Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “Like private investigating.”

            “Sure. Of course I have. But I’ve been advised not to make any huge career shifts for a little while longer. Why?”

            “Because I have need of a PI.”

            Rafe turned from Mercy to give Tom his full attention. “Is it Eden?”

            Tom laughed bitterly. “What else might it be?”

            “Did you find them?”

            “Not yet, but we’re close. If you’re interested in hearing more, we can meet tomorrow. Somewhere quiet.”

            “And Mercy?”

            “Don’t mention it to her for now. I don’t expect you’ll keep it quiet forever, but for now keep it to yourself. Let her enjoy her birthday.”

            Something in his tone must have given his anxiety away, because Rafe frowned. “Is she in danger?”

            Tom took that to mean Rafe was asking if she was in any new danger. Which, given the sheer number of security they had around this house, she wasn’t. “Not to my knowledge. Tomorrow?”

            Rafe’s eyes narrowed. “Send me a time and place. I’ll be there.”

            “Thanks.” And because Rafe appeared ready to push for more information, Tom took a step back. “I’m going to get some cake.” He walked back to the kitchen table and kissed Mercy’s cheek. “Happy birthday.”

            Mercy studied him with eyes that saw way too much. “Thank you. She hasn’t left yet.”

            Not pretending to misunderstand, Tom nodded once, then headed for the front door, pausing at the living room. Liza sat with Irina, the two watching Abigail play. He almost went to her, but he had no idea what to say. Plus he had a job to do.

            Leaving the house, he did a perimeter walk, working off the energy that had kept him edgy all day. A glance upward confirmed that the sniper Raeburn had sent was still in place. One of the neighbors had nearly died the month before when Ephraim was watching the Sokolovs’ house. The old man had given them permission to use his home as a vantage point, telling them to “get the motherfuckers once and for all.”

            Tom was good with that.

            “Seen anything?” he asked the agent leading the effort.

            “Nope. Been quiet. Only a few of the families are even here. A few took off this morning.” The man lifted a brow. “For their cabins in Tahoe. Must be nice.”

            “Must be,” Tom agreed. “I expect the party to go on for another few hours. Bowie Security will shuttle some of the guests to the airport tonight for red-eyes back east. Everyone else will stay here overnight and leave throughout the day tomorrow.”

            “We’ll be here. Shift change happens at six tonight, then again at six in the morning.”

            “Thanks. I’ll stay until the party breaks up.” Tom took another trip around the Sokolovs’ property, paying attention to each bordering house, wondering where DJ Belmont was hiding. It had to be close. He wouldn’t have been able to follow the Bowie SUV otherwise.

            He wished they could search each house, but unfortunately they didn’t have cause. It was frustrating as hell knowing that Belmont was close by. Maybe even watching him now. But so many of the houses were empty because of the holiday weekend. If he was hiding in one of the houses nearby, all he’d have to do would be to ignore their knock. Without a search warrant, they’d never know he was there.

            It didn’t have to be a direct line of sight, though. Not like Ephraim had achieved in the house across the street. It could be a block away. Two blocks, even. Probably no farther than that.

            Grabbing a tactical helmet from the back of the Bureau van, Tom strapped it on and shrugged into a bulletproof vest.

            “Going somewhere?” the agent asked him.

            “For a walk. Belmont is here. I know it.”

            “Give me a second to gear up. I’ll go with you.”

            The two of them walked the Sokolovs’ neighborhood, eyes peeled for anything out of place. They still didn’t have an ID on the woman Belmont had murdered the night before and they didn’t know what kind of car had been stolen. But they were looking for anything out of place. Anything that caught their attention.