Page 49 of Vanishing Legacy

“Sure thing. You know where you’re goin’. I’ve got a class starting, so just lock up when you’re done.”

Atlas was one messy dude. Piles of papers and notebooks covered every surface. The walls displayed posters of past fights, the vibrant colors muted by the dim light of a single lamp on Atlas’s desk. A small window with dusty blinds let in a sliver of natural light, casting long shadows on the cluttered room.

She took a seat beside Cash on the beat-up leather couch in the corner and caught a whiff of musky sweat mixed with dust and the faint aroma of coffee. It was strangely comforting. Reminded her of the gyms and locker rooms she’d visited over the years.

Bailey moved the computer keyboard and sat in its place, leaving her feet dangling. She gripped the edge of the desk with both hands, and her expression turned serious. “Thanks for coming so quickly. I’m sorry to pull you away from Penny.”

“You know I’ll always come if I can,” Cash said. “But what’s so serious you had to play the cloak-and-dagger game?”

It clicked for Alana. “The card? That’s what spaghetti meant?”

Cash rubbed his jaw. “You saw that, did you?”

“He handed you the card right in front of me.”

“It’s a covert way to get Cash to meet at the gym,” Bailey said.

“A secret word we had as kids to let each other know things were…”

“Messy,” Bailey finished.

Twin language. “Clever.”

“And by the way, I don’t normally dress like this.” Bailey gestured to her leather pants. “I’m undercover. Part of the cloak and dagger.”

Alana nodded. “Detective?”

“FBI. And what I’m about to tell you is classified. It cannot leave this room, not even in a whisper. This is life or death stuff.” Bailey leaned in. Her blue eyes blazed with intensity. “What you two are doing is going to get me killed.”

THIRTEEN

As if they hadn’t already been facing life or death the past few days, now his sister too? His kiss with Alana had been pure bliss that’d left him floating on cloud nine, but Bailey’s words sent him crashing back down to earth.

Cash leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Look, Bailey, don’t tell us anything that could get you fired or put your life on the line.”

“I can step out if you need,” Alana offered.

“No, it’s fine.” Bailey offered a soft smile to Alana. “You can both hear this. I’ve already cleared it with my SAC.”

“Was that your supervisory special agent who handed me the card?”

Bailey nodded. “The case I’m on…they have people everywhere. I can’t risk the wrong person seeing me talking to a cop, so he’s the only one who has access to me.”

“Probably for the best,” Alana said. “Safer that way.”

His sister was good at her job. She hadn’t set out to be undercover, but after they’d pulled her in to assist a few times, it’d become apparent she was great at it. This was the first time a case had brought her so close to home. At least…that he knew of. “Yeah. Well, knowing my baby sister is hobnobbing with dangerous criminals for weeks and not hearing from her is frustrating. Stressful.”

“I know. I try to check in, but it’s not like I’m keeping normal working hours. Criminals do their thing while the rest of the world sleeps.”

“I know.” He blew out a breath. “But do you really have to dress like some sort of Kardashian wannabe?”

“Gotta dress the part, bro.”

Alana shifted on the couch beside him. “Tell us how we’re wrapped up in your case. If you can.”

Bailey stopped swinging her legs and crossed her ankles. “I’m working undercover as an illegal arms dealer. I’ve infiltrated the Madrina cartel?—”

“You’re posing as an illegal arms dealer for the Madrina cartel?” His big-brother hackles were up. “Bailey, that’s dangerous. You could get hurt. Or worse?—”

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