“Looks like we won’t be alone,” Chase remarked when Jim slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Jim nodded toward the opposite side of the street, where two men in short-sleeved dress shirts and dark glasses loitered. One had a camera hanging from his neck while the other ate a snow cone. “We were never going to be alone. There are the junior G-men, keeping eyes on their man. Nothing dangerous is going down in broad daylight in a crowded tourist spot.”
“Tell that to Vito,” Chase mumbled, but fell in step beside the detective.
“Just remember to keep your distance from Emma. No one is investigating you. Yet.”
Emma stood amidst the older women, pointing to various pieces of jewelry in one of the display cases and answering questions. She caught his eye, giving him a small nod of acknowledgment. His pulse stepped up a notch at the sight of her, her blonde hair swept into a messy bun with loose tendrils tickling her bare shoulders. His fingers ached to push those hairs aside and trail kisses along her sensitive neck, feel her soft curves beneath that silk tank top…
He blinked hard when Jim elbowed him in the side. “Focus,” the detective hissed under his breath.
Right. He needed to pay less attention to Emma’s curves and more attention to tall, dark, and scowling. Lenzi leaned against the sales counter next to the cash register, eyeing him like a hawk watching a mouse. Chase tried to ignore the guy’s brooding stare, taking solace in the knowledge of the agent across the street with the telephoto lens. He clasped his hands behind his back and waited for Jim to make the first move. He didn’t have long to wait.
The moment the ladies headed for the sidewalk, Jim approached with open arms. “Emma! So good to see you back in town.” After a quick, friendly hug, he gestured to Chase. “Let me introduce you to my friend, Dr. Chase Anderson.”
Chase nodded, his face impassive as he kept a tight rein on his emotions. He longed to reach out and touch her but resisted, unclasping his hands only to shove them deep into the pockets of his borrowed pants. He saw a tremor run through her body before he sensed movement behind him. He turned to find Lenzi standing near his shoulder, giving him the once-over.
“A doctor, huh? Say, Doc, aren’t you the guy Emma ran into Monday on the sidewalk? Back again about your broken phone? Can’t the hospital just buy you a new one?” He crossed his arms over his chest, a deep frown slashing his face.
Emma’s laugh sounded nervous. She ignored Lenzi’s questions and gestured between the two men. “This is my friend Tony, from New York. He has a photographic memory for names and faces.”
Lenzi held out his hand and shook with Jim, giving him a once-over. “I’m like the elephant in the room. I never forget.”
Chase saw no point pretending he’d never met Emma. Lenzi knew they’d met for lunch to exchange phones, the meeting that got Vito in hot water to begin with. If a misunderstanding over a simple lunch date were reason enough to kill a man, what would he do if he knew about last night? He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Mr. Lenzi, we need to talk about Eco Dawn.”
Lenzi turned to face him and raised one eyebrow. “Oh yeah? I’m not sure how I can help you, Doc. Emma here is the one coordinating the fundraising for the mayor’s project, but I’ll try to answer any questions you might have about the environmental mumbo-jumbo.”
Chase studied the man standing before him. Despite all he’d been told about dangerous mob ties, Lenzi looked like every other uptight New York money-man out to smooth talk his way to the next payday. No better or worse than the bankers, lawyers, and brokers he encountered in Manhattan and South Hampton. Not that much different from his own father. He might not like the type, but he knew how to deal with them. Straight talk, focused on their bottom line.
The shop was empty of customers now; the FBI agents out of hearing range. He decided to forgo the plan Jim outlined and lay more of the cards on the table than they’d originally discussed. “Mr. Lenzi, I’m an environmental scientist, not a medical doctor. I don’t need help understanding the logistics of the project. I’m here to shed light on what’s really going on. Millions of dollars are changing hands, but the only reward you’re likely to see is jail time.”
Jim stepped closer to interject, a look of panic on his face. “What my friend here is trying to say…”
Lenzi raised a hand to stop him. “I heard what the doc said. And I’m intrigued, despite the fact he’s hanging out with an obvious flatfoot like you. Go on, Dr. Anderson.”
Chase took a deep breath and sketched out the basic technical information about why the project wasn’t ready to scale up, as well as the pending legal problems. Jim stood by wearing a scowl on his face, but Chase plunged ahead keeping the bottom line in focus, following the money trail back to Don Lenzini, showing where the ultimate blame would land. Concern etched unhappy lines around Emma’s mouth and eyes, but Lenzi’s expression remained impassive.
Hard, calculating eyes focused on Chase with laser precision. “First of all, let me say upfront that I have no knowledge of anything to do with this so-called organized crime family. I’m a businessman with a strong interest in the environment.”
Jim snorted. “Cut the crap, Lenzi. We all know you’re part of the Lenzini family. Your FBI file scrolls on forever, and the Don is your uncle. What I don’t get is how you pissed him off so royally he’d cut you out of the picture like this.”
Lenzi’s focus never wavered from Chase. “Who says I’m out of the picture?”
Emma stepped between them, forcing Lenzi to look at her. “Did you know? The secret contract clauses and pending lawsuits? All the money we raised gone before the project ever breaks ground? How do I explain that to the mayor? To the donors? To the people of New York?”
“Babe, trust me. I would never do anything to hurt you. The people of New York? Screw ’em. But I care about you, babe.”
Her frown deepened, her voice pained as she repeated the question. “Did you know?”
Long moments ticked by while they stared each other down. Chase felt the tension rolling off Emma in waves, his chest constricting in response. He hated the way the guy looked at her, like she belonged to him. His palms itched, wanting to claim Emma for all the world to see despite Jim’s warning to keep his personal involvement a secret. He longed to bury his nose in her golden hair to inhale her sunshine smell, to whisper words of comfort and erase the frown lines from her face. Unable to resist the urge, he inched closer and surreptitiously reached for Emma’s hand. Her fingers twined automatically with his and the band around his heart loosened.
Lenzi’s eyes shifted immediately to their clasped hands, breaking the staring match with the barest nod of acknowledgment. “This I understand. I knew McKay had to be wrong.”
His words captured Jim’s complete attention. “The junior G-man across the street? How do you know him?”
“Benjamin Franklin makes introductions in unlikely places.”
“Your green or Don Lenzini’s persuasion?”
“Not mine.”
“What about Boston?” Jim’s aggressive tone made the hair on the back of Chase’s neck prickle. The shorthand of the conversation confused him, both men intent on saying as few words as possible.
Lenzi dismissed the question with a wave. “Greedy Irish. Our guys in the North End will work it out.”
“Are you positive there’s not another agenda?”
“Such as?”
“Who gave you up to the feds?” When Lenzi had no quick comeback, Jim pressed his point harder. “The agent in charge said he’s been trying to crack into the organization for years. Why now?”
The smirk on Lenzi’s face looked bitter. “Lenzini’s no Teflon Don, but the next best thing. No one outside the family has anything on anyone.”
“Meaning you might?”
Chase’s eyes darted between the two men, watching Lenzi’s arms fold tight across his chest, mouth drawn into a razor thin line. Their verbal sparring seemed to reach an impasse, but Chase wasn’t sure they’d resolved anything. “You guys lost me.”
Emma squeezed his hand before releasing it. She placed her palms on Lenzi’s cheeks, forcing him to look at her face again. “If he’s setting you up to be his fall guy for Eco Dawn, I go down with you. We both end up in jail. Or worse.” He stared at her, his coal black eyes unreadable. “Maybe it’s time to get out while you can. You said at lunch how you wished your life was different.”
He shook off her hands with a quick flick of his head, eyes narrowed to slits, voice little more than a growl. “Yeah? I thought that was just between you and me, babe.”
“It still is. But Tony, assume someone else found out. What if they’re punishing you for keeping secrets?”
Jealousy twisted in Chase’s gut, watching the two talking softly. He hated the way he called her babe. The intimate way they talked about secrets dredged up old memories even as he tuned out the rest of the conversation. He’d been wrong about the relationship between Emma and Lenzi. Or rather, she misled him and he’d been only too happy to believe her. Old insecurities bubbled to the surface, causing him to doubt not only her feelings, but his own as well.
Even though he’d been the one to initially take the conversation down this path, the rocket-fire volley of words between Jim and Lenzi lost him. This quieter exchange left him unmoored, uncertain of things that had seemed crystal clear only hours before. He felt like a fool for letting his emotions dictate his actions, unable to see the truth.
What am I even doing here? Leave now before it’s too late.
He should’ve stayed away from her, from this entire mess. Focused on his work and the project at hand. How had he let things get so complicated?
But he couldn’t go. Not when she could still be in danger. Chase needed to make sure things turned out okay, even if she chose to be with this mobster in the end. He closed his eyes and steeled his resolve. She’d told him from the beginning about the other guy in her life, even if she hadn’t been completely honest. He knew about her plan to live with the guy, but pursued her anyway. It was only fair for him to walk away, now that she’d made her feelings obvious.
All’s fair in love and war, as they say, but fair hurts like a son of a bitch
.
When he opened them again, concern lined Emma’s face. “Are you okay?”
Before she could take his hand, he shoved them in his pockets. “Yeah, I was confused for a bit there, but I think I’ve figured things out.” She nodded at him, still looking unsure. Lenzi and Jim moved to a back corner where they huddled in conversation. Chase overheard the phrase “WITSEC” and Emma’s frown deepened. He almost smiled, remembering how much she hated government acronyms, but that wasn’t why she looked upset.
“If Tony goes into a witness protection program, what happens to me?”
A bitter taste filled his mouth. “I’m sure the FBI keeps couples together when they make a placement.” She cocked her head and gave him a funny look. He plunged on, talking fast. “Listen, you don’t owe me any sort of explanation. We’re both adults.”
“Chase?”
He dismissed her unasked question with a shake of his head. “I’ll help the FBI connect the legal dots, but then I need to return to the city and prepare for the climate summit. I should’ve left Wednesday.”
Tears filled those turquoise eyes. “After everything we’ve shared, you want to walk away?”
“Want has little to do with it. I must’ve been crazy not to see it before, but I won’t stand between you and Tony. For now let’s focus on keeping you both safe.”
“Chase, there is no me and Tony. He’s not interested.”
He saw the sincerity in her face, confusion and hope clashing in his chest. “Then I guess he’s the one who’s crazy.”
“No. He’s gay.”
Chase swallowed hard, relief coursing through his veins.
Not a boyfriend. Not even close
. How could he have been such an idiot about things?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Emma watched the realization wash over him like a rogue wave. She felt both relieved and disappointed with his reaction. He hadn’t trusted her to tell the truth about Tony.
What does that say about my relationship with Chase? Do we even have a relationship?
Too painful to contemplate, she focused on the other problems spinning out of control through her brain. If Tony testified, it put the Eco Dawn project in jeopardy. It wasn’t too late to return the charitable donations, but she’d be out of a job because of the roles she played both at Eco Dawn and in the mayor’s office. Frankly, it might be tough to find another company willing to hire her anywhere in New York. With Tony going into witness protection, she wouldn’t have an apartment in the city anyway. And how did any of this keep her family safe? The mobsters thought she was his girlfriend. Didn’t that put her in direct danger of retaliation once he turned over any evidence? Would they burn the whole house down next time to get back at Tony? And what about Chase? Would they hurt him too?
Chase stayed focused on the first revelation. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I told you we were just friends. The rest wasn’t my secret to tell. Still isn’t,” she whispered, sliding her eyes in Tony’s direction. He didn’t seem to be paying attention to her conversation, but she knew from prior experience that very little escaped his notice.
Understanding lit Chase’s expression. “That’s what you meant just now. Someone finding out this secret and using it against him.”
Overwhelmed by the situation and all the possible scenarios, each one worse than the next, she turned to walk away. The room suddenly felt too small, the air too thick to breathe. She needed to get out of this shop before tears started to fall. A hand on her upper arm yanked her back and spun her.
Chase.
Looking at her with such intensity and longing that her entire body throbbed in response. “Listen, I can’t do this right now. If you want to leave, just go.”
“I promised to keep you safe.”
Anger welled along with the tears leaking down her cheeks. “You just told me you needed to get back for the climate summit. Go. I’ll figure something out.”
She could practically see the wheels turning, his logical brain kicking into a higher gear. “I know I’m a little slow, but give me a minute to catch up before you run out. When you said what happens to you if Lenzi flips, you meant losing your job?”