Page 3 of Barbed Wire and Burglary
Nowthatwas more like what A.J. had been hoping to hear. He gave Decker a searching look as he lifted his cup to take another sip of coffee. “Couple of days ago, I agreed to work one shift a week at the auto body shop down the street.” Like barbershops, auto body shops were a hotbed of local news—some true, some not true. Spending time at places like that was crucial for a newcomer in town to keep a finger on the pulse of what was happening around them.
Decker’s shoulders relaxed. “We can work around that.”
“Plus, I’m already on a case.” It was another nonnegotiable item.
“Figured that.” Decker didn’t so much as blink. “Fortunately, we have an attorney on staff. I’m sure you and he can work out the particulars of some sort of co-op between us and you involving your current case. I’ve already given him the green light to compensate you at the highest rate we can afford.”
A.J. mentally shrugged off the man’s offer of legal services. An in-house attorney would only serve the interests of the house. He preferred to use his own attorney for stuff like that. “I’m sure we can work something out.” Hehonestly didn’t care what they paid him. The only reason he demanded top dollar was to discourage the folks who shouldn’t be bothering him in the first place.
“Excellent!” Decker held out a hand.
A.J. shook his hand. “That’s the shortest interview I’ve ever sat through.”
Decker grinned. “And we’re no longer even sitting.”
A.J. cocked his head thoughtfully, watching the guy’s expression. “A job offer you made before knowing anything about the case I’m working on.”
“I have some ideas.” Decker rocked back on the heels of his boots, looking shrewd. “Technically, they weren’t my ideas. The sheriff of Heart Lake happens to be acquainted with the sheriff of Pinetop, and you know what they say about the way news travels in small towns.”
“Yep.” Apparently, news could travel just as quicklybetweensmall towns.
“He tipped us off that you were heading our way,” Decker continued, “and highly recommended we hire you.”
“So much for keeping a low profile, eh?” The sheriff of Pinetop had thoroughly blown A.J.’s cover. He’d be sure to call and thank the guy later.
“I know, right?” Grinning, Decker waved his hands to coax A.J. back to the conference table. “Which begs another question. What are the odds that both the lead deputy and top private investigator on a jewel heist case in Pinetop would move to Heart Lake at the same time?” His gaze narrowed at A.J. “When our sheriff asked about it, Sheriff Skelton wasn’t very forthcoming.”
Bring us to the real reason for your job offer.The police were bound by strict rules and regulations about the information they could and could not pass on about an ongoing investigation, but A.J. was no longer bound by the same redtape. That was why Decker had tracked him down. Still, it wouldn’t be wise for A.J. to share everything he knew up front. Since the deputy they were discussing had secured a position at the Heart Lake Police Department, A.J. needed to first ensure the guy didn’t have allies embedded there. One couldn’t be too careful when dealing with the chief suspect in one’s current investigation.
A.J. would also need to rule out the involvement of those employed by Lonestar Security, another benefit of coming to work for them. If A.J. had learned anything in his many years in law enforcement, it was to trust no one before properly vetting them.
He cradled his cup of coffee, taking another sip before answering the last question Decker had posed. “I’m dating Deputy Cannon’s sister.” It was an understatement. A.J.’s heart was more tangled up than a lasso in a dust storm over Aurora Cannon.
Decker’s eyes widened like he hadn’t been aware of the connection. Then again, he could be faking his surprise. “That certainly makes things interesting!” He folded his arms, eyeing A.J. expectantly.
A.J. met his gaze wryly, knowing thatinterestingdidn’t even begin to describe the dilemma he was in.
Four hours later
The moment A.J.stepped outside the historic office building with a temporary employment agreement in hand, he mashed the button on his cell phone for the only woman he had on speed dial. Though most companies handled their new-hire paperwork online these days with digitalsignatures, he was old-school enough to have requested a paper copy—one that all parties had signed with real ink. It was pending a legal addendum his personal attorney would be drafting, involving his investigation on behalf of the JSA and any other contract work he chose to do on the side. Only then, would he and Decker be able to sit down and finalize his employment agreement with Lonestar.
Aurora answered on the second ring. “There you are! I’ve been texting you all afternoon with nothing more than a thumbs up emoji in return. I was getting worried.”
“Sorry about that.” It was good to hear her voice. He’d actually sent her two thumbs-up emojis, but her casual disregard for the precise details that defined his existence was adorable. He rubbed a hand across his stubbled jawline. “I was in the middle of something. This is the soonest I could break away.”
“Is everything okay?” she asked quickly.
“Yep,” he lied. Things were far from okay, but it was too soon to confide anything of that nature to her. “Have you eaten yet?” It was nearly one o’clock, and all he’d consumed so far was coffee.
“I have.” She sounded a little breathless. “It’s a long story, but I’ll tell you all about it over the box of leftovers my new client sent me home with.”
His heart leaped with excitement on her behalf. “You did it!” Though he was disappointed to hear she’d already eaten, the other part of her announcement was good news indeed.
“Does this mean I finally get to find out who you’ve been so stressed about meeting with today?”
“It does.” She gave a gurgle of laughter. “But not over the phone. This is something you need to hear in person.” After earning a degree in chemistry and serving anapprenticeship abroad, she’d become a perfumer, which fascinated him to no end. He’d never before met anyone with such a unique set of talents.
“I’ll be right over.” He was game for any excuse to see her again. “But I don’t want to hog your leftovers. I’ll grab a burger or something on my way there.” He speed-walked the few blocks to his pickup truck that he’d left parallel parked across from the food truck. He was currently driving a new white Dodge Ram. It had been a Christmas gift to himself last month.
