stiffened with the insult, but refused to lower herself to his irritating level. “You’re not going to make me angry, Judd. I know you’re just trying to get me off the track. But I want to know what that was all about in the pool hall. And don’t you dare shake your head at me again!”
He looked undecided for a long moment, then let out a disgusted sigh. “All right, all right. Come in, sit, and we’ll…talk.”
Emily wasn’t certain she believed him, he still looked as stubborn as a mule, but she left the truck and allowed Judd to lead her inside. They sat at a back booth, and a waitress immediately came to take their order. The woman seemed a little hostile to Emily, then she all but melted over Judd.
Judd treated her to a full smile and a wink. “You got anything for me, Suze?”
You got anything for me, Suze, Emily silently repeated, thinking Suze had just received a much warmer greeting from Judd than she herself had managed to garner all day.
The waitress looked over at Emily, one slim eyebrow lifted, and Judd grinned. “She’s fine. Just tell me what you’ve got.”
“Well…”
Emily rolled her eyes. Suze obviously had a flair for the dramatic, given the way she glanced around the diner in a covert manner, as if she were preparing to part with government secrets. She also patted her platinum blond hair and primped for a good ten seconds before finally exalting them with her supposed wisdom. What a waste of time.
Emily no sooner had that thought than she regretted it. Suze turned out to be a fount of information.
“He’s been in twice since we spoke and something is definitely going down. He met with the same guy both times, that punk kid who distributes for him. I’d say something will happen within a week or two. That’s usually the routine, you know.”
“You couldn’t catch an actual date?”
“Hell, no, sugar. If Donner caught me snooping, he’d have my fanny.”
Judd reached out to smack the fanny-in-peril. “We wouldn’t want that to happen. But Suze? If anything more concrete comes up, you know where to find me.”
She knew where to find him? Emily knew she had no right to be jealous. After all, her relationship with Judd was strictly business. But still, she didn’t like the idea of him…consorting with this woman. Of course, Suze seemed to know a great deal about the gun dealer. In fact, she seemed to know almost too much. Emily narrowed her eyes, wondering exactly when Judd had contacted this woman, and what their relationship might be. Judd seemed to be on awfully familiar terms with her.
But Suze did appear to be helping, and Emily certainly had no claims on Judd. She decided to concentrate on that fact, but she couldn’t keep herself from glaring at the waitress. Suze didn’t seem to notice.
She was back to primping. “Of course I know where you’ll be. I wouldn’t miss an act. Do something special for me Tuesday night, all right?”
Judd laughed and shook his head.
Suddenly, Suze was all business. “You two want anything to drink or something? It don’t look right me standing here gabbing without you orderin’ anything.”
“Two coffees, Suze. That’s it.”
Emily barely waited for the waitress to go swaying away before she leaned across the table and demanded Judd’s attention. “Was she talking about who I think she was talking about?”
“Who did you think she was—”
“That’s not funny, Judd!”
“No, I guess it isn’t. And yes, she was talking about our friendly, neighborhood gun trafficker.”
Emily was aghast. “She knows him?” She couldn’t believe the waitress had called him by name. Why, if he was that well known…
“Everyone knows who commits the crimes, Em. It’s just coming up with proof that’s so damn difficult.”
Her breath caught in her throat and she choked. “You know who he is, too?”
Judd shrugged, his eyes dropping to the top of the table. Then he quirked a sardonic smile. “You met him yourself, honey.”
“I did…” Suddenly it fit, and Emily fell back against the seat. “The guy at the pool hall?”
“Yep. That was him. Clayton Donner.”
It took her a minute, and then she felt the steam. It had to be coming out her ears, she was so enraged. Judd had let her get close to the man who’d hurt her brother, and he hadn’t even told her.
He was speaking to her now, but she couldn’t hear him over the ringing in her ears. Her entire body felt taut, and her stomach felt queasy. No wonder she had reacted so strongly to that man. He’d been that close and…
Emily didn’t make a conscious decision on what to do. She just suddenly found herself standing then walking toward the door. She somehow knew Judd was following, though she didn’t turn to look. When she stepped outside, and started past his truck, he grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him.
“Dammit, Emily! What the hell is the matter with you?”
“Let me go.” She felt proud of the strength in her voice, though she knew she might fall apart at any moment.
“Are you kidding? I’ve tried every damn intimidation tactic I could think of—”
“Ha! So you admit to bullying me?”
“—to send you running, but you clung like flypaper. And now, with one little scare, you want me to turn you loose?”
Flypaper! How dare he compare her to…No, Emily, don’t get sidetracked by a measly insult. The man deceived you. She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “I wish to leave now. Alone.”
“No way, baby. You wanted in, and now you’re in.”
Her heartbeat shook her, it pounded so hard, and her fingers ached from being held in such tight fists. If she wasn’t a lady, she’d smack him one, but good. “When were you going to tell me, Judd? When?”
Judd stiffened, and his jaw went hard. “Get in the truck, Em.”
“I will not. I…”
“Get in the damn truck!”
Well. Put that way…Emily became aware of people watching, and also that Judd was every bit as angry as she was. But why? What possible reason did he have for being so mad? She was the one who’d been misled, kept in the dark, lied to…well, not really. But lies of omission definitely counted, and Judd had omitted telling her a great deal.
And after he’d insisted she bare her soul.
When he continued to glare at her, she realized how foolish they both must appear, and she opened the truck door to get in. It wouldn’t do to make a public spectacle of herself.
“Put your seat belt
