It worked. The place had a homey, easy feel, and judging by the number of diners, the food must be good, as well.
They ordered steaks, and once the waiter had brought beer for Cameron and soda for Laurie, she decided to kick things up a notch. “Tell me, how do you find time to be mayor and also run a business?”
“I don’t sleep.” His face remained expressionless for a few seconds, then he grinned. “Seriously? I founded the company with the money my father left me. I’m the person who built it up from nothing, put the hours in to make it a success. I’m still the CEO. But these days my role is strategic, not hands-on. I pay other people, namely my two brothers, to do the day-to-day stuff. Politics is pretty full on.” He waved a hand, encompassing the restaurant. “You see quaint, laid-back and charming? You wouldn’t believe what goes on beneath the surface.”
“So your brothers actually run the company?” This was an interesting piece of information. One that hadn’t been obvious from the file. This was why it was so important to get someone in here on the ground. But don’t clutch at straws. What he’s telling you doesn’t let him off the hook. He’s still the one in overall charge.
“Bryce, who you met briefly, takes care of operations. My older brother, Vincente, is the money man—”
“Did I hear my name being taken in vain?”
Two men had approached the table without them being aware of it. The one who spoke was dark, but that was the only resemblance between the two brothers. Vincente Delaney was tall with a strong, sinewy build, his looks reflecting his Italian mother’s heritage. In any other company, his proud features, neatly trimmed beard and olive skin would have been considered handsome. In comparison with Cameron, Laurie decided he didn’t quite match up.
“Is the whole town in here tonight?” There was a trace of a groan in Cameron’s voice.
“Is this Dino’s and is it Saturday? If so, you’ve answered your own question by coming here.” Laurie’s attention was drawn to Vincente’s companion, a man whose voice rumbled out his reply. She had heard the expression “a bear of a man” without having seen anyone who embodied what it meant until now. This man was huge, blond and imposing.
“Laurie, I guess more introductions are required. As you may have gathered, this is my brother Vincente. And this is Grant Becker.”
Laurie studied Grant with interest, and found her gaze being returned by a pair of intense blue eyes. There was curiosity and something deeper in that light gaze. He didn’t seem the type to be strongly influenced by her resemblance to Carla, but there was no doubt it had affected him. Then he roused himself and smiled. It was a boyish, charming expression.
The pictures she had seen didn’t do him justice. In the flesh the sheriff of West County was younger and better-looking than his online image, although she could hardly tell him so. Moreton had informed her that the local police, both the city police department and the county sheriff’s office, remained unaware of the federal presence in Stillwater. It had struck Laurie as a strange move not to involve the local police in the undercover operation. Moreton had explained there were two reasons for the decision. The first was what Moreton described as the “sensitive and unidentified operational radius,” by which she assumed he meant there was no way of knowing how widespread the trafficking might be, or how many people might be involved. Secondly, and perhaps more important, Cameron Delaney and Grant Becker had been friends since first grade.
“When Bryce told me you looked like Carla, I thought he was exaggerating.” Vincente was speaking, and Laurie turned her attention back to him. “I see now he wasn’t.”
Laurie wasn’t sure she liked the way Vincente’s eyes assessed her. Maybe he was being protective of his brother. Cameron had been badly hurt when Carla died, after all. Possibly his judgment of a woman who looked so much like her might be impaired. Also, Cameron was a very wealthy man. For all Vincente knew, Laurie could be a gold digger out to manipulate his brother and take him for all she could get. Even so, those eyes bothered her. They seemed to look right through her.
Grant Becker, on the other hand, had an open, honest expression that invited trust. Having stared long and hard at Laurie, he turned back to Cameron with a slight smile. “I’m guessing you’d like us to leave you in peace?”
Cameron returned the other man’s expression with relief. “You guessed right.”
Vincente looked as though he might like to protest at this arrangement, but Grant slung an arm around his shoulders, forcing him to walk away with him. “Nice meeting you, Laurie. Enjoy your evening.”
When they’d gone, Cameron turned to Laurie with an apologetic expression. “In this town everyone knows everyone else. It makes them think they have a right to intrude on your business.”
“I like it. It’s very different from what I’m used to.”
It wasn’t just something to say. She had been here only a few days, but she liked the feel of this town. It saddened her that she was here under false pretenses. What is this? This is what I do. I trap the bad guys. I can’t suddenly feel sentimental and regretful about it.
“Where exactly in California do you live?”
“San Diego.” It was true, even though she hadn’t been back there in what felt like forever. Lately it had been one undercover job after another. Home felt like something other people had.
The food arrived just in time for her to avoid any further details. While they ate, Laurie turned the talk to what she should see during her vacation. She was an expert at keeping the conversation away from herself. Unwilling to ask too many questions about his business this early in the relationship, she steered Cameron onto the other topic that interested her. She was surprised to find he was quite willing to talk about Carla.
“Can I ask why she was out on the lake at night?”
“Carla was a keen sailor. More than keen. It was her passion. She took part in competitions. She spent every spare minute practicing. The night she died, I was going to a function where I had to stay over. It was a foul night, and there was a storm brewing. She was determined to go out on the lake. There was a big, twenty-four-hour race coming up and she said her night vision was bothering her. I tried to persuade her not to go, to come with me instead.” A corner of his mouth creased in an expression of remembered frustration. “She wouldn’t listen. We argued. If I’d tried a bit harder, maybe stayed home with her...”
The compulsion to touch him was overwhelming. Reaching out, Laurie covered his hand with hers. “You couldn’t have known how it would turn out.”
He turned his hand so he could grip her fingers. “It means a lot, being able to talk about her. Other people tiptoe around me, thinking if they don’t mention her the pain might go away. Dino, as you may have noticed, is the only one who doesn’t.”
“What was she like?” Asking wasn’t just part of the job. She was curious about Carla the person. Carla her cousin.
He smiled. “Well, I think we’ve already established she was stubborn. She was also beautiful, clever, talented and witty. She used to tell me I was lucky to have her and I’d have to work hard every day to keep her.”
“Yet it sounds like she was as devoted to you as you were to her.”
“She was, but that last bit was true.” He tossed back the last of his beer. “Carla had many admirers, including a very persistent secret one.”
Laurie tilted her head on one side, considering that statement. “Persistent and secret don’t seem to go together.”
“Whoever he was, he used to send her an arrangement of red roses in the shape of a heart once a week. No message, no other gifts. Just the flowers.”
“That’s quite sweet, really.”
“Carla thought so, too. I thought it was creepy.” He laughed. “Maybe I was just being macho and possessive.”
“You were together