Page 29 of Dangerous Affair (The Phoenix Three #2)
I t was the morning after they’d arrived back in Myrtle Beach, and they were in The Phoenix Three’s war room again.
“The lab results came back on the lake water,” Grayson said as he held up the vial containing the sample they’d taken from the drum.
He eyed the colorless liquid. “The lab found concerning levels of PERC in the water.”
“What’s that?” Quinn asked.
Grayson set the vial on the table. “Tetrachloroethylene, a chemical commonly used by textile mills and dry cleaners. The chemical has been linked to several kinds of cancer both in adults and children. The EPA has proposed a ten-year phaseout of the chemical. It’s definitely not anything a town wants to find in their lake water, and with the thumb drive, we can prove the mill dumped those barrels into the lake.
That means serious trouble for them. Another concern is whether it’s gotten into Hope Corner’s drinking water. ”
“Wow, that’s unconscionable that they would risk the lives of people like that, especially the children.
” No wonder whoever was after that thumb drive was desperate to get it back.
She knew there were evil people in this world, but the thought of what the mill was doing made her sick to her stomach.
As if sensing her thoughts, Liam reached for her hand. “With the lake water results and the sample we got from the drum—assuming the chemicals will be a match, which we do—along with your photos and the thumb drive, we have the proof we need to bring in the authorities.”
“We can do that today?” She didn’t want to wait another minute.
Grayson tapped the vial. “Let’s get a report back from the lab on what’s in the drums first. But we have another problem. You’re wanted for questioning by the Hope Corner sheriff.”
“Me? Why? Cooper got my suitcase, and he said my purse wasn’t there for the police to find. He was going to wipe the cabin down so my fingerprints wouldn’t be there. And how would they know to call you?”
“They didn’t, the county sheriff put out an APB on you as a person of interest in a murder. I’ve been expecting something like that, so I have a friend in our police department who’s been keeping an eye out for me should something like this happen.”
“I still don’t understand why they’re looking for me if they don’t know I was in the cabin.”
“Since I wondered the same thing, I had your lawyer call the sheriff.”
“My lawyer?”
“John Fowler, your attorney for dealing with the sheriff. He’s one of the best criminal attorneys in the state.”
“I’m not a criminal.” She wasn’t liking this at all.
“We know that, the sheriff doesn’t. According to the sheriff, he received an anonymous phone call that you were in the cabin with Jasper. We have to assume the call was made by whoever killed Jasper.”
“Do I have to talk to him?”
“It would be best to before they issue a warrant for your arrest, which the sheriff threatened to do if you don’t go in for questioning,” Grayson said. “John told him you’ll talk to him here, and he’ll be with you for the interview.”
“They’ll want to talk to me, too, since I was there,” Liam said.
She frowned. “They don’t need to know that. What if they think you killed him?”
“We’ll have to explain how you got away, so there’s no way around involving me.
Besides, you’re my witness that I didn’t kill him.
” Liam squeezed her hand. He glanced at Grayson.
“I’m thinking we don’t mention the contaminated water and drums. I hope not, but it’s always possible someone in the sheriff’s department there is…
let’s just say favorable to the mill and its owners.
We say that Quinn had a short relationship with Garrison and after she broke it off, he stalked her and then kidnapped her. ”
“I agree,” Grayson said. “I’ll tell John to contact the sheriff today and make the arrangements.”
“What if they insist I go there?”
“The answer will be no, and if they have a problem with that, I’ll involve a friend of ours from the FBI.”
“I don’t like putting you guys in the middle of this. Maybe it would be better to meet somewhere besides here.”
Grayson shook his head. “No, we want him to see that you’re not alone and without protection. We want him to see us and The Phoenix Three. We’re not a fly-by-night operation, and that’s obvious to anyone who sees this place.”
“A little intimidation isn’t a bad thing,” Liam said.
“I guess. So, why was I in Hope Corner if I’m not going to tell them the real reason?” Surely, they would ask her that.
“Easy,” Liam said. “Your job is taking photos of children in need of help. You were there documenting the poverty the children of coal miners who’ve lost their jobs were living under. There is a coal mine that has been shut down not far from Hope Corner, so that story holds weight.”
“Okay.” Honestly, she didn’t care about any of this.
She just wanted the people making children sick brought to justice.
And she wanted her life back. She was scheduled to leave for Ukraine in two weeks, and with everything going on, she’d almost forgotten about it and hadn’t thought to tell Liam.
It was a trip she had no intention of canceling.
The warmth of his hand still holding hers felt good, too good. As much as she wished otherwise, she wouldn’t change her mind on no relationships. Her life wasn’t one any man would put up with for long, even Liam, no matter how much he said otherwise.
There was regret, though, that it had to be this way. Men went off to war, some spent weeks working on oil rigs, smoke jumpers were gone during fire season, et cetera, et cetera. They all expected their women to be waiting for them back home. It wasn’t fair, but it was the way it was.
“Where’s Cooper?” Liam asked.
Grayson chuckled as he glanced at his watch. “Right about now, he’s pacing the floor at the vet’s office. Ruby’s getting spayed today, and Coop’s freaking out, afraid it’s going to traumatize her.”
Liam grimaced. “It would sure as hell traumatize me.”
She laughed. Men were such wimps with anything that had to do with the family jewels. If they had to be the ones to push babies out of a tiny hole, there would be no babies.
“I’ve got some other news,” Grayson said. “Harlow and I have set a date for our wedding. The first week of November. You all will, of course, be there. She wants a small beach wedding, just us and our friends. I’m taking her and Tyler to Hawaii for our honeymoon.”
“Because surfing,” Liam said.
Grayson shrugged. “It would just be wrong not to surf while we’re there, but she’s always wanted to go to Hawaii, and I live to make her happy.”
That soft look in his eyes when he talked about his fiancée almost had Quinn envious. She’d never have a man live to make her happy, but then that was her choice, so no feeling sorry for herself.
“Congratulations,” Liam said. “You’re a lucky man.”
“And well I know it.” He pushed his chair back. “Anything else we need to discuss this morning?”
“Not from me,” Liam said, and she shook her head when he glanced at her. “It’s been an exhausting few days, so Quinn and I are just going to hang out at my place for the rest of the day. If anything new pops up, give me a call.”
“Will do.” Grayson nodded at her, then left.
“Want to go have a beach day with a little hanky-panky thrown in?”
She grinned. “Where do I sign up?”
* * *
After they ate lunch, Liam talked her into playing in the ocean for a bit, and when they came back inside, they showered together. There was hanky-panky involved. “You really know how to treat a lady,” she said after they got out and he took the towel from her and dried her off.
“There’s only one lady I’m interested in impressing.”
“Oh? Who would that be?”
He wrapped the towel around her and tucked in the end, and then he tapped her on the nose. “Such a silly question. After you get dressed, let’s sit out on the deck and watch the sunset.”
“I’d like that. Give me a few minutes to get the tangles out of my hair.”
“While you’re doing that, I’m going to pour us some wine and make us a snack. Meet you on the deck.”
He’d wrapped a towel around his waist, and as he walked out of the bathroom, she sighed at the view.
She’d had her hands all over that amazing body, had pressed her fingers into those muscles, finding them as rock-hard as they looked.
He was funny and kind, and an amazing lover.
He was setting the bar high for any man who came after him.
She looked into the foggy mirror and frowned at herself.
After him, would she even want another man?