“You want me to call Jake and arrange a meeting with you and Edge on his ranch.”
“Yes. I want to make certain I’m right. I’d like to know Laverne is safe. I want you to ask Wilson to talk to us. And I’d like that meeting to happen on the Bannaconni ranch.”
Meiling thought it was significant that Remy and Drake exchanged a long look but neither asked Gedeon what his intentions were once he knew for certain.
“I’ll arrange the meeting with Jake. I agree it would be best to hold it at his ranch. If you fly into the San Antonio airport, he can arrange for a helicopter to pick you up and take you to his ranch. Even if McGregor manages to follow you to San Antonio, he won’t know where you’re going. As soon as Jake replies I’ll send you the thumbs-up,” Drake said.
“Thanks,” Gedeon said. “We won’t keep you from your families any longer.”
“You want to turn over any files to me so I can continue looking into the disappearances of those women?” Remy asked. “Their families must be looking for them.”
“Hawkins chose them carefully. They didn’t really have family who would look for them,” Gedeon said. “That’s the true tragedy. He essentially erased them.”
When they were working, they were careful to keep a distance from each other just in case they had to leap into action or become weapons. The unspoken rule didn’t stop her from wanting to fling her arms around his neck and hold him to her. He gave nothing away to the two men, but she felt the animosity eating at him.
Meiling had always been able to catch insights into his emotions. She knew him now after a year, and he could become very dangerous extremely fast when it came to anything to do with violence against women or children. She didn’t want to take chances that Remy or Drake might “read” him.
She flashed a quick smile to everyone and started back in the direction of the pier, wrapping her arms around her middle. “I’d love to have a tour of this place when I have loads of time. Right this moment, I’m always concerned my hussy of a leopard is going to start showing herself.” Deliberately, she shivered and turned a heated gaze on Gedeon.
Remy and Drake rose instantly. Gedeon followed her very closely.
“I had no idea you were contending with your leopard, Meiling,” Drake apologized. “Forgive me. I would have sped things up.”
“You’re handling it with amazin’ grace,” Remy added. “It isn’t easy.”
“That’s thanks to Gedeon.” Meiling poured confidence into her voice along with absolute trust. She sent him a look from under her lashes—one filled with love. She knew he didn’t like her to do anything personal when they were on a job because it was distracting, but right at that moment the love she felt for him was overwhelming and she had to show him. She told herself it was the way he always reacted when someone harmed a woman. Who wouldn’t fall in love with a man like that?
Knock it off, Lotus. You make me vulnerable. I can’t feel that way when we’re surrounded by the enemy.
He handed her into the boat, practically tossing her in, except he didn’t. He was gentle. He just felt as if he wanted to throw her in. Not so much when he untied the boat and stepped in himself. Lifting a hand to Drake and Remy, he started the engine. It didn’t dare give him any trouble but fired right up the very first time he pulled the rope.
He was silent as he took them through the open water and then cut through the shallow stream that would take them back to the next shortcut to their own pier.
“You can’t do that.” His voice was very low, and he didn’t look at her.
She did her best to keep a smile from her voice. “Do what, Gedeon?” Trying to sound innocent. Her freaking cat made her sound sultry. The humidity in the swamp seemed to go up a degree or two.
“You know damn well what you do to me, Lotus. One look like that from you and I can’t think straight. I’ve told you that before. When we’re conducting business, it has to stay business.”
She rubbed her palm along her upper thigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just that at times you say things or do things that I find irresistible.”
He didn’t turn his head toward her but stared out over the shallow but fast-moving channel. She found herself fascinated by the way his fingers curled around the rudder as he steered the boat around any obstacle. The lights shone across the water, illuminating the branches caught and held by larger rocks. The channels were continually changing. Gedeon knew the swamp, but he still had to take care in the ever-changing waters.