Page 53 of Dangerous Kiss
Chapter Twenty-Two
They all sat in the hotel’s conference room, listening to the FBI agent’s radio communication on a sound system they had set up for them to hear the operation. Biba sat with Cosimo, her hand clutching his, her heart beating wildly in her chest. To know that soon, maybe, they’d get Stella back was making her feel sick with hope.
Please, please let her be okay…Biba swore to all her Gods that if they brought Stella back, she’d never argue with her again. Both of them would be changed by this, but she was determined that they would be changed for the better—both of them.
Luke Harris nodded to them as he came into the room. “Any minute now, you’ll hear the lead getting his men into position.”
“Where are they?”
“Rainier—a cabin near the Nisqually entrance to the park.”
Biba studied the agent. If he brought Stella back safely, she would take back every negative thought she’d ever had about him. “How did you find them?”
“It’s important to say that we haven’t found them, we’re just working on a tip. I don’t want to give false hope, but this is the best lead we’ve had.”
“From a tip?”
“An anonymous call from someone staying on the mountain. He told us he’d seen something suspicious—a woman fighting with a man—outside one of the cabins the night Ms. Reckless was taken.”
“And it took him this long to call?” Cosimo’s voice held all the skepticism that Biba felt. Luke Harris shrugged, and Biba tried not to snap at him. He really was theworst.
“So, the caller might have lied? The caller could have been the real killer throwing you off the scent?” Biba’s voice was cold, but again Harris shrugged off her question.
“We don’t think that’s the case,” he said, a smug, patronizing smile on his face. Biba wanted to punch him. Instead she leaned over to Cosimo and whispered in his ear.
“This isn’t going to be what he thinks. I don’t believe this is genuine.”
Cosimo studied her. “I hope you’re wrong, but I agree. Something is hinky.”
As they waited to hear what happened, there was a knock at the door, and Reggie stuck his head in. “Can I join?”
“Of course.”
He gave Biba a hug, clapped Cosimo on the back. “How goes it? Channing told me downstairs they’ve got a lead.”
Biba shot him a look. “Yeah. Agent Harris issure.”
Reggie got her drift right away. “Ah.”
Ten minutes later, Biba’s worst fears were confirmed. The tip turned out to be a false alarm—the SWAT team burst in on a very shocked elderly couple who were doing a puzzle. Agent Harris looked crestfallen. “Well, obviously, we’ll…”
But Biba had had enough. She got up and stalked out of the conference room, followed by Cosimo and Reggie. Biba was steaming angry as she slammed into her suite.
“That asshole,” she spat out, “he’s not taking this seriously. This is Stella’s life we’re talking about.”
Cosimo put his arms around her. “I know, Snooks.” He looked at Reggie. “Look, Reg, I know you’re here to take Biba to your mom’s, but I want you to take protection with you.”
“No problem,” Reggie said, his eyes serious. “Anything to make sure Biba’s safe.”
Biba looked up at Cosimo. “I don’t know if I want to go. No disrespect, Reg, but I need to stay with Cosimo.”
“No,” Cosimo said firmly. “You need to be away from all of this, so you can recover. I want to stick around, but I’ll follow you up in a couple of days—if that’s okay, Reg?”
“Perfect. Mom’s cabin has plenty of room, so we’ll have quite the party.”
Cosimo smiled. “Thanks. So, baby, we won’t be apart for long.”
Biba wasn’t happy but nodded. “Okay.”
