Free Promise Renewed by Mitzi Pool Bridges Page A

crazy?
    “You’re going to do this alone and you want me on standby? Is that the deal?”
    Darin scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll be careful and do everything by the book if I can.”
    “And if not?”
    “I’m hoping that situation doesn’t come up.”
    Gina hurt for him. He wanted his partner’s killer in the worst way, but could ruin his career in the process. What was he thinking?
    “I’d ask another member of the squad if I could. They’re all friends. It’s only…”
    “You don’t know who to trust. Which is why you called me. You know I couldn’t be involved because I haven’t been here but a few days.”
    His looked sheepish. “Right now, you’re the only one I know absolutely could not be involved.”
    She sat back, crossed her arms over her chest. So there it was. Darin was innocent. Unless he’d learned who she was, why she was here, and had just set up an elaborate smokescreen.
    But she couldn’t see such a scenario.
    It was her nature to be suspicious. It was what made her good at her job. Hadn’t she learned her lesson the hard way when she was a kid?
    “I’ll tell you what. I’ll think about it if we can agree on how to do it. If you decide to go the drug buyer route, we’ll set it up so I can be with you. Probably as your partner; maybe go a step further and be the partner with the money.”
    He shook his head. “Not part of the deal. I go alone. You’re on standby.”
    Really? Or did he want her out of the way so he would be free to do his own thing and no one would be the wiser? Damn her suspicious mind.
    “Someone needs to be there to watch your back. It will need watching if this goes down. Even though you suspect a member of the squad could be involved, that leaves five who are not. Together, we’ll check out each one of them until we’re satisfied that person is clean, then go from there. An operation where you’re going after the big guys is dangerous. But you know that. We’ll need more help than just the two of us.”
    He leaned closer, his mouth a thin line. “I don’t think you get it. I don’t want to risk anyone’s career but my own. That includes you and the squad.
    She had to make him understand not only the risk—hell, he’d probably end up dead—but he could lose his career. She crossed her arms over her chest. “To do an undercover op like this, you’ll need more help than one lousy backup. It will take planning, backgrounds that can be verified, a disguise that won’t draw suspicion. I don’t think you have a clue what you’re getting yourself into.”
    He sat back, his eyes on hers. She had to get through to him. Sure he wanted Hunter’s killer and he wanted the drugs, but it wasn’t worth dying to get them. And die he would if they went along with his so-called plan.
    “What do you suggest?”
    “I’ll have to have time to think on it. But I guarantee a one-man operation is doomed before it starts.”
    “Okay, so what if we do bring in a few members of the squad? We don’t know who we can trust.”
    “It shouldn’t be that hard. I’m the newbie. I want to get acquainted. At some point in the near future, I’ll visit each squad member in their home. I have a good eye for seeing things others can’t. It shouldn’t be hard.”
    “We’ll have to check their finances, backgrounds, everything.” He paused. “I can have my sister and her husband’s company do that part.”
    “Are they qualified?” She knew they were. And the more eyes they had on this the better.
    “Highly. Trust me, this will work.”
    Would it? Maybe. If everything fell into place as they planned. How likely was that? But she had no choice. It was go along or he’d go it alone and get himself killed. On her watch.
    “Then we need to get to work.”
    “I’ll start by having an outdoor party at my house soon. It’ll be an opening for you to get to know everybody a little better.”
    “What reason will you give for the party?”
    “New member of the