The Trap (Agent Dallas 3) by L. J. Sellers Page B

Should I move some stuff out here and be on hand for the next mission?”
    “I’m so glad you feel that way.” Luke held out his arms.
    Dallas set down her coffee and stepped in for a hug, watching the doorway for Abby. She had to walk a fine line between the two—seducing Luke enough to gain inside information while not pissing off his girlfriend. Dallas pulled back, not wanting him to kiss her again. Not in such an open place.
    “Ready for breakfast?” she asked. “Or should we hit the road? I need to get back to my apartment, so I can shower and change.”
    During a long pause, Luke’s eyes seemed to calculate several options. Finally, he said, “Let’s grab some food to take with us. The sooner we get you settled in, the sooner we can move forward on a new project.”
    On the trip into DC, Dallas counted the driveways and houses between their location and the next main road. Almost as good as an address. But she suspected the bureau wouldn’t raid this place until after they’d made a bust, preferring to catch the members in an act of sabotage. Luke surprised her by talking about Abby most of the way, detailing the blows Abby had taken in her life and how she’d become enslaved to the justice system, owing more money in fines and court fees than she could ever pay.
    “If she missed a payment, she was in contempt of court, then they’d arrest her, and she’d lose another job and have no way to pay.” Luke kept his eyes on the dense traffic while he talked. “So they would issue another arrest warrant and citation to appear. Each trip to court added to her debt. It’s such a vicious cycle. A JRN donor finally freed her from it, and Abby dedicated her life to changing the system.”
    “I’m proud of her,” Dallas said. “There must be a lot of people out there with the same story.” It seemed like the right thing to say, but she didn’t really know, because she’d never heard this side of the justice system before. Her father had gone to jail when she was young, but it had been about fighting. She didn’t remember him talking about owing the court. When had minor crimes become a financial quicksand for people?
    “There are a million people with similar stories,” Luke countered, his voice loud with passion. “One woman spent three months in jail to pay off the fees she incurred after her minor son was arrested for possessing pot. It’s insane!”
    Dallas reminded herself not to sympathize with their cause, but those scenarios just seemed wrong—if they were true. “Take the next exit,” she said. “My apartment is in Georgetown.”
    In the underground parking lot, Dallas said, “Thanks for the ride. I’ll be back out this afternoon. I have a few things to take care of first.”
    Luke shut off the engine. “You can’t bring your car out to the house just yet—for a lot of reasons. So I’ll come in and help you pack.” He opened his door.
    Stunned, Dallas climbed from the van, scrambling to regroup. She hated the idea of being trapped out there. “I don’t understand.”
    Luke walked around to her, his eyes guarded. “We have protocols, and new members aren’t allowed their own transportation at first. We have to know we can count on you.”
    She scoffed. “You think I’m going to cut and run in the middle of the night?”
    “Or worse.” His expression was unreadable.
    Dallas shook her head. “Whatever you’re thinking, let it go. I’m committed.”
    “But for how long?” Still deadpan.
    “Until we make progress.” She needed to come up with something better than that.
What were their expectations, anyway?
She opted for humor. “Down the road a few years, if my biological clock starts ticking and I decide to settle down and have a kid, I’ll come tell you I’m leaving.” A dark thought popped into her head. “I do have that option, right?”
    A soft smile. “Of course.”
    Should she press to bring her car or drop it? She suspected it would be a deal-breaker.