armstrong, I can’t go back now. I’ll make sure Goldie is solid.

“If you say so,” Tim says, even though I can tell he has no confidence in my new informant.

“I sent her home after she signed, but we’re meeting tomorrow. I’d bet Trippy’s house on the fact no one on the outside knows as much about the Carter organization as her. And now she’s mine.”

“You sound awfully sure about yourself. Brax didn’t seem so confident in your new sidekick when he called to fill me in on the case.”

I can’t blame Brax for telling the truth. I’ve never been less confident about a case since I started at the DEA. “I can handle Goldie Carter. We’re meeting tomorrow. She’ll be ready the next time we face the cartel.”

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