Clenching the steering wheel, he struggled, striving for a calm that remained well out of reach.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ARIZONA TIPPED HER HEAD to study him. “Damn, Spence, what’s the matter? You get a bee in your boxers?”

He ignored her question. Something felt wrong—something beyond Arizona’s cavalier disposition and inebriated boasting. He searched the streets, watching for a tail, but saw nothing.

When his cell phone rang, he grabbed it up, expecting the worst. “Yeah?”

“You’re clear,” Dare said. “A cop started to follow you, but I took care of it.”

He looked around and still saw no one—not even Dare. “Just like that?”

“Yes.”

Itching for violence, needing release, he breathed hard.

“You okay?” Dare asked.

“Yeah.” He ran a hand over his face. More curious than alarmed, he said, “About that cop…”

“We work with them when possible. Sometimes we have to exclude them so they don’t get in the way, but we do not commandeer their authority when it’s avoidable, and we never consider them expendable.”

He knew they didn’t harm innocent bystanders, but the rest was news to him. From what he’d observed so far, the trio recognized only their own command. “Good to know.”

Arizona turned in the seat and treated him to a dreamy-eyed smile.

Places on his body that were already jumpy twitched in redirected interest. She reached for him, but Spencer caught her hand and held it still. Thinking of how the lights had gone out, he said to Dare, “So it all went down already?”

“It did. I can explain later, but a situation arose that forced my hand and gave us enough reason to move in ahead of schedule.”

Arizona stiffened. “What do you mean it went down? What? The bar?”

He shushed her while rubbing his thumb over her knuckles and, then to Dare added, “You got Carl?”

“I sent two officers around to that room off the alley to collect him. I got Terry Janes myself.” Amusement entered Dare’s tone when he said, “You can tell Arizona that Janes resisted.”

No, he wouldn’t tell her a damn thing. Not yet anyway. Resistance would mean Dare had had to restrain Terry, and that meant he’d probably pulverized the guy. The last thing Arizona needed was more encouragement toward fighting.

Instead, Spencer concentrated on getting the facts. “He was the one running things?”

“He hasn’t admitted as much yet, and we don’t make assumptions.”

“What do you think?”

“My gut tells me something more is going on.”

“Damn.”

“We’ll have confirmation soon.”

“The workers?” Arizona asked.

Spencer repeated her question.

“Everyone we could find is now safe.”

He nodded to Arizona and saw her slump back in relief. It touched him that she’d been so genuinely concerned for people she didn’t know.

Dare added, “We got info on another group of young Hispanics in transit. They would have mostly been used for labor at a nearby motel, but a few of the females were intended for trafficking. They should be freed within the hour.”

Incredible. “So Janes spilled his guts about that?”

“No, but he will.” Before Spencer could ask, Dare said, “Actually, it was two bozos I found around back in a van. But I can catch you up on that later.”

Like hell. “Tell me now.” His gaze landed on Arizona. And because he already knew it, he said, “They were there for her, weren’t they?”

“Afraid so.” Dare didn’t mince words. “The driver did most of the spilling, but both men were anxious to share.” He paused, then added, “I can be convincing.”

Again, he had to reach for lost control. But he had to think of Arizona. He had to get her to his house, and he had to find a way to convince her to stay away from dangerous situations. “So now what?”

“Whenever we can keep a low profile, we do. We’ll continue to oversee things, to ensure we get the results we want.”

“Meaning no one walks away?”

Dare didn’t reply to that. “We have a good relationship with the special agent in charge. He’s organized an effective task force, and he has all the contacts he needs to take this through the proper legal channels.”

Catching Arizona’s wandering hands again, Spencer shook his head at her and whispered, “Stop that.”

Dare laughed. “She enjoyed herself?”

“Seems like.”

Still amused, Dare said, “Get her home safe, Spencer.”

“Working on it.” Since he held the phone, he ended up playing one-handed patty-cake with Arizona to keep her from molesting him.

His resistance was on shaky ground already—he didn’t need her enticement, too.

She pretended to pout, then put her head back and closed her eyes on a lusty yawn.

“We’re heading to my place now.” The sooner he got her tucked in for the night, the sooner he could loosen his knotted muscles.

“Great. For the time being, keep her there. At least until we meet at my place. We’ll catch up then.” And with that Dare was gone.

Frowning with new concern, Spencer folded the phone and put it back in his pocket.

“What now?” Arizona asked.

He shook his head. Did Dare want Arizona to continue staying with him because someone had gotten loose? Or was it just a precaution?