He shakes his head. “The van was already rigged to blow.”
I’m about to pooh-pooh that when I realize he’s earnest. “The van was rigged to blow, and yourantoward it?”
“I ran away from it.” He cups my face tenderly. “To make sure you weren’t near it when it blew. I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Even himself? I frown. “Who rigged the van?”
He silently assesses me. Finally, he says, “I’ll tell you what we suspect, but then I get to kiss you.”
My lips part as if they’re eager to agree to his terms. I clamp my mouth shut. Then I imagine kissing him and know it’s not going to be enough.
33
LUKE
Iwatch Harper process what I just said, and I can see the exact moment her cop brain kicks into overdrive. She’s running scenarios, calculating probabilities, trying to figure out who else would have reason to destroy that van.
I wonder when she’s going to put together that no one in that vehicle was supposed to make it out alive.
I can’t tell her everything—she’s not part of the team, and I can’t risk the operation when she admittedly, and justifiably, is loyal to the sheriff’s department. Operational security exists for a reason. The more people who know, the more exposure points. The more ways it can go wrong.
Except Harper isn’t just “people.” She’s already in this. When her dad wasn’t doing anything about it, Harper brought us the evidence Emma’s father had gathered regarding Turner when she thought her friend was in danger. We don’t know if Sheriff Garrett is on Turner’s payroll or just turning a blind eye, but Harper would see either option as a betrayal.
I just don’t know if she realizes how involved she is, and I’m not going to endanger anyone I care for by making assumptions.
“I don’t know who blew up the van,” I say finally, keeping my voice low even though we’re alone out here. “But we suspect it’s Turner or someone in his organization.”
Her brow furrows like she’s trying to fit the pieces together. “Why Turner?”
“He’s into some bad things.”
“Bad things,” she draws out, frowning. I can see her putting two and two together. “Like kidnapping?”
I sigh. I have to tell her. Forewarned is forearmed. “Like running a trafficking ring.”
Harper grips my forearms. “You have proof?”
“Yeah.” I don’t tell her about the photos Emma damn near got herself killed over, or about Lily and her sister. Not my stories to tell. “But it’s bigger than that. He’s not operating alone, Harper. He’s got ties to organized crime and he’s a hub in a network that spans multiple states.”
Her face goes pale. “How do you know this?”
I shrug. “We’ve been keeping an eye on things.”
“Because Eli Turner was harassing Emma, to buy her land,” she concludes. “Is Cole still after it?”
Cole Turner wants a lot of things. The land is one of them. Me, Mason, and Jake are another. Turner’s operating under the delusion that we owe him a debt and should work for him.
A couple weeks ago, one of his associates grabbed Lily. We rescued her and eliminated the guy responsible. Instead of taking offense, Turner decided we’d done him a favor by removing a problem and, therefore, already working for him.
The man’s logic has more holes than a shotgun target, but that hasn’t stopped him yet.
I brush back a strand of hair that blows in Harper’s face. “Don’t worry about Turner. We’re taking care of it.”
“Taking care of it,” she repeats, and there’s an edge to her voice. “What does that mean?”
“Exactly what you think it does.”
She shakes her head, frustration radiating off her. “Luke, I’m a deputy. This is exactly the kind of thing that should go through proper channels?—”