Under Pressure (Body Armor #1)(63)



Sahara gave that some thought. “He must be successful, given the men who hire him. My PI said that he stays in high demand.”

“Who is your PI?”

“A very trustworthy person. That’s all you need to know.” She followed that rebuke with an explanation. “I, too, need to keep some things private.”

Leese gave her a long look, then let it go. “Some of what Coleman does is legit, probably as cover. If you do an aboveboard job here and there, it helps to hide the dirt, blood and bodies.”

Knowing he was right, Cat wrapped her arms around herself. Tesh was the undertaker...and he’d always seemed obsessed with her.

Sahara patted Leese’s tense forearm. “We’re looking into it, I promise. Anyone Tesh might be associated with, who he’s dedicated to, visited and who he occasionally works for. But given his discretion, that’s going to take more time. Somehow it’s all related.”

Leese gave a grim nod. “Cat, Tesh, Webb...the truth.”

“I sense Webb Nicholson is the weakest link, our best bet at finding answers. He’s cagey when he leaves the house, having his driver do a lot of evasive moves so that he’s difficult to follow without being obvious. But eventually we’ll figure it out.”

On the arm of the chair, Leese’s hand curled into a fist. “He’s cagey because he has something to hide.”

“Possibly,” Sahara agreed. “But many wealthy people are the same. Guarding their privacy is important to them, which is one reason Body Armor gets so much business. We, too, can be discreet.” Turning smug, Sahara said, “Our loyalty is part of what will carry us through. The villains in this play have power, but so do I.”

“Powerful clients?”

She smiled. “I’ve done high-profile work, and I’ve kept some jobs very quiet. People owe me favors, and when necessary, they’ll gladly repay.”

Somehow, Cat knew that while Sahara might have done some things very secretly, she’d never accepted a job to hurt others.

Without looking convinced, Leese said, “Keep me posted on whatever you find.”

“There’s one more thing.”

Wondering if she could deal with more, Cat eased farther around the wall, ensuring she could see them both and that she wouldn’t miss a single word.

“It’s possible that the agency is being watched. Not visibly,” Sahara explained, “but from the cover of other businesses.”

“High windows,” Leese confirmed.

“Yes. Tall, adjacent buildings make it pretty easy to spy.”

Biting back the groan, Cat put a hand to her heart. So even here, in this sanctuary, she couldn’t hide. She couldn’t open the curtains, couldn’t enjoy the balcony...

“I’d checked for that myself,” Leese said, “but I couldn’t find anything concrete. Not from here.”

“You’re where you’re needed most,” Sahara assured him.

“The suite is great and we both appreciate it, but it’s not complete insulation. Unfortunately, nothing is. I need to know exactly what I’m dealing with.”

Sahara sat a little straighter. “I can tell you which businesses have new hires with sketchy backgrounds, and which businesses might be susceptible to infiltration, but you are not to act on it, not alone and not without my approval.” After that stern warning, she patted his arm. “I won’t have one of my prized agents getting hurt.”

Droll, Leese said, “Your lack of faith rivals Cat’s.” He covered her hand with his own. “Speaking of that, I hope you’re taking extra precautions as well?”

“As a matter of fact, Justice is currently my very own private protection.”

“Lord,” Leese groaned.

“He’s actually pretty good. I’ve been watching him, gauging his situational awareness. He sees everything, and he’s very suspicious. Perfect qualities for a bodyguard.”

“Suspicious, huh?”

Sahara smiled. “True, he stands out, especially in the company I often keep. And he’s a bit too preoccupied with pretty ladies, but he’s getting better. It doesn’t help that the ladies look back, but at least the men seem wary of him. Of course, the way he watches them is different, far more menacing.” She laughed at that. “He has a very effective death stare.”

“He honed it in the cage, trying to use it to intimidate other fighters.”

“I gather it didn’t work on you?”

“Different weight class,” Leese said. “But when he fought, yeah, sure, sometimes his size and attitude gave him an edge.”

“What does Catalina think of him?”

“She seems to like him okay.” Leese turned his head and looked right at her from where she peeked around the corner. “Isn’t that right, Cat?”

Busted.

“You can quit eavesdropping now. We’re done discussing business.”

Feeling self-conscious with her towel-covered head and thrown-together outfit, Cat stepped out. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” Leese said.

She lifted her chin. “No, I’m not.” She had a right to know...everything.

Even though she kept secrets? Cat winced, ignored her conscience and came closer.

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