Page 68 of Cautious Love

Will comes rushing in with Luke hot on his heels and closes the door behind them. I lean back in my seat, resting my hands on my stomach, bracing myself for the worst. “I need a report,” I bark.

Will puffs out a breath. “My meeting with her father is tonight. She believes I’m not happy with my salary and I’d like to make some more cash, but I don’t want to quit.”

I rub my chin going over every step we’ve taken thus far. “Do you think she suspects anything?”

“I don’t believe so. She likes a man in uniform, so I’ve played on that, and when I mentioned I might have to pick up security work, she’s the one who suggested talking to her dad.”

I nod. Will is one of the few of us in Paxton that isn’tfromPaxton. This works in our favor because Kensington Sr. doesn’t know who he is.

“I played it off like, ‘no I can’t do that’ because I don’t know how to be a ranch hand, that kind of stuff. Then she opened up a bit more and told me what else they did, and I wasn’t quick to say yes, boss, I swear. But she said please and tried to tell me if I did, then I could take her out to a nice dinner and buy her things. That kind of stuff.”

I huff. Kate Kensington has always been spoiled. Her father has been in the drug trade for a long time. The rumor when we were kids was that he mainly sold weed, but he expanded the business. The point is, Kate doesn’t want or need for a single thing, but she will take whatever she can.

My stomach twists at the thought of playing Kate like this, but she’s also complicit in many crimes, committing some of them herself. When this is all said and done I’m sure she’s going to be part of the inevitable RICO inditement.

Steeling myself, I nod. “Good job, make sure everything is buttoned up. I don’t want any open text messages that may implicate that you’re undercover. Don’t hang around with Luke as much, and I’m considering suspending you upon review. I think it would make you look like a better option for Kensington. It shows that you’re okay with breaking rules.”

“How am I going to contact you after the fact?” he asks me.

“You’ll need to come in for a review maybe a week or so after the meeting, and then I’ll reinstate you. Hopefully that gives you and Kensington enough time to work out a deal.”

“There’s one thing I’m not sure how to approach though,” Luke says.

I rub my mustache, waiting for him to continue.

“If Kensington brings him on, we all know he’ll use Will’s connection to us. What is he supposed to say? No offense man, but should we keep the details away from him?”

Leaning my head against the back of my seat, I think for a second. There haven’t been many undercover operations in Paxton, if any at all. Some of this is included in training, but every situation is different. And because this is a very small town with very nosy people, we have to play it as close to the truth as possible.

Most things in law enforcement are not like the movies. But in this case I’m going to take a page from them.

“We’re going to feed information if necessary. Will, you’re going to report on everything, but nothing written. Luke, you need to keep it all together. I’ll help you, but the other side of the investigation will be kept from Will. From there, we are going to give you bits of information, and my goal here is for you not to know what is or is not true. I’m hoping that protects you in the field.”

“I don’t know, boss, I’m a convincing liar. I think I’d like to know what’s going on, then I can really help from the inside, and speed this thing up.”

“Why? Is Kate getting frisky?” Luke says grinning.

Will grumbles and runs a hand through his hair. “She’s kind of all over me and I play it off like I’m being a gentleman, but …” he trails off.

“I think you like her,” Luke says.

Will punches his arm. “Shut up.”

“Will, if you’re too close, this won’t work,” I grunt.

“No, no, I’m not. But she’s fun.”

“Right, well, can I trust you to keep it in your pants?” I feel like a total hypocrite saying the words, but we are working with two very different situations, and Shiloh isn’t the daughter of our target, and I am kind of married to her.

“Yes. Yes sir, you can,” he says seriously.

Luke snorts and shakes his head.

“I don’t like this, but Will, you’re formally suspended for a week. Report back to the station in seven days.”

He stands and nods. “Wish me luck boys.”

“You don’t need it man. You can do this. But I’m your back up, call me if you need me.”