Laura and the Lawman

  “You’re so beautiful.” Michael spoke as if he were in the midst of a revelation.

  Laura’s breath caught, and something deep inside her unfurled and went all soft and malleable. A pulse of pleasure, pure and unadulterated, the strength of which she hadn’t experienced in years, radiated slowly outward from her center. It left her feeling hot and definitely bothered as they both continued to stand there awkwardly, neither seeming to know what to do or say.

  Don’t, Laura wanted to cry. Don’t look at me that way. Because if you do, I won’t be able to…

  To what? Do her job? Handle it? Resist him? Walk away?

  Laura and the Lawman

  SHELLEY COOPER

  Books by Shelley Cooper

  Silhouette Intimate Moments

  Major Dad #876

  Guardian Groom #942

  Dad in Blue #1044

  Promises, Promises #1109

  Laura and the Lawman #1174

  SHELLEY COOPER

  first experienced the power of words when she was in the eighth grade and wrote a paragraph about the circus for a class assignment. Her teacher returned it with an A and seven pluses scrawled across the top of the paper, along with a note thanking her for rekindling so vividly some cherished childhood memories. Since Shelley had never been to the circus and had relied solely on her imagination to compose the paragraph, the teacher’s remarks were a revelation. Since then, Shelley has relied on her imagination to help her sell dozens of short stories and to write her first novel, Major Dad, a 1997 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist in Best Long Contemporary, as well as many more. She hopes her books will be as moving to her readers as her circus paragraph was to that long-ago English teacher.

  To my grandmother, Martha Belle Varner, for the Easter egg hunts, sleepovers, countless games of canasta and, most important, the laughter.

  And in loving memory of Leonard Varner, who had muscles to rival Popeye’s, could ride a bike backward and always praised me by saying, “You done good, kid.”

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Prologue

  T he two men met in the parking lot of a busy truck stop located off of Interstate 80 in western Pennsylvania. It was nearing midnight, and they had each traveled in excess of sixty miles to make the assignation.

  Together they entered a brightly lit diner and sat down in a small booth in the rear. From that vantage point they could keep an eye on all comings and goings.

  As the sole liaison between undercover cops and the department they all served, the men were used to meeting in out-of-the-way places. Places where they were unlikely to be seen by those they didn’t want to see them, and even less likely to be overheard.

  Neither spoke until two frosty mugs of root beer, along with two huge plates of food, each loaded with enough fat and cholesterol to guarantee a heart attack, had been placed on the table.

  “When’s he going in?” Erik Hitchcock asked after taking a hearty swallow of his drink.

  “Two weeks,” Gregory Phelps replied, spearing his sixteen-ounce Delmonico steak with a knife and fork. “Have you told her yet?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Word came down they don’t want her to know. They think it’ll be safer for them both. If she doesn’t know, she won’t make a mistake.”

  Erik paused to take another sip of root beer, then gave a loud belch for which he didn’t apologize. “What about your guy?” he asked, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth before slathering butter and sour cream on a baked potato. “Have you told him we already have someone inside?”

  “No. I got the same word you did.”

  Both men ate in silence.

  “Know what I think?” Erik finally asked.

  “What?”

  “My girl’s from New York, right? And your guy is from Pittsburgh. He’s a hometown boy. I think the chief wants Pittsburgh to get the credit for this, not New York. That’s why he’s sending your guy in.”

  “Even though NYPD’s commissioner is his brother-in-law?”

  “Because NYPD’s commissioner is his brother-in-law.”

  “Why didn’t we send my guy in first, then?” Gregory asked.

  Erik grabbed the dessert menu and studied it for a minute. “He didn’t fit the bill for the job opening. No one in Pittsburgh did.”

  “So they had to bring someone in from the outside.”

  “Exactly. This case is extremely delicate. We send someone in, she has to be an expert.”

  “Or he,” Gregory interjected.

  “Or he,” Erik acknowledged with a nod. “Anyway, when we knew we didn’t have anyone for the job, that’s when the chief went begging to his brother-in-law.”

  “And it’s been sticking in his craw ever since?”

  “Like the ham sandwich Vinnie Turco choked to death on. That’s why, when this opening unexpectedly arose, and we had someone who did fit the bill, the chief decided to send your guy in.”

  “Two pairs of eyes and ears are better than one, eh?”

  “Especially if our pair of eyes and ears pulls off the job.” Erik looked rueful. “I have to be honest with you. I’m pulling for my girl. She’s smart, she’s good, and she’s got a great pair of legs.”

  “She’s also going back to New York when this is over,” Gregory said, “and we have to stay here with the chief.”

  “Good point. She’s making progress, though. She’s been inside a month now. It’ll be six weeks by the time your guy goes in. It might be too late for him. Hell, it might even be all over. Rumor has it a big shipment will be arriving shortly.”

  “Has she found out how it will be coming in, and how it will go out?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Then my guy still has a chance. Who knows? If things go well, when this job is done maybe the chief’ll be in such a good mood we’ll all get promotions.”

  Erik emptied his mug and replaced it on the table with a thump. “For that to happen, your guy would have to be something else.”

  “He is.”

  “Maybe,” Erik allowed. “But can he work miracles? And can he work them before my girl does?”

  Gregory shrugged. “Only time will tell.”

  Chapter 1

  A ntonio Garibaldi scanned the 4,000-square-foot auction floor and felt his stomach plunge like an elevator whose cable had snapped. He had never been so nervous in his life.

  It was only to be expected, he told himself. After all, he lived and worked in a world where murder, violence and treachery were commonplace. A cop couldn’t work undercover for any length of time and not carry on an intimate relationship with fear.

  In general, fear was a good thing. It kept a man alert. Without it, he’d lose his edge, and probably his life. Truth was, though Antonio had a reputation for being a daredevil—some even said he took unnecessary risks—he was always nervous before starting a new job.

  But the way he felt this morning was different. He’d never been this shaky before, and that threw him.

  Maybe it was because the man he was replacing, a man who had presumably stumbled by accident across what Antonio was deliberately trying to discover, had disappeared without a trace.

  Maybe it was because the recommendation that had allowed him to secure the position of head auctioneer for the Merrill Auction Gallery
had claimed an expertise Antonio didn’t possess. Though he’d regularly attended auctions since he was a child, and though he knew more about antique furniture than most dealers, the only auction he’d ever conducted had been during his recent, intensive two-week training session with one of the country’s foremost auctioneers. Though he’d received high marks, that auction had been roughly a quarter the size of the one he’d be in charge of today.

  Maybe it was because it had been months since he’d been with a woman, and his hormones were in overdrive.

  Or maybe—and this seemed most logical to him—it was because he’d been looking forward to this job too much. A lot was riding on its outcome. Joseph Merrill was a suspected drug kingpin who controlled a large portion of the drug traffic in the tristate area encompassing western Pennsylvania. Many lives would be lost if he wasn’t stopped. Working as an auctioneer for the man would be one of the most dangerous and demanding jobs Antonio had ever undertaken.

  But it was more than that. He had a personal stake in the outcome of this case. He was counting on it to revitalize his interest in police work.

  Family duty and a sense of adventure were the driving forces that had led Antonio to become a cop. Three generations of his family had proudly worn a uniform and badge. His father was a highly decorated officer. Two of his brothers were also cops. Police work was in his blood.

  Given his propensity for danger and excitement, it was only natural that he’d gravitated into undercover work. Antonio was a good undercover cop. He did his job well and always got his man. He’d lived on the edge for years now, receiving commendations and advancing in rank. Until recently he’d loved every minute of it.

  A few months ago shortly after his thirty-first birthday, a vague, indecipherable restlessness had filled him, and he began feeling less satisfaction in his work. He found himself consumed by a yearning for something more, although what that something more could be remained tantalizingly out of reach.

  It was the repetition, he had decided one sleepless night, while he’d tossed and turned in his bed. For two years he’d been doing the same kind of undercover work. He needed something new. Something daring. Something exciting to spice things up.

  When the opportunity to pose as head auctioneer for Joseph Merrill’s auction gallery arose, Antonio had felt a wave of excitement wash over him. This was the change he’d been waiting for. The bonus was, he would be working full-time in a world he loved, a world he had—for too short a time as a youngster—shared with his mother, who had died of cancer when he was eleven.

  The sound of the crowd penetrated his thoughts, and Antonio drew a quick, impatient breath. Now was not the time for a trip down memory lane. If he didn’t stay focused on the job at hand, he wouldn’t live long enough to bang the opening gavel, let alone nab Joseph Merrill and his cohorts. He might crave danger, but long ago he had decided there was no job worth getting killed over, and no suspect worth dying for.

  His name was Michael Corsi, he reminded himself. He had a brand-new social security card, a driver’s license and several credit cards in his wallet to attest to that fact. For the next several weeks, a month or two at most, Antonio Garibaldi would cease to exist. For his safety, and for the good of the job, he had to submerge himself in the role he was playing and forget about anything else.

  A last glance at the crowd had his stomach fluttering once more. Then he saw her, and the butterflies in his middle stilled.

  She was beautiful. There was no other way to describe her. The pink silk suit she wore flattered her trim figure without being overly revealing. It also exposed a generous length of long, slender leg to his appreciative gaze. Her shoulder-length brown hair gleamed in the artificial lighting, framing a face that, in repose, looked like a Madonna: small, heart-shaped, ivory-complected and utterly feminine.

  He felt a stab of regret that he couldn’t see her eyes because she was half-bent over one of the seated patrons. Then, as if drawn by his regard, she slowly straightened and looked directly at him.

  For one endless, unguarded moment, they simply stared at each other. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green. In their depths, Antonio saw intelligence, vulnerability and a loneliness that pierced his heart. That muscle began thudding unevenly when a new emotion was added. Awareness. Awareness of him as a man. He saw her throat work.

  A second later it was as if someone had thrown a switch. Her eyes went blank, and she looked away. Reaching into a jacket pocket, she pulled out a compact and checked her hair and makeup. Snapping the compact shut, she sent him a dazzling smile that held none of the honesty he’d glimpsed a minute earlier. Antonio blinked. What had just happened?

  He didn’t care, he told himself, returning her smile with one of his own. For the first time that morning, he relaxed fully. Here, at least, might be the answer to his sexual frustration. If she was agreeable, that was, which he fervently hoped was the case. She was precisely the kind of distraction he needed to help him loosen up, and he made a mental note to meet up with her on his first break.

  “Beautiful, isn’t she?” Joseph Merrill asked softly from behind him.

  Antonio nearly jumped out of his skin at the unexpected arrival of his new boss. He didn’t question how the older man knew exactly who had captured his attention. Joseph Merrill ran a tight ship. He made it a point to keep his eyes and ears open, and to know what his crew was doing at all times. He would have had to be half-blind to have missed how fixedly Antonio had been staring at the woman.

  “Exquisite,” he replied, turning his attention to the man at his side. “Who is she?”

  “Her name is Ruby O’Toole.” Joseph paused briefly before adding, “She’s my woman.”

  The possessive note in Joseph’s voice was unmistakable, as was the warning glance he shot Antonio.

  “Ruby is a gifted appraiser of artwork. Part of her job involves helping out on auction day. Today she’ll be one of your bid spotters.”

  Antonio had heard of Ruby O’Toole, and her beauty, from his fellow employees. He’d also read about her in the dossier on Joseph Merrill that he’d studied before going undercover. He felt a flicker of disappointment that his planned interlude with her would not come to pass. Getting involved with Joseph Merrill’s lover on anything but a platonic basis would be most unwise. It could also prove fatal. Antonio hadn’t stayed alive this long by being stupid. He wasn’t about to start now.

  Philosophically he shrugged his disappointment away. There would be someone else. There always was.

  While an intimate relationship with Ruby O’Toole was definitely out, it didn’t mean he couldn’t befriend her, however. There was more than one way for Antonio to get the information he needed. He could get it from Joseph Merrill himself by earning the older man’s trust. Or, if that didn’t work, perhaps he could coax what he needed to learn from the woman with whom his boss shared nightly pillow talk. And if, at the end of the job, he found himself slapping handcuffs on her slender wrists, he would do so without a qualm.

  “It’s almost time to start,” Joseph said, surveying the room with a proprietary air. “Nervous?”

  Not for the reason you think. “A little.”

  “What’s to worry about?” Joseph gave him a broad smile and clapped him on the back. “So it’s your first day on the job. Big deal. It’s not like you haven’t done this a thousand times before. And it’s not like this is the big time. I’m awfully proud of this place, and I do quite well financially. But face it. Sotheby’s it ain’t.”

  The rapidly filling room was a hive of activity. Folding chairs, arranged in neat rows, covered the center of the polished hardwood floor. About three-quarters of the chairs had already been claimed, the occupants chatting quietly to one another and fanning themselves with their assigned bid numbers.

  No, it wasn’t Sotheby’s. But a good deal of money would exchange hands that day, and it was up to Antonio—correction, Michael—to see that it moved smoothly.

  Antonio glanced at his watch. “Would
you like me to start?”

  “It’s your ball game,” Joseph said. “I have complete faith in you. Throw out the first pitch whenever you’re ready.”

  Antonio made a rapid inventory of the items in front of him. Gavel? Check. Sale catalogue? Check. Glass of water? Check. He was prepared. He knew exactly what to do.

  Filing away every thought, every impression, every sight and sound, to be carefully detailed in his notes later, he picked up the gavel and banged it solidly against the table. The time for worry, speculation and nervousness was over. It was show time.

  “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,” he announced in a strong voice. “Welcome to the Merrill Auction Gallery. Today we have some very special items for your consideration. If everyone is ready, let us begin.”

  He turned to the large screen at his right, on which was projected a sterling silver tray. To his left, an assistant held up the actual item.

  “Our first item up for bid is this beautiful tray. It was designed in the Chippendale style by Henry James Ashworth of Massachusetts. The U.S. Ambassador to Tunis received it as a gift from a visiting dignitary in 1957.”

  Antonio swept his gaze over the crowd. “Who will give me five hundred dollars for this coveted collectible?”

  The hands started going up, and he was on his way.

  “Laura! Laura, where are you?”

  Laura Langley continued walking through the crowd, her gaze focusing on each bidder as a bid was offered. It took all of her self-control not to react to the woman who was calling her name. She was Ruby O’Toole, she reminded herself. The odds of anyone who knew Laura Langley being in this room were not high.

  “There you are.” The urgency in the woman’s voice changed to fond exasperation. “I can’t turn my back on you for a minute, you little minx.”

  Out of her peripheral vision, Laura saw a woman scoop up a toddler. The tension left her body, and she relaxed.

  She was Ruby O’Toole, she reminded herself again. She couldn’t afford to forget that.