Read Online Seduced by a Dangerous Man by Cleo Peitsche - Free Book Online Page B

don’t think so.”
    We stared at each other as the meaning of that hit home. “It’s still pretty early,” I said. “Dinner, drinks… it takes time.”
    “Unless she’s a sure thing,” Rob countered. We sped up our pace.
    “Is he dating someone seriously?” I asked as we finally found the office.
    “No idea.”
    My eyes darted around the small room. Big, solid desk with an outdated desktop computer, two dark wood filing cabinets. Behind the desk were three matching bookcases, two tall, a short one between them. Atop the shorter one were old photos of Henry in uniform.  
    If only there were a sign that said “Proof of illegal activities here!” The office wasn’t nearly as orderly as the more date-centric parts of the house. That would make it easier to hide our tracks.
    “You look through the filing cabinet,” I said. “I’ll set up one of the cameras.”  
    Rob nodded, put the flashlight between his teeth and crouched. I flipped on my light and mentally calculated the best angle to cover the computer as well as the majority of the desk. I turned the camera on and wedged it between two gilded, leather-bound tomes. It wasn’t ideal; the glare from the large windows might wash everything out during daylight hours. But I didn’t know for sure.
    The motion detector alert vibrated.
    “Hush,” I said. Rob stopped flipping through folders and looked at me expectantly.
    I tapped the receiver hanging from one of my belt loops.
    He shook his head, his eyes wide. He hadn’t heard a vehicle either. We were quiet a few moments longer, listening for slamming car doors.  
    “I’m gonna check,” I said. I hurried down the hallway toward the side of the house and quickly ducked into two different guest bedrooms, peering hard at the long driveway outside.  
    No car, but I caught movement, a flash of white. Deer.  
    Well, at least I knew the sensors were working.  
    Since I was there, I took a fast moment to look for anything that seemed like it might yield something useful, but I came up empty. I went back to Rob.
    “We’re clear,” I said.
    “So I figured. Haven’t found anything yet.”
    “I’d better set up the other camera. What about the dining room table—you think he works there?”
    “Sorry. It would be a guess.” He gestured at the file cabinets. “There’s a lot to go through here.”
    “I’ll be back in a minute.” I dug out a bit of putty and headed downstairs. As I crept through Henry’s deserted house, it suddenly hit me… this was payback, and it felt damned good. Henry had violated my space several times, and now I was evening things out, correcting the imbalance. Yin and yang.
    There wasn’t a lot to work with in the dining room. I considered fixing the camera to the back of a lampshade, but suppose he jolted it while turning the switch? I surveyed the dining room again. The walls were mostly bare except for several obligatory framed family photos and a few flat mirrors.
    But I liked the idea of having one camera on each floor. Even if I couldn’t catch anything on video, the audio might pick up something interesting.
    Or disgusting. I’d have to remember to fast forward through the first few hours.  
    I contemplated the modest glass chandelier hanging above the table. It was the best bet. I rolled out a bit of putty and patted it over the back of the camera. It was already switched on. I stood on a chair and looked up, daunted. The ceilings were freaking high, and I had to stand on tiptoe to reach the chandelier. Finally I placed one of my feet on the table.
    My belt loop vibrated, startling me so much that I swayed and nearly fell to the floor.
    A flash of headlights cut through the white, sheer curtains, sliding along the edges of the drawn blinds. I heard an engine, not quiet. Henry’s old pickup. I was so used to seeing him in the stalkermobile that I’d forgotten about his truck. The slam of a filing cabinet drawer told me Rob had heard it, too.
    I collected myself