“ARE YOU THE THIEF?” CHRISSIE ASKED forlornly when he stood up to pull himself together, his thoughts shifting as he checked the time.
He shook his head and kissed the end of her nose. They’d finally breached the gap between them. He was happy, and it was perfect timing, because he’d just noticed a car purring past the window in the front parking lot of the building, headlights off. He ducked his head down. This is what he’d been waiting for. He knew who the thief was, and he’d already got the evidence he needed. Tonight was his last evening on the job, and Chrissie had made it all that much more pleasant waiting to close the case.
She was pulling her bra and top into place and she gave him a curious look.
He wanted to kiss her again, but there wasn’t time for any more canoodling. Not right now. “Where’s your car parked?”
She frowned. “At the back of the building, why?”
“Mine, too.” The thief had pulled up at the front and wouldn’t know there was anyone else in the building. Reaching for her hand, he dropped to a squat and pulled her down with him.
“What the hell are you doing?” She fell against him and he moved her down onto the floor, pushing her onto her hands and knees.
“Quickly, crawl under the desk, I’ll stay behind you.”
“What’s going on?” She looked so cute with her knickers still trailing from one ankle and her skirt at half-mast over her gorgeous bare ass cheeks.
He gave her a quick slap on the behind. “Get moving.”
Her mouth opened in surprise and she wriggled provocatively, one hand going to the place where he’d smacked her. Interesting. She liked that. “Our code thief is about to walk in.”
“Are you sure? I mean…it could be Henry, the security guard. He should be here to lock up by now.”
“Nope. Henry was placed under arrest earlier this evening. Unfortunately he’s in cahoots with the thief. He’s been leaving the building accessible on prearranged nights.” She stared at him, uncomprehending, but there wasn’t time to explain his role. “Now move your sexy tush under the desk and stay quiet.”
“This is what you were waiting in here for,” she said, wasn’t it?”
“Move!”
Still she hesitated, a question in her eyes. Without further ado, he manhandled her under the desk and then sat in the chair. Her tousled blond head popped up between his knees a moment later. “Are you serious, the code thief is coming into the building now?”
“You’re finally catching on.” Perhaps he shouldn’t have said that, because she glared at him. She was a fiery type, but he liked that about her. She was so keen to find the thief herself, she was bound to be annoyed. Flicking open his phone, he pressed the speed dial number for his sidekick, who was waiting to close in with the police in tow. “The target is on the way into the building now.”
“We’re on it,” came the reply. “Saw the approach and we’re moving in behind the vehicle.”
He snapped the phone shut and took one last glance at Chrissie. She opened her mouth to speak, but he touched his fingers to her lips. “Hush now, it’s time for the showdown.”
A door clicked open in the outer office. He settled back in the chair, making sure he was shrouded in gloom. The thief wouldn’t even realize he was in here until it was too late. He felt Chrissie’s hand on his leg, but a shadow filled the doorway and he watched as the thief entered the room.
“Something you forgot, Theresa?” He flicked the desk lamp on.
“Shit!” She clutched at her chest. “I mean, yes, I…Something in my drawer. Why are you still in here?” She was trying to pull herself together, but it was too late.
“I’m investigating the security. That’s why I’m here.” The hand on his leg tightened.
“Oh.” Theresa’s attention flitted about the room. “Good,” she added. “I hadn’t realized they’d taken that step.”
“Yup, they’re right on the case. In fact—” he leaned forward in the chair “—I installed closed-circuit cameras on day three of my placement here. And, as you’ve probably already guessed, that means we have footage of the thief in action. Twice this week.”
Her eyes rounded.
“You’ve been a busy girl, haven’t you, selling out your employer?”
She backed to the door, her hand grappling for the wall.
“Don’t bother running. It’s not worth it. I have all the evidence I need, and you won’t get far.” A flashing blue light from outside the window bounced around the walls. Cursing, she turned on her heel and fled.
Hard though it was, Liam resisted the urge to pursue. He’d let his sidekick take it up, because he wanted to make sure Chrissie was okay. He was more concerned about her right now. And once he’d given his handover statement, he was thinking they’d get dinner, and then have some more of what they’d just shared a taste of.
He stood up and offered his hand.
When she emerged she pointed one finger at him. “I worked it out while I was stuck under there—I know who it is you reminded me of.”
“What?” He’d been hoping she’d slip readily back into his arms, filled with awe after witnessing the reveal on the case she’d been so fascinated with.
She shook her head, hauling her skirt into place as she did so. “It kept bugging me who you look like, right from when I first saw you. Then, when you said you were an investigator, it clicked. You’re related to that TV investigator bloke, that Benjamin O’Neil, aren’t you?”
Man, that was the last thing he expected her to say. “Yes, but I am an official. I work for a reputable company. Ben’s a…Well, he’s a loose canon.” Baby bro Ben seemed hell-bent on making a name for himself by breaking and entering, all in the name of uncovering the truth for some cutting-edge TV show. It wasn’t going down well with the rest of the family. They were all worried about his safety when he stepped outside of the law.
“I knew it.” Just then she glanced at the scene outside the window, where the police were involved in a scuffle with Theresa. Just for a moment, Liam caught a flash of dismay in her eyes. She was gutted, but she’d been pals with Theresa and obviously hadn’t suspected her. A moment later she returned her attention to him, folding her arms over her chest and giving him a terse glance. “You’ve made a fool out of me.”
What? “Chrissie! I have not. It was my job.” He pulled her against him, annoyance biting into him at her accusation, his hands locked around her shoulders. Resistance poured out of her, that stubborn streak of hers rising rapidly to the surface again.
“I knew the thief had to be an insider,” she declared, and she was plenty annoyed herself.
Liam tried to get a handle on her—which he was discovering was a pretty hard task. He never would have predicted this particular departure in her mood. What the hell was a man supposed to do? “Of course you did. You’re a very intelligent woman.”
“Apparently not.” Color flared in her cheeks. “You should have told me you were a security person, instead of letting me make a fool of myself.”
“Oh, come on, I couldn’t take a risk like that. You might have let it slip, given her a chance to cover up and get away.”
Her lips tightened, and her eyes shone with fury in the gloom. She wrestled herself free of his grasp. “You bastard. You used me tonight, to…to stay in here, and to keep yourself amused.”
Oh, boy, she really was mad. He reached for her. “You didn’t complain at the time. Besides, you didn’t make a fool of yourself.”
She backed away, hands up. “Don’t you dare touch me!”
She’d gone loopy, but for some ludicrous reason it made him want her all the more. He made a move, but she was already headed out the door. He began to go after her and then forced himself to stop. Something was really bugging her, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. She needed time to cool her heels, get used to what had gone on here this evening, in every way. But he wasn’t going to let her get away that easy. Not after what had gone on between them, back there on the desk. No way.