Page 65 of Fast Currents
The affection in his tone brought a reluctant smile to my face. “Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no lies,” I said, pursing my lips.
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed with a text.
Anya: Her # is 206-555-5123, but you didn’t get it from me.
I dialed Janine’s number. The phone rang. And rang. Eventually, her voicemail picked up.“You’ve reached Janine. Please leave me a message.”
“Hey, Janine. Lucy Millen here. I heard you aren’t with Island Muse anymore, and I wanted to chat more about you coming to work with me. But also… I have a few questions I think only you can answer. Give me a call when you get this.”
Clay arched one brow. “You think she’ll call?”
“Maybe she’s young enough to view listening to voicemail as torture. I’ll text her too, just to be safe.”
Lucy:Hey, Janine, Lucy Millen. Call me, would love to chat about working at Glass House.
I drummed my fingers against my knee, staring down at my silent phone.
Clay drove us back to his place, and we spent the afternoon poring over the sales records Chaz emailed. He’d been true to his word. Like he had nothing to hide.
Of course, everything tied to the Parks Department looked legit. The laundering wouldn’t be mixed in with the fundraising event. It’d be stashed where only Chaz could access it. I’d hoped for a slipup, but we weren’t that lucky.
That didn’t mean Chaz was above suspicion. If anything, it only made me more confident he’d been so willing to help with the community art show as cover for his real dealings.
Frustrated, I pushed back from the kitchen table, pacing between the stove and the fridge. Clay watched me from his seat. With each lap, he looked more and more resigned. Like he guessed what I was going to say.
“We need to go back.”
“Janine could still call,” he pointed out.
“She might, but I’m not sure we have that kind of time.” I stroked my chin. “I think I spooked him today.”
“If there’s evidence, it won’t be easy to get rid of.”
“He probably keeps his login to the rest of his invoices on his computer at the gallery. If I could just get a quick look, it’d confirm everything. The one paper stock receipt isn’t enough. Harris already shot that down. We need to get inside Island Muse again. Without Chaz.”
“Breaking in would be illegal.”
“But I wouldn’t be breaking in.”
“We.” He arched a brow. “Wewouldn’t be breaking in. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you go alone.”
I eyed Clay. His easy-going veneer had vanished. In his place sat a man as immovable as stone, arms crossed over his broad chest. Stern. Authoritative.
I groaned. Right. Lawman. Morals. Jail time. It was easy to forget that Clay was technically the authorities at times. Like now. I couldn’t fault him for refusing to risk his badge, but I also wasn’t ready to give up.
He was right. We had to find a legal loophole to get the information we needed.
My phone buzzed. I scanned the message, a smile drawing my lips up.
Or a willing accomplice.
Chapter 27– Clay
Clearly, I had lost my last shred of good sense. Breaking into Island Muse—okay, technically gaining access through an employee Chaz had already told us was fired (and possibly framed)—was a terrible idea. The kind of terrible idea I’d only say yes to for one reason.
Because Lucy believed it mattered.
So, when she said we should meet up with Janine and help her retrieve the last of her personal belongings from the back room at the gallery, all I said was, “What time?”
