Page 67 of No Good Deed

Piper smiled, causing Troy to beam with pride. She was going to kick this guy’s ass when it came to a trial.

“Actually, we do. We’ve got your USB?—”

“You won’t be able to get anything from that. You’re too stupid.”

“Wrong again, Ethan. Do the names Brandon Baker, Dean Hendrick, and Norm Pitt mean anything to you? Should I go on?”

Westerlake’s mouth dropped open and he gaped at Piper. Troy didn’t have a clue who the men were, but Ethan knew. Piper must have learned the names from Marcus or Tessa. Which meant they’d cracked the code on the USB.

Finally, Ethan found his words. “That’s private information on that USB. You have no right to read it. You have no right to access it. That’s mine.”

Marcus ducked his head and grinned. Troy didn’t bother hiding his. The man didn’t have eyes for anyone but Piper. He probably didn’t realize he’d just confessed to a lot.

Below the table, Piper squeezed her hands together. “I don’t think your blackmail victims are going to be happy with you, especially when you recorded their indiscretions and crimes right on the USB. You’re not the only one the police will be investigating, and that’s all your fault.”

“It’s my data. You have no right.”

“You’re the one who left it in my Cloud Gate tin.”

Westerlake roared and shook the bars again. “You’ve got nothing.”

Piper pushed to her feet and Troy did the same.

They headed for the door to Phail General. He opened it, but before Piper went through, she turned back to the cell.

“One more thing, Ethan. We also have Chad, and he’s talking.”

She walked through and Troy followed, closing the door on another roar from Ethan.

Piper blew out a shaky breath and covered her face with her hands. From his bed by the front counter, Oreo yipped, and trotted toward them.

Troy bent and scooped up the dog. He passed Oreo to Piper and then wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and steered her to his office where they weren’t standing in full view of anyone passing by.

He closed the door, then finally gave into the need to wrap her in his arms, careful not to squish the dog.

She shuddered and leaned into him. “Thank you. I wasn’t sure I could do that, but having you there with me was all I needed.”

“You were amazing. He all but confessed to everything.”

“Tessa texted right before Marcus and I came in, so we had far more data than he expected. Marcus also told me another officer pulled over Ethan’s cousin Chad. They’re holding him in custody. Marcus thinks it was Chad who attacked me back into Chicago and broke into my apartment and car.”

Troy leaned back, and cupped her face in his hands. “I can see Westerlake paying someone to do those things, but you didn’t even need that information to break him. You had him saying way more than he should before that. He’s going to fold and tell Marcus everything. You sucked all the arrogance out of him.”

She smiled, but winced. The bruise on her cheek had to hurt like hell. “I know it’s not possible, but I wish I never had to see him again.”

Troy hugged her gently again. “I know. I wish I could make that happen for you.”

“As long as you’re with me, I can handle it.”

His heart swelled with love. “I’ll always be with you, Piper. Always.”

CHAPTER 24

Phailed Plans

A few days later, Piper moved through her stretches on a yoga mat in Troy’s living room. Oreo snoozed on his dog bed nearby.

The bruise on her face had faded to a revolting shade of yellow-green. The one on her ribs remained purple, but the stretching and warm baths helped. As did Troy. He treated her like a precious treasure, and she’d never felt so loved.

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