Deadly Promises (Tracers #2.5)(24)

“I’m with the FBI, Miss Caprice. We have a search warrant for your house.”

“Why?” Jeremy asked since CeCe had gone rigid.

“Because she’s a Canadian citizen and doesn’t have a gun permit.”

Hell, Jeremy had no choice. Besides he took the dive under the bus for everyone else, he might as well take it for CeCe. “She doesn’t have a gun. I had the gun last night.”

“But he didn’t shoot it so is that a big deal?” she asked.

Denton smiled. “That’s something we’ll discuss downtown.”

Jeremy turned to her. “Go home and wait until you hear from me.”

“Actually,” Denton interjected. “She’s coming with us to answer questions about the man found in her house last night.”





Six

So this was what an interrogation room looked like? The movies got the blank off-white walls and sterile feel right.

CeCe took a deep breath and wished she hadn’t. A lingering odor of despair and fear clung to everything in the room.

Or maybe the fear was all hers.

She continued to sit with her hands folded in front of her, glancing from time to time at the two-way glass.

When the door finally opened, in came Special Agent Al Denton, the wiry man with no personality. His dark suit was stereotypical of what she’d imagine FBI agents wore, but that was only a guess on her part. The FBI was a U.S. agency and her family had always been in Ontario, except Vinny who moved to D.C. after receiving his law degree several years back. But he swore his work here was all completely legal so she hoped this didn’t create any problems for him.

How could it since she hadn’t done anything wrong?

“Can I get you anything, Miss Caprice?” Denton’s hair had been black at one time, but the short tufts were peppered with gray. Nicotine clung to his clothes, wafting through the room when he closed the door and leaned against it.

She shook her head. “No thanks. Why am I here when someone broke into my home?”

“What do you know about Sam the Man?”

She frowned, wondering where this was going. “Never heard of him.”

“What about Dorvan or Starface?”

“Nope.” Her family had always said less was more. She wanted to ask who these men were, but Vinny said never show an interest in anything. The minute he got back to Atlanta and found out about this he’d want her packed and moved to Ontario before the end of the week.

No more. She was getting through this and staying put. Jeremy hadn’t said it in so many words, but she could tell he cared about her. More than as a friend or neighbor. She wasn’t letting her family run off the man she wanted to see every morning she woke up.

“So you’re claiming Dorvan was just breaking and entering?” Denton pressed.

“Is that the name of the guy who threatened to kill me in my living room last night?” She’d asked that in as sarcastic a voice as she could muster but clenched her hands together in her lap to hide her nervousness. She’d learned how to verbally fence with the best of them after listening to Vinny over the years. But Denton’s insinuation that Dorvan might know her raised the hair along her arms. Was he suggesting that Dorvan might be more than a sicko who had entered her home only to attack her?

As if that wasn’t terrifying enough.

“Yes, that was the man arrested.” Denton stood away from the door and crossed his arms. “And you didn’t have any photos or videotapes he wanted?”

Photos and videotapes? “What are you insinuating?” She sat forward in the chair, hands balled into fists. “That I do some kind of porn work?”

Denton’s eyebrows snapped down over a confused look, then he relaxed and shook his head. “Don’t get cute with me.”

“I’m not. What kind of photos?”

He studied her with a flat gaze before his mouth curved in a wry smile. “Okay, let’s pretend you don’t know. A memory card with photos and a video of two men talking, making a deal to join forces for a criminal… operation.”

CeCe leaned back. Please don’t let her family be connected to any of this. The DeMitris were no longer a major underworld operation since her brothers had started shifting into legal ventures years back, but dear old dad still had contacts and operated illegal gambling venues in Ontario.

She asked in a calmer voice, “Why do you think I have anything to do with this Dorvan character other than his breaking into my house?”

“Because of your consorting with a prior felon, for one reason.”

“What? Who?” Her throat closed up. But she guessed where he was going with this.

“Your boyfriend, Jeremy Sunn.” The federal agent lifted away from where he’d been leaning and took a step toward the table between them.

CeCe said silent thanks that Jeremy had shared his past with her. His honesty outweighed having a record as a teen and it was in that moment when he told her the truth that she realized how much she cared for him.

Her first thought upon waking up in his arms this morning was to rush home before Vinny came back.

But her second thought squelched that urge.

She was in love with Jeremy and she didn’t love halfway. He’d stepped between her and danger last night. She’d protect him just as fiercely, even if it meant going up against her family she’d started explaining about this morning. As soon as she had a chance to talk to Vinny, CeCe intended to tell Jeremy everything. He deserved honesty too.