Page 33 of Marked for Danger

“Fine. I’ll agree to the protective detail, but it’s going to be at my house.” She looked at Grady. “Nothing against your apartment. It’s just my home office is there, my computer, files…it makes more sense to just have you stay with me, rather than the other way around.”

“Done.”

Well that was easier than expected. But there was still one more condition…

“My brother also needs protection.”

“He’ll have it,” Grady’s boss vowed. “The rest of the team and I are going to make a show of going across the street and knocking on doors. We need to see if anyone’s willing to talk, but that will also give me an excuse to introduce myself to your brother and explain how things are going to work. His neighbors see me at his door, they’ll think I’m questioning him like we are everyone else.”

“That’s…really smart.” Izzy nodded. “What about tomorrow? What’s the plan after tonight?”

Rather than answer her directly, Riedell looked to Grady with a gruff, “We need all hands on deck with this one.”

“But Boss, you just said you wanted her under my protection.”

“I said she should stay at your place and lay low. I’ll have a uniform posted at your apartment twenty-four-seven. That way you can do your job and Izzy stays safe.”

Grady wasn’t too happy with his boss’s plan. He much preferred to be the one watching over Izzy. But the detective in him knew this course of action made the most sense for all involved.

So rather than stand in the street debating, he said, “If you don’t need anything else from me…”

“Go. I’ll let you know if we find anything we can use.”

“Copy that.” To Izzy, Grady said, “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

As they walked to his car—the palm of his hand resting protectively against her lower back as they went—Grady did his best not to let her see the murderous rage brewing inside him.

Someone had taken a shot at her tonight. Someone who’d intended on seeing her dead. And when he found the person responsible…

You’re fucking dead.

****

Shadows crossed Dante Valdez’s hardened face as he leaned back in his leather chair and tapped his fingers rhythmically against the mahogany desk. Tony, his right-hand-man and confidant, stood in front of him.

“Tell me what happened.”

“I went to Garcia’s apartment like you asked.” Tony’s dark gaze remained locked with his.

Dante’s gaze bore into his trusted friend’s, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. “And?”

“I told him about the meet. But there was a woman there. Pretty, dark hair. Sharp eyes. Not exactly the kind of woman I would’ve expected to find hanging around a guy like Olly.”

“You know who she is?”

“Olly said she was just some chick he knew, but I could tell there was more to it than that.”

“You get her name?”

“She introduced herself as Bella. That’s all I got, but…” Tony hesitated, which was very much out of character for the brute of a man.

“Spit it out.”

“After I left, I circled around. Cut through a nearby alley, parked the car, and walked in the shadows. I waited down the block until she came out. Was going to follow her. Get an address, run a background. You know the drill.”

“I do, indeed.”

“Anyway, the woman was about to get into her car when this other dude comes running up to her. Tall. Bald. Bearded.” Tony took a breath. “At first, I thought he was going to mug her or pull a carjacking or some shit. But then they started talking, and it was obvious they knew each other. They seemed close. Friends maybe. Possibly more.”

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