Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6)(64)

“Santa owns the construction company,” he said.

She gaped at him. “Yes, how did you know?”

“The craft elves love me.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to go out on a limb here,” he said. “And guess that Santa’s overbidding all of the so-called work and then understaffing it to keep more of the money for himself.”

“I heard his fifth wife likes cruises.”

“That would’ve been my second guess,” he said. “You realize you just smoked your second job, right?”

“Me coming back won’t be any more dangerous than it’s been,” she said. “He’s not onto me.”

Lucas sent her a steadying look and she gave him a return gaze that told him she realized he was about to say something she wasn’t going to like.

“You just messed with a dangerous guy,” he said.

She let out a low laugh. “Yeah. Well in case you haven’t noticed, all the men in my life are dangerous.”

“Look, you don’t know this because you’d have no reason to, but if you took twenty to thirty years off of Nick’s face, he resembles what Tommy Thumbs looked like back in the day. I happen to know that he’s not Tommy because he’s still got both thumbs and Tommy lost one of his to someone he crossed way back when. It’s why he used to go after people’s thumbs first. Petty revenge.”

“So you believe the driver was Santa’s brother then? Tommy?”

He shrugged. “I couldn’t see his face and he was wearing gloves. And then there’s the fact that everyone, including the authorities, believe him dead.”

“But you don’t,” she said, watching his face.

“That’s my point, Molly. I’m not sure what to believe. I need more information. But you’re on their radar now.”

“Are you mad?” she asked.

“At you? No. But I think there’s a really good chance that we’re right, that Santa’s brother is indeed Tommy Thumbs with a few decades on him, which makes him no less dangerous. He cuts people who cross him up into pieces, Molly. Some of the pieces were never found.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “But he’s laid low for a long time. He’s going to want to remain low profile.”

“True,” Lucas said. “He changed his name in the ’90s after declaring bankruptcy and walking away from a million bucks of debt and a lot of people who were missing body parts. Lying low has become his MO, but he’s wanted in God knows how many states and he’s on guard and focused. I just don’t want him to focus on you.”

“I’m wearing an elf costume,” she said. “No one has any reason to suspect me.”

“That’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

“You won’t have to,” she said and gave him a small smile. “Since you tend to stick to me like glue out here.”

He gave a ghost of a smile. “Just remember, you poured hot coffee into Nick’s lap. He’s not going to be happy with you.”

“Warm coffee,” she corrected. “And what a big baby. Trust me, I can take him again if I have to.”

He knew that. Hell, he was proud of that. She was amazing. But this was more than any of them had thought. “You know we need to bring Archer and the guys in on this,” he said.

“Hell no. They didn’t want this case.”

“It’s not about that, or proving you’re worthy of the work. It’s about your safety.”

Her smile was gone. “If you tell them, they’ll take over.”

“We could use the additional resources.”

“Fine. I’ll think about it,” she said and turned away. “I’m going back to work.”

“Molly—”

“Either watch my back or don’t,” she said without facing him. “Just don’t stop me.”

So he did the only thing he could do. He watched her back.

Two long hours later, she emerged from the bingo hall looking exhausted. “Did you get the memory stick?” she asked in lieu of a greeting.

“No. Janet got a migraine and is crashed out on the couch in the office. A couple of the elves are sitting with her drinking straight out of a bottle of cheap whiskey. They’re not going anywhere tonight.”

“Shit,” she murmured.

That about summed it up. Unable to do anything else, they headed to the car. Inside the dark interior, he looked over at her. “You were incredible tonight.”

“Yeah. So incredible you want to cut me out of this job.”

He shook his head. “I’m not going to do that to you. I’d never do that to you.”

The wariness vanished from her gaze. “No?”

“No. I just said that it’s time to think about backup on this. Backup, Molly. No one’s going to take this from you.”

She sent him a dazzling smile. Losing the battle to keep his hands off of her, he hauled her in close and kissed her.

“What was that for?” she asked breathlessly when he dropped her back into the passenger seat and drove them out of the lot.

“I have no fucking idea,” he said, eyes on the road.

“Maybe it’s because I totally handled myself tonight with Santa,” she teased.