A Covert Affair (Deadly Ops #5)(56)

Good. Because his gut told him the center was the link. There were more missing women connected to the center. Maria had been the one to send the women to Amelia’s restaurants. It wasn’t as though Amelia had recruited them. Everything seemed to go back to that damn center. “Do you want me to talk to Amelia about getting another date with Mercado? I know he’s called her since Sunday.” Which was damn annoying even if it was good for the op. Not that Nathan could blame the guy for wanting to see Amelia again.

Sighing, Burkhart nodded and picked up a slim manila file from a mesh basket on his desk. He slid it across the desk. “She needs a date with him asap. Hell, tonight if possible. I want you to look at this, though. It’s not the end of the world, but your girl got her start in business via . . . shady means. Thought you should know.”

“I read her file.” He knew she’d been suspected of borrowing money from loan sharks. Which wasn’t something that even pinged on his radar. So what if she’d borrowed money from criminals? She’d have paid it back or she wouldn’t be in business.

“I had Karen dig a little more. It’s not just suspected, it’s confirmed. I don’t give a shit about what she did as long as she helps us now. Read it, do what you want with the knowledge.”

Nathan realized his boss was giving him this information and it had nothing to do with work. Burkhart was just looking out for him. “Thanks, I will.”

“I’m headed down to the command center. Come with me. You can—”

His cell phone rang, cutting him off. Burkhart didn’t pause but answered immediately. “Burkhart here.”

Nathan listened to half the conversation, which was mainly grunts and one-word answers. He jolted at the concerned look his boss shot him as he ended the call. Burkhart didn’t do concern. “What is it?” Nathan asked.

“That was Captain Nieto. Amelia’s been in an accident.”

Amelia wanted to swat the paramedic’s hand away as he shone a small flashlight in her eyes, but she knew he was just doing his job. She was sitting at the back of the ambulance with the doors propped open. Her heartbeat was still a little erratic and she was afraid she’d never stop shaking, but she was alive.

Sore, but alive, with no broken bones. Her chest ached from the airbag impact, but it could have been so much worse.

Whoever had run her off the road had fled, thanks to a handful of Good Samaritans. The two women she’d avoided running over saw the whole thing and ran to her rescue immediately. A few customers from her restaurant’s parking lot had also come to her aid, scaring the driver off.

She wasn’t certain, but she thought one of the women had gotten a license plate. One of them had said something about it, but everything had been a blur with the police and paramedics showing up. She really, really wished it hadn’t happened in front of her restaurant, but whatever, she was alive.

That was what mattered.

“Amelia!” Her heart jumped at the sound of a male voice calling her name. When she turned and saw Sinclair striding her way, that small spark of hope was snuffed out. She felt immediately stupid for hoping it had been Nathan. It wasn’t as if she’d freaking called him, so how would he even know? And she definitely wasn’t calling him. She didn’t want him coming over here out of pity or duty or any combination of reasons.

The paramedic turned at the sound of Sinclair’s voice and gave him a friendly nod and greeting before telling them he’d give them a couple of minutes.

“Hey, how’d you know about what happened?”

“Heard about it on the radio. Your name’s red-flagged right now anyway.”

She blinked. “What does that mean?”

“Just that if there’s a mention of you I get a call. I’m worried about you. More after today.” He sat on the back deck of the ambulance next to her. “You get a look at who did this?”

“No.” She’d already told the responding officers all this and didn’t want to hash it out again. “Everything happened so fast, it was terrifying.”

“You think it’s the same guy who came after you Friday night?”

“I honestly don’t know. I kinda hope so, though, because if there are two people out there who want to hurt me this badly . . .” She trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself. A shiver snaked through her and damn it if stupid tears didn’t sting her eyes. Way too much had happened and she was pretty much at her breaking point. It didn’t help that things between her and Nathan were all sorts of screwed up. She blinked the tears back, but they spilled over anyway.

“Aw, hell. Don’t cry.” Sinclair wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged her close.

She’d thought she could get through this without crying. She’d just wanted to finish making her statement, deal with the tow truck company, talk to her employees, then go home. That was the plan.

She liked having order in her life, and right now it seemed as if everything was all messed up. Her emotions were out of control, one of her employees was missing, and numerous women had been kidnapped for God knew what. And someone was apparently determined to kill her or at least hurt her really bad. “Sorry,” she muttered, turning her face into his shirt.

“Don’t apologize. You’ve dealt with a lot this past week. Hell, I—”

“Amelia.”