Page 67 of A Shot at Love
“It fits,” Bannerman said.
“It sucks.”
He grinned at Ky. “She hates it.”
“Which,” Gemma threw up her hands, “is why he refuses to stop. Typical teenage-boy behavior.”
“Yeah, but you love me, admit it, Cleo.”
For an answer she blew a raspberry through her lips.
The good natured banter between them struck a quick spark of envy in Ky.
“As much as I love sparring with you, babe,” Bannerman said, “I’ve got some stuff to go over with Agent Pappandreos.”
“Oh. What stuff?” Gemma asked. “Can I hear it?”
Bannerman shot a quick glance at Ky, a question in his gaze. “Up to you.”
Ky looked at Gemma.
“You know what?” she said. “On second thought, forget it. I’d rather go have a shower.”
He tracked her the entire way up to the second floor.
“She’s easy on the eyes, isn’t she?”
Ky turned to Bannerman. “You’re the second person who’s said those same words to me in the past week.”
Bannerman grinned again. “She’s a good kid. And one of the most loyal people I’ve ever met, especially if you can get past those inch-thick defensive walls she wears like armor.”
“Keane mentioned she has trust issues. I’ve seen it for myself.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t let a lot of people in, and even when she does, she tends to be guarded. I’m glad, though, she decided not to stay. Josh sent me with some intel for you and I’d rather she not hear it.” He pulled out a laptop from a duffel bag he’d brought in from the car, along with groceries and food from Kandy. He’d given Gemma an overnight bag from her sister as well.
“This system is encrypted,” Bannerman said as he booted up the laptop. “Josh figured you needed something secure to work with.”
“I’ve actually got my own.”
He went into the bedroom and brought back the device Theo had given him.
“A friend gave me this before we left DC.”
He’d been planning on doing research all day, but the walk in the woods and then the need to burn off his sexual steam with the punching bag had shoved the idea to the back of his mind.
“Let me see that.”
Ky handed him the laptop. A few quick keystrokes later, and a low, appreciative whistle sailed passed his pursed lips.
“You got this from a friend?”
Ky nodded.
Bannerman’s eyes went to half-mast again as he regarded Ky. “I’d like to meet this friend. This system makes mine,” he chinned his laptop, “look like a second-generation throwback.”
Ky’s lips twitched. “You said you had some intel for me?”
He shifted to his device and typed. “After you got in contact, Josh asked me to do a little digging into Ritandi and his organization.”
“I know everything I need to know about Ritandi.”
Bannerman shot him speaking glance. “I’m sure that’s true. To a point.”
“What does that mean?”
Bannerman shrugged and flicked a hand at him. “Look, you’re a federal agent. You go by the book because everything you find has to be above board and beyond reproach to get an indictment that sticks.”
Ky nodded. “We can’t leave any room for his lawyers to wiggle through.”
“Right. So you go about obtaining info through legal and judicial avenues.”
“Of course.”
“I don’t.”
Ky just stared at him.
“I’ve got…access is the best word,” Bannerman said, “to a whole other level of information. The kind you can’t even imagine exists. The kind, if you wormed your way into, even accidentally, could get you killed.”
“Who are you? Or should I say, what are you?”
“Nothing but a lowly private eye. But once upon a time, well...”
Ky remembered Gemma telling him Rick Bannerman had been a sniper in, “a previous life.”
More than a sniper, he thought. Much more.
“So, assuming you found out something I can’t use legally,” he said, “what is it and how can I use it?”
“I’m going on the assumption the witness Gemma saw eliminated was under wraps and only a very few knew where he was, yes?”
