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  “I think there’s enough sexual tension between them that they’re afraid of this case, that’s what I think,” Billy said.

  “Yeah? That’s what you think?”

  “The way they flirt with each other when we go out? Yeah, that can’t be just for show.”

  “I think it is. They’re just playing around. I’ve never even seen them alone together. Have you?”

  “That doesn’t mean anything.”

  “You never see them here alone,” he said, motioning to their desks. “They never go to the restroom together. They’re never up getting coffee at the same time. They never talk about them seeing each other outside of work. No lunches, no dinner. Nothing. In fact, the only conversations they have are work related.”

  “Except when we go out for beers,” Billy said.

  “Yeah. So, since they’re leaving tomorrow—”

  “Then it must be a beer night,” Billy finished for him with a grin. “Yeah, maybe a night out can get them back to normal.”

  ***

  It’s funny how some bars just become cop bars. This one was no different. It wasn’t located that close to the police department. Wasn’t real close to the sheriff’s department either. And it was a good ten blocks from the building where the FBI offices were. Yet Ice guessed ninety percent of the clientele were from law enforcement. A wraparound bar was the main attraction and where they normally gathered. The front part of the bar was filled with tall, round tables—where they’d chosen to sit tonight—and the side wall housed a row of booths. Five large TVs were spaced about, giving the place a sports bar feel. The only food served was burgers and fries or spicy buffalo wings, nothing else, yet the place was packed nearly every night of the week. Above the noise of the crowd, the whacking of pool balls could be heard from the three tables at the back of the bar.

  “Man, you two are going to be crazy after a few months together,” Billy said as he tipped his beer bottle at CJ.

  “Crazier,” Paige murmured.

  “Speak for yourself,” CJ countered.

  Paige leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her hands. “You don’t snore, do you?”

  Ice watched them, their stare intense, and he actually saw CJ clamp her mouth shut, keeping in the words that were about to spill out. Instead, she leaned closer too, her gaze lowering to Paige’s lips. Ice stared in fascination at the exchange between them.

  “Baby, I’ll have you so tired and sated, you won’t be awake long enough to know if I snore or not.”

  Ice saw just a ghost of a smile cross Paige’s face. “What makes you think that you won’t be the one satiated?”

  Billy leaned closer to Ice. “What does ‘satiated’ mean?” he whispered.

  “Seriously, man?”

  Paige smiled affectionately at Billy, her gaze finally leaving CJ’s. “Let me buy the next round.”

  It wasn’t her turn, but no one complained. Just like no one complained when she ordered dinner for them all when they were working late. Or when she brought in breakfast or coffee. She was genuinely generous and didn’t expect anything in return. Like he’d told Billy, just because she had more money than the rest of them, it didn’t mean she wasn’t one of them. She was. She just dressed better and drove a more expensive car.

  “Are you nervous?” CJ asked.

  Ice noticed the teasing was gone and was surprised by the question. He was even more surprised by Paige’s answer.

  “Terrified.”

  Billy, as usual, was oblivious to the underlying tension. “You’ll be fine,” he said. “Sounds like a crazy place, yeah, but they’re still just people.”

  Paige and CJ exchanged real smiles, and Ice would have sworn it was the first time he’d ever witnessed that between them.

  “Yes, I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Paige said. “Gonna miss you guys though. It’ll be weird not seeing you every day.”

  “Just a phone call away,” Ice said. “We’re your research, remember.”

  An unusual silence followed until Billy—apparently feeling brave after three beers—asked the question that had been bothering him all week.

  “Is everything okay with you two?”

  Paige and CJ looked at each other, then away. “Yes, of course,” Paige answered. “Why?”

  “You’ve just been acting a little strange. Kinda like you’re avoiding each other.”

  He expected them to protest, CJ at least, but neither refuted Billy’s words. It seemed like they couldn’t even come up with a good lie.

  “Well, how would you like it if you and Ice had to go undercover as a couple?” CJ asked. “It’s a little unnerving.”

  “Yeah, but you two are gay. What’s the big deal?”

  Paige stared at him, her blue eyes narrowing. “Why would you assume I’m gay?”

  Billy swallowed. “Well, you never talk about guys. About dating.”

  “Do I talk about women and dating?”

  “No. You don’t really talk about your personal life.”

  Her gaze finally softened. “Right. And let’s keep it that way. Now, back to your point, pretending to be in love with someone, someone who you work with, is a little disconcerting. CJ and I, while I would consider us work friends, don’t really know each other all that well,” Paige said. “So being suddenly thrown together, having to pretend we’re in a relationship, is making us both a little nervous.” She looked at CJ. “Right?”

  “Yes. Definitely.” CJ downed her beer and slid the empty to the middle of the table where the other bottles had landed. “Not only that, but we have to live together.”

  Ice could see the wheels turning in Billy’s head. “Sleep together?”

  “Share a bed,” Paige corrected quickly. “Howley informed us that our cabin is a cute one bedroom, one bath. Very intimate,” she said.

  “You are so going to get on my nerves,” CJ murmured.

  “Me?”

  “Yes. You’re a neat freak,” CJ said.

  “Yeah. So?”

  “So? Can you say OCD?”

  Paige actually glared at her. “Obsessive-compulsive disorder? Really?”

  CJ grinned. “Tell me everything in your desk is not either color-coded or alphabetized. You’re probably one of those people who rotate your underwear and towels and stuff so you don’t use them out of order.” She raised her eyebrows. “Am I wrong?”

  Paige blushed and Ice couldn’t contain his laughter.

  “Okay, so maybe I have a touch of it,” Paige conceded. “I doubt living with you will be a bed of roses either.”

  “Baby, I’ll try to make it as pleasant...and satisfying for you as possible.”

  Paige again leaned forward. “Tiger, I don’t think you can handle me.”

  CJ’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Is that a challenge?”

  “No. Just a fact.”

  Ice and Billy exchanged glances again, surprised at how quickly the two of them reverted back to flirting.

  “Well, I guess we’ll have a few months to see if that’s true or not. I think I’ll break you.”

  “We’ll see who breaks whom,” Paige nearly purred.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “Are you sure you’re not lost?”

  CJ flicked her eyes at her. “Despite the fact that we have a GPS and she’s not recalculating, I know where I am.”

  Paige turned doubtful eyes her way but said nothing.

  CJ kept her gaze on the road, the forest nearly swallowing up the highway on both sides. It looked inviting from the comfort of the air-conditioned car, but she knew outside it was hot and humid. It was still early June, but the temperatures had been steadily climbing closer to the century mark. The tall pines and oaks were nearly motionless, no breeze penetrating them. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Paige, who was again reading through files on the fancy laptop she had. Notebook, she mentally corrected. Well, at least she had something to keep her occupied. Their conversation thus far had been stilted and nearly nonexistent. It had made
for a long, stressful trip. Stressful, because she knew eventually they had to talk. And eventually, it would come up. That night. It had to.

  And she didn’t want to talk about it. Not at all. Unusual for her, but she was the one who had woken up alone in her own bed. Alone, but completely sated. She hadn’t slept that well in years. Of course, it wasn’t something she was going to admit to Paige, should they discuss that night. She still had a hard time wrapping her brain around the fact that they had slept together. Not just slept together, but spent hours pleasuring each other. Paige was so not her type. She was too pretty, too classy, too smart, too... too everything. She glanced quickly at her, afraid Paige could read her mind and see the direction of her thoughts, but Paige seemed engrossed in her reading.

  She gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as images flashed through her mind—Paige lying naked on her bed, legs opening to her, Paige’s face etched in pleasure, her mouth slightly open, her hips bucking wildly with yet another orgasm. And Paige’s hand parting her thighs, her fingers filling her, Paige’s mouth at her breast. Then Paige’s mouth moving lower, claiming her with a hunger that still brought chills to CJ’s body.

  “What?”

  CJ turned, blinking several times. “What?”

  Paige arched an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”

  CJ looked quickly back to the road, cursing her thoughts, praying Paige wouldn’t notice the flush on her face. “Sorry. Nothing,” she mumbled.

  Paige closed her laptop and sighed. CJ waited, knowing what was coming.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  What kind of crazy question was that? She shook her head. “No.”

  Paige sighed again. “Are we going to be able to do this?”

  For the first time, CJ heard—and understood—the trepidation in Paige’s voice. She realized she wasn’t the only one fighting with the demons of that night. How out of character was it for Paige to not only end up at the lesbian bar in the first place, but to allow CJ all that she did? She played along with her, flirting like they always did. It was different, though. Maybe because they were alone, without the guys, but the flirting became real. At least to her it did. And she’d had just enough alcohol to dampen her good sense. She remembered how bold she felt when she slipped her hands along Paige’s inner thighs, remembered the look in Paige’s eyes as she touched her. And God, she remembered how wet she’d been. So wet she could feel it through Paige’s jeans. What came next was inevitable. But it was something Paige didn’t do. One-night stands. No, that was CJ’s specialty, not Paige’s. Although, that morning when she’d found her bed empty, it seemed like Paige was the expert, not her.

  But now here they were, heading to Hoganville with clothes and knick knacks, things to make it look like they were a real couple. A couple who’d been together only six months. A couple madly in love. Could they pull it off?

  “I think it’ll be fine,” she said. “It’s our job. We’ve both had undercover assignments before. This is nothing different.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  ***

  Paige watched as CJ effortlessly slipped into character, her arm hanging out the window as she smiled up at the security guard.

  “Yep. We’re the new ones,” she said. “Can’t wait to get settled in.”

  “You’ll need to see the director first. The admin offices are on the first floor of Mathis Hall.” He handed CJ a map. “Follow Campus Drive around the little lake here,” he said, pointing to the paper he’d given her. “It’s the first building. Flagpole out front.”

  CJ frowned. “Okay, but it’s Saturday. The admin offices are open?”

  “Not usually, no. But the director likes to greet the new staff.”

  “Is there a lot of turnover?” she asked.

  He laughed and held his arms out. “What do you think? There’s not a whole lot for entertainment out here.”

  “Got it. Okay, thanks. I guess we’ll be seeing you around.”

  “Yeah.”

  She put her window back up, closing off the afternoon heat. “Well, we’re in.”

  Paige nodded. “Yes. And I agree with Howley’s term of compound. This place is like a prison.”

  “I think that is the intention,” CJ said. “Because if these girls weren’t here, a lot of them might be in juvy.”

  “Oh, that’s pretty,” she said, spotting the small lake to their left. “Do you think they let the girls out here?” She pointed. “Look. Picnic tables.”

  “I don’t know how much freedom they get. The whole place is five hundred acres. That’s a lot to fence off securely. I can’t imagine the girls would have run of the place.”

  Paige took the map that CJ had tossed on the dash. She had already downloaded the one that was on their website, but she hadn’t studied it much. She knew the cabins for the staff were located well away from the dorms. That led her to believe that the girls did have some access to the grounds. She knew from her research that some of them were allowed to have bikes but no vehicles. She actually found the hike and bike trail appealing and had to remind herself that she was working, not vacationing.

  The security guard must have announced their arrival. The door to the admin building opened and another security guard was waiting.

  “Right this way,” he said.

  CJ nodded at him, then politely let Paige go in first. She just barely resisted rolling her eyes as she reminded herself they were playing roles. An older man with graying hair stood in a doorway, a smile on his face.

  ***

  He hadn’t quite known what to expect of the two agents they were sending him. He had assumed they would be older, but these two looked to be in their early thirties. They would fit in well with the other teachers.

  “Good afternoon. I’m Director Avery.” He held his hand out to them, and they both shook it. “I see you found it,” he said.

  “It’s definitely back in the woods. I’m CJ Johnston,” the dark-haired one said. “This is Paige Riley.”

  “Nice to meet you. Come inside, please.” He nodded to the security guard. “Thank you, Richard.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll lock the door on my way out.”

  Once the door was closed, Avery let out a breath. “I’m glad you’re finally here,” he said. “I was afraid they weren’t ready to move on it yet.”

  “No. We’re ready to move. I just think no one knows who or what to move against,” CJ said.

  “That’s true. I trust you’ve both read my notes?”

  “Yes,” Paige said. “Thoroughly.”

  “Well, like I reported, the community is isolated. They keep the school isolated from them as well. From what I’ve seen, everything goes through Ester Hogan. Everything.”

  “She’s the...matriarch, right?”

  “Yes. She also owns the café. Well, I guess she pretty much owns everything. The little grocery store and the service station.” He motioned to the visitors’ chairs. “Please sit.” He waited until they were both sitting before resuming his position behind the desk.

  “Are staff from the school welcome there at the café?” CJ asked.

  “Not welcome, no. As far as I know, I don’t believe anyone from school ever goes there.”

  “You said in your notes that it was an old community,” Paige said. “Can you elaborate?”

  “I haven’t seen any kids. Ever.” He sat back in his chair, watching them, wondering at their line of questioning. “Now that doesn’t mean there aren’t some. I would say the age of most of the residents is above fifty, maybe closer to sixty. You don’t see young people, like twenties and thirties.”

  “So people move away and don’t return. That’s not unusual for a community like this,” Paige said. “I wouldn’t imagine there’s much to hold people here.”

  He shook his head. “That was my assumption at first,” he said. “But the longer I’ve been here, I don’t think that’s the case. I wouldn’t imagine anyone would be allowed to leave without appr
oval.”

  “Approved by whom?”

  “I would assume Ester Hogan.”

  CJ laughed. “Oh, come on. No one is going to have that much control. Who would allow that? If you’re just out of high school and you want to go to college, you’re telling me they’d have to clear it with Ester Hogan?”

  “There is no school. Everyone is informally homeschooled. From what I’ve learned, that’s how it’s always been, long before it was fashionable. Another thing is birth records. Officially, there have been six births in the last thirty-five years.”

  “Officially?”

  “That’s how many birth certificates were issued and Social Security numbers applied for. Six.”

  “Okay, this whole thing is really strange,” Paige said. “It’s going to take a little time for us to get the feel of it. You’ve had seven months.” She paused. “There are two people who work here from town. They had to have gone away for their education,” Paige said. “Let’s research them more thoroughly.”

  “Yes. Fiona Hogan is a science teacher. She’s very good and the girls love her. Gretchen Hogan is the school nurse. She’s much more reserved than Fiona. She’s also much older. I’m certain the only reason they were allowed to go to college was so that they could come back and infiltrate the school, if I may use that word,” he said. “Of the six official births, three are Fiona, Gretchen, and the town’s so-called doctor, Don Hogan. I know it sounds strange, but trust me. Once you’ve been here awhile, you’ll understand.”

  “Who do the other three belong to?”

  “I have their names,” he said. “That’s it. If they are still around, I’ve not seen them or heard mention of them. Two should be eighteen now. The other was born the same year as Fiona.”