Chapter 28
Cole pulled out his phone. "I need to contact Penson and set up a meeting for tomorrow morning. Tell him I need to finish the measurements for the security proposal." He looked at Janice. “I don’t want to leave you unaccompanied—”
“I’m not going to leave the room, I promise,” she vowed. “No one knows I’m here, and your team will be in soon.”
He nodded, then dialed Charles Penson's number. It rang three times before the man's smooth voice answered.
"Mr. Iverson. I was beginning to think the storm had swallowed you whole."
"Almost did." Cole kept his tone professional, neutral.
"I rode it out in town, but I'd like to finish up those measurements tomorrow if you're available.
First thing in the morning would be ideal.
I want to make sure we capture the light conditions accurately for the camera placement recommendations. "
"Tomorrow morning." Penson paused, and Cole could almost hear the gears turning in the man's head. "Yes, that should work. I have some business to attend to in the afternoon, but the morning is free. Shall we say eight o'clock?"
"Eight works."
"That’ll be fine. I look forward to seeing what you've come up with."
Cole ended the call and stared at the phone for a long moment. Tomorrow. He'd be inside Penson's house again tomorrow, planting devices that would hopefully expose every dirty secret the man was hiding.
And Janice would be here, alone, until he got back. He turned to find her watching him, her blue eyes filled with understanding.
"It's going to work," she said quietly. "Whatever you're planning, it's going to work."
"You don't even know what I'm planning."
"I know you." She crossed the room to stand in front of him, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. "I know you're smart and careful and that you have an entire team of people just as smart and careful backing you up. Whatever happens tomorrow, you'll handle it."
Cole pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. She smelled like her shampoo and something uniquely her. It was a scent that had become essential to him in a terrifyingly short time.
"I have something for you," he said, pulling back just enough to reach into his pocket.
The pendant was a small silver lighthouse on a silver chain. It caught the light as he held it up, the detail work exquisite despite its size.
Janice's breath caught. "Cole..."
"It's not just jewelry." He unclasped the chain and fastened it around her neck, his fingers brushing the soft skin at her nape. "There's a tracker inside. State-of-the-art, nearly undetectable. As long as you're wearing this, we can find you anywhere."
She touched the pendant, her fingers tracing the lighthouse's outline. "You're worried about me."
"I'm always worried about you." He tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "But this is insurance. Just in case."
"Just in case," she repeated softly.
The moment stretched between them, heavy with everything they weren't saying. The danger and uncertainty that lurked beyond. The feelings that had grown too big to contain in such a short time.
Janice rose on her toes and kissed him, soft and sweet and full of promise. "Thank you," she whispered against his lips. "For the necklace. For the tracker. For everything."
Cole's arms tightened around her. "When this is over—"
"I know." She kissed him again. "When this is over."
They didn't talk much after that. Words seemed inadequate for what they were feeling, for the connection that had blazed to life between them in the midst of chaos and danger. Instead, they communicated in touches, in sighs, and the careful exploration of skin.
Cole laid her down on the bed with reverent hands, determined to memorize every inch of her, every little gasp that slipped from her lips.
Tomorrow he'd walk into the lion's den. Tomorrow everything could change.
But tonight, she was here, she was his, and he intended to show her exactly what that meant.
Morning came too quickly.
Cole woke and lay still with Janice’s head on his chest and his arms wrapped around her. He watched her sleep, noting the tension she’d worn on her face was gone and hoped her dreams were peaceful. He had no experience with feelings this strong, much less this strong this fast.
What was it about her that drew him in besides her obvious beauty? Was it her passion for what she did? Her dedication? Her leaping into situations that might be dangerous without being reckless but with careful planning?
He didn’t know how long he stayed and hated to leave, even though he needed to get the day started. He was careful not to wake Janice as he dressed in the darkness, but she stirred anyway, reaching for him with sleep-heavy hands.
"Stay," she murmured. "Just a few more minutes."
"Can't." He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I need to head out soon if I’m going to make it to Penson's by eight."
Janice sat up, the sheet pooling around her waist, and Cole had to physically restrain himself from climbing back into bed with her. "Promise me you'll be careful," she said.
"Always."
"I mean it, Cole." Her eyes were fully alert now, sharp with worry. "Don't take unnecessary risks. The evidence we already have might be enough. You don't need to—"
"I need to do this." He sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his. "We don’t want him to become suspicious that I’m here for any other reason than his own safety.
Penson has connections everywhere: politicians, regulatory officials, probably law enforcement too.
If we're going to bring him down, we need irrefutable proof.
Financial records, communications, something that ties him directly to the illegal operation and the corruption. "
"And if you get caught?"
"I won't." He squeezed her hand. "I know what I’m doing. In and out. Plant the devices, get the measurements to maintain cover. Penson won't suspect a thing."
She didn't look convinced, but she nodded anyway. "I'll stay here. Keep the door locked, don't answer for anyone."
"Frazier and Timothy will check in with you when they arrive. You’ve got their ID photos sent to your phone so you feel comfortable letting them in. And if anything feels wrong… anything at all, you call Logan directly. He can have local law enforcement here in minutes."
"I know." She reached for the lighthouse pendant, her fingers closing around it. "I'll be fine. Just... come back to me."
"A grizzly bear couldn't stop me."
He kissed her one last time. The kiss was long and deep and full of everything he couldn't say. Then forcing himself to walk out the door, he waited to hear the click of the lock and the jingle of the door chain.
The drive to Penson's property took longer than he’d anticipated, with the roads still treacherous with packed snow despite the clear sky overhead. Cole used the time to review their plan, running through contingencies and backup options.
The house rose into view as he rounded the final curve, all glass and timber and carefully cultivated wilderness aesthetic. Cole felt his jaw tighten at the sight of it—so much wealth, built on poisoned land with dead animals and corrupted officials.
Penson met him at the door, his smile as polished as ever. "Mr. Iverson. Good to see you survived one of our little snowstorms."
“Yes, sir. We get them in Montana, but I confess the cold turning the snow drifts into ice was a challenge.”
“I’d hoped you would call yesterday, since the storm had passed. I felt sure the town streets would have been cleared.” Penson smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I was originally waiting for another team member to meet me. They were at another jobsite and had some equipment I thought would be useful. I did make use of my time by coordinating with the system installation company. I just need a few more photos and measurements to make sure we order the right equipment.”
"Excellent, excellent." Penson stepped back, gesturing for him to come inside, his shoulders relaxing. "Please, come in. I'll let you get to work. Where would you like to start?"
"The study would be helpful," Cole said. "I want to double-check the window placements for the interior camera recommendations."
"Sounds good." Penson waved him toward the study off the grand, two-story family room.
As they passed through the room, Cole spied a woman sitting on one of the sofas, sipping from a coffee cup. She looked up, held his gaze, then simply inclined her head in greeting, saying nothing. She was dressed warmly, but he noticed a Northern Summit Resources logo on her jacket.
He dipped his head in return, but since Penson didn’t introduce her, he just continued to the study.
Once inside the room and Penson had retreated, Cole got to work. He ostensibly measured distances and angles but was actually scanning for the best location to plant the devices. Penson's computer sat on a massive oak desk, the screen dark but the tower hummed quietly beneath.
Cole reached past the computer to fiddle with the blinds, his other hand slipping a tiny device from his pocket.
The tracker was no bigger than a fingernail, designed to attach to any surface and transmit location data for up to six months.
He pressed it against the underside of the desk, feeling the adhesive grip.
Cole casually moved around the room, planting a listening device behind a row of books and another beneath a side table. Each placement was smooth, practiced, and invisible to anyone not specifically looking.
The computer was trickier. He needed physical access to install the tracking software, which meant getting Penson out of the room. Cole pulled a USB drive from his pocket as he heard footsteps from the family room. He only needed thirty seconds for Sadie to get the connection she needed.
He moved to the computer, inserted the drive, then walked to the other side of the room, counting down the seconds.
"Mr. Iverson?"
Penson stood in the doorway, one eyebrow raised. “How’s it going?”
"I’m looking at the desk placement from here," Cole said, his voice steady. "The computer cables could interfere with certain camera angles. I want to flag it for the proposal."
Penson's eyes narrowed slightly, then he smiled. "Thorough. I like that.”
"Would it be possible to take another look at the basement access points?" Cole asked. "I want to make sure our coverage extends to all entry areas."
Penson hesitated. "The basement is primarily storage."
"Security is only as strong as its weakest point," Cole pointed out smoothly. "If there's an access route we haven't accounted for, it becomes a vulnerability."
"Yes, I suppose you're right." Penson nodded. "I’ll take you down."
As Penson walked away, Cole hurried to the desk and slipped the USB drive out, shoving it into his pocket. The software had close to thirty seconds to install, hopefully enough for Sadie to analyze the data back at LSIMT. He walked quickly to catch up with Penson.
They were halfway down the basement stairs when voices echoed from the front of the house—male voices, rough and urgent.
"Mr. Penson!" someone was calling from the foyer. "Mr. Penson, we need to talk to you!"
Penson's expression flickered with annoyance, then calculation. "Excuse me for a moment." He brushed past Cole and headed toward the commotion.
Cole nodded, but followed at a distance, positioning himself where he could observe what was happening upstairs. Two rough-looking men stood in the foyer, both wearing Northern Summit jackets.
"We went to the cabin," one of them said, his voice carrying despite obvious attempts to keep it low. "The place was empty. Looked like someone left in a hurry."
Penson's back was to Cole, but his posture had gone rigid. "Empty?"
"Cleared out. No sign of the woman who’s living there."
A woman appeared from a side hallway, her expression carefully blank. "Sounds like your call to the university worked. They must have pulled her out quickly."
Penson laughed, the sound sharp and cold. "I told them I'd pull the million-dollar endowment I was going to give. Amazing how fast academic principles crumble when money's involved."
Cole kept his expression neutral even as rage boiled in his gut.
So Penson had threatened the university directly, used his wealth as a weapon to force Janice out.
The confirmation of his corruption should have been satisfying.
Instead, it just made Cole want to put his fist through the man's smug face.
"Should we keep looking?" one of the goons asked.
"No point if she's already gone." Penson waved a dismissive hand.
"The important thing is that she's not here to cause problems anymore.
Let her run back to Seattle or wherever she's from.
Without evidence, she's just another environmental activist with wild accusations and nothing to back them up. "
Cole allowed himself a small, internal smile.
Keep thinking that, you bastard. You have no idea what's coming. He walked back up the steps, keeping his expression neutral. “I’m finished in here. I’ll go outside and check the perimeter once more.
Good sight lines, though the tree coverage on the north side will need addressing. "
"Excellent." Penson's good humor had returned, and the confrontation with his employees had apparently been forgotten. "Are we nearly finished then?"
"Just a few more measurements," Cole said. "Another hour should do it." With no one assuming Janice was still in the area, he breathed easier. And staying a little longer would ensure no one would think he had anything to do with her.
He spent the next hour installing a few hidden cameras around the outside of the house. Cole didn't let himself relax until he was in the SUV, pulling away from the property. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number, needing to hear her voice, needing to know she was safe.