Read Online Return of the Dixie Deb by Nina Barrett - Free Book Online
Authors: Nina Barrett
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Bureau for a while. Jake Derossiers worked in the same office. He did the online investigating while I did the grunt work. We were in a couple of sting operations together. I did some traveling.”
“Like to Europe?” She sounded curious.
“No, not there, not then.” He stopped. “The F.B.I. sent me down to the Caribbean, then to Mexico. Once to Brazil. Some people get real creative about hiding money.”
“People like me, you mean.”
“No, big fish, sophisticated con artists.” He caught up with her as she turned away and took her hand. “What happened? For a first-time offender, the I.R.S. really came down on you.”
It didn’t add up no matter how he pushed the pieces around. It’d been on his mind since Atlanta, trying to figure out the logic behind the government’s desire to re-open an ice-cold case and plant a small-town accountant with no previous criminal history in the middle of it.
“It was more than a little, Mac. It was thousands, six figures, in my e-account I couldn’t explain. I wasn’t paying attention. I just kept making deposits while I worked on getting the corporate returns filed for our clients.” Her voice quavered.
“Sounds like maybe they suspected you of money laundering, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities. You were trying to do everything on your own then?”
“Yeah. Things were in a mess. Tim was gone. People were leaving.” She shrugged wearily. “How much longer do we have to keep doing this? Did Jake tell you anything? I’d like to get back to a real life.”
“Not about that. The jobs we staged this last week should have given us plenty of additional publicity. His message said we were the lead story on CNN Friday night. We’ve got the heist set up on Tuesday. Maybe that’ll be enough to lure the Deb out—if it can be done.”
Tall clumps of orange daylilies and wild daisies brushed her skirt as they climbed the rise. She seated herself on a stone bench overlooking the river. Below them, weeping willows trailed fronds in the brown current while colored dragonflies darted amidst the cattails.
He stared back at the house. Distance was kind to its fading grandeur. A breeze was swinging the weathervane atop the carriage house cupola.
“We need to talk about the sleeping arrangements, Jan.”
She tilted her head back to look at him.
“We’ve had separate beds in the motels we’ve been at, even the cheaper ones. I figured it’d be that way here, too.”
“Yeah, it was kind of a surprise to walk into that room. I guess we got the honeymoon suite.”
“It would look funny asking for a rollaway when we’re registered as Mr. and Mrs.”
“But it’s only tonight and tomorrow, Mac.”
Tonight and tomorrow. Easy for her to say. Two long, dark, quiet nights. Double bed, fluffy pillows; jasmine scented air coming in through the open windows; her long, bare legs showing under her nightshirt again as they had the other nights they’d spent together while outside fireflies sent their own mating signals.
“I can make up a kit on the floor, Jan. I mean the couch is only a loveseat. It isn’t big enough for either of us.”
“Oh, come on. Just think of it as a sleepover, like when you were a kid. You stay on your side. I’ll stay on mine. The law and the lawless, right?” She waved a hand. “It’s no big deal.” Her big, honest eyes looked up innocently.
Chapter Six
He paused at the entrance to the lane, resting his hands on his knees. Somehow the run back had seemed longer than his run out. He concentrated on catching his breath.
He’d carefully eased himself away from her in the early morning dimness of their room. In the bathroom, he’d changed into a T-shirt and old pair of sweatpants. Last night she’d spent time in the bathroom soaking in the claw-foot tub while he tried to distract himself in the bedroom with old copies of Southern Living . He’d stared at the printed pages trying not to think of her in the warm water, heaping
“Like to Europe?” She sounded curious.
“No, not there, not then.” He stopped. “The F.B.I. sent me down to the Caribbean, then to Mexico. Once to Brazil. Some people get real creative about hiding money.”
“People like me, you mean.”
“No, big fish, sophisticated con artists.” He caught up with her as she turned away and took her hand. “What happened? For a first-time offender, the I.R.S. really came down on you.”
It didn’t add up no matter how he pushed the pieces around. It’d been on his mind since Atlanta, trying to figure out the logic behind the government’s desire to re-open an ice-cold case and plant a small-town accountant with no previous criminal history in the middle of it.
“It was more than a little, Mac. It was thousands, six figures, in my e-account I couldn’t explain. I wasn’t paying attention. I just kept making deposits while I worked on getting the corporate returns filed for our clients.” Her voice quavered.
“Sounds like maybe they suspected you of money laundering, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities. You were trying to do everything on your own then?”
“Yeah. Things were in a mess. Tim was gone. People were leaving.” She shrugged wearily. “How much longer do we have to keep doing this? Did Jake tell you anything? I’d like to get back to a real life.”
“Not about that. The jobs we staged this last week should have given us plenty of additional publicity. His message said we were the lead story on CNN Friday night. We’ve got the heist set up on Tuesday. Maybe that’ll be enough to lure the Deb out—if it can be done.”
Tall clumps of orange daylilies and wild daisies brushed her skirt as they climbed the rise. She seated herself on a stone bench overlooking the river. Below them, weeping willows trailed fronds in the brown current while colored dragonflies darted amidst the cattails.
He stared back at the house. Distance was kind to its fading grandeur. A breeze was swinging the weathervane atop the carriage house cupola.
“We need to talk about the sleeping arrangements, Jan.”
She tilted her head back to look at him.
“We’ve had separate beds in the motels we’ve been at, even the cheaper ones. I figured it’d be that way here, too.”
“Yeah, it was kind of a surprise to walk into that room. I guess we got the honeymoon suite.”
“It would look funny asking for a rollaway when we’re registered as Mr. and Mrs.”
“But it’s only tonight and tomorrow, Mac.”
Tonight and tomorrow. Easy for her to say. Two long, dark, quiet nights. Double bed, fluffy pillows; jasmine scented air coming in through the open windows; her long, bare legs showing under her nightshirt again as they had the other nights they’d spent together while outside fireflies sent their own mating signals.
“I can make up a kit on the floor, Jan. I mean the couch is only a loveseat. It isn’t big enough for either of us.”
“Oh, come on. Just think of it as a sleepover, like when you were a kid. You stay on your side. I’ll stay on mine. The law and the lawless, right?” She waved a hand. “It’s no big deal.” Her big, honest eyes looked up innocently.
Chapter Six
He paused at the entrance to the lane, resting his hands on his knees. Somehow the run back had seemed longer than his run out. He concentrated on catching his breath.
He’d carefully eased himself away from her in the early morning dimness of their room. In the bathroom, he’d changed into a T-shirt and old pair of sweatpants. Last night she’d spent time in the bathroom soaking in the claw-foot tub while he tried to distract himself in the bedroom with old copies of Southern Living . He’d stared at the printed pages trying not to think of her in the warm water, heaping
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