Page 13 of Vinny

Vinny nodded and answered in the affirmative. “Just letting you all know that I’ve got Annalissa here with me. We changed hotels so that there was no trail to where we were.”

He explained everything that had happened since meeting up with her the day before. Succinctly going through everyone they had been in contact with and all the times when the harp case had been out of their sight. “Annalissa checked it before we left for the airport and we saw it sent to claims ourselves. We picked it up in claims once everything was taken off the plane in Kansas City. So it could have happened when we were at dinner, but my guess is that it was part of a drug run from LA to DC.”

“Do you think it’s personal?” Tony asked. “It could be that an airport worker at LA just picked whatever casewas convenient on a non-stop flight to DC and then would have plenty of time to let their partner know which case to look in when it landed.”

“No,” Gabe growled, “it was someone who knew how to get into the base of the harp. It was someone who knew her and knew her schedule.”

Vinny was about to answer when there appeared to be some movement on his laptop screen as he could see people at the table shifting around. Matt and Shane came into focus.

“Vinny, is Ms. O’Brian there with you?” Matt asked.

Vinny turned around, looking at her sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. Her knees were drawn up with her arms around them, as though to ward off any more unpleasantness.

“Annalissa, come over here, honey,” he called gently, not thinking about the others listening. As he was looking at her, he missed the glances shared by the ones back in Virginia when they heard his endearment.

Tony’s crew watched the screen as a slim, dark-haired woman came into sight. Her face was pinched with worry, and Vinny placed his arm around her protectively. He pointed to the laptop screen and introduced them all. “Annalissa, these are my friends and co-workers. Everyone, this is Annalissa O’Brian.”

Lily moved the camera around so that it focused on Matt and Shane. “Ms. O’Brian, we’re from the Richmond Police Department and while we have no jurisdiction where you are now, Vinny asked us to go check out your apartment.”

She nodded her understanding, although she felt asthough she were in a fast paced movie and was one step behind on the plot.

Matt continued, “Ms. O’Brian, I hate to inform you, but your apartment was broken into. And from the looks of what we saw, it was trashed.”

Gasping, her hand flew to her mouth. “But why? I have nothing of value,” she cried. Vinny’s arm tightened around her shoulders, his mouth set in a tight line.

“Our assumption at this point is that whoever was expecting those drugs at the airport, may have not realized that the flight was canceled and just thought they missed you. That could be why they headed to your apartment to look for them.”

“Oh my God,” she said, slumping back into Vinny. “What do we do?” she asked, fear written on her face.

Tony spoke up, “Ms. O’Brian, let us handle things. Our job is to make sure you’re safe and Mr. Malloy is just the man to do that. We’re going to talk to him for a while and figure out our next step. Just make sure that you listen to whatever he tells you to do. Have you told anyone about what has happened? A call or text?”

“No, no one. I need to call my father in case he wonders, but honestly he wouldn’t even miss me until tomorrow. Or today. Or…oh I don’t even know what day it is!”

“Don’t worry about it. But for now, if you do talk to anyone, and that includes your father, just tell them about the plane delay but say nothing about the drugs at all. It is imperative that you keep that information completely quiet. We don’t want to tip off anyone that it has been found.”

Nodding her understanding, Vinny noticed her chin lift slightly.That’s my girl.Standing with his arm still around her shoulders, he walked her over to the bed. “Babe, go ahead and get ready for bed and see if you can relax. I’ve got to finish the briefing so we’ll have a plan.”

Moving back to the small table where his laptop was set up, he worked with the group on different scenarios. Tony had walked away for a few minutes and then came back into view.

“Vinny, I was just in contact with Jack Bryant.” Jacques “Jack” Bryant had been their Special Forces squad’s Chief Warrant Officer, and he now ran a different type of Security Business. More clandestine. Government contracts. And definitely flew under the radar. He had pulled together a team of former SEALs, Special Forces, DEA, FBI, ATF, and others.

“His former DEA agent is going to fly out there tomorrow…rather later today…and meet you. You’ll be able to hand off the harp to him and he’ll bring it back here safely. He has a two seater so he’ll only bring the harp now. He’ll work with his former DEA contacts. Lily’s making alternate flight arrangements for the two of you. You can fly in after meeting with the agent.”

Vinny finished his briefing, closed his laptop and leaned back, running his hand over his face. Sighing deeply, he realized he had not slept much in two days.Damn, in the Army I was trained to go without sleep.Shaking his head, he looked up as he felt a small touch on his arm.

Annalissa was standing in front of him, with the same nightgown on. A soft, long sleeved, old-fashionedgown that looked like something from several centuries before. Nothing like the wisps of fabric that most of the women he met wore. Thongs and bits of material they called nighties. And yet…I’ve never seen anything so fuckin’ sexy.

She saw the weariness in his eyes, then something different flickered in them. Giving his arm a pull, she said, “Come on. Come to bed.”

He eyed the single bed in the room and said, “No, I’ll sleep in the chair.”

She let go of his arm, cocked her hip and began tapping her foot. He looked up at her face.Yep, there goes that chin lift.

“Vinny, we’re both dead on our feet and need some sleep. I trust you.” She held out her hand toward him.

Chuckling, he allowed himself to be pulled up. Several minutes later, he was in the bed, her on one side and he on the other. She yawned loudly, exhaustion overpowering her almost instantly.

He could tell when her breathing evened out and sleep had laid its claim on her. Looking down at her dark hair spilling across the pillow, her cherubic face relaxed in slumber, her thick eyelashes forming a crescent on her cheeks. And her lips. Perfect. Plump. Kissable. She sighed, rolling over onto her side facing him, unconsciously moving closer to his warmth. He could not remember the last time he had slept with a woman that he had not fucked. Ever. In fact, he could not remember being in bed with a woman that he was not banging and then leaving. Ever.

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