Page 17 of Dangerous Secret

“We need to find Pickens.”

“I plan to. After that newspaper article, Miss Etta received anonymous letters warning her to shut up about her house being stolen from her or else. She told me that it was dangerous for her to be talking to me about all this, but that they could just take their ‘or else’ and shove it where the sun don’t shine. I really like her. She’s got spirit.”

“Where’s she living now?”

“In an efficiency apartment in a not-so-great part of town. It’s all she can afford, and even that’s a stretch. The sad thing is, her house was paid for, and the property taxes on it were minimal. Because the house was seized, she didn’t get anything for it. I sneaked a peek in her fridge when she went to get her Bible, and, Gray, it was about empty.”

“What can we do to help her?” Even though they hadn’t cheated her out of her home, they couldn’t stand by and not do anything.

“I was thinking about that on the way over. What if we buy a small condo in Faberville in a better part of town as an investment and convince her we need a caretaker?”

“Funny thing, I’m in need of an investment.”

“Even funnier, so am I, and I bet Liam is, too.”

“No doubt. How about you find a place that actually is a good investment, then convince her to move into it?”

“On it. I also want to look into the tax office, see whatI can dig up. Someone there made their checks disappear, and I want to know who.”

“I’d like to know that, too,” Grayson said. “If we can prove it and connect them to the Pressleys, we can go to the state’s attorney or maybe the FBI.”

“On behalf of Miss Etta, I’d love nothing more than to see that happen. What’s the latest with your client?”

“Disturbingis the best word I can think of. Her ex has a tracking app on her phone, and he shows up at her apartment whenever she goes somewhere he finds suspicious. Which is any place outside of the grocery store or… I don’t know. Probably anywhere else.” He was getting angry again just thinking about Pressley showing up and getting in her face.

“That’s called stalking.”

“Yep. I’m going to her apartment in the morning disguised as a plumber to check for cameras or listening devices.”

“Why don’t you take me along as your assistant. It would be a good idea for her to meet me so if she sees me around somewhere, she’ll know I’m from Phoenix Three.”

It was a good idea, and his disappointment that he wouldn’t be alone with her was a warning that the last thing he needed was to be alone with her. “Okay. I’m borrowing a van from the dealership. We’re from Acme Plumbing. I’m Wile, and you’re—”

“Elmer.”

Grayson snorted. “I was thinking Sylvester, but fine, let’s go with Elmer.”

“I love Elmer. He’s a hoot.”

“Let’s just hope you’re not as clumsy with your gun as Elmer.”

Cooper slapped his hand over his heart. “Dude, you wound me.”

Of the three of them, Cooper was the best shot, but Grayson wasn’t about to admit that. “We’ll leave at nine.”

* * *

Grayson parked the borrowed van in a visitor’s space at Harlow’s complex. He and Cooper both wore ball caps pulled low and sunglasses, but since Pressley’s man had seen him, Grayson had also added a fake mustache to his disguise. While picking up the van at his Myrtle Beach dealership, he’d also borrowed uniforms from two of his mechanics who were close in size to him and Cooper.

“We look like the real deal,” he said as they walked toward her apartment with toolboxes, also borrowed.

Cooper eyed him. “You look like a cartoon villain with that mustache.”

“I thinkdebonairis the word you’re wanting.”

“If you say so, Wile.”

They both scanned the area around them as they ambled along, two workers in no hurry to work. He didn’t see anything suspicious. When they reached her door, he knocked, and apparently, Harlow was standing on the other side, as it immediately opened.

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