She read his file again. Something about it just didn't seem right. She opened the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a thick folder. Then she walked into the back room where the staff had their lockers. She consulted the folder. Tomas had been assigned, number six. She checked the number of the combination lock and moments later, had the lock off and the door open. She could only stare at the pile of money sitting on the bottom shelf.

"I wish you hadn't done that."

"Tomas. What are you doing here?" She tried to sound calm, but her heart was trying to beat out of her chest. He had a gun. A gun! And it was pointed right at her.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I own this restaurant, and you are fired."

He laughed. "You've got balls, I'll give you that. You know, you should have let Uncle Frank set us up."

Cat tried not to gag at the thought.

"Never going to happen. You're not my type."

"And Rick's new buddy is? He's dirty up to his eyeballs. Who do you think has been helping me set up my network?"

"Rick isn't involved?"

"Rick's a dupe. He's a sucker. He took pity on my hard luck story combined with his fondness for my uncle. And now he's brought Rick into his accounting firm. It's all coming together. Even my uncle will have to admit that I know what I am doing."

"You're an idiot, Tomas. What have you done? Nothing. You can't even manage a decent risotto. If we hadn't lost two chefs so close together, you'd still be chopping veggies while the real chefs did their things."

Tomas raised his arm to strike her. Cat moved backward but the desk blocked her way. She closed her eyes and braced for impact but it didn't come. Instead, she heard a strangled gasp from Tomas as Rick had him in a choke hold.

"Call 911, Cat. Tell them it's about Operation Risotto."

"Risotto?" She chuckled. "Like the rice dish?" She reached for the phone.

"Put the phone down, Cat, or I'll have to hurt your brother-in-law."

She looked up to see Tomas holding the gun to Rick's head.

"Don't hurt him!"

"Or what?"

"Or you'll never get out of here. Look, Tomas, just go. Take off. We'll give you a head start. You'll be gone before the cops arrive."

"I'm not going anywhere. You, Cat. Pick up the phone again and call my Uncle Frank."

"Uncle Frank?"

"You know, the tailor. Always trying to fix you up with his nephew?"

"Mr. Augustino is your uncle?"

"Don't sound so disbelieving. I'm his sister's son. In his day, he was the Don of Chicago, but he went straight and I've had to work my ass off in menial jobs all my life. But I'm going to show him, show them all, that I'm just as smart as he and my cousins are. Call him! Call my uncle now."

Cat looked at Rick. Tomas had used his belt to restrain him in the chair, and had Cat sit on his lap as they waited for Mr. Augustino to arrive. But Tomas was taking no chances, and had a gun on them.

It wasn't long before she heard the back door open, followed by a knock on the office door.

"Hey, Tomas, what's up?"

"Weston, what are you doing here?"

Scott looked confused. "You told me to come at three. It's three. I thought we were going to work on the books."

"Not three, four, you idiot. But it is just as well you are here. Plans have changed. I'm going to shoot them both and then burn the place down. We'll find another restaurant to use."

"Don't shoot them. Forensics."

"What do you suggest?"

"Well..." Things moved fast as Scott pulled some kind of crazy martial arts move and before she could figure out what he did, he had Tomas on the ground and in handcuffs. Then the room was filled with cops who led Tomas away, screaming for his uncle and his lawyer. When they walked out of the office to take a seat at the bar, she saw Mr. Augustino hovering worriedly in the background. He nervously approached.

"Are you okay, Miss Catherine?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Augustino. I'm sorry about your nephew."

"That boy was never right. I got your call; I knew something was wrong and called Scott." He shook his head. "I had hoped that the boy was settling down, but he always wanted the quick buck. And he wanted the respect he thought being a mob boss would give him. I tried to tell him that is wasn't what it was cracked up to be. I did my time and started over at fifty years old. Best thing I ever did. I love my new life, and I never had to worry that another tailor will try to have me whacked. Although, I am sometimes tempted to take out the occasional unruly customer."

"Like Mr. Carlucci?"

They both chuckled, and the old man hugged her.

"Wait, why did you call Scott and not the cops, if you thought there was something wrong?"

Mr. Augustino blushed. "You're the one who called in the feds?"

"I couldn't let him do what he was planning, especially not to a friend of mine. When I found out he was targeting Night and Day, and even had designs on Rick's CPA practice, I couldn't keep quiet, even if he was my sister's boy."

"You saved us both, Mr. Augustino. I will never forget that."

9.

Scott watched as she hugged the old man before the feds took him aside for questioning. It was hours before they were able to leave. He escorted her over to the office and convinced the crime scene unit to hand over her purse after a quick inspection.

"Rick, there's something I need back, that is, if you and Maggie are done with them."

The other man blushed and shot a look over at Cat before pulling the small metal object from his pants pocket. Scott took it and shoved it in his own pocket while Cat looked on with interest.

"Thanks, Scott. We both owe you."

"Any time."

Then he led Cat to the street where there caught a cab back to her condo. He was sweet and kind and ran a bath for her. While she was soaking, she could hear the sound of pots and pans clanking in the kitchen, followed by the most delicious smell.

When Cat finished her bath, bundled in a fluffy robe, her hair wrapped in a towel, her stomach was rumbling. She'd had an enormous lunch, but there was something about having your life threatened that made a woman hungry.

Scott smiled at the sight of her and gave her a big hug before leading her over to the kitchen table, where he'd set two place settings. She sipped the red wine he poured as he served her a big helping of risotto.

It was good, damned good. She frowned.

"This is Maggie's recipe."

"Yup."

"How did you get it? She won't even give me the recipe."

"Blackmail."

"Excuse me?"

Scott smiled and she felt like there were butterflies fluttering in her stomach. He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small metal object, which he placed on the table. It was a key. A key? Her eyes widened.

"Handcuff keys?"

"Yup, Rick and Maggie were messing around with real handcuffs and lost the key. I lent them mine in exchange for the recipe. Luckily, all handcuff keys are interchangeable."

"Lucky, that."

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"When the cops came rushing in, you didn't seem surprised that I wasn't arrested as being part of the plot, which, I'm also wondering how you knew about."

"I knew you were a fed. And I figured out Tomas was one of the bad guys when he pulled out that gun."

"Yes, that was certainly a strong clue. But last night you were still convinced I was a criminal. How did you...?"

"I had lunch with my friend Lexi, the undercover reporter. She mentioned a gang operation the FBI was running and how she was hoping for an interview with the undercover agent when the case was over in a week to ten days. As soon as I heard that, I put two plus two together."

"Are you mad I wouldn't tell you the truth?"

"Yes."

She watched his face fall.

"But I understand. You were undercover. I was someone you were using to get close to the bad guys. You couldn't tell me the truth."

"I was only using you at the beginning. I fell in love with you almost from the start, and my boss considered pulling me off the case. I didn't know what to do, but when we got evidence that they had moved up to trafficking in minors for the sex trade, well, I couldn't stop. I was the only man who'd been able to get inside. I had to see things through. I did go back to Seattle after it was over, but you'd already moved."

"You could have found me. I know you have the connections."

"I thought about it. I figured that after two years, you would have moved on. I didn't want to cause turmoil for you, but I couldn't stop thinking about you. When I heard that Maggie and Cat Conroy's restaurant was being targeted by the mob, I couldn't stay away. I knew that it would be risky when you saw me, but when I was offered the chance to get involved, I took it as a sign that we were meant to get back together."

"Scott,"

"Yes, Cat."

"Make love to me again."

"I promise. And I promise never to leave you again. I've already handed in my resignation to the FBI. I'm afraid that you're going to be having an unemployed CPA crashing at your place for a while."

"As long as you promise to make me risotto once a week, I think we can work something out."

Scott grinned. And then he jumped up and rushed to her side, dropping to his knees. "You're too good for me, but I promise to try to show you every day just how much I love you. And I'll make these four years up to you."

"Not necessary. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have moved here, and my sister and I wouldn't have our restaurant. Somethings things work out on their own timeline. We're back together and I'm happy. Now hurry up and make love to me again."

10.

One week later at Club Hades With trepidation, Cat hesitated in the doorway of Club Hades. It was only Scott's hand on her lower back that kept her from turning tail and running.

"You can do this, Cat. Remember, you are doing it for your sister."

"Yes, I know, but, oh, let's just do this."

Taking a deep breath, Cat stepped into the reception area. It was decorated with rich dark wood, but was not ostentatious. In the corner, a desk made of the same dark wood was staffed by a perky young woman wearing a corset that put her abundant breasts on display.

"Can I help you?"