Page 58 of Dangerous Devotion

Despite the tension that Henner had felt since the moment he discovered those bugs planted all over Simpson’s home, he laughed. At the sound, May stopped typing again. He studied her profile for a moment, then continued.

“Cobra, you know everything there is to know about comms.”

“Is this about the bugs?”

“I’m not surprised Con filled in the team. I planted ours, but I found a few already there.”

“What kind of tech?”

“Nothing you can get your hands on easily.”

Again May twisted her head Henner’s direction, listening to every word even as she combed the internet for whatever she was searching for.

“Short-range or long?” Cobra’s question cut through the fog in Henner’s mind. Ever since he found those bugs, he had been so fucking on edge. Whoever was listening to Simpson had heard them too. The idea of May slipping and saying something to paint a target on their back tied Henner in knots.

“Long.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.”

Henner curled his free hand into a fist. “The real problem is the tech being used.”

“You recognized it?” Chase’s tone sharpened like a blade.

“Yeah. It’s not military-grade, but I’ve seen them before. The kind of bugs linked to—”

“The government,” Chase finished for him.

“You got it.”

May was staring at him. “Linked to who?”

“Past CIA operations,” he answered her and confirmed what Cobra probably already knew.

“This changes everything, Chickie. We’re talking shadow games.”

“And someone with deep government connections. We need a deep dive on Simpson. We need to know everything he’s done in his career and anything shady in his past.” He met May’s stare. “Find out what happened to his wife too.”

“On it, Chickie.”

May pushed away from the table and stood, one hand planted on the edge as though to steady herself.

“What is it, May?”

“We have bigger concerns about Simpson. All those works of art in his home…they aren’t forgeries. They’rereal. Some are worth way more than his salary in a year.”

Without shifting his focus from her face, he spoke to Chase. “Dig into his finances too.”

“Copy that, Chickie. I’ll start now. Maybe I’ll get so engrossed that I’m late to Steele’s dinner.”

He issued a low chuckle. “Good idea. Talk later.”

As soon as he ended the call, he crossed the room to May. What he saw in her face made him reach out to touch her.

“You’re shaking.” Protective instincts jabbed him square in the chest and uppercut him in the jaw at the same time. He pulled her into his arms and held her against him, trying to absorb her tremors.

“All that art and the sculptures too…”

Over her head, he had a clear view of the computer screen. That sculpture in the alcove in Simpson’s kitchen was front and center.

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