We walk inside, and I hang my coat on the hook next to the door.
“Wow, this is amazing,” Carter says.
I glance around. I guess Stormy really has made some progress on remodeling. While I was gone for the month, he got new flooring throughout, new paint, and new appliances.
Nodding, I say, “Yeah, he was going to rent it out, but then he changed his mind. Now he’s fixing it up to sell.”
Carter frowns. “Looks ready. What’s holding him back?”
I lead him down the hall to show him the guest bathroom. It’s basically been gutted down to the studs. “Something was wrong with the plumbing, and he’s waiting on a permit. He says I can stay here until they finish up the bathroom.”
“How long do you anticipate that to be?”
I shrug. “A month, maybe? But after that I’ll continue to stay in the area.”
I’m hoping to convince Lucy to get a place together, but if that doesn’t work, I guess I’ll be looking for a spot on my own.
Carter nods. “That’s good.”
“Don’t worry, I have no plans to leave town. Anyway, we can talk in the dining room.” I point back the direction we came.
Carter leads the way, then sits at the table. I sit across from him.
“We’ve been watching Lawrence Gardiner for some time,” he begins. “Recently, he made a mistake.”
I lean back. “A mistake?”
He nods. “He accompanied one of his men to what was supposed to be a pickup. One of our agents was undercover and got photos and video of him there.”
“Why not arrest him, then?”
Carter shakes his head. “We need more, Lawrence Gardiner is well-connected. This is where you come in.”
I cross my arms. I don’t like the sound of this.
“He doesn’t want you with his daughter. So, you go to him and offer to prove yourself.”
I laugh. “Prove myself? This isn’t a fuckingGodfathermovie.”
Carter’s brows shoot up. “You don’t think he would take you up on it if he thought he could set you up again?”
“I think he’ll know something’s up. He set me up for murder. As far as he’s concerned, I’m going away.”
“He’ll find out soon enough that the police didn’t find sufficient evidence.”
Well, that’s good to know. “You can make that happen?”
Carter smirks. “There’s not enough evidence to convict—not unless Lawrence plans to plant some more.”
I run my hand through my hair. “You’re convinced Lawrence set me up for this?”
“I’m not one hundred percent certain, but it looks that way.”
Which means hewilllikely keep trying to get rid of me. If I offer myself up on a platter, he’ll probably take it.
I let out a breath. “Okay, but how am I going to explain why the charges were dropped for Randy’s murder?”
“Oh, they weren’t.”
