Delicious Deception by Tami Lund

Author:Tami Lund
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2015-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“They aren’t talking.”

The small group was gathered in the restaurant. It was Monday evening, and Emily Kate had closed it to the public after the last of the lunch patrons had left. Connor had served up a smorgasbord of the various dishes he’d whipped up that morning when he’d been stressed out. Jack and Cullen and Emily Kate were seated in a booth in a corner, and the two men at least were feasting as if it were their last meal.

“This is great, Emily Kate,” Cullen said between bites. “You’ve come a long way since your papaw’s jambalaya.”

She waved her hand at Connor, who stood awkwardly next to the booth, clearly unsure whether he should join them. “It wasn’t me. This is all Connor’s doing.”

Jack gave him a sour look, but Cullen patted the empty seat next to him. “Sit down, man. Have something to eat.”

Connor slid into the booth. She noticed he did not make eye contact with her, but his gaze did keep darting toward her brother. What happened between them while they’d all been at the local police station, trying to sort out this mess? So far, both men were tight-lipped about their interaction.

“All we have is your boyfriend’s word about what happened at the casino a couple days ago,” Cullen explained. “Because those thugs aren’t talking. Not a fucking word. We need to hear about Vik’s plan—from somebody on the inside.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she blurted at the same time as Connor, who said, “We aren’t dating.”

Cullen looked amused by the twin outbursts, but Jack looked irritated.

“I’ll do whatever necessary to put them away,” Connor said.

“Including go to jail for that boat you stole?” Jack asked.

Connor blanched.

“Don’t forget the car you stole from the bus terminal,” Cullen added.

More color leached from Connor’s face.

“You’re practically a career criminal,” Jack said with a sneer.

“And there’s the shit going down at the casino,” Cullen added.

“I told you I didn’t—”

“It’s your word against Vik’s right now,” Jack said. “And Vik’s got a hell of a lot more clout than you do.”

Emily Kate felt a stab of sympathy for Connor—the clout comment hit below the belt, even if Jack didn’t realize what he’d said meant something entirely different to Connor.

Cullen lifted an oyster, added hot sauce, then tipped the shell to his lips and polished it off. “Damn, I wish my wife were here,” he muttered as he eyed the half dozen other empty shells perched next to his plate.

“Your word won’t be enough,” he said after he took a swig of beer. “These guys will lawyer up so fast, if we are even able to bring them in in the first place. The word of some cook from Detroit versus the top guys at a casino that practically carries the local economy?”

“I’m not just some cook,” Connor replied hotly.

Cullen lifted both hands in surrender. “Whatever, man. My point is, these guys give a bunch of money to the community, and they employ a fair percentage of the local population. No one’s going to want to believe you, whether you’re right or not.

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