Connecticut. The second one was picked up by the woman who was hit and killed after she left Sophie’s store. I’ve already offered to help Sophie unpack the delivery and arrange the pieces in the shop. Whoever is behind this will move quickly. All we have to do is trace the piece containing the coin to the buyer, and we’ll have our man.”
Through the glass of the French doors, Tracker’s eyes went unerringly to one couple on the dance floor. Sophie was dancing with John Landry. Silently, he cursed himself. He’d missed Sophie’s growing friendship with the gallery owner, Carter Mitchell. What had he overlooked in her relationship with John Landry?
“What about this Landry fellow?” Tracker asked. “Sophie met him on her last trip to England.”
“He’s clean. I checked him out myself.”
Tracker turned back to Lucas. “I’ll be there, too, when she unpacks the shipment.”
“How? You can’t do anything to alert her to what’s going on. The worst thing that could happen is for her to start acting strangely with Danforth or her customers,” Chance warned.
“I won’t alert her,” Tracker promised.
“She’s not an easy woman to fool,” Lucas said.
“I’ll figure something out,” Tracker said. “And she’ll never suspect a thing.” Then he turned back to Chance. “Right now I want you to fill me in on everything, including a list of your top suspects.”
3
SOPHIE HATED DUMPING anyone. She’d suffered enough rejection in her own life to know how much it hurt. But she ran the risk of hurting John Landry even more if she wasn’t honest with him. That’s what she’d been telling herself as she’d avoided him for the two hours since she’d left Mac’s bedroom. But even now, dancing with him, she was putting off the inevitable moment.
“Sophie?”
“Hmm?” It didn’t help one bit that she could feel Tracker’s gaze on the back of her neck. She hadn’t actually seen him since she and Mac had left the dance floor hours ago, but now the tension that she felt whenever he was near was back in full force. He was watching her dance with John Landry. The certainty of that gave her spirits a little lift, and she was very tempted to give him something to watch. But she couldn’t flirt with John Landry—or kiss him—and then dump him.
Besides, all she could think of was kissing Tracker again. She had to know if lightning could strike twice. Her mind drifted back to the time she’d spent with Mac in the bedroom. Those toys. Just thinking about using them with Tracker sent a wave of heat rushing through Sophie.
First she had to come up with a plan to get him within using distance. And she’d have to get him very close to use that black ribbon.
“Sophie?”
“Hmm?” She glanced up to find John Landry frowning down at her. Had he been talking to her?
“Sophie, your body is here dancing with me, but your mind is a million miles away.”
No, not a million. She figured it was about fifty yards to the French doors where Tracker was standing, watching her. And she wasn’t being fair to John.
“I want you to come with me to my hotel,” he murmured. “Leave your car here and I’ll drive you back to get it tomorrow.”
She drew in a deep breath. She’d insisted on bringing her own car because she’d known she wouldn’t be returning with John. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“I’ll follow you, then. I want time with you. Alone.”
“John.” With a quick look around, she took his hand and led him off the dance floor toward the shelter of some trees, where they could have a little privacy. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to spend time with you alone—the way you mean it. I…” For a moment she thought she saw a flash of anger in his eyes, but it was masked so quickly that she might have been mistaken.
“I don’t mean to rush you,” he said.
“It’s not that you’re rushing me,” she said. “I think you’ve been very patient, but I don’t think that I’ll change my mind with time. And I’m sorry if I led you on. You’re such a nice man, and I value you as a friend and a business colleague.” Sophie stopped then because she felt little prickles of awareness along her nerve endings. Tracker was near. He was listening to every word she said.
“Well,” John said, and then cleared his throat. “I won’t tell you that I didn’t hope for more. But I value your friendship also, enough so that I won’t jeopardize it by pushing you further than you want to go. But I do want to see you again, strictly for business. You’ve aroused my curiosity about that shipment you’re receiving tomorrow.”
Sophie smiled at him. “I’ll expect you at the shop bright and early. And I’ll put you to work unloading it.”
“Good.” He took her hands and squeezed them. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As he turned and walked away toward the front of the house, Sophie took one step after him, wanting to say something more.
“I wouldn’t,” said a low voice, so close that she jumped. “It’s always best to make a clean break.”
She turned to see Tracker separate himself from the shadow of the trees. “It’s rude to eavesdrop.”
He moved closer then, and it was all she could do not to take a quick step back at the overwhelming effect of his proximity.
“If you wanted your conversation to be private, you shouldn’t have had it in a garden. Besides, when you’re going to dump guys, it’s good to have someone close by. They think twice before they get violent.”
“John Landry is a very nice man. He would never get violent.” She thought of the flash of anger she’d seen in his eyes.
“Take it from me, he was pissed.” Tracker grinned at her. “You’re lucky he’s such a nice guy.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes. She didn’t like the way he’d said “nice” as if it meant wimp. “There’s nothing wrong with being nice.”
“Right.” Tracker’s chuckle was deep and so infectious that for a moment she wanted nothing more than to join him. She stifled the impulse.
“When was the last time being nice got you what you wanted in this world?” he asked.
Well, that was true enough, she thought. And hadn’t she already decided that being nice wasn’t going to get her very far with him, either? He probably preferred naughty over nice twenty-four–seven. The idea sent a little thrill running through her.
“Being nice didn’t get Landry what he wanted.”
It occurred to her that this was the longest conversation she’d ever had with Tracker McBride. “And your suggestion to him would be?”
His expression sobered and he met her eyes directly. “If he wants you, he should reach out and take you.”
The words, combined with the look he gave her, were enough to tighten all the muscles deep inside of her.
She lifted her chin. “And just what do you want?”
For a moment he said nothing. Then he smiled slowly, and she felt her knees go weak. “Me? I’m just going to do my job and follow you home.”
So they were back to that, were they? Temper stiffened her spine. “I don’t need an escort.”
“Look, Princess, it’s late, both of your dates have driven home in their own cars, and Lucas doesn’t want you going home alone.” Tracker waited a beat and then continued. “You’ll just waste your energy if you try to lose me. Don’t expect to play that little game again and win.”
Although it