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“No,” Mason argued. “It won’t be like witness protection.”
“It’ll be worse.” Avery gestured at Paul. “He’s not helping the government. He’ll have zero official support.”
Mason growled softly. “He won’t need any.”
“Whatever you say,” she agreed placidly.
“I’ve got resources,” Mason announced. “My team and I’ll have no trouble keeping him safe.”
Frustration constricted her throat. There was confidence and then there was megalomania. She’d been on this case for a couple of weeks, and even she didn’t know who pulled the strings. “You have no idea what you’re up against here,” she insisted.
Mason shook his head. “Give me five minutes. My team’ll have––”
Avery cut in. “That mechanic Paul replaced? He’s dead. And he’s not the first one. Rain Bay silences liabilities.”
Mason’s jaw tightened. “Exactly why Paul’s not going back there.”
Ignoring the determined SEAL, she focused on his brother. “It’s exactly why you need to. I need hard evidence to take to my superiors. The Bureau will reopen the case and you can jet. Just another day or two. Help me put these people out of business and you’ll get your life back.”
Now Mason’s mouth dropped open. “Get his life back? You’re crazy if you think I’m letting him go back there.” He crossed his arms. “He’s done, effective immediately. The threat level is way too high.”
Paul interrupted stubbornly. “I’ll do it.”
Mason scowled, voice hardening. “No. You won’t.”
“Yeah, actually I will.” Paul focused on her. “He’s my brother, not my daddy. I’m in.”
The rugged SEAL looked like he’d just swallowed a stone. He raised his arms, anchoring his large hands against the front and back seats, as if tempted to shove them apart. Then he pinned her with a steely look. “The only way this goes down is if I’m involved. Where Paul goes, I go. Which makes me your new partner, Agent Ellis.”
Avery hesitated. Both the Ortiz men were unknown quantities. Especially Mason. But one glance at his resolute expression and she knew he wasn’t backing down.
He glared at her, jaw tight. “Your choice.”
Paul slapped the steering wheel. “Yeah man, let’s kick some butt and take some names.”
Avery turned away, staring out at the rain-slick street. Not a contingency she’d expected. She wasn’t big on partners, especially one she had no idea if she could trust. Ortiz might rat her out to her boss before she could get the go-ahead. Or take matters into his own hands.
He didn’t look like a hothead, more the opposite, actually. But who knew? People did strange things under pressure.
Just how desperate was she to make a case against Rain Bay?
Very. Even more so confirming that they were smuggling meds. Were the drugs even real? If so, they weren’t getting to their intended recipients. If they were fake, people who needed medications were ingesting who knew what.
Devastating outcomes either way.
She studied the older Ortiz from under lowered lashes. The man did have a presence. If he was legit, having an overqualified partner might not be the worst thing.
It wasn’t like she had much choice. Without Paul on the inside, her investigation was pretty much dead in the water anyway.
She lifted a silent prayer to her Savior and took a leap of faith. “Fine. But I have a couple conditions of my own.”
Mason looked slightly stunned by her audacity.
“Number one. We do this by the book,” she insisted. “Whatever evidence we come across has to be gathered legally. I can’t risk the case being thrown out on a technicality. Are we clear?”
“Crystal.” He rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms. “The second?”
“No team. I shouldn’t even let you tag along, let alone your team.”