Into the Fury (BOSS, Inc. #1)(48)

Sissy took off to another table and Ethan and Heath both dug into their food.

Ethan shoveled in a bite of crispy hash browns, then took a drink of coffee. “You know, looking at the crime scene got me thinking. Who isn’t in the system these days? DNA I can understand; it’s still fairly new. But no prints, no hospital visits, nothing that came out of the school system? Even real estate salesmen are fingerprinted these days.”

“Gotta be someone off the grid.”

“Definitely someone who lives out in the country,” Ethan said.

“Or did,” Heath added.

“We need something, anything that will point us in the right direction.”

“Maybe something will turn up.”

“Tour leaves Dallas on Sunday. We’ve got a show in Atlanta Wednesday night.”

“You think this new guy will follow the tour?”

Ethan’s shoulders tightened. “He might. If he comes after one of the women, we’ll be ready.”

Heath took a drink of his coffee. “Like I said, maybe something will turn up before then and we’ll be able to bring him in.”

Ethan nodded. “At least we’d get one of the crazy bastards off the street.”





“I’m going insane,” Meg said. “I can’t stand being cooped up in this hotel a minute more.”

“The show’s tonight,” Val reminded her. “We’re supposed to relax and get mentally prepared. And you might recall, there’s a murderer out there stalking us.”

Meg, Val, Isabel, and Carmen Marquez all sat in Meg’s suite. All of them were top models. Working together on the tour, the four of them were becoming good friends.

“I do not know about you,” Carmen said in her soft Spanish accent, “but I am going out.” She tossed the heavy, cascading black hair that fit perfectly with her big dark eyes and flawless olive complexion. “I do not care if I have to ask Bick Gallagher to take me. It would be worth sleeping with the devil himself for a little fresh air.”

All of them broke into laughter. The guy might be well-built, with the blond good looks women usually liked, but he was also a conceited jerk. No way would any of them invite him into her bed.

Meg tossed a smile at Dirk, who stood next to the elegant moss-green draperies, his shoulder propped against the wall, a frown darkening his face. Meg figured he didn’t like the thought of any of them sleeping with Bick.

“Maybe we could talk Dirk into taking us out,” Meg said sweetly, pretending he couldn’t actually hear.

Izzy and Carmen both jumped up from the sofa and hurried toward him, two lionesses on the hunt.

“You would do this for us, yes, Dirk?” Carmen leaned close. “Please say you will.”

Dirk took a step back. “No. No way in hell am I taking four women out of this hotel. God knows how much trouble you could get into.”

“We just want to get some lunch,” Meg purred.

“Somewhere nice,” Isabel added.

“Anywhere but here,” Carmen finished.

Dirk cast Val a hard glance. “What about you? I don’t hear you chiming in.”

Meg bit back a laugh at Val’s falsely innocent expression. “We wouldn’t give you any trouble, Dirk. We promise. We’d do whatever you told us.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’ll just bet.” He flicked a glance at Meg, who batted her eyelashes and tried to look seductive. One thing Dirk didn’t try to hide: He wanted her. Unfortunately, Meg also wanted him.

“Just lunch, right?” Dirk said.

Sensing victory, Meg smiled. “That’s all we have time for. We don’t even have time to shop.”

Dirk looked relieved at the news. “Where do you want to go?”

The girls glanced around. “Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek?” Izzy suggested. “I was there a few years ago with my sister.”

“A mansion . . .” Carmen said thoughtfully. “Sí, that sounds like the perfect spot for lunch.”

When Val and Meg grinned and nodded their agreement, Dirk blew out a breath. “Fine. I’ll call down and arrange for a limo to pick us up. We can wait for the car in the lobby. Let’s go.”

Carmen’s black brows shot up. “Dios mío, what are you talking about?” She planted her hands on her hips. “We cannot go dressed like this.” She looked down at her khaki Capri pants and flat brown sandals. “We must all go and change.”

“Jesus, I knew this was a bad idea.”

“You said we could go.” Isabel pouted, her full red lips curling down in a way that made her look even sexier than usual.

“Please, Dirk,” Meg pleaded. “It won’t take us long to get ready.”

Dirk grunted. “I’ll believe that when I see it.” Izzy and Carmen both opened their mouths to argue, but he held up a hand. “Okay, fine. I’ll have the limo pick us up in thirty minutes. Will that work?”

“I’ll make a lunch reservation for twelve thirty,” Val said, smiling, clearly eager to go along with the plan.

“Fine.” Dirk walked to the door and pulled it open, walked out into the hall to talk to the guard. Izzy’s suite was on Meg’s floor, Val’s two floors up. Carmen’s suite was on the floor below.