Page 67 of Justice for Samara

The Texan grinned. “Good to see you too.”

Michael had slid out of the booth and was standing as Cruz turned to him and smiled. “Michael! Good to see you!”

“And you too.” Cruz greeted him the exact same way he had Carter, and Michael felt like he was finally a member of whatever club he’d been missing out on.

“Congrats on the promotion!”

“Thanks. Have a seat.” He turned to find Lindsey at the next table. “Hey, Linds, can you get our friend here a drink?”

The girl looked positively starstruck as she made her way to the table. “I sure can! So what’ll it be, darlin’?”

Cruz seemed a little taken aback, and Michael almost laughed. “Uhhh, you got Miller on draft?”

“Yes, sweetie, sure do. Tall one?”

“Sure. Why not. Thanks.”

“You’re very, very welcome,” she said and wiggled her ass just a little as she headed toward the bar.

One of Cruz’s eyebrows shot up. “What the hell was that?”

Michael rolled his eyes. “We call it desperation.”

The Texan shook his head. “Are things that tough for the women around here? Because I’m pretty sure if I asked that girl to go back to my hotel room with me, she’d ride me piggyback all the way there.”

Carter snorted. “There’s little doubt in my mind.”

“That should be a good thing for you, though, right?” Cruz asked Michael.

“Nope. I have somebody.”

“No! Who is it?”

The proud sheriff papa was grinning. “I hired him a girlfriend!”

“That sounds so wrong,” Michael said with a frown.

“Sounds like something KDCI needs to investigate,” Cruz answered, laughing.

The three men chatted for a while until their food came. “Okay, brought you guys something.” Michael pulled the papers out of his jacket pocket and handed a packet to each of them. “I highlighted everything very important. And I’ve got some new information as of this afternoon.”

“Do tell,” Carter said as he cut his steak.

Michael filled them in on the call to Glenna’s work and to the things he’d learned from her parents. “I know none of this is enough to do anything with him, but we’ve got to find something. There’s got to be some way to take him down.”

“Okay, so what am I missing here?” Cruz sat back in his chair. “There’s more here than I’m hearing.”

“Tell him,” Carter said as he glared at Michael.

“I didn’t get her permission and I really think?”

“Okay, look.” Carter leaned in, his forearms on the table. “Cruz isn’t going to betray your trust or hers, but he wants to help us, and he needs all the information. This is serious, Michael. You know that. If he hurts her, you’re going to wish you’d told him?”

“If who hurts whom?” Cruz asked, stopping the conversation cold.

It was put up or shut up time, and Michael knew he had to do it. He didn’t want to. “Hang on just a second, okay?” In a flash, he sent a text to Samara.

Babe, I’m with Cruz. I have to tell him. If he’s going to help us, he needs all the details. But I won’t tell him if you say no. It’s up to you.

---