Chapter 33
33
M arco kissed Theresa’s lips softly.“You good?”
She nodded. “I’m good. But now I’m pissed. I don’t want to leave yet, not until we figure this all out. For one thing, if Kelsey is dirty, I don’t want her working at the Sandbar. I don’t want her getting Margo and Jace in trouble. I don’t want her profiting from being dirty.”
Marco huffed out a breath. “I know. I get what you mean. We can take a different approach, just tell Jace and Margo that we have suspicions.”
“I don’t want to do that. I want to know what those suspicions are. I want to know why she’s here. We know she lied. She doesn’t have a father who owns a paper packaging company.”
“Okay, so what’s your plan?”
“I’m going to get her attention. As soon as I see that she notices me, I’ll walk out and head to the restroom. You’re welcome to come and stand nearby and make sure everything is okay. If it looks like she’s trying to lure me into something, you’ll all be there. But I want to know what she’s up to.”
Marco’s stomach twisted. He knew they had a job to do, and he willingly accepted their role in it. But if Kelsey was dirty, if she was working for the Celtics or someone associated with them, they could have more manpower out there than they realized.
“Mitch, what do you think?” Marco asked.
Mitch shook his head. “You know, I think it could be a setup. But as long as we’re prepared and ready, we can keep Theresa safe. And Theresa, no heroics. Do you understand? Just do what we talked about. Let Marco and I handle the rest.”
He watched her throat constrict as she swallowed. Her beautiful brown eyes locked onto his.
“I won’t do anything heroic. I just want to flush her out.”
“Okay.”
Marco held her gaze a moment longer, then leaned in and kissed her lips softly.
“Okay.”
Mitch clapped his hands together. “All right, give me a minute. I’m going to text some local PD friends and have them stay close by. For now, why don’t you two head back to the ballroom and walk around? Get Kelsey’s attention. I’ll position myself in the hallway near the women’s restroom and act like I’m taking an important business call. Most people here will understand that.”
“Sounds good,” Marco agreed.
He held out his arm, and Theresa locked hers with his as they entered the ballroom.They sauntered around the edge of the room, scanning for Kelsey. It didn’t take long.
“There she is,” Theresa murmured.
Marco followed her line of vision and spotted Kelsey deep in conversation with two men he didn’t recognize. Both wore tuxedos, and their discussion looked intense. Kelsey seemed almost… scared.
They moved closer, and just as they neared, Kelsey’s eyes met his. Then she flicked her gaze to Theresa.
She saw them. Together.Her eyes narrowed.She said something to the men she was with, then began walking toward them.
Marco looked down at Theresa. “Here she comes.”
“All right,” Theresa responded. “I’m heading toward the women’s bathroom. Don’t be far behind.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Theresa turned and walked toward the exit nearest the restrooms. Marco watched her until she reached the door, then Kelsey was right in front of him.
“And what are you two doing together?” she asked, her tone sharp.
Marco grinned. “We’re having a good time, thank you very much.”
Kelsey shrugged. “You know what I mean.”
“And you know what I mean.”
Kelsey’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. Then, without another word, she turned and strode toward the restroom exit.
Marco followed, careful not to seem too obvious. But he wasn’t the only one watching.The two men Kelsey had been speaking to were watching him closely.
His gut tightened. He whispered, "Kelsey was talking to two men and it looked like she received a scolding. They’re working together."He stepped through the same exit Theresa and Kelsey had gone through, keeping his pace measured. He murmured quietly to Mitch’s people.
“Kelsey’s following Theresa to the women’s bathroom. I'm following as well, and the two men Kelsey was with earlier are following me.”
As he entered the hallway, he saw Theresa step into the restroom.
Kelsey was about ten steps behind.Marco moved closer to the bathroom door, not too close, but close enough.And then he thought… Why do I care if I look like a perv?This place was full of perverts. Full of disgusting criminals.Why should he care?
He took another step closer;then he heard it.
A struggle.Raised voices.A scuffle.Marco shoved forward, pushing open the door.
“Need help in the women’s bathroom...now!” He yelled to Mitch's people.
When he stepped inside, rage flew through him.