Chapter 5

There wasno way she was going to be able to distract Angelo, not with the way his jaw was set, with determination shining in his dark eyes.

Really, why did she want to?

The quicker Teresa told him what was going on, the more something could be done—hopefully. Then again, the people she’d been investigating wouldn’t want what she’d found to come to light. Wasn’t that why someone had been breaking into her home in the first place?

“How about you start from the beginning?” he prompted.

She looked down at her hands, closed into tight fists. God, why was this so hard?

Why was she acting so pathetic? Over her career, she’d been able to make grown men squirm in their seats with her questions. Not one of them enjoyed the scrutiny she’d placed them under.

Now Teresa knew how they felt. The shoe was on the other foot, and she didn’t like the discomfort. This loss of control.

Wait! I am in control here. I’m not the victim. Well, not really.

However, she was acting like one, and it’d stop now.

That’s right.

Teresa was a tough investigative journalist. She’d relayed this information to her editor without any issues. Of course the outcome hadn’t been what she’d expected.

In fact, Monte had acted like what Teresa had told him wasn’t a surprise.

Shit, had someone already told him what I’d found?

It would explain his complete about-face and the way he’d basically washed his hands of her and the job she’d been sent in to do.

“You know, I was good at reading people as a SEAL and extracting information, but what I’m not, is a mind reader. There’s a lot going through your mind right now, Tre. How about sharing it with me so I can help?” Again, there was no impatience in Angelo’s voice. He sounded like this was a usual occurrence for him.

“Okay, sorry. I’m not usually like this.” Teresa straightened so she wasn’t slouching on the couch like a teenager.

“It’s fine. A lot’s happened, and I’m guessing not just tonight. But the longer you take, the later it’ll be to go visit Phillip.”

Right. Yes. She needed to go see her neighbor. Although she hated to admit Angelo was right and the chances of him still being there were slim and them getting information on his injuries was likely to be nil, yet Teresa still wanted to go.

“I work for LA News Daily, and I’ve been an investigative journalist for the last five years. My job is to go undercover into various places and dig out the story of what’s going on there. My name isn’t associated with the stories when they break so I can keep doing what I do. I’m damn good at my job and have broken a lot of major stories.” She couldn’t keep the pride of what she’d done out of her voice.

“Anything I’d have heard of?” Angelo asked, the stylus in his hand moving across the screen of the tablet.

“Maybe. I was involved in the Pasadena dog fighting ring story. The Bailey St. Gang arson spree. I helped uncover the bribery scandal that involved the First LA District Credit Union.”

None of those jobs had been easy, but the adrenaline rush of knowing she was getting what she needed to rid the world of people who took advantage of the innocent or deliberately hurt people and animals had spurred her to keep going.

There were lines Teresa didn’t cross, and she’d never compromised her personal boundaries when she’d gotten the information she’d needed.

“Impressive. Those are some big scalps you’ve brought down. You have every right to be proud of what you’ve done. And some of those were dangerous. How is this time different? Have you ever felt like you were in the same danger you believe you’re in now? What sort of measures do you take to keep your true identity hidden so once the story’s broken, you’re not in danger?”

Angelo fired off the questions, and she absorbed each one, not surprised at what he asked. Truth be told, she’d expected him to ask more, but maybe he was just starting.

“Thank you, and yes, I’m pleased with what I’ve accomplished.” She shifted on the couch, bringing her legs up and curling them on the cushion. “To answer your first question, this time is different because of the organization I’m investigating. Their reach is far, and I’ve been very careful about what I’ve asked and what I’m doing when I’m looking for information. While my past stories have been dangerous, in some respects, I’ve never had someone try to break into my apartment like tonight. When I’m on assignment, I always change the way I look. The way I dress. I’ve cut and died my hair. Worn wigs and glasses. One job, I even used a bridge overlay on my teeth to make them look different.”

“And the paper paid for all of that?” He whistled low. “Even I didn’t have that luxury in the Navy. When we were on missions, we’d let our hair grow and not shave. It wasn’t as effective as false teeth, but it did the job when we needed it done.”

Teresa imagined that while he’d been a SEAL, he’d never gone back to the same place in case they could be identified. Not that she knew how the Navy ran their special ops missions, but that rationale made total sense to her. “They did, and other times I paid for things myself. I got very good at thrift shopping. I could easily get a new wardrobe at a very reasonable price.”

“Right.” Angelo looked down at his tablet. “Let’s get back to the task at hand. Who are you investigating? Where are you getting your information? Are you working for the people you’re investigating or at some other organization?”

Why was saying the target’s name so hard?

It was two words; it wasn’t as if anyone could hear her say it.

Angelo’s place wasn’t bugged. The reason she was there was because he didn’t want to take any chances that somehow, someway, her place had been compromised, something Teresa hadn’t even considered, until he’d commented on it before leading her out of her home. A shudder ran through her at the thought that someone had gotten into her place when she hadn’t been there.

Was it the same person who’d tried to get in tonight?

“Teresa?”

She sighed and clamped her fingers together on her lap. “I’m working for Arturo and Associates. They’re a mid-sized accounting firm. My chief editor got a tip from someone who worked there that he believed they were laundering money for a larger organization. This person left because he hadn’t wanted anything to do with it when he found out by accident. He never breathed a word that he’d found anything. He left, saying he needed to move to London because he wanted to live with the woman he’d been talking to over the internet. Apparently, his boss believed him, but before he left, he met with my boss and passed on the information. As far as my boss knows, he didn’t go to London but somewhere else. The guy never told Monte, my boss, where he was going.”

“Do you know this person’s name?” Angelo asked, the stylus moving furiously over the tablet screen.

“No. He was considered an anonymous source. I don’t think Monte even knew his name. But the fact he’d left allowed me to apply for the job, and I got it.”

“How long have you been working undercover?”

“Coming up on three months.”

He stopped his writing and put the tablet on the squat coffee table in the middle of the room. “Are you ready now to tell me who Arturo and Associates are laundering money for?”

“It’s for the Ramirez Cartel.”

“Fuck.”The word burst out of Angelo, as his blood cooled at the mention of the cartel that seemed to be forever turning up around them like a fucking bad smell.

“I know. Everyone knows them. They’re not good people.”

That was an understatement of epic proportions.

Ramirez were spreading their fingers into all parts of California, Arizona, and Texas. Now Teresa was caught up with them, and if what happened at her place tonight was any indication, they knew what she was doing.

He paced around his living room. “Trust me, I’m well aware of who and what they’re capable of doing.”

The last thing he wanted to do was freak her out anymore, but there was no way they were heading to the hospital tonight. The only place they’d be going would be to the office tomorrow, and bringing the whole team up to speed on what the fuck had just landed in their laps.

“I think this is why Monte washed his hands of me continuing this investigation. He told me to kill the investigation and get my ass back to the paper. I refused, and he fired me.”

Angelo whirled, anger coursing through his bloodstream, threatening to erupt out of him. “What the fuck? When were you planning on telling me this piece of information? How long have you been flying solo?”

Teresa stood, hands on hips, and lifted her chin. “I’m damn good at my job. This isn’t the first time I’ve been in a sticky situation.”

“Fuck, Teresa, this isn’t a sticky situation,” he hollered. “This is the Ramirez Cartel. They give zero fucks. My guess is that anonymous informant is buried where he won’t be found.”

He needed to get himself under control. Contain this anger. Anger that had never exploded out of him while he’d been on a mission.

Angelo had been cool, focused and always, always in control. Him losing that in front of Teresa made no sense—no sense at all.

In an attempt to regain the composure that’d gotten him through many situations while on a mission, he turned his back on her and closed his eyes. Breathing in and out slowly. With each breath out, he expelled his anger until it was an ember smoldering in his belly.

“I’m not sorry for doing my job.”

God, could she be anymore stubborn? Didn’t she realize that poking the Ramirez Cartel wasn’t going to end well?

“No, you shouldn’t be, but what you should’ve done was walk away when you confirmed that it was the cartel. That accounting firm is knee deep in bed with them. That’s the only way they’re still operating. Perhaps not all staff are aware of what’s going on and they are doing taxes and other things for legitimate businesses. The ones who know about what they’re doing for the cartel would be kept to only a few.” Angelo wanted to call everyone into a meeting so they could all talk about this right now. Figure out what they’re doing to do.

Destiny seemed to be putting the cartel in their pathway, yet again.

What the fuck for?

Growler was going to lose his shit when he found out. He’d probably not want to leave Astrid’s side, and after having the cartel go after her months ago, Angelo couldn’t blame him.

That was what he wanted to do with Teresa. He wanted to take her somewhere far, far away, where no one could find her. Where only he knew where she was.

That was impossible and wouldn’t resolve the issue that had landed at their feet.

“Now you know, can we go see Phillip?”

Angelo spun around, arching an eyebrow. He shouldn’t be surprised she was still asking about her neighbor. The ember of anger in his belly morphed into a red-hot flame of jealousy.

Was there something going on with Teresa and the guy?

His stomach churned. He didn’t want Teresa anywhere near the man. Phillip might’ve thought he was helping, but there had been something about the guy that hadn’t sat right with Angelo. At the time, he hadn’t allowed himself to think too much about it, but now that he did, he didn’t like what he was feeling about the man.

“Do you really think—” He glanced at his watch. It was after eleven. “They’re going to let us into the hospital at this hour to see him?”

Regardless of what he’d said earlier, now that he knew the Ramirez Cartel was involved in why Teresa was running, no way was he going to go to the hospital without some back-up from his team.

“You said you’d take me,” she countered.

“I did, but things have changed. If you recall, I also said that by the time we finished speaking, it could be too late to visit.”

“Fine, I’ll just call the hospital instead.”

“Good luck with that,” Angelo taunted, unable to help himself.

Her eyes flashed fire, and her chest rose up and down in a clear attempt to control her anger.

Fuck, she’s beautiful.

He wanted to kiss her.

That pulled him up short. It was a thought he shouldn’t be having, especially if the team was going to take on her case, and once he met with Ox and the others, they’d be on board with getting to the bottom of it.

The last thing he was going to do was to fall for Teresa like Ox and Growler had fallen for Eveline and Astrid—women who’d come to Alliez for help and protection but had found love at the same time.

He was keeping his feelings locked down and was going to ignore whatever was happening to him when he thought about Teresa.