Книга - Major Crimes

Major Crimes
Janie Crouch


A burning desire – a killer secret…When Omega special agent Cain Bennett asks for Hayley’s help to catch a murderer, she knows better than to say yes. After he sent her to prison, Hayley’s only just started piecing her life back together. But with their past colliding will she be able to stay away?







Working together would bring down a killer

But her secrets could tear them apart...

Hayley Green never wanted to see Omega special agent Cain Bennett again. Ever. He seduced her, then sent her to prison for hacking, and Hayley’s only just started piecing her life back together. Except now Cain needs Hayley’s help to catch a murderer. Their past is colliding with their still-smoldering attraction...and the only thing more dangerous than the killer is the secrets Hayley’s been keeping.

Omega Sector: Under Siege


JANIE CROUCH has loved to read romance her whole life. This USA TODAY bestselling author cut her teeth on Mills & Boon Romance novels as a preteen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult. Janie lives with her husband and four children overseas. She enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movie watching, knitting and adventure/ obstacle racing. You can find out more about her at www.janiecrouch.com (http://www.janiecrouch.com).


Also by Janie Crouch (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

Daddy Defender

Protector’s Instinct

Cease Fire

Major Crimes

Special Forces Saviour

Fully Committed

Armoured Attraction

Man of Action

Overwhelming Force

Battle Tested

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


Major Crimes

Janie Crouch






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


ISBN: 978-1-474-07905-1

MAJOR CRIMES

© 2018 Janie Crouch

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


This book is dedicated to Hayley, aka “Mandy”. How blessed I am to still have you in my life all these years later. We may be continents apart (I move to one...you move to another) but I treasure your friendship and the memories we have. To Mandy, love Mittie. xx


Contents

Cover (#ub3c040db-353b-56ef-bf05-e93f412e096c)

Back Cover Text (#u43ef217e-55fb-5865-97ba-41ba34f4cd76)

About the Author (#ua279ce11-79ba-5b74-a22e-26237130eaae)

Booklist (#u77ada594-b9f2-59a6-b734-b5a0f0e9b6b0)

Title Page (#ucc38e448-5372-5303-aa45-cbc217e5759b)

Copyright (#u5fece775-2983-5fa6-b745-08f3353e0743)

Dedication (#ubc528ee6-f390-5130-bebf-d81199c9af31)

Prologue (#u6904ea82-4fed-5e73-b504-8e2d7890c33c)

Chapter One (#u6c2e16b0-bc2e-5f74-8b48-c295bddb58f3)

Chapter Two (#ubcea49e3-99af-5d5c-9fc7-12e8aa114609)

Chapter Three (#udcfc937a-2aae-5448-bb03-b9fb6739c4fd)

Chapter Four (#ubce4ffd6-af8d-59dc-9562-e19f00afa601)

Chapter Five (#u89ee6d17-7f87-5638-8ecd-1373b414db5f)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)


Prologue (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

Omega Sector agent Cain Bennett sat in the back row of a Georgia courthouse waiting for the judge to come in and sentence the woman Cain had loved since he was sixteen years old.

Hayley Green, the woman Cain had arrested.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, then leaned forward to rest the weight of his forearms on his knees. Hayley currently sat ramrod straight at the table directly in front of the judge’s bench, in a Fulton County orange jumpsuit, her straight blond hair in a ponytail behind her. She was obviously ignoring the whispers from the crowd that was here to see her sentenced. Press, government figures, even some people from their small Georgia hometown who wanted to be able to report the gossip live filled the room.

You would think she was about to be sentenced for murder rather than computer hacking.

He still hadn’t figured out why Hayley chose to use her ninja-like computer skills illegally, to hack the College Entrance Test—CET—system. The exam, which allowed students to get their results back instantly rather than having to wait months like previous standardized tests, was supposed to be unhackable. Questions completely random.

Hayley and her cohorts had figured out not how to hack the test, but how to build false exams into the system. Ones that the system thought were real and that gave the students who “took” them real scores and credit.

Rich students were willing to pay handsomely for these false exams and scores, which would, in essence, assure their acceptance into any college they desired. A pretty nifty scam when it was all said and done. But why she had done it, Cain had no idea. The girl he’d known in high school would never have.

And Hayley sure as hell wasn’t going to offer any reasons why to Cain. She was refusing to talk to him at all.

He gritted his teeth in a constant tension he’d lived with for the past several months. Yes, he’d reignited his relationship with Hayley because of the hacking case.

But because he’d thought she might be able to put him in contact with some of the hackers, not because he thought she was one of them.

But to her it just looked like he’d slept with her as part of some damn sting operation.

Cain looked up at Hayley’s still, stiff form in the chair. God, he’d made a mess of things. She had, too. Why the hell had she been hacking? Become a criminal? She knew he’d dedicated his life to law enforcement. Choosing to break the law was like a slap in the face after what they’d once shared.

But hopefully the judge would take into consideration that Hayley had no prior convictions, no arrests. She’d pleaded no contest in order to not drag out the case and cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in a trial. Cain, as the agent who had been in charge of the investigation, had petitioned for no jail time for Hayley.

Parole with limited computer usage, definitely. But Hayley wasn’t dangerous. Had no intent to harm others. Time already served would be a perfect sentence for her.

She might not like it, but Cain planned to be a lot more present in her life. He’d been wrong to let them grow so far apart as he’d gone to college, then the FBI training academy, before joining Omega Sector. They’d talked via social media and email, but he obviously had not been privy to what was really going on in her life. Aka: criminal activities.

That would stop now.

The judge would release her today, and tomorrow Cain would begin to bulldoze his way back into her life. She’d be mad—hell, so was he—but they would work through it. They had too much history, too much passion, too much rightness to be without each other for long. Hayley Green was his, the same way he was hers. They had been for over ten years.

Beginning tomorrow, he was going to make sure his little felon had her own law enforcement agent keeping her on the straight and narrow. Cain smiled slightly. It wouldn’t be easy, but she was worth it. They were worth it.

The bailiff announced for all to rise as the judge entered the courtroom. Everyone sat back down as the judge asked Hayley to stand.

Cain listened as the judge spoke to Hayley about computer crimes, although not violent, not being victimless. He grew more tense as the judge pointed out that she’d stolen not just from the company that developed and ran the CET, but from students around the country who had missed out on the opportunity of college acceptance and scholarship because of the test results she had sold for money.

Bile began to burn at the back of his throat when the judge said that Hayley had not just hacked computers, she had stolen futures.

This was not good.

“Today,” the judge continued, “I feel that it is important to set an example. To show that people like you, Ms. Green—young, intelligent, able to work—will be held to strict standards when you choose to break the law. To discourage others from making the same choices.”

Cain wanted to stand up. Stop time. Do something. Because the next words to come out of the judge’s mouth were going to alter Cain’s entire world.

He couldn’t imagine what they were going to do to Hayley’s.

“Hayley Green, you have pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of first-degree computer crimes, which is a class B felony, with a sentence of up to twenty years in prison. This court hereby sentences you to ten years at the Georgia Women’s Correctional Institution, Minimum Security Campus, eligible for parole not before four years.”

Cain saw Hayley’s body jerk as the gavel came down against the sound block on the judge’s bench. The judge said a few more things and then court was dismissed.

Cain couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Feeling like all the oxygen had been sucked from the room, he stared at Hayley, still standing stiffly at the table as her lawyer murmured something in her ear. Hayley’s cousin Ariel, the only family present, was crying softly in the row behind her.

Four years. Hayley would spend at least four years in prison.

And Cain had sent her there.

People began filing out around him, but Cain couldn’t force himself to move. Couldn’t stop looking at Hayley. Couldn’t figure out how to make this right.

Things would never be right again.

An officer came over to her and asked her to move to the other side of the table so he could handcuff her. She did, moving slowly, like she was in shock. Which she had to be.

Four years.

As the officer turned her so he could cuff her, Hayley’s eyes met Cain’s. He took a step toward her, unable to help himself.

He expected tears, or terror, or even hatred to light her eyes as she looked at him, skin across her cheekbones pale and drawn.

But her eyes were dead, emotionless. She looked at him as though he were a stranger.

Then she turned from him completely and was led away.


Chapter One (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

Four years later

Cain often dealt with the worst of humanity as part of the Omega Sector Protection and Recovery Division.

Crisis management and bodyguarding were a regular part of his job. He and his team also dealt with hijackers and kidnappers on a regular basis.

But his mission right now was to rescue not a person, but the entire Critical Response Division of Omega, which was being hijacked in its own way.

They had a psychopath on their hands, set on destroying the team one by one—by killing their loved ones. And someone on the inside was helping the madman in his quest.

Cain was currently watching a video of Damien Freihof—said psychopath—who had slit the throat of Omega psychiatrist Grace Parker last week.

Freihof and his cohort within Omega Sector had decided it would be fun to send the murder as a live feed to all active Omega Sector agents—forcing them to watch as Dr. Parker died without them being able to step in and do anything about it.

So now Cain was able to watch it over and over. Watch as Grace’s eyes dulled in death. Watch as Freihof’s eyes had filled with something akin to joy as the doctor—a beautiful woman in her fifties, and an integral part of the Omega team—died sitting right in front of him.

Freihof had made it no secret that he wanted Omega Sector’s Critical Response Division to pay for the death of his wife, Natalie, years ago. That he blamed the elite law enforcement task group for her untimely demise in a bank hostage situation.

He was determined they would feel the pain of losing loved ones like he had.

Grace Parker had been just one of those loved ones Freihof had gone after. For the past five months he’d been the mastermind behind attacks on nearly a dozen Omega Sector agents or their friends and family. Grace had died last week. Two other Omega agents were in the hospital after an explosion.

And Freihof was reveling in it all.

Freihof had to be stopped. But just as importantly, the mole inside Omega—the one who was feeding Freihof information that was allowing him to be so successful in his attacks—had to be stopped. Steve Drackett, director of the Critical Response team, was unsure who could be trusted.

That’s why Cain was here, brought from a different division of Omega, to help catch this traitor.

Cain watched the death of Grace Parker again, hoping to notice something this time that maybe he’d missed before. He hadn’t personally known the woman, which allowed him to look at the footage more objectively, see things others—people who had cared deeply about the psychiatrist—might miss.

Cain was known for his ability to separate emotion from the job. It was how he’d risen to assistant director of Omega’s Protection and Recovery Division when he’d barely reached his thirtieth birthday.

Because he got the job done, no matter what.

He’d proven that four years ago.

Cain studied the footage again, pushing all thoughts of Hayley Green aside. Right now he needed to understand as much as he could about Damien Freihof. Because anything Cain could find out about him would hopefully lead to information about the mole.

In a way—as psychotic as Freihof was—he was easier to understand. The man wanted vengeance. Sure, he may want vengeance for something that Omega Sector wasn’t actually responsible for, but at least his motives were clear.

What did the traitor want?

There couldn’t be much money involved in helping Freihof. Maybe a little, but not the sort of big payoff someone was usually looking for in order to risk their reputation and/or life.

That left a lot of other factors. It could also be vengeance; maybe Freihof had found a kindred spirit also looking for some sort of revenge for something Omega had done. Maybe the person had a desire for control, or was some sort of political zealot, planning to bring down Omega Sector from the beginning.

Or maybe Freihof had control over the man—or woman—and was blackmailing him or her in some way.

The motive didn’t really matter to Cain in terms of justifying why the traitor was behaving the way he was, but understanding motive always provided information in an unknown suspect.

Cain sat in a private conference room attached to Steve Drackett’s office. It was one of the few places Steve had assured him there was no way the mole could have any type of surveillance devices.

While Cain trusted Steve completely, he wasn’t leaving anything to chance. Cain had his own countersurveillance device that allowed him to know for certain that no one was recording or transmitting visual or audio data from this room.

Files of every employee—agent or not—of the Critical Response Division sat in groups on the large conference table. Cain had already been in this room for more than eight hours going through the files.

He had four distinct groups: cleared, unlikely, unknown and suspicious.

People like Steve Drackett, whom Cain had known for years and who had spent most of his life fighting people like Freihof, were in the cleared category. Other agents also, like the various members of the Omega SWAT team who had been injured or nearly killed by Freihof over the last few months. Employees who had joined Omega very recently were also cleared, as well as those who had no access to the type of information that had been given to Freihof.

But that still left a hell of a lot of people in the unlikely, unknown or suspicious categories.

Long-term operatives and agents were in the unlikely category. Cain rubbed the back of his neck as he walked around the table looking at the files. The thought of the culprit being a colleague who had been involved with Omega Sector for years churned like acid in his gut. He drowned those thoughts by taking a swig from his now-cold coffee mug, the only substance he’d had today. He wanted to move these agents to the cleared list, but he couldn’t.

Emotion had no place in solving crimes. No matter how much Cain wanted someone to be innocent, he knew firsthand that wasn’t always how things panned out.

He looked through all the unknown files again. People with a background in computers who would be able to get Freihof the information he wanted without being detected. The one thing they knew for sure was the traitor was highly skilled in computer usage.

But a number of people were skilled in that area. Even people who had jobs not involving computers or intel could still have the prowess needed to be the mole.

Cain picked up a file for John Carnell. The guy was a genius; his damn mind worked like a computer. Abrupt and sullen, he was often difficult to work with, but almost always the smartest person in the room.

Cain slid Carnell’s file from the unknown to the suspicious pile. There it joined half a dozen others. Two from people who had filed complaints with the head Omega office in Washington, DC, when they were bypassed for promotions—maybe one of them had an ax to grind and had become the mole. SWAT wannabe Saul Poniard’s file was also in the pile; he had such a perfect record that it bugged Cain.

And Lillian Muir, a member of the SWAT team. Cain didn’t like putting her name in the suspicious pile, especially since she’d been one of the people injured in an explosion a few days ago at Freihof’s last known place of residence. A wooden projectile had lodged itself in her shoulder. A painful but non-life-threatening injury.

But Cain could not deny that Lillian’s past—and how well hidden she’d kept it—made her a suspect. Someone who had gone to the lengths she had to hide her past was someone who had something to lose.

When Steve Drackett walked in the door, Cain slid Lillian’s file under another one. He knew Steve was too emotionally involved with his inner team to objectively consider the possibility that one of them was the traitor.

“How’s it going in here?” Steve asked.

“I’ll admit, I’d rather be out enjoying your beautiful Colorado mountains than stuck inside this windowless room.”

Steve clapped him on the shoulder. “I keep saying you need to transfer from the DC office out here. Quality-of-life clause.” Steve’s eyes flew to the screen where Cain had paused the recording of Grace Parker’s death.

Cain walked over and shut it off. Steve had seen the murder footage enough times; he didn’t need to see it again. Steve gestured toward the files on the table. “Any luck?”

“I have my theories. My categories of suspects. I have to be honest with you, Steve, it’s probably better if you just don’t even know who I’m really looking into.”

Cain wouldn’t tell him anyway, but he hoped the other man wouldn’t ask. Cain respected Steve, had known him for a lot of years. He didn’t want to let this drive a wedge—professional or personal—between them.

But he would if it meant catching the mole.

Steve rolled tense shoulders. “I don’t like it, I’ll be honest. But I like even less the thought of a traitor walking among us every day. Of more of my agents getting hurt or killed.”

“I know,” Cain said softly. “We’re going to get him, Steve. Get them. Freihof and whoever this mole is.”

“Do you have any particular direction you’re following?”

“Some. Based on profiling and what might be considered suspicious activities. Or even particular skill sets. But what’s really going to help me catch this person is the computer stuff.”

“That’s why you’re going to Hayley Green.”

He could still see the way she’d looked at him that day in the courtroom. How dead her eyes had been. That had been the last time he’d seen her. He’d tried to visit her multiple times the first year she’d gone to prison, but she’d always refused to have anything to do with him. So then he’d stopped trying.

Although he’d never stopped thinking about her.

“I don’t have the skills to find this person, but she does.”

Steve’s eyebrow raised. “You know Hayley is a convicted felon. You made sure of that.”

His gut tightened at the thought, like it did every time. “But she’s also the best at hacking a computer system.”

“Are you sure she will help you?”

Hayley had been paroled four months ago. Cain knew the exact date she’d gotten out. He’d been surprised when she moved back to Gainesville, Georgia, upon release. The place she always said she wanted to get away from.

They both had wanted to get away from it. Heaven knew they had spent enough time during their relationship in high school talking about getting out. But maybe she had decided that familiar was better.

“Cain?” Steve repeated. “Are you sure that Hayley will help you? After everything that happened?”

Cain forced himself to release the tension in his shoulders. “Hayley was guilty. She’s now out of prison and I’m sure she’s ready to move on.”

“But moving on and helping the man who put her in prison are two different things.”

Helping the man who used his relationship with her to put her in prison.

Steve didn’t say the words, but he didn’t have to. Both of them were thinking it; Steve had known Cain when it happened. They both knew that was much more difficult to move on from.

Cain ignored it. He’d done what he had to do four years ago, even though it had gutted him. But the law had been on his side. He tried to remember that.

And he’d had no idea the judge would be so hard in his sentencing of Hayley. But that hadn’t changed the fact that she was guilty.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle Hayley,” Cain finally said. And he would. He couldn’t believe that she wouldn’t help him catch a murderer, no matter what had transpired between the two of them in the past.

“If you say so.” Steve wisely didn’t say anything further.

“I’m going to have to go completely dark from Omega.” Cain began stacking files. Many of them would be coming with him to Georgia. “Hayley can’t work anywhere within the Omega system.”

“Completely dark?” Steve asked. “That could be dangerous. You won’t have much backup if you need it.”

“Until we know how deep this goes, have a better idea of who the mole is and what sort of capacity he or she has for obtaining information? I can’t work within the Omega system. If this mole is as good as we think, he’ll realize it if I’m inside.”

The last thing either of them wanted to do was cause the traitor to go to ground. They’d never be able to catch him then. And that would make apprehending Freihof that much harder.

“The only people who will know what I’m doing will be you, Ren McClement in the DC office and me.”

Steve nodded. They both wanted to trust more people but keeping this circle as small as possible was the best scenario. McClement worked in the highest levels of Omega Sector, bringing together multiple departments when needed. The man was all but a legend. Cain trusted Ren just as much as he trusted Steve.

With his life.

“You just be careful,” Steve said. “Going dark can have some hard consequences.”

“I’m willing to pay that price if it means we get this traitor out of our midst.”

“I know you are.” Steve studied him. “But sometimes we are not the only person to pay the price. Hayley might have been guilty of whatever crime she committed years ago, but dragging her into this could be even worse.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect Hayley.” Believe it or not, even if she couldn’t see it, he’d always been trying to protect her. From the day he met her in high school until today. “I’ll make sure it’s cleared through the state so that she won’t be violating her parole by helping us. I won’t let anybody hurt her.”

Steve moved toward the door, nodding. “I hope she sees it that way.”

So did Cain.


Chapter Two (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

Hayley loaded the dirty dishes and wiped down the booth that had just been vacated by Bluewater Grill patrons. She slid along the soft gray leather of the seat to wipe a far corner of the table. She swiped at a few strands of dirty-blond hair that had escaped her long braid with the back of her hand, then hoped the moisture left on her forehead wasn’t cleaning solution.

She almost moaned in relief at how good it felt to be off her feet for just a second as she wiped. It was two o’clock in the afternoon. She’d already been working six hours and still had another eight to go. Just like yesterday.

And the day before that.

It was the only way she could make ends meet when she earned only minimum wage. Less than that, actually. But she didn’t argue, because at least she had a job.

Not many people were willing to hire a convicted felon, she’d found when she left the Georgia Women’s Correctional Institution four months ago. She’d been fortunate that the restaurant she worked at in high school part-time, still owned by the same family and now managed by their son, Timothy Smittle, a high school classmate of Hayley’s, had been willing to take a chance on her.

They hadn’t let her wait tables, explaining that they couldn’t allow an ex-felon to interact with customers or handle money. But Timothy had graciously offered to allow Hayley to bus the tables, wash dishes and clean the entire restaurant.

The same Timothy who was looking over at her now, eyebrow raised, since she was no longer wiping the table, just resting. Hayley quickly jumped up, not wanting to risk another lecture about how lucky she was to have a job at such a respectable establishment.

Hayley didn’t think too hard about her future. About the fact that she was twenty-eight years old, had no college degree, was an ex-felon and would probably still be working fourteen-hour days at the Bluewater twenty years from now.

Or the fact that she might have to start running for her life as soon as she was legally able to access a computer.

As she carried the bus pan back to the dishwashing area—thankful that some customer had come in and cut Timothy off from the route that had led straight to her and a lecture—she tried to count her blessings.

As a part of her parole she wasn’t allowed to go anywhere near a computer. The anklet she couldn’t remove ensured she had no interaction with a computer that lasted longer than two minutes every six hours. Not even social media. Although maybe she could manage a tweet in under two minutes.

It was a prototype. She should probably feel honored that she was one of the first batch of cyber criminals it was being tested on. This was what happened when you were part of a high-profile crime that even grabbed the attention of US senators. Everybody wanted to make sure you didn’t do it again.

Hayley had to admit her fingers itched for a keyboard. She yearned to get back into a world that involved no dishes or people like Smittle. She had a gift. When it came to computers and coding, she knew she had a gift.

Too bad she had let those gifts get her in trouble and cut her off from what could’ve been a very comfortable future. No one to blame but herself for that.

Well, maybe someone else to blame. But she didn’t expect she would ever see Cain Bennett again, so there was no point in targeting any anger toward him.

She rubbed at an ache in the general vicinity of her heart at the thought of Cain. Then cursed herself not only for getting her shirt damp with her wet fingers, but for even thinking about him at all.

Plus, being away from computers was what was keeping her safe right now. As long as she couldn’t go near a computer, she was not a threat to the people behind the situation that had led to her arrest and going to jail. Once they knew she could get near a computer and had the ability to trace their identities, Hayley had no doubt her life would become much more complicated.

But she couldn’t touch a computer for another two years at least, so she would run screaming over that bridge when she got to it. She had more than enough trouble to deal with today.

Which led to her most important blessing. She could hear him entering the restaurant right now, even from the back.

“Mama Hay-lay!”

Hayley dried her hands on her apron and ripped it off, dropping it next to the dishwasher. She walked out into the front of the restaurant, strolling by Timothy without even pausing.

“I’m taking my hour break.”

Timothy didn’t argue. It was the one measure Hayley had demanded when she came to work here. That she would be given a break once a day, during the lull in the afternoon, when her cousin Ariel came by with little Mason.

Mason, Hayley’s three-and-a-half-year-old son.

She grabbed Mason up in a hug, tickling him, breathing in his scent that meant so much to her, that calmed her and the tight spot inside her that grew whenever they were apart.

She and her son were together. They were both healthy, they were both happy, they were both free. A piece of paper signed while Hayley was in prison had made Ariel Mason’s legal guardian hours after his birth, but her cousin had made sure that Mason always knew Hayley was his mom.

Hayley wrapped her arm around Ariel also. “Hey, coz. Thanks again.”

Hayley knew it had to be difficult for Ariel to get Mason here every day. They were trying to figure out exactly how to transition him back from Ariel’s care to Hayley’s with as little trauma as possible for Mason.

“No problem. It’s the best part of our day.”

Hayley’s cousin had been a godsend. Hayley honestly had no idea what she would’ve done if it hadn’t been for Ariel’s willingness to care for Mason while Hayley was still incarcerated. He’d be a ward of the state otherwise.

Because there was no way in hell she would’ve told Cain he had a son. He’d made it very clear how little he thought of her when he’d used sex between them just to further his career by arresting her.

“It’s raining outside, so do you want to go to the mall play area, champ?”

Little Mason nodded his head vigorously. “Yeah yeah yeah.”

The drive to the mall took less than five minutes and soon they were watching Mason run around the enclosed area for children, made of soft foam material shaped like cars and rocket ships. It was one of Mason’s favorite places to go.

Mason took after her—slender build, sandy-blond hair, and a zest for life that unfortunately had been driven out of her in prison. Hayley loved seeing the energy in Mason, and that energy fed her soul, especially on days when work seemed never ending.

“I know I sound like a broken record,” Ariel said, taking a sip of the coffee she had picked up in the food court. “But you look exhausted.”

Hayley rubbed her eyes and looked at the coffee with jealousy. She’d love to have the caffeine, but food court coffee was out of her budget. She didn’t want to admit how good sitting down for an hour felt. “I’m okay, no need to worry.”

“You’re working twelve-to fourteen-hour days, six days a week. You can’t tell me that’s not taking a toll.”

“It’s not forever. I just want to make sure I’m as financially situated as possible before you leave.”

Ariel took a sip of her coffee and worked to avoid making eye contact with Hayley. “About that... I’ve been thinking that maybe now isn’t the right time. There will be another fellowship next year.”

“No!” Hayley’s tone brooked no refusal. “You’ve given up three years of your life for Mason and me. It’s time for you to go do what you really want.”

That included a full scholarship to Oxford, studying medieval literature for her master’s degree. It was what Ariel had dreamed about her whole life. She’d postponed that dream to take in Mason, but Hayley refused to let her cousin give up any more time than she already had.

Ariel leaned over until her head touched the side of Hayley’s shoulder. “I haven’t given up zilch. If anything, I’ve gained. Mason has been a blessing.”

Hayley leaned her cheek against the top of Ariel’s head. “I’m sure you didn’t think that during middle-of-the-night feedings when he was a newborn.”

Hayley tamped down the heartbreak she still felt at having missed that part of her son’s life. The important thing was that Mason had been cared for by someone who loved him.

“You’re working yourself to the bone to try to make money for when I’m gone. If I applied for next year’s fellowship you’d be in a much better situation.”

Hayley wasn’t just trying to save up money for Ariel’s absence, but she didn’t want to burden her cousin with any of that.

“But we both know they’re not going to offer it to you again if you turn them down this year.” They both watched as Mason ran up over a foam bridge. He’d already met another little boy and girl and was giggling with them both as they ran.

“There are other places I can study. Closer to home, not across the ocean.”

“Ariel, you’ve done your part. I don’t know how I would’ve survived without you. But you need to take care of yourself now. And Mason and I need to get to know each other, on our own. To become a mother and son.”

Hayley had lived in the tiny apartment with Ariel and Mason since she’d gotten out of prison four months ago. Any hours she didn’t spend working she spent with her son. And once Ariel left for Oxford, Hayley wouldn’t be able to work these insane hours. Someone would need to be with Mason after day care, and Hayley planned to be that person.

So if she had to work herself nearly to death over the next two months to have enough money to get by while Ariel was gone, then she would damn well do that.

She would do whatever she had to in order to be able to live a normal life with her child.

“I know you don’t like to talk about this, but what about contacting Mason’s father?”

Hayley didn’t even hesitate. “Not an option.”

Ariel rolled her eyes. “You know I don’t believe that nonsense about Mason’s father being ‘unknown’ like you put on the birth certificate. There’s no way you had some sort of one-night stand and didn’t know the guy’s name.”

Hayley shrugged. “Yeah, well, we all make mistakes.”

Cain Bennett had been hers.

All too soon it was time for Hayley to get back to the Bluewater. Ariel and Mason came inside to get Mason’s normal scoop of Wednesday ice cream in the last few minutes Hayley had of her break.

Mason sat next to her in the booth and told about his friend he met at the play area.

“He came over and showed me his red car. Let me play with it,” Mason said between bites.

Hayley reached over and kissed the top of his head. “Sounds like a pretty good friend you made there, buddy.”

Mason moved on to talk about his favorite toys at preschool while Ariel and Hayley listened attentively.

Thank God Mason had taken to Hayley’s presence in his life with such acceptance, that Ariel had constantly shown him pictures of Hayley and had referred to Hayley as his mom, had brought him for visitation in prison when she could. She and Ariel had done their best to make the transition natural and nondramatic. At first Hayley had just come over every day and gotten to know Mason. Two weeks later she moved in to the small apartment with them.

Hayley knew Mason loved her and that was all that mattered. When it came time for Ariel to go off to school it would be hard, but by then he would be even more comfortable with Hayley.

She saw Timothy looking over at her and then pointing at his watch. Hayley let out a sigh.

“Okeydoke guys, I’ve got to get back to work.” Hayley stood up as Mason finished his last bite.

“I’m going to get this sugar-infested rug rat back home.” Ariel smiled.

“I’ll hopefully be getting off work at around seven thirty, so maybe I’ll make it home in time for a bath and some book reading.”

When Mason’s face lit up at her words, Hayley knew she would do whatever necessary to make it happen.

“I love it when you read me books! The fire truck book! The big banana book! The green ham and eggs book!” He bounced up and down on the seat, and she knew if she’d allowed him to stand on it, he’d be jumping with his excitement.

“All of them, little man, I promise. Okay?” Hayley laughed and reached down and scooped Mason up in her arms, hugging him probably a little too tightly.

“You squeezeded me!” Mason squealed, but hugged her back.

He’d always hugged her back. Hayley was oh so grateful that he’d never turned away from her, even at the beginning. She’d like to think it was because it was his child’s heart responding to her mother’s heart.

But it was probably just because he was a good kid and didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

Hayley set Mason on the ground after giving him a loud kiss. “Get the books out and be ready. I’ll see you tonight.”

She watched as Mason took Ariel’s hand and they walked out the door.

“That was an hour and six minutes, Hayley.” Timothy had made his way over while she watched them leave.

Hayley turned back to the table to pick up the glasses and silverware. “Don’t worry, Timothy, I will make sure I get all my work done.”

“I agreed to this break every day, but now I’m thinking you’re trying to take advantage of it.”

Hayley managed to refrain from rolling her eyes. Barely. “It was six extra minutes. There’s hardly anybody in the restaurant and I have plenty of time to get everything done before the dinner rush starts.”

“Well, I just don’t want six extra minutes to turn into ten extra minutes to turn into thirty extra minutes. After all, we did do you a big favor by hiring you here.”

Hayley didn’t argue, just continued to clear off the table. Timothy Smittle was getting her labor at less cost than he would have to pay others. She was doing the work of two people and barely getting paid one person’s salary.

But she didn’t have any other choice, so she would keep her opinions and her arguments to herself. This was temporary. Mason was forever. Whatever she had to do to reestablish herself, to be prepared to take care of him in any situation, she would do it.

“Someone is coming in the door right now. All the waitresses are on break, so I’ll seat him and you take his order. But don’t do anything having to do with money. I’ll give him his check after.”

And keep the tip for himself, no doubt.

Hayley let out a weary sigh. “Fine, Timothy. Just let me go get my apron on and I’ll take his order.”

Hayley refused to let the exhaustion overwhelm her, even though she felt it much more now that Mason was gone. She would work hard, get through the shift and get home to her baby.

She grabbed a glass of water for the table where she needed to take the order. She was almost there, pulling her friendly facade over her features, when she looked up at the restaurant guest.

The water slipped out of her numb fingers and shattered as it hit the hardwood floor.

Cain Bennett.

Her eyes ran over his face. Not much had changed in the four years since she’d last seen him. His forceful chin and chiseled jaw were still completed by broad cheekbones, five-o’clock shadow already clear on them even at this early hour. His dark hair was still cut short, but with that rebellious curl that tended to fall across his forehead.

Those same green eyes with flecks of brown were now full of concern as he stood, staring at her. Cain hadn’t just happened to walk into this restaurant. He was here specifically looking for her.

Under no circumstance could this possibly be good.


Chapter Three (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

Cain approached Hayley slowly, both arms outstretched. Not unlike how he had approached traumatized victims in the past.

Because that’s exactly how Hayley looked: traumatized. Hell, she hadn’t looked this drained even in court four years ago.

Now her brown eyes had shadows under them, outlining an obvious exhaustion. She looked like she could gain another ten pounds and still be a little underweight.

And she was staring at him with something akin to terror in her eyes.

Cain hadn’t expected her to be happy to see him, but neither had he expected her to look like she was carrying the world’s weight on her shoulders. A sort of panic itched at his gut.

He took a step closer. She took a step back.

“Hayley, what the heck happened?” The manager rushed out from the back. “Get something to clean that up.”

The man turned and faced Cain. “We’re so sorry about this. I’ll get you another—Cain? Cain Bennett?”

Cain dragged his eyes away from Hayley to look at the man who knew his name. “Yes?”

“It’s Timothy Smittle. We went to high school together, remember, man?”

“I’ll go get a mop,” Hayley murmured before turning and almost running into the kitchen.

Timothy hooked a thumb toward Hayley’s retreating form. “And of course, you remember Hayley Green, right? You guys were all hot and heavy back in the day.”

“Of course.” Cain slowly sat back down in the booth, eyes fixed on the door Hayley had exited through.

Timothy slid into the booth across from Cain and lowered his voice even though there was no one else around. “And I guess you heard about the law trouble Hayley got into a few years back. That was after you had already left. She did some time at the Georgia Women’s Correctional.”

Cain just nodded.

“When she came back around here begging for her old job, I figured it was the least we could do. You know, since we all went to high school together.” Timothy sounded very pleased with himself. Like he was collecting bonus points or something.

Cain’s eyes left the door and moved to Timothy. “She helped you with your bookkeeping in high school, right? Is that what she’s doing now?”

Timothy smirked. “Are you kidding? We couldn’t let her near anything having to do with money.”

Cain’s lips pressed together although he knew he really couldn’t blame Timothy. “So she’s what, waiting tables?”

The thought of someone with Hayley’s intelligence and skills waiting tables was difficult for Cain to swallow, but he guessed he shouldn’t be surprised. Right now her job options were probably limited.

Timothy shifted a little uncomfortably in the booth across from Cain. “Um, well, that also involves money, so no. Mostly she’s, you know, helping out doing other things.”

Before Cain could press about exactly what those“other things” were, Hayley came back out with a broom and mop and began cleaning up the glass and water she’d spilled.

“I can help.” Cain slid to the edge of the booth ready to stand.

Timothy laughed out loud. “No, Cain. You sit down. It’s Hayley’s job.”

Hayley didn’t look up from what she was doing, but Cain could see the flush spread across her cheeks. She quickly swept up the glass and mopped up the water.

“So, how have you been, man?” Timothy asked, as if they’d been best buddies in high school. Cain barely recalled talking to the other guy at all. “You went on to play ball in college, right? After leading us to the state championships?”

“Yeah, for a couple of years. Then I blew out my knee. Nothing to stop normal life, but effectively ended my football career.”

Hayley had finished cleaning up and Cain could tell she was hesitating about whether to stay nearby or to leave. Timothy noticed it, too.

Timothy waved a dismissive hand in Hayley’s direction. “You can go do your work in the back. I’ll take Cain’s order and get him what he needs.”

Hayley still wasn’t looking at Cain, but he didn’t want her to leave. “Actually, I’m here to talk to Hayley.”

Timothy stiffened. “Oh. Actually, Hayley just took a break with Ariel and the kid, so she doesn’t have another break for a few hours.”

Cain looked around, noticing that Hayley became even more tense with Timothy’s words. It was three o’clock in the afternoon and the place was nearly empty.

“It doesn’t look like you really need her right at this second. I just need to borrow her for a few minutes.”

Timothy turned to glare at Hayley as if she had planned this. “Actually, during the downtime is when Hayley does most of the dishes and cleaning in the back. Then she helps out in front during the rushes.”

Hayley was the damned dishwasher?

“It’s fine, Timothy. I’m not going to take another break. I don’t have anything to say to Cain anyway.” She still wouldn’t look at him.

Cain had figured it would come down to this. Taking out his Omega Sector credentials, he turned back to Timothy. “This is law enforcement business. Hayley isn’t in any trouble and isn’t wanted by the law, but I need to talk to her about a few things. I’d appreciate it if we could have your cooperation.”

He saw Hayley stiffen further out of the corner of his eye.

Timothy stood. “Well, I don’t want to get in the way of the law, but really we don’t pay Hayley to sit around and talk to old boyfriends. I’ll go get you your water.”

Timothy left, shaking his head. Hayley finally looked at Cain. “Yeah, this isn’t a good time. I’m working.”

She seemed genuinely nervous about being here talking to him. Maybe she was afraid she was going to lose her job. Such as it was. “I can come to your house later if you want.” He had her address from her parole file.

“No,” she immediately said. “I don’t want you coming there.”

“Okay.” He held his hands out in a gesture of peace. “If you don’t want to talk here and you don’t want to talk at your home, maybe we can meet for dinner tonight?”

She shook her head again. “I can’t. I’m working here until seven thirty and then I have to go straight home.”

Cain refused to let himself get annoyed at her avoidance. “How about early tomorrow, then? What time does your shift start?”

“Seven a.m.” She shrugged.

He felt himself stiffen. “Did you begin working today at seven a.m. also?”

She shrugged. “I’m working a lot of hours this week.”

By the look of her exhausted face and the weight she’d lost, it had been more than just this week that she’d been working a lot of hours.

“What are you doing here, Hayley? Why are you working here?”

Her eyes narrowed at him. “Believe it or not, there’s not a lot of options out there for an ex-felon with no college degree. Especially since a condition of my parole is that I’m not allowed near a computer for more than two minutes at a time.”

She stuck out her ankle and pulled her khaki pants up just a little bit. Cain could see the electronic monitor strapped around her slim leg.

“It’s a prototype. Lets everybody know if I’m a naughty girl. So when Timothy was nice enough to give me a job—albeit, washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen—I took it.”

Even after she’d refused to see him while in prison, he’d tried to keep tabs on her from a distance. Life in a minimum security facility wasn’t terribly difficult, not like a medium or maximum security facility, but it still wasn’t freedom.

He had to admit he hadn’t really thought about what her life would be like once she actually was released. That the agreement of her parole might stop her from using her natural abilities and skills.

And so here she was with her genius IQ and incredible computer aptitude, washing dishes and mopping floors.

Guilt started to eat at him, but Cain squashed it down. Hayley had broken the law. Cain had been doing his job when he arrested her. But allowing them to get physically involved while he was on the case had been the biggest mistake of his professional life. Something he would always regret. The one thing he couldn’t blame Hayley for hating him for.

Hayley was still standing there when Timothy brought the glass of water back out. “Do you want to order anything?”

Cain turned to Timothy. “No, I’m just going to steal about five minutes of Hayley’s time. I really appreciate it, Timothy. For old times and all.” He smiled at the other man.

Feeling important again, Timothy grinned back. “It’s no problem. Anything for Gainesville’s greatest high school football star.”

“That was a lot of years ago, man. And I was far from the greatest.”

“Not to those of us who stuck around here.” Timothy turned to Hayley. “We’ll just count your break as an hour and a half today, cool?”

Hayley’s lips tightened, but she nodded. Timothy walked off again.

“What do you want, Cain? Why are you here? How long have you been here?”

“Been here in town?”

“No, here at the restaurant.”

“I just walked in a second ago. Why?”

Hayley studied him for a minute, looking relieved. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter. But what do you want?”

“Why don’t you sit down? You look like you could use a few minutes’ break.”

Hayley’s eyebrows arched but she did what he asked.

“Do you need something to eat?” he asked. She looked like she hadn’t had a solid meal in months. “I could order something for us both.”

She ignored his question. “Why are you here, Cain? I know it’s not to have a meal. I know you’re not stupid enough to come back here for a social visit.”

Cain could feel a muscle tightening in his jaw. “No, I’m here on business.”

He could see her visibly tense. “I haven’t done anything that violates my parole. Haven’t broken any laws.”

Of course that was why she would think he was here. Why wouldn’t she? “No. When I said I was here on business I didn’t mean to arrest you or anything like that. You’re not in any trouble.”

She still didn’t relax. “Fine. Then what did you need to talk to me about? I need to get back to work, Cain. Some of us get paid by the hour.”

“And how many hours a week do you have to work here to make ends meet? You look tired.” He touched her hand lying on the table before he could think better of it.

She snatched it away as if she’d been burned.

“No.” Her voice was hoarse. “You don’t get to be concerned about me. Ever. You gave up that right four years ago.”

“When I had you arrested? You were guilty, Hayley. Guilty of using your computer skills for hacking.”

She laughed, but the sound held no amusement whatsoever. “You know what? I’ve had a long time to think about this. To categorize and figure out exactly how I felt about everything that happened with my arrest and incarceration. You were a federal agent, I was a criminal. It was your job to catch me—I’ve never blamed you for that.”

She slid to the edge of the booth. “When those cops barged into my apartment to arrest me, I wasn’t surprised. I think I’d always known I would eventually get caught.”

Cain wanted to feel relief that she didn’t blame him. That she understood he’d been doing his job. But he knew there was more.

She stared at him. He almost wished it was with fury rather than the exhaustion that seemed to blanket both her body and spirit. “Then I saw you. Realized you were the one in charge of the investigation. Realized you had deliberately used the feelings we had for each other, the connection we’d always had, to get close to me.”

He started to interrupt, but she held out a hand to stop whatever he might say.

“You seduced me in order to arrest me, Cain. And it nearly cost me everything.” Hayley stood. “So whatever business it is you want to talk to me about? Forget it. We have nothing to say to each other.”


Chapter Four (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

The next morning before the sun was even up, Cain sat in the diner a few blocks away from the Bluewater Grill. Hayley was supposed to meet him here in twenty minutes.

She damn well better show up. When she’d walked away yesterday, he’d let her go. But he’d stayed, had lunch, even suffered through an hour of reminiscing with Timothy.

When Hayley had come out of the kitchen to refill the ice in the server’s station, he’d caught her glance. He’d seen her big brown eyes widen, then narrow, from all the way across the restaurant.

Eventually she’d made her way back over to him.

“Why are you still here?”

He’d leaned back in the booth like he didn’t have anywhere else in the world to be. “Because you haven’t listened to what I have to say yet.”

For just a second she’d looked at him as though she would like to push him into oncoming traffic. Cain didn’t mind. He would take that any day over how breakable she’d looked a couple of hours before. “Fine. If I listen to you, will you leave?”

“It will take more than two sentences. You’ll have to sit down. Give me a few minutes.”

Hayley had looked over her shoulder at Timothy, who’d been glaring. And just like that the anger was gone. Breakable was back.

“I can’t.” She started loading dishes off his table and putting them in the bin she’d carried out. “I don’t have any more time today.”

Damn it. Cain had wanted to punch something. And it might have been Timothy if he’d started harassing Hayley again. But that would’ve just added to her distress.

“You’re working a double tomorrow, too?” he asked.

She’d nodded and wiped down his table.

“Fine. Meet me for breakfast at the diner down the block in the morning before your shift starts.”

She grimaced. “Fine. Six thirty. You’ll have thirty minutes.”

He’d left after that. Mostly because he couldn’t bear to stay in there and watch Hayley work so hard and look so damn fragile.

Forget the mole, all he wanted to do was steal Hayley away from here, take her to a beach house somewhere and let her just sit out in the sun.

And feed her, for God’s sake. Meal after meal until she finally put enough weight on to be considered thin. And exhaustion and fear didn’t blanket her every expression.

Cain scrubbed a hand over his face. He felt like he was missing some important piece of this puzzle. He could understand why Hayley was working at the Bluewater, and even the difficulty in getting a job. But why the hell was she working herself to the bone? The cost of living in Georgia wasn’t so high that she needed to work eighty hours a week to get by.

What the hell had happened to her? Had life in prison been that bad? Or adjusting back into society that difficult? Hayley was so damn smart. He’d halfway thought she would use her time incarcerated to plan a new business or get her college degree. Maybe the no-computers decree had disrupted whatever plans she’d made.

She obviously needed money in a pretty desperate way. Omega was willing to pay her a hefty consultant’s fee for her help in catching the mole.

Of course, Cain was also going to have to carefully watch where that money was being spent. There weren’t a lot of good reasons he could think of that would have her working herself into the ground, but there were a lot of bad ones.

Buying her way back into the den of hackers was the most obvious. Maybe she had to have a certain dollar amount by the time her computer restrictions were lifted on her parole.

Cain’s hands clenched into fists. He’d be damned if he was going to let her drop back into that life again.

So maybe this mission was going to serve more than one purpose: catch the mole inside Omega and save Hayley from herself.

But first she had to show up this morning. Even if it was only so Cain could feed her.

He got a cup of coffee and put in an order for a full breakfast for both of them about ten minutes before Hayley was scheduled to arrive. He wasn’t going to let not having enough time be an excuse not to eat. Although he was hoping to talk her out of going to work altogether. The consultant’s fee would be at least five times what she would make busing tables and washing dishes.

He saw her instantly as she entered the diner, long blond hair pulled back in a braid. She had a large canvas bag over one shoulder and was already in her Bluewater T-shirt and khaki pants. Damn restaurant didn’t even open for another four hours, so why the hell did she need to go in so early?

He knew the moment she saw him, tension shooting into her small frame like someone had fused a metal pipe to her spine. He stood as she got to their booth. She at least looked a little less tired than yesterday afternoon.

“I don’t have long. I have to clock in by seven,” she said by way of greeting.

“Good morning.” He ignored her abrupt words as she slid into the booth across from him.

“This isn’t a date, Cain. Not even a breakfast between friends. Tell me what it is you have to say.”

He slid into the seat across from her. “We’ll talk with breakfast.”

“I don’t have time for breakfast.”

“Tough. I already ordered for both of us.”

She glared at him, fire burning even higher in her eyes when the waitress brought their food less than a minute later.

“Presumptuous much?”

He just shrugged. “Everybody’s got to eat. You more than most.”

“What are you trying to say, Bennett?”

He definitely didn’t want to get into a fight with her and cause her to not eat just out of spite. “I’m saying you’re working a double today. So you need to eat.”

He dug in to his own food, relieved a few moments later when she did the same.

“You got what I liked. Thank you,” she said softly.

Fried eggs, hash browns with all the fixings, sausage, bacon. Nothing sweet. She’d always said sweet food made her coffee—which she took with a god-awful amount of cream and sugar—not taste sweet enough. He’d never forgotten, didn’t think he ever would.

He nodded and kept eating, waiting until she had a huge bite of food in her mouth before asking his next questions.

“Why are you working so hard, Hayley? At the Bluewater. Why so many double shifts?”

She looked like she was going to light into him. He expected it, actually, thus the timing of his question when she couldn’t easily answer.

“I know it’s partially because finding a job as an ex-felon isn’t easy and you took what you could get. But you shouldn’t have to be working so hard that you’re exhausted all the time. Timothy mentioned you work as many hours as you can every week.”

The man had also said it as though he’d been doing Hayley some great favor by allowing her to work that much.

She shrugged, finally finished chewing. “That’s what you have to do when you’re not even making minimum wage.”

Cain’s eyes narrowed. “Unless you’re waiting tables or something where you’re making tips, he’s required by law to pay you at least minimum wage.”

“You stay out of it. I will handle Timothy.” That pinched look was back in her eyes. Cain wasn’t trying to add to her stress.

“Even if he isn’t paying you quite minimum wage—” and Cain would be looking into that “—you still shouldn’t need to work eighty hours a week to get by here in Gainesville. It’s not like Georgia has some ridiculously high cost of living.”

“Is that what you brought me here for? To remind me that I have a crappy job and pretty crappy future ahead of me?”

“Hayley—”

“I already made my feelings about the arrest clear yesterday. As for every other part of my life, including when or how long I work, it’s none of your business.”

He held out a hand in surrender. He didn’t want this to get out of control. “Okay, fine. Just finish eating, okay?” If he had his way she would eat everything on that plate and then another whole one after that.

She took another bite and he relaxed a little. But he was running out of time.

And what did he expect, that she was just going to tell him everything going on in her life? Especially if it had to do with potentially illegal activities.

“I brought you here to offer you a job. With Omega Sector.”

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What kind of job could you possibly want me for?”

“We need your computer skills to catch someone providing critical information to a specific criminal.”

“Doesn’t Omega Sector have its own computer crimes division?”

Cain nodded. “Yes. But we have a mole inside Omega. A good one. I need someone who’s even better, who’s not in law enforcement. That’s you.”

“I’m not the only great hacker.”

“You’re the only one I know I can trust.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you can even say that with a straight face.”

He set his coffee cup back down. “When it comes to this, I do trust you. Completely. You may have made some questionable decisions four years ago, for whatever reason, but I know you wouldn’t want to ever hurt anyone. The person we’re trying to find is a murderer, Hayley.”

He thought of Grace Parker’s face as Freihof’s knife slit her throat. Catching the mole inside Omega would be a direct link to putting him away for good.

“Yeah, I’m not a murderer at least.”

“Of course you’re not. I hope you know I never thought you would hurt somebody else. No matter what damage you might be able to do with a computer, you’ve always had too big a heart to hurt people.”

She stirred the last of her hash browns around on her plate.

“Look, Cain.” It was the most gentle tone he’d heard from her. “I don’t really have time for another job. The Bluewater keeps me pretty busy. Plus, I’m not allowed near computers as part of my parole agreement.”

“Actually, I’m hoping you’ll be able to find the mole’s movements by looking through files of code I’ve printed. Won’t need you near a computer.”

He took out the file that held the contract for the work Omega wanted her to do, including what she would be paid, and slid it over so she could see it. He felt better when her eyes got a little wide at the number. Although, damn it, that meant the Bluewater really was paying her below minimum wage.

“This amount is to complete the project. Find the traitor inside Omega. That might take you a day, might take you three weeks. If it takes longer than either of us are thinking, then we’ll renegotiate for a larger amount.”

Cain knew she’d already read the contract, at least the pertinent details. Hayley could read twice as fast as the average person. But she still wasn’t looking up at him, giving him any indication if she was going to say yes.

“Hays.” He used his old high school nickname for her and reached out and touched her hand where it sat on the table. “I will help you. Whatever is going on, whatever reason you’re working yourself to death, even if you’re inching yourself back toward trouble, I’ll help you. You help me catch this mole, and I’ll help you with whatever it is that’s weighing so heavily on you.”

* * *

HAYLEY LOOKED AT where Cain’s big hand rested over hers, so strong and capable.

His words, the promise behind them, were just like old times. Back when it was the two of them against the world.

God, she was so tired. She wanted to lean into his strength. She wanted to tell him about everything—about Mason, about the people she was afraid would be coming after them once she could go near a computer again, about everything.

But that would be the worst possible thing she could do. Might cost her all she held precious. She couldn’t lose Mason again. And if Cain found out he had a son and decided he wanted custody, what judge wouldn’t give it to him over a mother who was an ex-con with dubious future employment?

She slid her hand out from under his, the touch too painful a reminder of what was never going to be again. She really didn’t blame Cain for the arrest, but they were never going to go back to what they were.

She picked up the contract, glancing at it again. The money. This might really make a difference for her. For getting out of the hole, being ready to run with Mason if needed.

She couldn’t turn down this amount of money, even if it would be dangerous working with Cain.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

She could see relief all across his handsome features. That black curl sliding toward his forehead as it always had. He looked so comfortable sitting there in his black T-shirt and jeans. She forced herself to look away. It wasn’t fair that she could still be attracted to him after all these years and after everything that had happened between them.

“You’ll have to quit your job at the Bluewater,” he said.

“I’m going to need that job after this project for Omega Sector is finished. It’s not great but at least it’s regular, dependable work.”

He looked like he was going to argue. But finally just said, “Fine, but you’ll have to take a leave of absence for a few weeks.”

Hayley nodded although she had no plan to do that. First of all, Timothy would never go for a “leave of absence.” He’d just fire her. Second, since she was going through papers, she could do that when she wasn’t working. Maybe she might have to cut back on a couple of shifts, but it would be worth it.

“Can you start today? Time is of the essence in catching this guy.”

“Guy?” Hayley raised an eyebrow. “You’re assuming your mole is male?”

“Actually, one of my prime suspects is female. I definitely have no assumptions of gender when it comes to crime.”

Was that an insult against Hayley personally? Or was it just that Cain was too good at his job to be fooled by someone just because of their gender? And Cain was an excellent agent, she had no doubt about that.

“I’ll have to go in to the restaurant for at least a couple hours. I can’t just leave them in a lurch. But then I’ll clear off as much of my schedule as I can.”

Cain nodded. “I thought we could work out of my parents’ house. They moved down to Florida, but still kept the place here.”

Hayley’s lips tightened. She didn’t necessarily want to go back to the place where they spent so much time in high school. But what choice did she have? She definitely didn’t want Cain coming to her apartment and seeing Mason.

“Fine. I’ll meet you there in a few hours. You know this would go much more quickly if I could scroll through a computer screen rather than have to read code on paper, right?”

Suspicion immediately shuttered his features. “Paper. That’s what we’re working with. No computers.” His tone was final.

He thought she was going to get back into trouble if she could get online. If only he knew trouble was going to find her as soon as she did. Possibly the worst kind of trouble.

She’d worry about that another day. Right now she had to worry about how she was going to work day in and day out with one of the best agents of the most prestigious law enforcement agency in the country while keeping the biggest possible secret from him.


Chapter Five (#uadf18358-466a-5201-840a-a1d1a7a3e0e7)

The strands of printed code began to blur in front of her eyes and Hayley’s head jerked up as it started to fall forward in sleep.

“Whoa there, girl, you all right?” asked Mara, the Bluewater’s newest employee, setting a cup of coffee on the desk near the papers Hayley was going through.

The beautiful smell of it revived Hayley slightly, at least enough to pry her eyes open. “Coffee. You’re a goddess, Mara. Thank you so much.”

“Honey, I know we don’t know each other very well, but you are looking at those papers all the dang time.” Mara’s thick Southern accent coated the words. “Every time you’re on a break, before a shift, after a shift. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised to see you carrying in a ream of papers when you go on a bathroom break.”

For four days Hayley had been scouring the computer code printouts Cain had given her. The first day she’d met Cain over at his parents’ old house and, studiously forgetting that the bed in which they’d first made love was just right upstairs, they’d pored over the files together.

That afternoon he’d received a call and had to leave to go to one of the Omega Sector offices. So he’d given Hayley the printouts of the computer code, all six huge legal file boxes of them, to work on while he was gone for two or three days.

He’d expected her to be working on them every day. And she had. She’d brought them home that night and studied them deep into the night after spending time with Mason and putting him to bed.

She’d brought a box to the Bluewater with her and, like Mara pointed out, had been going over them every spare second she had. Unfortunately that hadn’t been much since she’d worked three double shifts in a row, fourteen hours a day each.

She talked to Timothy about reducing her hours, but when he’d started murmuring about hiring someone to take her place, Hayley knew she couldn’t do it. His hiring Mara had scared her enough and she was mostly just a waitress. She was not going to take Hayley’s job.

She needed to make more progress on the computer code, but she couldn’t afford to lose the livelihood she would need once Cain was gone. Of course, if she didn’t find some answers soon, Cain might fire her and try to find someone else to help.

“Honey, what is that stuff?” Mara asked as Hayley took a sip of her coffee. “I glanced at it but it didn’t seem to make a bit of sense to me.”

Hayley smiled at the older woman with big brassy blond hair. “Computer code.”

“What are you reading computer code for? Do you do that for fun?” Mara’s look placed the thought just above root canals.

“I do like computers, I have to admit. But no, this is not what I do for fun. This is actually sort of a job.”

“For Timothy? Is it something to do with the restaurant?”

Hayley stood up, stretching her back. “Speaking of, I’ve got to get back out on the floor. Tim will be looking for me I’m sure.” It was her fifteen-minute evening break, but like every break she used it to look back over the coding.

“He won’t mind if you’re late if you’re doing something for him.”

Hayley shook her head. “No, this is not for him. This is sort of a side job for me.”

“Oh.” Mara’s eyes got big. “I didn’t know you did side jobs with computer codes.”

Hayley ran a hand over her tired eyes. “Only when my past comes back to haunt me.”

She didn’t wait to hear what Mara would say about that cryptic statement, just headed to the back of the kitchen where she could begin washing dishes. She left the box of papers there in the supply closet. Hardly anyone went in and even if they did, unless they were well versed in computer coding, none of the pages would make sense.

Weariness set heavily on her shoulders, her muscles sore, her brain tired. She needed more than the four hours of sleep she was getting each night. Needed a chance to do something else besides work here or filter through the code.

She hadn’t even seen Mason in two days. She told herself it was okay as she loaded a rack of dishes into the dishwasher. She knew she had to take this opportunity while it was here to make such great money.

But she lived in constant fear that her son would forget her. That no matter how often Ariel talked to him about Hayley, he would reject her somewhere inside.

Guilt battled with exhaustion, and for the first time she was glad for all the steam that flew out of the industrial dishwasher. At least it hid her tears.

Three hours later, nearly ready to drop, Hayley had all her work finished in the kitchen. Mara and the other waitresses had left. Timothy was on his way to make the night bank deposit and had closed up the entire front of the restaurant. All Hayley needed to do was mop the floors and she could go.

The thought of dragging the mop over the entire restaurant was completely beyond her at this moment. She’d have another cup of coffee, look over a little more of the code and then mop.

And then go home for four or five hours of sleep. And then get back up and do the same thing again tomorrow.

The only light at the end of the tunnel was that for the first time today she’d seen an odd pattern in the coding. It might be nothing, but the way the data had been sent in that particular transmission had been odd, as if it possibly housed some other message.





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