“You need to keep your name out of this. I can help.”

Jo stared at her, but she knew the woman was right. And that left her with only one option.

***

Everything had worked out as Kelsey had planned. She’d arranged the interview with Kline, and Jo had been hired. Jo had managed to fool him, so far, but she only had so much time.

“I got hired as Lydia’s driver,” Jo announced.

Kelsey smiled—the first time Jo had seen it on the woman. “What’s happened so far?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

“It’s been smooth,” Jo said. “Kline had a lot of questions when he interviewed me, and so did Lydia. I drove her to a charity event this evening. I don’t know how she acted with her other drivers, but she talked to me on a more personal level than I expected. Her mother died of cancer, and so did mine.”

Kelsey nodded with satisfaction. “I thought that might happen.”

Jo didn’t say anything, but she was impressed. Kelsey had thought through a lot of things.

She didn’t tell Kelsey that some parts of the conversation had been difficult. Jo didn’t like to think about her mother’s cancer, about her vulnerability when she’d gotten sick. She preferred to keep the strong image of her, that woman who could overcome anything.

Jo dismissed those thoughts and continued.

“Lydia’s vulnerable right now.”

Kelsey listened intently as Jo spoke in a low voice, telling her about Lydia’s pensive behavior on the drive to the banquet. The two men stood sentry, faces ashen in the moonlight, but she knew they were taking in the surroundings, not the conversation itself, alert to any sounds around them. She guessed that Kelsey was about forty, with a soft face that belied her hard stance. The woman hadn’t told Jo much about herself, except that she’d been with the feds for several years. It was clear she wanted to take JD down, to successfully seal her investigation.

Jo finished by describing how Lydia had gotten into an upsetting conversation with a woman at the banquet.

“Mackenzie Potts,” Kelsey said.

Jo cocked an eyebrow. “You’ve been planting some of those rumors.”

“I’ve had someone working on Mackenzie. She has a reputation as a gossip, and she’s a jealous person. We figured if the opportunity presented itself, she would want to dig at Lydia.”

“Which would make Lydia question her husband.”

Kelsey tipped her head in assent.

Jo glanced toward the stars above her in the black sky, feeling momentarily guilty. Unless there was something Kelsey and her people didn’t know, Lydia was an innocent pawn in what was happening, and she was being hurt in the process. However, Jo had to think about herself and her own family.

“Any worries with Mackenzie, that she might know what’s going on, that you’re after JD?” Jo asked.

Kelsey shook her head. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve been working this investigation for a long time, and we’ve been extremely careful.”

“Good,” Jo said, “because I’m vulnerable. Lydia likes me, but Kline doesn’t.”

“He said something to you?”

“Just a gut feeling. I could see something in his face when I talked to Lydia. He didn’t like the questions she was asking me, and he didn’t like that we had a more personal conversation. Later, as he showed me around the apartment and the car, he was wary. Right before he left, he asked more questions about my background. He was trying to trip me up and see if he could catch me in a lie.”

“He wasn’t suspicious about the window blinds?”

“It’s worked so far,” Jo said.

Among the many things Kelsey had arranged was a signal for Jo to let her know she wanted to talk. Kelsey had done her research, and she’d known that Lydia’s driver was provided an apartment. When Jo wanted to meet, Kelsey told her to open the living room blinds. An agent would be watching the apartment and would relay the signal to her. They’d also discussed how Jo would tell Kline that she liked to jog, and although it was a guess, they figured Kline wouldn’t tell her she couldn’t. Bodyguards, after all, needed to stay in shape.

Once Kelsey got the message, whoever was watching the apartment would tell her when Jo left for a run. The meeting site had also been prearranged. She and Jo had studied the area near the apartment complex and chosen the nearby woods. They decided to meet near the bridge, and if either suspected Kline, or his associates, were watching, they would abort and try another time.

Jo glanced around, knowing they had fooled Kline, at least this time.

“Kline has someone watching me,” she said, then explained the sedan in the parking lot.

Kelsey nodded. “My guy spotted the man in the sedan. Nothing we didn’t expect. Kline’s had surveillance on other drivers as well. Once he feels comfortable with you, he’ll get rid of the tail. In the meantime, use the blinds as a signal.”

Jo also had Kelsey’s number. In an emergency, she could call. Hopefully, she wouldn’t need to.

“Can you befriend Lydia?” Kelsey asked.

“I think so,” Jo said. “She wants to talk.”

“She’s wondering what’s going on with her husband.”

“I would assume so. I’ll keep working on her.”

Kelsey glanced around, then said, “You need to find whatever evidence Trent had.”

“If JD has it.”

“He does,” Kelsey said forcefully.

“What if he got rid of it?”

“Then see what Lydia will tell you, or any of the staff. Maybe someone overheard something, a piece of information that we can use against JD.”

Jo let out a breath slowly. “What about Kline?”

“He’s a slippery eel. I try to keep surveillance on him, but he loses them. We haven’t been able to tap into his phone or other electronics, either.”

“He can’t figure out who I am, or I’m dead.”

Kelsey put her hands on her hips. “If I hear anything, if I think you’re in any danger, I’ll use the note. Or call, if I have to.”

That was another arrangement. If need be, Kelsey would leave Jo a note, something that looked like a notice from the apartment complex, but it would tell Jo that her cover was blown. They’d figure out how to meet up after that, but at least Jo would know to watch her back.

Jo was aware of the minutes ticking by. “I need to get back.”

“Be careful, and if you get anything on JD, call me and we’ll get you out of there.”