Page 23 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

He flipped her business card over and over within his fingers as he checked out a few more pages on her website.

The sales listings were top-dollar homes owned by upper-middle class and above. Mansions, expansive estates, guarded, gated communities and high-end condos filled the multiple pages of homes available for sale.

The woman wasn’t playing and most likely used the wordExclusivein her business’s name to target her preferred clientele.

Bottom line, high-dollar homes equaled high-dollar commissions.

But still… North’s warning made him wonder if she lived a secret life other than the one portrayed in public.

He slapped the business card on the counter next to his laptop, plugged her information into his contacts and sent her a text.

Need to talk. When are you available?

She didn’t need to know what he wanted to talk about. He’d let her assume.

He stared at his phone for the almost five minutes it took for it to ding with an incoming message.Who is this?

Apparently, in his rush to send the text before he changed his mind, he omitted an important detail.

Nox.

His pulse thumped in his temples as he waited. Was she in shock? Is that why it was taking her so long to respond?

Finally, a message popped up on his screen.Who?

Before he could answer, she texted:The man who avoids talking like the plague?

She followed that immediately with:The man who made me chase him down—TWICE—now wants to meet up?

He knew this was a fucking mistake.

Nox shook his head and his fingers moved quickly over the keyboard as he typed out a short and to the point message.Forget it.

Before he could put his phone down, it rang. He was not expecting to talk to her right now. He needed to mentally prepare himself first. Instead, he quickly sent:Can’t answer where I’m at. I’ll just see you next week at the meeting.

Oh no, sir, you aren’t backing out now.That message was followed with:Name the time and the place. I’ll be there.

Shadow Valley Community Center, Wednesday at 7 pm.

Try again.Apparently, she could be short and to the point, too.

He should’ve known she wouldn’t accept that answer. When he had opened the damn door, she jammed her foot in it to prevent him from closing it. The only way he’d be able to achieve that would be to let her in and shut it behind her.

He needed to come up with somewhere to meet that would be both quiet and not in Uniontown, Shadow Valley or Rockvale. Last thing he needed was someone he knew, especially anyone wearing a badge—more like a “busy-bee” badge—seeing him with a woman. That gossip would spread like a brushfire during a drought and high winds.

Do you know Above the Ground in Knoxville?he asked.

A long pause proceeded her answer.Did you pick that place because of the town name?

Picked it because no one will know us there.

She came back with:I know a lot of people.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one.

Are you worried about being seen with a woman?

Instead of answering her question, he texted:Tomorrow night at 7:30?

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