Page 21 of Insatiable

He stood and crossed the room, taking the paper from her hand, and looking it over. “This place is only a few blocks from here,” he said.

“I know,” Dakota breathed. “I think that he might be watching us and that’s why he’s stuck so close by.”

“Shit, he’s had our house under surveillance for weeks now and hasn’t had the balls to come here and talk to either of us directly?” Zane asked.

“I have no idea, but I think we should go find out,” she said, “grab your truck keys and let’s head over there.”

“Bossy,” he teased. He was finally hopeful that the three of them would be able to sit down and figure this mess out because he was sick of missing their guy. Crew belonged with them, and the sooner he figured that out for himself, the sooner they could make it happen. They just needed to give him a little push.

He grabbed his truck keys and wallet from the kitchen counter and took Dakota’s hand into his own. “Ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. “I just hope he doesn’t give us too much of a fight. What if he won’t let us in?” she asked.

“You have a gun and a badge, baby,” he reminded. “I’m betting that you could get us into anywhere if you really wanted to.”

“I know,” she said, “I just hope that Crew is willing to hear us out without too much of a fight, Zane. I miss him and want him back home here, where he belongs.” He opened the passenger door for her, and she slid into his truck.

“We’ll find him and convince him to listen to reason,” he insisted.

She shot him a look as though he had lost his mind. “Have you ever known Crew to listen to reason? He’s a great detective because he doesn’t mind going down the rabbit holes. If that’s what he’s doing now, there might be no dragging him back out.The only way he’ll listen to us is if we prove that you weren’t involved in Susan’s murder. That will convince him that your innocent and maybe he’ll come home with us then.” Dakota was right. She knew Crew as well as he did and there was no way that Crew would believe he was innocent without proof.

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Zane insisted. “We’ll prove to him that I’m innocent and then, we’ll get our guy back.”

“You’re good with taking him back?” she asked. “I mean, he is looking into the possibility of you being a murderer if we’re correct about all of this, Zane. Do you still want him back in your life?”

He didn’t even have to think about her question. “Yes,” he breathed, “I love Crew, Dakota, and nothing will change that. Hell, if the shoe were on the other foot, I might be investigating him. He’s doing his job, and for that, I can’t fault him.” She nodded, seeming to accept his answer, and he shut her door. Zane rounded his truck and got into the driver’s seat. If he was going to prove he was innocent, they were going to have to make a pit stop at his family’s office.

“We’re going to stop at my office,” he said.

“Why?” she asked.

“If we want to prove to Crew that I’m innocent, I need to break into my father’s safe, and this would be the time to do that. He’s most likely at home asleep with one of his many sluts. He keeps everything in his safe and I’m betting that he’d keep some kind of trophy from Susan’s murder if he’s guilty. My father liked to keep trophies from people that he hurt. It gives him some sick satisfaction and if he killed Susan, her trophy would be in his safe.”

“Makes sense,” she agreed. “How will we get into his office to break into his safe, though?” she asked.

He held up his badge and smiled over at her. “My magic pass,” he said. “I’ll tell security that I’m working late, and you’re here to keep me company.”

“Oh God, Zane,” she grumbled. “They are going to think that you’re taking me up to your office to have sex, aren’t they?” she asked.

“Yeah, but our security team knows how to be discreet,” he insisted.

Dakota groaned, “Well, that doesn’t make me feel any better,” she said.

He chuckled and pulled her hand up to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. “Don’t worry, honey,” he said, “I’m a two-person kind of guy. You and Crew are it for me. I won’t be bringing anyone else up to my office,” he assured.

“You better not,” she insisted. “Just keep in mind that Crew and I carry guns and badges and won’t hesitate to use them if we catch anyone else in your office with you.”

“So protective,” he said.

“I think that the word that you’re looking for is jealous, and I’m not ashamed to admit that. I get very jealous, Zane,” she said.

“I’ll never give you a reason to be jealous, baby,” he promised.

“Good,” she breathed. They pulled up to his office and he cut the engine to his truck and took a deep breath. “Nervous?” she asked.

“A little bit,” he admitted. “The men in there are all loyal to my father. They won’t hesitate to call him if they think that I’m up to no good.”

“But if we can find what we’re looking for, it won’t matter. Your father will be behind bars, and you’ll take over the family business, just like Ross and Leo.” He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. He never really wanted to take his father’splace in the company. He knew that he’d have to do some questionable things that might have him on the other side of the law and that might compromise both Crew and Dakota’s jobs.

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