Page 92 of Corrupt Game

There was proof that she’d been interviewing after graduating only months before.

Everything in my gut said that she was the real deal. Her reactions were genuine. When I’d put her to the test, she’d responded with an innocence that proved her words.

Doubt always niggled at me though.

In the packet, Rossi had included information on the investigation that the FBI had been conducting on Andrew’s death.

They didn’t know anything other than he was dead. Their investigation had stalled. Some woman named Ingrid had continued to dig into his death, but the official statement was that the trail had gotten cold.

The FBI hadn’t discovered Andrew’s connection to the Irish Mob. It was how he’d met the woman he fell in love with.

The branch he’d had contacts with dealt with stealing tech, but they would take any kind of corporate smuggling jobs.

It was why I’d had problems with the shipping containers after my contact’s death. Andrew had set up the connection with Kane so my shipping wasn’t disturbed, but now Kane was dead. Greasing a new set of hands, had to be done carefully or I’d have the feds breathing down my neck.

Especially since they were ‘investigating’ Andrew’s death. They should have been able to connect Andrew to Kane with no problems. Was someone deliberately bungling the investigation?

Collette’s smile flashed through my mind. My every thought that wasn’t tied up in work was becoming connected to her. Even if it was work related, I still managed to link her to it.

Who would have thought that I’d become this attached to her in such a short time?

She’d gotten me, hook, line, and sinker.

If I retaliated against the Irish Mob for Andrew’s death, I didn’t want anyone to get wind of the fact that Collette meant something to me.

They would use her against me. I couldn’t take a chance that she would end up dead or worse.

Rossi would guard her with his life, but I didn’t want to risk him if we didn’t have to.

I was walking into the lion’s den and would need to tread carefully. They didn’t know I was coming and balancing this trip with the needs of a new product release was tricky.

There could be no room for errors.

Giving in the constant urge, I pulled up one of the cameras, so I could watch Collette over the plane’s Wi-Fi.

She looked so disappointed when Rossi had brought her food instead of me.

A warm happy feeling swept over me. She might not show it, but she definitely liked me. If things went smoothly overseas, then I would be back home in just a few days, I’d be back in the driver’s seat, and we’d talk and iron out this new phase of our relationship.

The minute I stepped off the plane, I put all thoughts of Collette out of my mind. There could be no connection between us while I was on dangerous ground.

***

Things moved quickly, but when Rossi’s number flashed on my screen, I knew in my gut that something was wrong.

“Hello? What is it?” I gripped the phone, dreading what he was going to say.

“Sir, she’s collapsed. I’ve moved her to the townhouse and brought in your personal physician to make sure that she’s going to be okay.”

The earth moved out from under me.

“Well, is she?” I held my breath, waiting for an answer.

“Yes, he says that she’s been undernourished. It’s why she fainted. She’ll be fine with some liquids and rest.”

My biggest fear had come to life. I held my breath again.

“Why would she be undernourished? We’ve fed her. She hasn’t gone without.”

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