The Chase (2 page)

Go figure
.

But the more merchandise they seized, the further underground the vendors went, making it harder to find them. The days of vendors openly peddling fake goods were long gone, but the counterfeit trade was a snake whose head kept growing back. Christ sakes, they had tourists being given directions to pick up their knockoff items in warehouses or cargo vans in neighborhoods where Gabe wouldn’t send his worst enemy. These naïve tourists would mindlessly walk into war zones and risk their own safety.

For a piece of shit purse.

Bev flipped to another sheet in the stack Jo had given her. “What about the owner of the building?”

“Irving Flanagan,” Jo said. “He’s eighty-five years old and needs an oxygen tank 24/7. He’s not our smuggler.”

Gabe stuck the map under his notepad. “Yeah, but he owns the building. He knows what’s going on. I’ll bend over backward and kiss my own ass if he doesn’t. Let’s bust him under Nuisance Abatement. Then we’ll get Health and Sanitation inspectors in there and let them hand out fines.”

“He’s right,” Bev said.

“Of course he’s right. That’s not the issue. We need to get to the guy bringing in the merchandise. Busting the property owner won’t help. The smuggler will just pay the fines for him and offer up a little extra for the owner’s pain and suffering.”

Bev dropped the pages on her desk and sat back. “True.”

Jo drew a stack of photos from her briefcase and spread them out in rapid fire motion.
Fft, fft, fft
. “The building is big. Three stories with three store fronts. My guess is the smuggler is renting the entire building. He has the stores plus the two top floors to use as storage. I’m betting that building is loaded with counterfeits.
Loaded
.”

She reached across the desk, her body angled forward, and Gabe forced his gaze to the photos and not her exceptional ass.

Hot-woman radar in meltdown
. When Jo got on a roll, it was like watching Zena the Warrior Princess fight for the greater good.

Naked.

Gabe breathed in then scanned the photos. “We’ll hit it and shut him down.”

She pointed at him. “Exactly. If we keep busting these businesses, they have to stop selling this crap. The gentrification alone in that area will drive the illegitimate businesses out.”

He shrugged. “Then they’ll move to Queens or Brooklyn and we start all over.”

The Warrior Princess didn’t want to hear that. She gave him a hard stare before turning to Bev. “He’s in a mood today. Let’s get Tom out of his meeting. I don’t like Gabe anymore.”

She was probably only half joking, but he laughed anyway. “Look, Jo, I’m not being argumentative.”

“Uh, yeah, you are.”

Maybe
. “We’re not going to cure the problem of counterfeiting.”

She leaned over the desk and propped both hands on it. Her white blouse flopped open enough at the neckline that he could eyeball cleavage if he didn’t stay focused on her face. The woman was stacked, but not in an obnoxious way. Nope, those breasts were just big enough for a man to enjoy. Right now though, he’d keep his eyes above her shoulders where her temper had turned her cheeks a nice shade of red.

“Listen up, Sergeant. My clients are being ripped off because these crooks put fake labels on bags that cost a few bucks to make. My
clients
are paying for the advertising to build their brand and these smugglers are taking money out of their pockets. And let’s not even get into how this could support terrorist activities.”

Oh, hell
. Gabe sighed.

“Hang on,” Bev said. “We’re on the same team here.”

“Sure we are,” Gabe said.

Jo flapped her arms.

Bev shook her head. “You two are like a couple of siblings.”

“Sorry, ma’am.”

No point in pissing off the mayor’s right-hand woman.

Bev waggled her hand at Jo. “Forget it. Give me everything you’ve got and I’ll talk with the A.D.A. about a warrant. Speaking of Brooklyn, where are we on probable cause for that warehouse you’ve been watching?”

For two months, one of Jo’s investigators had been sitting on a Brooklyn warehouse they suspected was filled with counterfeit goods. “Not enough evidence yet. We’re getting close.”

“Have we looked through the garbage?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gabe said. “Every week we go through it. Nothing there. They’re careful, but eventually something will pop.”

“Keep at it.” Bev swung her gaze to Jo. “Anything else?”

Jo gathered the photos and handed them to her. “No. Thank you. You’ll keep me posted?”

“I always do.”

Gabe gathered his notes and stood. “Is there anything else, ma’am?”

“Not right now. I’ll call either you or Tom after I speak with the A.D.A.”

He turned to Jo. “I’ll give you a lift back to your office.” She opened her mouth and he held up his hand. “Don’t argue. I’m heading that way.”

“I wasn’t going to argue.”

“Yeah, you were.”

“Leave!” Bev hollered.

—:—

“I’m pissed at you,” Jo said when Gabe opened the car door for her. She glanced at the front seat of the unmarked cruiser, found it in a clean and fairly suitable condition and got in. He made a move to shut the door and she stuck her hand up. “I’m pissed at you and I don’t know why.”

“Perfect.”

He shut the door.

What was
wrong
with her? She’d been edgy for two days now and taking it out on everyone in her path. And aggravating the guy who could make sure she was on hand when they took down illegal businesses wouldn’t do her a bit of good.

If she had any intention of convincing major manufacturers and federal and state governments to fund a nationwide task force to battle a $250-billion problem, she had to get her attitude in check. Every day was an opportunity to prove how big of an issue counterfeiting was and if it meant her getting out there and investigating to speed the process, she did it.

The big ape known as Sergeant Gabriel Townsend slid into the driver’s seat, shoved the key in the ignition, started the engine and stopped. Just halted right there.

He looked straight ahead at the side of the brick building. “I worry about you.”

What?
“Articulate. In other words, what the hell does that mean?”

He turned back to her. “You put yourself in danger constantly. You think you’re being careful by not going alone or by wearing wigs, but it’s not enough. These vendors are figuring out who you are. You’re gonna get hurt. We’re talking billions of dollars here and, if you’re right about the guy running this thing, he won’t pack his toys and go home when you’re the one causing him to lose money.”

He was
worried
about her? The more important part of his little admission would be the warning about her getting hurt, but there was something quite fascinating about Gabe caring enough about the pain-in-ass lawyer, as he referred to her, to admit it.

The pain-in-the-ass lawyer got a sudden hot flash. For months she and Bev had shared endless private jokes about the hot ESU sergeant, but out of respect for the man’s work ethic, his ability to complete tasks in an orderly and thorough process, and simply make things happen, they’d always kept their comments on the down low.

Somewhere in the span of the last few minutes, the banter she and Gabe typically exchanged had turned personal. Never before had he mentioned worrying about her. Instinctively, she knew something was about to change between them. And she’d probably be the one to change it.

Because she wanted to see him without a shirt.

Okay, sister, back off
. She hit the window button and stuck her face out.

“You okay?”

She bobbed her head. “Hot flash. Early onset menopause.”

He burst out laughing and jammed the car into reverse. “You are an effing trip, lady.”

Finally, her traitorous mind controlled itself and she put the window up. Not all the way. Just in case the flash sparked again. “I appreciate you being worried about me. I am careful, but I’ll keep what you said in mind. I know I can’t stop the counterfeiting, but I can put a dent in it.”

And we’ll both be superstars.

He pulled into traffic and immediately honked at someone. “Beat it,” he yelled at the driver in front of them screaming at a cabbie. “Crazy-assed people.” He drove around the scene and maneuvered by a delivery truck. “We can dent it, but you need to start thinking about staying in your office and off Tower Street.”

“Blah, blah. I hear you, Sergeant. I’ve been advised. I’ll be careful. Can you go back to yelling at me? That, I know how to deal with.”

“I don’t yell. I speak loudly. Big difference.”

Right. “It’s okay. I yell too. It’s how I communicate. Doesn’t necessarily mean I’m mad.”

“Exactly!”

He hit Broadway and floored the gas pedal. Jo grabbed the door handle and prayed she’d survive.

“Relax, Counselor. You’ll live.”

“Let’s talk about the warrant and get my mind off my impending death.”

He caught a red light, swore under his breath and stopped. “I hate driving in this city. You get nowhere fast.”

“That’s why I use public transportation. Much easier. My warrant?”

“You’ll get your warrant. Every time we shut one of these illegal vendors down, the mayor gets to taunt his adversaries with the success of his task force.”

An idea she’d worked tirelessly for. “It’s a win-win. My clients are happy, I’m happy and the mayor’s happy. If we can figure out who the smuggler is that’s driving the volume, we’ll blow this thing wide open.”

And I’ll get my national task force.

“We’ll get him. Nobody is talking yet. The vendors are too scared, but eventually someone will give us a name. Just takes time.”

The light changed and he shot through the intersection. Thankfully, her office was only three blocks up. He knew that, as he’d visited her there a couple times for various reasons. None of which required him to be without a shirt.

Jeepers
. With plenty of effort, she pressed the window button.

“Hot flash?” Gabe cracked.

“Big one.”

That response only led her to thinking about other big things and—
wow
—bad, bad, Jo. “I have to get out of this car.”

He braked at the curb in front of her building. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Jerking on the handle, she kicked open the door. “Aside from the carnal thoughts? I’m terrific.”

Gabe’s head dropped forward. “Pardon?”

“Gotta go, big boy. Call me about my warrant.”

“Jo!”

Before he could question her, she sped through the revolving doors and ran into the stairwell. The elevator in this ancient building was a snail and she didn’t want to get stuck waiting in case the hot sergeant pursued her carnal thoughts.

What had even possessed her to say that? Seriously, she needed medication. All this time she’d kept quiet. Maybe she’d noticed
him
noticing
her
every once in a while, but he was a man and men were pigs. It didn’t necessarily mean he wanted to get up close and personal.

She darted up the stairs, her briefcase and laptop making her ascent a chore. Her punishment. Had to be. She may have been psychic because it appeared her premonition about being the one to change the vibe between her and Gabe had come true.

Once again, she’d opened her big mouth and now she’d have to deal with it.

Chapter Two

At ten-fifteen the next morning, Jo stood on the sidewalk on Tower Street listening to the yelling and general insanity that came with an ESU bust. Customers and employees inside the clothing shop where she’d bought the knock-off tote hollered, some fearful, some angry, as Gabe’s team moved through the shop, their actions swift and precise.

Gabe was somewhere out here. Today he was the U-boss, the sergeant leading the warrant and as he sometimes did, had stayed outside when his men had gone in.

She craned her neck, hoping to see a signal from one of the men that it was safe for her to enter the building and start sorting through merchandise.

Nothing.

She needed to get in there, but the men would have to complete their search for occupants before they called in the precinct guys to seize contraband. With the size of this building, she’d be here all damned day.

Go in
. “They’re not ready,” she muttered. “He’ll kill me.”

The rubbernecking woman next to her scurried away. As if it wasn’t normal for someone to talk to herself on the streets of New York? Please.

Still nothing from Gabe. And the precinct guys were still waiting.

Behind her, traffic crawled around the NYPD vehicles, drivers honking, some yelling profanities. All not unusual, but Jo found herself restless. Itchy. ESU had to be done with the first floor by now. She nibbled the edge of her cup. Good thing the coffee had gone cold. More caffeine in her already hyper system would not be good. A slew of people were ushered out by members of Gabe’s unit.
Okay, getting somewhere now
. Clearly, ESU had taken control of the store. Which meant the room she needed was probably safe.