Page 53 of Hot Pursuit
Leo gave him a light shove. “Just go. Before the clock strikes twelve and dear little Jolene Carter gives us the slip again. Go get your princess, Parker.”
“She’s not—”
“Whatever, I don’t need to know and I don’t care. Do what you have to do to nail these bastards, because we’ve tried everything else and none of it’s worked.”
Nate let the protest die on his lips. “Will do.”
“And Nate?” Leo asked, voice softer than usual.
He turned to his partner, taking in the somber features. “What, Leo?”
“Between us,” he said, leaning in and using his palm to cover the mic attached to his collar, “if your comm happens to go dark, I’ll say it was part of the plan.”
Nate flinched, not sure what his partner was implying. “Leo, I—”
“I’m not saying anything. I’m just saying…” Leo lowered his chin, giving Nate a pointed look. “If it happens, for any reason. I’ll back you up. Okay?”
The grooves in his face all smoothed as his muscles went slack. With gratitude. With trust. With something he wasn’t sure he wanted to understand as a little knot in his chest loosened, making his stiff muscles relax.
Nate nodded. “Okay.”
As they walked out of the store, Leo tossed a charming smile in the direction of a certain saleswoman who’d been staring at them. She offered them each a little wave as they slipped through the door. Around the corner, a black car waited. Leo took the front while Nate slipped into the back, a spot that was totally unfamiliar to him. But while he was inside, Ben, another agent, would be acting partner with Leo.
They made their way to the gala, reviewing the plan during the drive. Leo and Ben would work surveillance from the outside, letting Nate know if they noticed any issues with the security system, recognized any other attendees to the party, or saw anything out of the ordinary. Nate would be inside doing his best to convince Jo that whatever she was plotting wasn’t worth it, that turning herself over to the authorities was her best option, and most of all, that he could save her.
“Boss, you there? We’ve arrived at the gala,” Leo spoke into the comm. “Are the other teams in place, sir?”
“Everyone is good,” the boss responded. “Ryder has been at the auction for about an hour and a half. We’ve seen him take two laps around the items. No bids. No clues yet. But we have eyes on the inside and a team out back. The museum has been quiet. Let us know as soon as you get something.”
“Will do, sir.”
“And Parker?”
Nate lifted his mic to his lips. “Yes, sir?”
“We’re counting on you.”
Nate heard the rest of that sentence loud and clear, without needing the boss to finish.Your father is counting on you.
His legacy.
His work.
His life’s meaning.
All of it sat heavy on Nate’s shoulders. All of it would be decided tonight.
He straightened his spine and took a deep breath, quietly adding,I’m counting on myself.Then he pushed away his thoughts, his reservations too, and focused on the task ahead. “Yes, sir.”
Nate got out of the car and made for the townhouse across the street, where he stood in line with all the other guests decked out in fine garb, waiting to be let inside. He skipped the photo opportunity and handed over his invitation, the one they’d gotten at the last minute after speaking with the charity event planners the day before. One mention of a thief in their midst was enough to have the organization bending over backward to let the Feds inside. They’d put a subtle watermark on his card, not so obvious any of the guests could see, but obvious enough for a woman to step over and take his arm as soon as he presented it at the door.
“If you need anything, anything at all, let me know,” she murmured, guiding him past the tables at the entrance and into the meat of the party.
“Will do,” Nate affirmed.
“I’ll let security know who you are. If you need help from us, all you have to do is ask.” Her tone was very serious and completely earnest. It took everything Nate had to keep his expression controlled. The Feds wouldn’t need help from her security team—he was sure that whatever measures they’d put in place had already been subverted by Jo, but he didn’t want to scare the poor woman.
“Will do,” he repeated, trying to ease the nerves so clearly written across her face.
