Read Online The Christmas Clue by Delores Fossen - Free Book Online Page B

the lie, either, because Cass’s phone buzzed softly. She grabbed it from her pocket and glanced at the screen. “I need to take this call,” she whispered. She headed for the bathroom and even shut the door.
    That grabbed Matt’s interest. Who would be calling Cass, and was it related to Dominic and his daughter?
    But Matt didn’t have time to ponder that.
    “This could be trouble,” Libby announced, looking at the infrared screen. “A car just stopped at the far end of the parking lot.”
    Matt pulled her inside, kicked the door shut and went to the window. His body automatically went into combat mode. Until he spotted the car and the person inside.
    It was Ronald.
    Matt turned to Libby. “Do you trust me?”
    She blinked. “Of course.”
    “Then leave now.”
    “I can’t. Someone tried to kill you tonight.”
    “And there’s nothing you can do about that here. What would help is for you to go back to headquarters and find out about that leak.”
    Matt didn’t wait for her to agree. He caught on to her and practically dragged her toward the door. Just as his phone vibrated. It was Ronald, no doubt, calling to see if it was safe to come up.
    “I’ll contact you soon,” Matt promised Libby. He pushed her out the door and locked it. Matt waited until he heard her walk away before he answered the call.
    “Libby is here at the apartment building,” Matt immediately told Ronald. “She should be on her way to her SUV now. Do you see her?”
    “Yes. What’d she want?”
    “To check on me. She knows nothing about the equipment. I want to keep it that way.”
    “So do I,” Ronald agreed. “If anyone in the department learns why I really checked out this stuff, then both of us will be in hot water.”
    Definitely. “I take it that you got what I need?” Matt asked.
    “I got it. I signed it out of the equipment room with an explanation that I planned to use it to assist in tracking the assassins who came after you.”
    “Good thinking.” Matt watched through the window as Libby got in her vehicle and drove away. “Duck down in the seat. Libby’s about to drive by, and even though she’s using an infrared scanner, I’d rather she not see your face.”
    “You and me both,” Ronald mumbled.
    Matt waited, dividing his attention between Libby’s exit and the muffled phone conversation that Cass was having in the bathroom. He couldn’t hear enough of what she was saying to know if this was good or bad news.
    “Libby’s gone,” Matt relayed to Ronald.
    Ronald didn’t waste any time. He drove closer, got out and hurried toward the apartment. Matt had the door open and ready for him.
    Unlike Libby, this particular co-worker was a welcome sight, because Ronald wasn’t just a co-worker, he was as close to a friend as Matt had. He was wiry with black hair that lay flat and slick, and eyes that were too big for his face. The only thing that saved him from looking downright spooky was his easy smile.
    “Here’s the infrared monitor, a jammer, laptop and binoculars with a long-range viewer,” Ronald explained, handing Matt a bulging leather equipment bag.
    Matt lifted a pair of handcuffs from the bag. “You’re optimistic—I don’t think I’ll be able to make an arrest this time around. Nor will I have time for kinky sex.” Though he would no doubt be thinking about kinky sex with Cass around.
    Ronald shrugged. “They came standard issue with the bag. Ditto for the stun gun and plenty of other stuff. What’s missing is the thermal body armor device. It wasn’t there. Guess somebody screwed up and forgot to include it.”
    Matt didn’t mind not having the thermal body armor. It was a tiny device, and it basically blocked an agent from being detected with an infrared monitor. But since Matt was the one who’d be using the monitor on Dominic and his guards, he likely wouldn’t need it.
    “I don’t suppose it’d do me any good to try to talk you out of whatever it is you’re about to do?”