edge of the state, bordering Yellowstone National Park, West County was still largely undiscovered by tourists. It shared the grandeur and wildlife of its well-known neighbor without attracting the same sort of fame.
The trail started out deceptively flat, and Laurie had time to admire the emerald green of the gigantic trees rising on either side of her, the azure blue of the sky together with the sound of the sparkling stream tumbling alongside the path. After a few hours, she was breathing hard as the gradient increased and, by the time she reached the mountain-encircled body of water known as Wilderness Lake, she was glad of the chance to shrug off her backpack, sit on a rock and take a long slug of water.
She had been there for about ten minutes, drinking in the rugged drama of the granite landscape, when another walker came into view. Although the man wore shorts and hiking boots, he looked as though he would be more comfortable in a business suit. As he got closer, Laurie noticed the sheen of sweat on his face and bit back a smile. Special Agent Moreton had been her partner in a lengthy undercover operation and she knew him well. Even so, if she hadn’t seen him in the outdoors with her own eyes she’d have continued in her belief that he was allergic to fresh air.
Moreton carried a map, and as he approached Laurie, he held it out to her, pointing to a spot on it. Anyone observing them would assume he was one hiker asking another a question about the trail. “Were you followed?”
“I don’t think so.” She bent her head over the map. “That doesn’t mean we’re not being watched through binoculars right now, of course.”
He followed her lead, covering his mouth with one hand as he spoke. “Lipreading? You think Delaney could be suspicious of you already?”
Laurie shrugged. “If he’s who we think he is, he’ll take good care to protect himself.”
“How did he react when he saw you?”
She shot him a sideways glance. “How do you think?”
“Did he mention Carla?”
She nodded, making a pretense of turning the map and looking up at the surrounding mountains. Anything to buy a little time. When she bowed her head again, her voice was quiet. “He said he killed her.”
“That’s what he told police at the time. It was the grief talking. What he meant, of course, was that he failed to stop her from taking her boat out that night.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Moreton looked startled. “You don’t mean...? No, he was at a state function in full view of hundreds of people when she died. Mayor Delaney was the keynote speaker.”
“If Cameron Delaney is all the things you tell me he is, would he think twice about getting someone else to kill his girlfriend?”
His round face became even more serious. “If you want out, you only have to say the word.”
“You know me better than that, Moreton. When you approached me with this job, I knew what it involved. I’ll see it through. I guess if I’m having dinner with a guy I’d like to know in advance if there’s a chance he might have killed his last girlfriend.”
“Dinner? Tonight?” When she nodded, he whistled. “He’s a fast worker, our guy. How will you deal with it if he wants to...” He cleared his throat. “...You know?”
“You mean if he wants to have sex with me?” She almost laughed aloud at his pained expression. “I’ve done this sort of thing before, remember?”
“I seem to recall you have a few creative ways of keeping them at arm’s length. So, now you’ve met him, what are your initial thoughts on Delaney?”
Laurie hesitated. First impressions were important, and she knew Moreton was asking her because he trusted her instincts. For the first time ever, she wasn’t sure he was right to do so.
“You know I had my doubts about this job. Using a man’s grief to get under his skin? That has never felt right to me. It was only when you showed me the file about what was going on here—what Delaney Transportation is potentially a cover for—that you convinced me. The evidence against him is about as watertight as it gets.” She spread her hands, palms upward. To an observer, she could have been indicating she was clueless about the route. “Initial thoughts? The file you compiled told me he’s one of the wealthiest men in the state. Each of the three Delaney brothers inherited a modest amount of money from their father. Cameron used his to set up the business, growing it into a thriving corporation within a few years. He’s also a successful businessman and politician. Mayor of Stillwater. The voters love him. He’d get my vote and I don’t even know what he stands for. The guy’s got charisma. Underneath it all he’s hurting like hell. Even when I rocked his world yesterday, the facade stayed in place. I’d say he’s going to be a tough one to crack.”
“If anyone can do it, you can. Delaney is one of the smoothest operators we’ve come across. On the surface, he’s squeaky clean. He’s never had a parking ticket, or filed a late tax return. We have to throw him off balance. The psychologists tell me Delaney will be drawn to someone who looks so much like Carla. He was devoted to her. You’ll shake him out of his usual composure. When he’s with you he may just slip up, make a mistake, however small, and allow you to get close enough to glimpse the illegal side of the business. It’s a long shot, but it’s all we have right now. I want to close this bastard down, but so far every attempt we’ve made to get someone undercover inside the firm itself has failed. This operation has been going on for a long time, but it’s only recently we’ve had the evidence to pinpoint Delaney Transportation.”
“Possibly he’s started to slip up. There’s no doubt that Carla’s death devastated him.”
Was Moreton frowning because he sensed sympathy in her voice? Even imagining he could detect a moment’s hesitation? “Every time that bothers you, think about the drugs and firearms that are pumped onto the streets every day. And we both know that’s not the worst part of this operation. Human trafficking. Forced prostitution. A nasty, but very lucrative, business. Many of the girls we’re talking about are as young as thirteen. Some are younger. If ever you find yourself feeling sorry for Delaney, think of them.”
Laurie felt a flash of anger light her eyes as she raised them to his face. “Are you questioning my commitment?”
“Never.” Still in his role as the hapless hiker, Moreton folded his map and turned, shrugging as he pointed back at the trail. “Anything you need from me?” Laurie shook her head. “Next time, maybe we can find somewhere civilized like a coffee shop?”
After he’d gone, Laurie sat a while longer, allowing the peace of her surroundings to soothe her. In six years of working undercover, she had never let her emotions get to her. For a moment back then, she had come perilously close. Why was it so hard to be objective about Cameron Delaney? From the outset, she’d allowed emotion to creep in. It must be the Carla factor. It was hard not to feel a connection to the other woman when she had recently discovered their relationship. The cousin she never knew she had. And Carla had died tragically. Just when she had everything to live for. Sighing, Laurie rose and tugged her backpack into place. She’d have to work a bit harder to fight the feelings in the future. There was a job to be done. Starting with dinner tonight.
Cameron gripped the steering wheel
