Chapter Five
Colleen Kavanagh, Bancroft Risk Group’s office coordinator, arrived with four garment bags in one hand and a black equipment case in the other.
She was in her mid-fifties, trim and polished, with a sleek silver-blonde bob, cool blue-gray eyes, and understated makeup.
A structured wool coat hung open over tailored charcoal trousers and a fine-knit top.
Small silver earrings caught the light when she turned her head, and her low black loafers made considerably more sense for hauling half a wardrobe than heels would have.
“Thomas said you needed options.”
Her attention moved from me to Geo, then toward the table already covered with notes for the Halloween operation.
“I brought dresses, shoes, accessories, and the equipment he requested. Anything you don’t want goes back with me.”
“I like you already.”
Colleen smiled. “Most people do when I show up carrying clothes someone else is paying for.”
Geo took the equipment case from her.
I’d given him my dress and shoe sizes earlier, along with a firm refusal to spend an evening trying to run in six-inch heels. Beyond that, I’d left the choices to whoever Bancroft trusted to solve problems like emergency casino wardrobes.
Apparently that person was Colleen.
She hung the garment bags along the exposed brick wall and opened the first one enough for me to see black fabric and a flash of silver.
“That one might work,” I said.
Geo glanced over from the equipment case. “Can you move in it?”
“I haven’t even put it on yet.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Colleen glanced between us.
“I’m going to pretend this isn’t my problem.”
A laugh slipped out of me.
She showed me the shoe boxes and accessories while Geo checked everything Bancroft had sent.
Four black dresses hung against the exposed brick wall.
Geo opened the equipment case and removed the small tracker we’d discussed that afternoon.
Tomorrow, I was going back to The Exchange.
We’d spent hours deciding how to keep me alive when I did.
We still hadn’t talked about what happened between us if everything went right.
Geo set the tracker on the table beside a compact receiver.
“Do you want to try the dresses before we test this?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“That was almost thoughtful.”
“It was practical.”
“Of course it was.”
His mouth moved slightly.
I carried the first two garment bags into my room, added two pairs of shoes, and locked the door while I changed.
The first dress was beautiful and useless. It was long black satin, narrow through the legs, with enough fabric around my ankles to turn a fast exit into an emergency-room visit.
I opened the door.
Geo looked up.
His eyes moved from my face to the dress and lingered.
“Well?”
“No.”
I laughed.
“You could pretend to think about it.”
“You asked whether I could help choose something you could move in.”
“I asked whether you thought it would work.”
“It won’t.”
I stepped farther into the room and lifted one leg as much as the skirt allowed.
“Fair.”
Geo’s attention dropped to the exposed stretch of my thigh.
His expression changed.
“Definitely no.”
“That sounded less practical.”
“It was still practical.”
“Your face disagrees.”
He folded his arms.
“Try another one.”
I went back into my room smiling.
The second dress was better.
It was black, fitted through the waist and hips, with a slit that stopped high enough to let me move without turning into something Antonio would’ve booked by the hour. The neckline dipped but left enough fabric to hide the tracker, and narrow silver beading traced one side of the bodice.
I put on a pair of low black heels with ankle straps and walked out.
Geo stopped pretending to study the equipment.
I turned once.
“Well?”
“That one works.”
“That quickly?”
“You can walk normally.”
“I’m touched by your romance.”
He met my eyes.
“You also look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
He didn’t look away for another second.
Then he pointed toward my right side.
“The tracker can sit inside the dress there. Bancroft included two mounting options. We’ll test both before the event.”
I glanced down at the silver detail.
“Will it show?”
“Not if we position it correctly.”
I tried the other two long enough to rule them out, then put the second dress back on.
“And the shoes?”
“Walk faster.”
“Here?”
“Unless you want me to take you outside.”
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough men trying to get me out of secure buildings this week.”
His expression changed immediately.
Colleen gathered the three rejected dresses, extra shoes, and accessories, made sure Geo had everything Bancroft sent, then left with the unused wardrobe.
Once the reinforced door locked behind her, the safe house felt quieter.
I crossed the room toward him.
“I’m okay.”
“I can see that.”
“You got very serious.”
“You were almost taken yesterday.”
“Yes.”
Geo’s hand settled at my waist, light enough that I could step away.
I didn’t.
“That doesn’t mean I can’t joke about it.”
“I’m aware.”
I leaned in and kissed him.
It wasn’t the desperate kind of kiss we’d shared after he caught me. I meant it to be quick.
Geo let it stay quick.
That somehow made me want another one.
Instead, I stepped back.
“I’m changing before you become a security problem.”
He gave the dress one more slow glance.
“I’m already a security problem.”
“That’s surprisingly self-aware.”
I went back to my room.
When I returned in my black T-shirt and charcoal pants, Geo had the tracker connected to the receiver.
He tapped the secure phone on the table.
“Locke’s ready.”
We called him together.
Locke answered on the first ring.
“Tell me you’ve tested everything before calling.”
Geo stared at the phone.
“We’re calling to test it.”
“Of course you are.”
I sat beside Geo at the table.
“Colleen brought enough clothing to make me briefly forget someone might try to kill me at the Halloween bash.”
“That sounds like Colleen.”
“You know her?”
“I’ve dealt with Bancroft Risk Group before. Thomas doesn’t function without her.”
Geo picked up the tracker.
“He functions.”
“Not as well.”
I smiled.
Geo handed me the device.
“There’s a recessed button on the side. Hold it for two seconds.”
I did.
The tracker vibrated once against my fingertip.
Locke went quiet.
Then he said, “I have the alert. Location is live.”
“What about audio?” Geo asked.
“I can hear both of you.”
I leaned toward the phone.
“Can you hear me judging how many times Geo is going to make us test this?”
“Yes.”
Geo ignored me.
“Recording?”
“Running.”
“Delay?”
“Almost none.”
Geo held out his hand for the tracker.
I didn’t give it to him.
“It works.”
“It does.”
“Then why are you reaching for it?”
“I’m testing the secondary mount.”
Locke sighed.
“I’m going to mute you for thirty seconds while you two argue about adhesive.”
“We’re not arguing,” Geo said.
“We’re absolutely arguing,” I said.
Locke laughed.
We went through the rest of the plan without rebuilding everything we’d already decided.
Locke confirmed that the mirrored feed would stay with him off-site.
Geo confirmed the exterior vehicle position and secondary exit.
I repeated what I was supposed to do if casino security tried to move me anywhere we hadn’t agreed on.
“I don’t go,” I said. “If something forces a separation, I trigger the alert the second I think I need it.”
“And if you get another warning?” Locke asked.
“I tell Geo.”
“Immediately,” Geo added.
I looked at him.
“Yes, immediately.”
Locke’s voice turned serious.
“I’ll be listening while you’re at the casino. If you trigger that device, I treat it as real until you tell me otherwise.”
“Good.”
Geo nodded.
“That’s what I need.”
“Anything else?”
Geo looked at me.
I shook my head.
“We’re good.”
“Then eat something and get some sleep,” Locke said.
“You’ve been talking to Geo too much.”
“He has one or two sensible habits.”
“Please don’t encourage him.”
Geo ended the call before Locke could answer.
I stared at him.
“That was rude.”
“He was finished.”
“He was about to say something.”
“It was probably about me.”
“That’s why I was waiting to hear it.”
Geo set the secure phone aside.
“You need food.”
I pointed at him.
“See? Encouraged.”
We ate at the table. Geo heated chicken, rice, and vegetables from the safe-house refrigerator. I drank water. He did too.
We skipped the wine.
The garment bag with the dress hung along the wall. The tracker rested beside Geo’s hand. The equipment case waited open near his chair.
I pushed a piece of chicken around my plate.
“What happens after the operation?”
Geo looked across the table at me.
I put down my fork.
“I don’t mean the investigation.”
“I figured.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
I sat back.
“We haven’t talked about what happened between us.”
“We talked before it happened.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
“No.”
Geo set down his fork too.
For a few seconds, we sat there without eating.
I glanced toward the garment bag.
“We’re making plans for the casino like there’s a reasonable chance someone inside wants to abduct me.”
“There is.”
“And somehow the part making me nervous right now is asking whether the man I slept with plans to pretend it didn’t matter when this is over.”
Geo’s face went still.
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“You didn’t say what you would do.”
He leaned back.
“I met you yesterday morning.”
“I’m aware.”
“You were under suspicion for murder. Two men tried to take you. I moved you here. You told me something about your past you didn’t owe me. Then you asked me to chase you through my safe house.”
“When you put it that way, we’re very efficient.”
His mouth almost curved.
“I’m trying to tell you why I haven’t pushed this.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t want you wondering whether being protected by me came with something attached.”
“It doesn’t.”
“No.”
“But that isn’t the same as not wanting something.”
Geo held my eyes.
“I want you.”
My pulse picked up.
“You already had me.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
I stayed still.
Geo’s voice lowered.