Page 36 of Fast Kill

Taylor paused, let out a deep breath. “Wait, I have to back up. Okay.” She turned to face him finally, fidgeting with a book in her hands. Her agitation made it clear how much this was bothering her. “Yesterday at work, my boss called me into his office to review some security footage from the Baker party. I spotted Dillon in it, talking with aVenenoenforcer.”

Holy shit.His expression must have shown his shock, because she nodded.

“Yeah, but it gets worse.” She kept turning the book over in her hands. “I didn’t speak up. I saw him, and told myself it didn’t necessarily mean he was involved in any criminal activity. I didn’t want him to be working with them. Even though deep down I knew better.”

Logan winced. “So he’s involved with the cartel?”

“Yes.” She slid the book back into its place on the shelf and returned to the couch, once again tucking her feet beneath her. “Have you guys been getting status updates about the Baker investigation?”

Only when the intel pertained directly with their operations. “Sometimes.” He couldn’t divulge any details.

She chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. “I went to my boss today, to tell him about Dillon. Chris had just come from a meeting. Turns out, Dillon isn’t just involved with theVenenos, he was the one who organized the sub shipment you guys took down the other night in the Bahamas.”

No fucking way. His mouth fell open. “Are you serious?”

“Wish I wasn’t, believe me.”

He dragged a hand over his beard. No goddamn wonder she was upset. “Shit, Taylor… And he just showed up here last night?”

She nodded miserably. “Then again tonight. Except tonight, he didn’t wait outside for me. He broke into the house and disabled my alarm system. Was sitting on my couch when I walked in.”

Hell. “Did you call the agency?”

“My boss. I’m just waiting to hear back from him.”

Not good enough. He reached for his crutches and shoved to his feet. “Show me where your security system is.”

She led the way to the mudroom and gestured to the keypad on the wall. “There’s a panel in my bedroom too.”

He took a look at it, didn’t notice any signs of tampering. “He didn’t cut any wires.”

“No, he knew my password.”

Logan cranked his head around to stare at her. “What?”

She flushed, shifted her weight from foot to foot. “I don’t even know how he saw it, I was careful to make sure he couldn’t see it when I entered it last night.”

Well this Dillon had obviously figured out a way around that. Logan’s skin was freaking crawling with fear for her. “Did you check the rest of the house after he left?”

“Yes. I didn’t notice anything out of place.”

That didn’t mean a hell of a lot, considering Dillon was one of the main traffickers for theVenenocartel. He shook his head. The guy could have bugged her place. Or worse. “No wonder you’re scared.”

Her face fell, and the bad feeling inside him expanded. There was more? “What?” he asked.

“He knows I work for the DEA.”

Logan couldn’t believe his ears. “You told him?”

“No, of course not,” she said, looking annoyed. “But he either suspected it or knew it already before he got here. I think he was testing the waters, so to speak, to see if I knew anything.”

“So then it means the cartel is watching you.”

“I know. And then tonight Dillon said something that set off alarm bells. In an off-hand way he asked if I’d be open to accepting a bribe. He was trying to make light of it, but I think there was something to it. Like maybe he was hoping my loyalty to him would win out and I’d turn spy for him and the cartel.”

His insides were buzzing. Did Dillon or someone else in the cartel plan to make an example of her if she didn’t cooperate? “Okay, I’ve heard enough. Go pack a bag, and I’ll get you out of here. You can stay at my place until we figure out what the hell is going on here.”

“I can’t just—” She stopped when a ringtone split the air, and pulled out her phone. “It’s my boss,” she said, hurriedly striding back to the living room as she answered. Logan grabbed his other crutch and followed her while she updated her boss about what had happened, and about the bribe Dillon had mentioned.

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