Page 57 of Romancing the Rumrunner
“But youareworking for them.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, his body rigid. “I was. I’m not now.”
She shook her head in disgust and backed another step away from him.
“I didn’t know you, Jessie. I was hired to find the Phoenix. That was it.”
“You used me.”
“I never meant to.”
She snorted and crossed her arms. “Really?”
He sighed and looked away, his eyes roaming around the room before coming back to rest on her. “I didn’t mean…” He let out another exasperated sigh and raked his hands through his hair. “I just thought I could get some information on the Phoenix, a criminal. That was all. I didn’t know how involved you were. I never thought…”
“Well, now you know.” Jessie shook her head. She wasn’t being entirely fair. She’d known from the start what he was up to and she’d been in danger long before he’d come along. But he’d definitely made it worse.
“No,” he said, “I don’t know. I still don’t know what’s going on. I know you are involved, heavily. And in Jameson’s eyes, that makes you as much a criminal as the Phoenix. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late for you. Jameson will cut you a deal. Tell him what he wants to know and he’ll go easy on you. I made sure he’d get you a good deal before I agreed to anything.”
“You need to leave.”
“Jessie, just let me explain. We don’t have much time. You need to listen.”
“There’s nothing to explain. I understand perfectly. You wanted the Phoenix and you thought you could romance the information you wanted out of me. It didn’t work. End of story. Now you need to leave. I’d rather not have an audience when they haul me out of here in cuffs.”
Tony flinched, but he stood his ground. “All you have to do is talk. Give Jameson what he wants. If you give him the Phoenix, Willie, everything, you might even walk.”
“Get out.”
“Damn it, Jessica! Why are you being so stubborn?”
Jessie sucked in a deep breath through her nose, trying desperately not to cry. The Feds were probably waiting outside to arrest her. And if they didn’t get her, Willie would. His goons were watching her every move. They had to have seen Tony come into the shop and he’d been inside far too long. They’d think she was talking.
“Tony, please. Just leave.”
“I’m not going until you tell me what’s going on. This is more than you being mad at me. What’s got you spooked?”
Jessie froze at a noise from the front of the shop. “Did you hear something?”
Tony listened. “I’m not sure.”
“You’ve got to go,” she said, pushing him toward the door, her panic overriding everything else. “Willie’s guys have been watching my place. They know you are involved with the Feds. They think I’m feeding you info. If they see you here, I’m dead.”
“Jessie. Jessie!” Tony said, breaking away from her and taking her face in his hands to make her listen. “I can help you. If you agree to testify, the Feds will protect you. You’ve just got to tell them what you know about the Phoenix. Make it up if you have to, as long as you give themsomethingreal. Something, anything. The location of your gin stash. Give themsomethingand they’ll agree to protect you from Willie and anyone else.”
A laugh burbled up from Jessie’s throat. She was losing her grip and slipping into hysteria.What a joke.Sure. If she wanted to keep Willie from killing her, all she had to do was turn herself in to the damn Feds. That would work out great.
“Jessie…”
Tony reached for her again, but Jessie backed away from him. “Leave. Please. Before it’s too late.”
Tony opened his mouth to argue again but was interrupted by the sound of a huge crash and glass shattering.
“Oh, no,” Jessie breathed, terror clawing at her throat. She ran toward the noise in the front of the shop.
She pushed through the swinging door that led to the front. Tony yelled, “No!” and pulled her back as a wall of heat and flying glass hit her, throwing her backward. She crashed into a rolling cart of shelves. Flames seared her from her burning apron and she screamed.
Tony grabbed her, yanking the apron over her head and beating at the flames.
