“Doesn’t hurt to make them think we’re having last minute jitters,” he said.
She peered through the windshield. “Electric fences, a damn guard tower, that yellow safety light. It looks like a prison.”
“Not if you’re angry, lost, frightened. If you think the world is about to implode, it looks like safety.”
“So why are angry, lost and frightened Zack and Rosie sitting here having the jitters?”
He grinned at her. “Zeke and Rory are having a last moment of defiance because once we get in there we don’t make the rules.”
“I kinda wished I smoked so I could have a cigarette to add to the drama of the moment.” She turned to him. “We could pretend to have a fight. Give them something to really watch.”
“Now if you were going down that line of thought, how about I drag you over the center console and kiss you like we just invented incest.”
She laughed like he knew she would. He could always get a reaction out of a line like that, just not the one he most wanted. Slow learner. You’d think he’d have given up trying by now.
She rested her pretty feet with her cherry-red toenails on the dash. “How to bust a cult, final refresher. Go.”
“Be sure the cult is destructive, that members’ lives are being exploited or are in potential danger.” The Continuance popped up on their radar of flagrant cons years ago, but it took time to confirm suspicions that Orrin Epcot was a dangerous grifter, and a profiteer.
“Check.” She made a tick motion. “Infiltrate and gain trust.”
“No judging, criticism or condemnation. People are free to believe what they want. As long as they’re not breaking the law or disadvantaging others.”
“No arguing or causing dissent.” Rory made a lip-zip gesture. “Quickest way to lose what trust we win. Love, tolerance and understanding are our basic weapons. Which is almost the opposite of what we usually do when we’re running a con.”
“Think of it as a vacation from the real world,” he said. “We gather knowledge.”
“Exploit inconsistencies, ask open questions and create reasonable doubt.”
“Which is a lot more like our usual day at the office.” He went to fake a yawn and it became real. He’d barely slept at all last night and his eyes were gritty with fatigue.
“Ensure the safety of everyone in the community,” she said.
“Find opportunities to bring the authorities in.” If they discovered bazookas in the barn they’d have the excuse they needed to call in the cavalry.
“Take good care of people after it’s over. Help them restart their lives.” Rory dropped her feet and rummaged for her boots. “That’s it. I’m getting anxious sitting here.”
“There’s one more.”
She gave him a quizzical look while stuffing her foot in her boot.
“Be smart. Stay safe. Walk out alive.”
She pulled a face, eyes rolling. “Right. Got it.”
“Are you ready to go do this, Aurora Rae?”
“As ripe and ready as a rube to be conned.”
He kicked the car over. “Hey.” He waited until he had her eyes on him. “I wouldn’t want to be in this with anyone else.” He’d wanted to do this job for years and when Rory showed interest in partnering him, he’d badgered Cal to make it happen.
She ducked her head to peer out the windshield at the tower. “Can they see us in here?”
“Not from this angle.” He hadn’t wanted any danger of lip-reading. They’d be looking down on the roof and hood of the car.
She unclipped her belt and flung herself at him. He hugged her tight to his chest, hand to the back of her head, his own face tucked into her neck where he could breathe deep of her perfume. His hands shook a little, so he wove his fingers through her thick dark hair and stroked her back. He was anxious too. He’d rather cop to that than explore the idea that the adrenaline overload was less about going undercover indefinitely than it was Rory’s sudden nearness.
The thought was trigger enough to peel himself away from her. They were physically free with each other, but they’d never done more than flirt up a storm, dance up a sweat and share a platonic cheek kiss. What he felt for her wasn’t so much unrequited as it was a giant gap in Rory’s worldview.