true. She reprimanded herself for not noticing it, as well. “So that’s what Chad was all about?”
Not a real person but a test. Since Merrick suggested that Joe look through the name tags, it meant he didn’t know the names of all the guests. And unlike a few of the others, Joe and she weren’t repeat customers. Nor had they met him when they filled out their applications.
So how had he known their names?
“This might not be such a little problem,” Katelyn mumbled.
Joe quickly agreed.
In fact, it could mean the killer was already on to them.
Chapter Five
Joe should have been thinking about Addison Merrick. Specifically, about the fact the man was obviously suspicious of them.
With reason.
Both Katelyn and he had registered at Perfect Match just days after the murders. That said, only the shooter himself would have likely made the connection at this point. And that meant that Merrick was possibly their wedding sniper.
So why wasn’t his attention on Merrick or the “security guard” he’d brought with him?
Because Joe was involuntarily sharing that attention with the woman he had plastered against him, that’s why.
He was a fool to notice how nicely Katelyn fit in his arms. A fool to notice that she tasted almost as good as she looked. And basically, he was just a fool to have thought he could kiss her and not lust after her. That meant he had to do something about it.
Joe slid his fingers beneath her collar and temporarily turned off the audio feed on her communicator. The surveillance officers would be able to talk to them, to warn them if necessary, but they wouldn’t be able to hear what he was about to admit to Detective O’Malley.
“We’d better try to keep the kissing to a minimum from now on,” he whispered.
“Sure,” she readily agreed.
Too readily.
Which meant all the supposedly for-show making out probably had an effect on her, as well. Joe didn’t care much for the fact that it pleased him a little. This wasn’t a competition, but sometimes it felt like one.
“Hey, contrary to public opinion, I’m human,” Katelyn said, frowning. And probably so she wouldn’t have to add more to an already uncomfortable conversation, she reconnected her communicator.
“Any indication that Addison Merrick has been investigating us?” she whispered to the person on the other end of that communicator.
Joe wished he’d thought of the question first, which was only more proof that he needed a serious mental adjustment. This case was critical. People’s lives were at stake, including theirs. Heck, even his promotion to lieutenant was probably riding on this. It was no time for lust.
He repeated all of that to himself several times and hoped those reminders stayed reminders for the rest of this assignment.
“He didn’t trigger any info markers to indicate an investigation,” the other officer answered through the communicator. “But then, with his resources, that’s not surprising.”
In other words, Merrick could have done a full-scale check on them—or rather on their false identities—and they wouldn’t have known.
“Hypothetically, what would Merrick have learned?” Joe asked.
He glanced at the person who stopped at the end of the hallway. Bruce Donovan. Joe didn’t think it was his imagination that the man cast a suspicious glance their way. It made sense. If there’d been a computer search, Donovan would have likely been the one to do it. But the real question was—had Donovan instigated that search on his own, or had Merrick ordered it?
“The only thing Merrick could have gotten was what was in the fake files we created for you and Detective O’Malley,” the officer explained. “Fake employment and financial records. Phony e-mail accounts. The addresses of the apartments that were rented to support your covers. That sort of thing. If they went after your real backgrounds, we’d know.”
Katelyn opened her mouth, probably to respond to that, but she’d obviously not seen Donovan and his spying eyes. Just in case the man was eavesdropping, Joe did a quick maneuver and put his mouth right against her ear.
“Save your questions,” he mumbled. “We have company.”
She groaned softly.
So with this latest round of surveillance, things weren’t going exactly as planned. Joe had hoped to establish the pretense of the reunited couple, leave Katelyn in the reception area and have a look around while she covered for him. He’d only managed the first of those and would likely have to save that search for another day. They would have to return anyway in two days, on Thursday, to announce their engagement. By then, he’d figure out a way to do the search.
“Fiona Shipley’s about to drive away,” Joe heard the backup officer announce into the communicator.
“Go after her.” And that meant with the heavy scrutinization from Merrick and Donovan, it was a good time for him to get Katelyn out of there, as well. He caught her arm. “Let’s say our goodbyes. We’ll come back later for your car.”
“Wait.” She held her ground. “We still haven’t looked around the place.”
“And it won’t happen tonight.” Joe had to pull her closer to him so he could whisper. “You heard—things aren’t exactly routine around here, and now we’re without backup because they have to go after Fiona Shipley.”
She wanted to argue. He could see it in the depth of those slightly narrowed eyes. Heck, he wanted to argue, too. And he really wanted to stay and see what he could find. But he wouldn’t do that at the expense of further risking her life. There were already enough risks without him bending the rules.
Since there was no way to make this sound better, Joe just came out with it. “It’s time to act as if we’re ready to drag each other off to bed.”
Which wouldn’t be much of a stretch for him.
A few mumbled words of profanity from her, but she cooperated by sliding her arm inside his coat and around his waist. She even added a sultry chuckle and nudged him playfully with her hip.
Nope.
The pretense of dragging her off to bed wouldn’t be much of a stretch at all.
Bruce Donovan stepped in front of them when they started across the reception area. “Hey, you’re not leaving already, huh?” he asked, seemingly shocked.
“Kate and I have some, uh, catching up to do.” Joe made sure there were enough undertones in that remark.
Too bad Donovan didn’t pick up on those undertones. He placed his hand on Katelyn’s arm and gave her an almost intimate rub with his fingers. His fingers even strayed a bit in the direction of Katelyn’s breast.
Конец
