Page 56 of The Undercover Cowboy

“Yeah, we found a coded bill to Blevins from the Jaripeo Ranch. I was informed by one of the bull riders that Jaripeo is subcontracting to other breeders to bring in Mexican fighting bulls for the Laredo rodeo.”

“And you are, of course, going to give that invoice to us.” It wasn’t a question.

“I would like the courtesy of seeing the security tapes from today.”

“How about I just give you the pictures of the two men who worked over Blevins?”

“And any information that you have on them.”

“I don’t have to share any of this with you. You’re not local law enforcement.”

“No, but I am a licensed private investigator who has been hired by the UPRC to find out if Blevins is involved in anything illegal. I have a duty to my client to protect her interests.”

“Your sister, you mean.”

“My client.”

“Like I was helping my family and friends,” he said.

Oh here we go.

“The key difference, Miles, is I’m on a case. You were just violating human rights and breaking the law.”

For a moment Nash thought he had gone too far, but then Garrett burst into a sharp laugh. “You haven’t changed. I’m not the bad guy here.”

“Prove it.”

“We can exchange the information tonight.”

“I have plans tonight.”

“Take it or leave it, Weaver.”

Shit. Dolly would understand why he had to delay their date until after his meeting with Miles. “When and where?” he asked resigned to the fact that he’d have to spend time with his old partner.

“I’ll be here at five p.m.” Miles rattled off an address in Austin, about three hours away.

“Really?” Best-case scenario he’d be back in Dallas by nine or ten. He hoped Dolly would still be up.

“We need to be on our way to Laredo. This is on the way.”

“Fine.”

“Look, I get why you did what you did. I was in the wrong, but it was for the right reason. Sometimes you need to bend the rules, especially when the bad guys don’t care about them at all.”

He sounded like Dolly when he talked like that.

“The rules exist for a reason.”

Yeah, that even sounded priggish to him. He must have changed a bit in the last year on the rodeo tour.

“I just want you to know that I don’t have any hard feelings. I had nothing to do with how the office treated you. I transferred out, remember.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“You were a good agent and I’m sorry you didn’t feel that you could stay.”

“Thanks,” Nash said grudgingly.

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