Page 16 of Seaside Cowboy's Fairy Tale

She still had almost a week before starting her next assignment. Her rib cage constricted, forcing air from her lungs. The issue was that she didn’t want to deceive Tex again. Just the thought grated. “If I go to work undercover in his company, he might recognize my voice, height, body shape, or—well, I don’t know. And it might take some time to get hired there.”

“No, nothing that drastic.” Ms. Mueller waved a manicured hand, her robin’s-egg blue nails a sharp contrast to her cream-colored pantsuit. “I meant, just follow him in the street. See where he goes. Who he talks to.”

Rachel breathed a little easier. “He rarely leaves the office. His assistant orders food in for lunch. Tex stays late, working. His social life is nearly nonexistent except for the annual charity ball.”

Ms. Mueller’s green eyes narrowed underneath her long jet-black bangs. Those eyes and that hair, as well as her suave, calculated movements, made Rachel think of a panther. “Then you’ll get paid for staying in the car for many hours and doing nothing.”

Stakeouts bored Rachel, but she knew better than to argue with a client. Climbing the ranks depended on her reputation. “I’ll get a new contract drawn up, and once the logistics are ironed out, I’m in.”

“I want to know if he’s connected to the jewelry thefts, and if he is, I want proof. You must start today. I’ll pay the rush fee.” Ms. Mueller rose and picked up a designer purse matching her suit and stilettos.

Rachel smiled brightly despite the veiled accusation and rose as well to see the client to the door. “My boss will be happy to hear about the rush fee.” Then she paused. “Why do you think the subject might be connected to the jewelry thefts?”

“It’s no coincidence that he was present at two events where thefts occurred. I saw him dance with the victim of the first theft, not long before she noticed her ring was missing. And a recent burglary in Port Sunshine is connected to his family. I can’t divulge more.”

And Rachel wasn’t supposed to ask.

No mystery how the woman knew about the burglary. Despite Kennedy’s best efforts to keep the break-in from becoming public knowledge, the local news station had reported it. Ms. Mueller had admitted an interest in true crime and unsolved mysteries.

And Rachel sensed the woman had more than a passing interest in Tex Lawrence. Well, though they were the jobs she enjoyed least, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d been paid to do the stalking for someone.

“I understand. Thank you.”

Once the client was gone, Rachel slumped in the uncomfortable seat someone should’ve replaced months ago. She was already too attached to this case. Her entire being protested the possibility of Tex being guilty. Then she squared her shoulders, logged into the computer, and typed up all the necessary information for her boss. To work on it, she’d need to distance herself from this case mentally. Meanwhile, she repeated the crucial reminder—“Never fall for a subject of your investigation.”

Doing so not only led to ruined careers and disasters but also could lead to lost lives.

She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as her fingers flew over the keyboard. She’d worked hard to have a stellar professional reputation. She’d had to prove herself again and again, often on dangerous assignments—or worse, the long monotonous ones—nobody else wanted to take. She wouldn’t throw it all away or put her company in jeopardy because someone made her heart stutter.

Her fingers paused. Her attraction could constitute a conflict of interest.

No.

She’d keep it all professional. She had to.

Chapter Five

---