Page 14 of Mountain Security

“A trap?”

“We’ll install cameras, then wait for them to make a move.”

“How long will that take?”

Alex shrugged. “If it were me doing this, I wouldn’t wait too long. It’s a small device, but the longer it stays in place, the more likely it is somebody will discover it.”

Yvette took a deep breath and smoothed out the fabric of the black crepe pantsuit she was wearing today. “You’ll stay and help us set up the cameras?”

“I’ve already spoken to my boss. I’ll stay until we figure this out.”

“I need to figure out what to tell the team.”

“You can’t tell them about the cameras, or about what I’m really doing here.”

“But they’ll see the cameras,” she broke in.

“Then distract them with something else. They’re all suspects.”

“They’re not suspects,” Yvette said, grinding her molars. “They’remy team. I’ve worked with most of them for years.”

She didn’t like the turn the conversation was taking.

“Do you want to catch whoever’s behind this, Yvette?”

She sighed. “Of course I do.”

“Then tell them I’m a consultant of some kind … I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”

“The pre-electoral campaign,” she said. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Alex smiled. “Perfect. You’ll have to explain to me exactly what that is. I’ve actually never voted.”

“You’ve never—“ she sputtered, almost dropping her coffee. “I hope you’re kidding.”

“Tell them we’re dating, too.”

This time, the coffee really did splatter out of her mug and onto the wooden floor, narrowly missing her cream-colored blouse.

“What?”

“We’re going to have to work together closely, Yvette, and we can’t have people wondering about it. If they think we’re dating, nobody will question—“

“Nobody’s going to believe that.”

Alex arched an eyebrow. “Why’s that? You don’t date men?”

“I certainly don’t date men I work with.”

“You’re going to have to make an exception, then. I guess we’re serious about each other.”

His voice was like warm velvet, and Yvette wondered, for an instant, what it would feel like if this were real. If a man like Alex Wright was serious about wanting to date her.

Her mouth and throat went dry.

6

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