Free Annie on the Lam: A Christmas Caper by Jennifer Archer Page B

eye, he had a pain in his back from jumping off the fire escape, and a pain in the ass sitting beside him. A great-looking pain, maybe, but annoying as hell nonetheless. “Don’t change the subject. You either tell me what’s in that briefcase or I’m dragging your butt in to talk to the cops.”
    â€œPlease don’t. I’m not sure who I can trust in there.”
    Only a little while ago he’d admired her for not trusting just anybody, but the woman was going overboard now. The light turned green and Joe continued on, driving slowly on the slick pavement. “You can’t trust the police? Come on. Cut the drama, Sweet Tea. It’s not necessary anymore. Your little self-concocted adventure has turned into the real thing.”
    She glared at him. “My name is Anne .”
    â€œAre you sure?” He arched an eyebrow and said sarcastically, “Or is ‘Anne Macy’ really your cover?”
    â€œYou think this is funny?”
    â€œOh, yeah. Where I come from, getting beat up by three hundred pounds of solid muscle is freakin’ hilarious. Wait’ll I tell the guys.” He reached across and thumped the case. “What’ve you got there?”
    â€œIf I tell you and you tell the police…” She drew her lower lip between her teeth, her brow wrinkling. “I think at least one of them might be in on this.”
    Caught off guard, Joe frowned and said, “Define this. ”
    As if gathering courage, she sighed once, then again. “I took some files from Harry Landau’s office tonight. He keeps it locked, but during the party…” She cleared her throat. “He tried to force himself on me and I slipped the keys from his pocket.” Tossing her hair back, she looked straight at him, as if daring him to make a smart-ass comment, as if she was damned pleased with herself.
    The woman might’ve led a sheltered life like her father had told him, but she was far from naïve.
    â€œI had planned to wait until I could tap into his computer files, too, but I haven’t had any luck getting his sister to slip up with the password. Lacy also works for Harry. She’s a nice woman, but she’s also one pea short of a pod. She thinks she can’t get by without her brother’s help, and he takes advantage of that by slapping her around and making threats when he thinks no one is watching.”
    When she hesitated, Joe said, “Go on.”
    â€œUm, at the party…things just got out of hand so fast and when he…when he…” She turned away. “Well, I knew there was no way I was going back to work for that lowlife one more day, so I took what I could get and ran.”
    â€œOkay…” Joe gripped the steering wheel tighter. “And just what do you expect to find in those files?”
    â€œProof he’s laundering drug money through the restaurant.”
    His pulse kicked up a notch. “Drug money?”
    She nodded. “I’m pretty sure the figures from the daily register reports won’t match his bank deposits.”
    He tried not to let the hopeful excitement he felt show in his expression. “If that’s true, you think it’ll be that simple to catch?” Joe shook his head. “If the man’s laundering money and he has half a brain, you can bet he doctored the reports to cover his tracks.”
    â€œThat’s why I’ve been keeping my own set of records. For a while now, I’ve been writing down the daily intake figures and any cash payouts I know about, at least on the nights I work.”
    If she was making this up, she was a very good actress. “Why do you think he’s dealing drugs?”
    â€œI don’t think it, I know it.” She scooted around in the seat to face him, her eyes burning with determination. “Now I just have to prove it.”
    â€œAnd you know this because…?”
    â€œA couple of weeks back, I