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Authors: Janet Evanovich
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trusts who see that his orders are followed. Which is how it usually works for those in the upper echelon; they look like legitimate businessmen, but the businesses are merely fronts for illegal activity."
"Do you think Nick Santoni hired Vito Puccini and ordered the hit on you?"
Max nodded. "We have it on tape. Harlan discussed it with his bodyguard at length after Santoni paid him a visit yesterday. Rawlins had nothing to do with arranging it, but I think he suspected something was going on, and for some reason he decided not to go to the police. Which leads me to believe Santoni has something on him," he added. "Rawlins might be a lot of things, but he's probably not a killer. We still think you should wear a wire. In case there are any surprises."
Jamie didn't look convinced.
"It's like this," Max said. "I don't like the idea of your meeting with Harlan in the first place, but it's already set up, so I'll agree to it, but
only
if you're wired. I want to know where you are at all times. Otherwise, I'm calling this whole thing off."
He and Jamie locked gazes in a battle of wills. "What if Harlan discovers the wire?" she asked.
Max met her gaze. "That's not likely to happen as long as you keep your clothes on, Swifty."
* * * * *
Muffin greeted Max and Jamie in a surly voice when they climbed into the truck at ten-thirty for the drive to Knoxville. "That dog whines constantly. I don't like it."
"I know he's an inconvenience right now, Muffin," Jamie said, "but I don't know what to do with him."
"Try the animal shelter."
"Nobody would adopt him."
"Is he ugly?"
Jamie and Max both glanced over their shoulders at Fleas, who had his face pressed against the back window. Max shrugged; Jamie grinned. "Actually, he's pretty cute," she said.
"I guess it could be worse," Muffin said. "I guess I could be strapped to a moped or tied to the back of a mule."
"You should feel flattered that we need you so badly," Jamie told her as Max pulled from the driveway with Dave following. She glanced at Max. He looked distracted; Jamie knew he was worried.
"This is your big day, huh?" Muffin said. "You're having lunch with Rawlins."
"Uh-huh."
"You wearing your slut outfit?"
"No, I toned it down since we're meeting at the Hyatt Regency."
"Her skirt is a little short," Max said, "and she's wearing a push-up bra. If she sneezes she's going to pop out all over the place."
"And get this, Muffin," Jamie said. "I'm wearing a wire."
"You planning on doing the nasty?" Muffin asked.
Jamie gave a burst of laughter. "I don't believe you said that."
"Because if you are, you're going to have to excuse yourself and go to the rest room so you can remove that wire. Things get too hot, it might short-circuit on you."
"Time to change the subject," Max said. "You got anything new for me?"
"I'm still trying to find an address for Santoni. The man doesn't exist on paper, not even under the aliases he's used. Doesn't own property, doesn't even pay a light bill. I figure his family got all new identification for him when he relocated to Knoxville."
"Maybe he lives in Sweet Pea," Max said. "A man like that would enjoy the seclusion this area offers."
"I'll keep looking. As for looking into Harlan Rawlins, I've checked police records within a three-hundred-mile radius. There's a lot of domestic violence in this part of the country, which I attribute to financial stress. The unemployment rate here is very high. Harlan has never been arrested, but I did find something interesting when I checked the local hospital records. Harlan's wife has visited the emergency room twice, once for a fractured wrist which she claimed happened as a result of falling off her horse, and another time with a concussion when the same horse threw her and she hit her head against a tree."
"It sounds legit," Jamie said.
"Sounds like she needs to get rid of the horse," Max said. "Or Rawlins," he added. "If he was actually abusing his wife and Santoni knew, that in itself
"Do you think Nick Santoni hired Vito Puccini and ordered the hit on you?"
Max nodded. "We have it on tape. Harlan discussed it with his bodyguard at length after Santoni paid him a visit yesterday. Rawlins had nothing to do with arranging it, but I think he suspected something was going on, and for some reason he decided not to go to the police. Which leads me to believe Santoni has something on him," he added. "Rawlins might be a lot of things, but he's probably not a killer. We still think you should wear a wire. In case there are any surprises."
Jamie didn't look convinced.
"It's like this," Max said. "I don't like the idea of your meeting with Harlan in the first place, but it's already set up, so I'll agree to it, but
only
if you're wired. I want to know where you are at all times. Otherwise, I'm calling this whole thing off."
He and Jamie locked gazes in a battle of wills. "What if Harlan discovers the wire?" she asked.
Max met her gaze. "That's not likely to happen as long as you keep your clothes on, Swifty."
* * * * *
Muffin greeted Max and Jamie in a surly voice when they climbed into the truck at ten-thirty for the drive to Knoxville. "That dog whines constantly. I don't like it."
"I know he's an inconvenience right now, Muffin," Jamie said, "but I don't know what to do with him."
"Try the animal shelter."
"Nobody would adopt him."
"Is he ugly?"
Jamie and Max both glanced over their shoulders at Fleas, who had his face pressed against the back window. Max shrugged; Jamie grinned. "Actually, he's pretty cute," she said.
"I guess it could be worse," Muffin said. "I guess I could be strapped to a moped or tied to the back of a mule."
"You should feel flattered that we need you so badly," Jamie told her as Max pulled from the driveway with Dave following. She glanced at Max. He looked distracted; Jamie knew he was worried.
"This is your big day, huh?" Muffin said. "You're having lunch with Rawlins."
"Uh-huh."
"You wearing your slut outfit?"
"No, I toned it down since we're meeting at the Hyatt Regency."
"Her skirt is a little short," Max said, "and she's wearing a push-up bra. If she sneezes she's going to pop out all over the place."
"And get this, Muffin," Jamie said. "I'm wearing a wire."
"You planning on doing the nasty?" Muffin asked.
Jamie gave a burst of laughter. "I don't believe you said that."
"Because if you are, you're going to have to excuse yourself and go to the rest room so you can remove that wire. Things get too hot, it might short-circuit on you."
"Time to change the subject," Max said. "You got anything new for me?"
"I'm still trying to find an address for Santoni. The man doesn't exist on paper, not even under the aliases he's used. Doesn't own property, doesn't even pay a light bill. I figure his family got all new identification for him when he relocated to Knoxville."
"Maybe he lives in Sweet Pea," Max said. "A man like that would enjoy the seclusion this area offers."
"I'll keep looking. As for looking into Harlan Rawlins, I've checked police records within a three-hundred-mile radius. There's a lot of domestic violence in this part of the country, which I attribute to financial stress. The unemployment rate here is very high. Harlan has never been arrested, but I did find something interesting when I checked the local hospital records. Harlan's wife has visited the emergency room twice, once for a fractured wrist which she claimed happened as a result of falling off her horse, and another time with a concussion when the same horse threw her and she hit her head against a tree."
"It sounds legit," Jamie said.
"Sounds like she needs to get rid of the horse," Max said. "Or Rawlins," he added. "If he was actually abusing his wife and Santoni knew, that in itself
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