CHAPTER NINETTEN DASH

CHAPTER NINETTEN

DASH

I sit in Mr. Knight's office once we get home for dinner. Tabatha went straight to her room. I can tell that she's upset about something. I'm just not sure which news I told her tonight has upset her more.

"I have an idea," Mr. Knight says as he sits down at his desk. "But you're not gonna like it."

Figured as much.

"How hard would it be to get close to Valerie?" he asks.

"Not very," I answer in all honesty.

"I figured, considering she showed up here the other day." I nod.

"Why would I want to get close to her again?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Because we need to know why she cut the brakes. That part doesn't make sense to me. She was the only other person who was physically there and could have done it. But why? She apparently loves you and wants to be with you. Why would she want to hurt you?"

I laugh. "Valerie is a bitch. She's vindictive and does whatever she can to get her way," I say. "But maybe it was a heat-of-the-moment type of thing." Let's give her the benefit of the doubt for one moment.

"I don't buy that. The brakes were cut so precisely, as if done with a pair of scissors. She knew what she had planned before she even got there."

"But how would she have known that she was gonna get a chance to be alone with the bike?"

He shrugs. "That's what we need to know."

"So, what…? You want me to invite her over here?" I'm skeptical of what exactly he has planned.

He shakes his head. "You're having a party."

I scratch the back of my neck. "That's not a good idea."

"It's our only idea. Get her drunk and question her."

"What if she doesn't fall for it? I mean, she's a fucking bitch, but she's not stupid. I've been ignoring her for weeks. What makes you think that she will tell me anything?"

His chair squeaks as he leans forward, placing his forearms on his desk. He links his hands together and looks at me. "Son, I love my daughter to death. The last thing I want is to see her get hurt." I swallow nervously, wondering where he's headed with this. "But I'm here to tell you that you need to do whatever you can to get this information."

Sex. He wants me to get her drunk and seduce her. "There's no way I…"

"You will."

"I understand that I work for you but…"

"You do!" he interrupts me. "You are the only racer who I have for my motorcycle team as of right now. You could have died. Hell, it cost us thousands of dollars when the bike went down. And it cost you practice time. She is working for someone. And we're gonna do everything we can to find out who."

I let out a long breath. "I get that. But you want me to risk what I have with Tabatha for something that we aren't even a hundred percent sure about?"

"We all take risks," he says simply. I risked my job to be with Tabatha. And now, I'm risking Tabatha for my job. How did this get so fucked-up?

I stand. "This is a risk that could cost me everything."

He leans back in his chair as he stares up at me. "You're right." He nods his head. "It could cost you your life."