“You’re too soft with him, Lady,” J.R. said, his voice silky as soon as the door shut. “If you let them have too much leeway, they will rise up and bite you on the ankle.” He paused. “Or the jugular.”

I took my seat. “We all have our ways of ensuring our power, J.R. You go your way, and I’ll go mine.”

“But therein lies a problem. If we are to share the county, then we must agree upon how we rule. And my first order of business will be to dispose of your pet.”

“Jed?” I asked, incredulous, as if he’d told me I couldn’t have a cookie. “No, I need Jed. He has information about this territory. He helps me keep the men in order.”

“But you won’t need that with me here,” he said, watching me like a hawk.

I cocked my head and gave him a knowing smile. “I like to keep him around for other things. He’s quite good.”

“He can be replaced.” His voice took on a husky tone.

“Maybe in bed, but his knowledge of the county is useful. I refuse to dispose of him until I have a firmer handle on how this county works.”

“You don’t need him for that either.”

I released a short laugh. “Your son’s been chief deputy about three months and you think you’re an expert on the Fenton County underworld? It seems to me he’s on the wrong side of the law to give you accurate information.”

“He’s not my only source.”

“Then perhaps you can let me in on how you’ve been getting your information.”

He watched me again, his gaze darting to the window behind me. Damn it, I was fairly certain I’d fallen right into a trap. At least I knew Skeeter was listening, even if he was probably madder than a wet hornet right now. All I had to do was say the code word and he’d send his men in to get me. Hell, he’d probably lead the charge.

J.R. reached up to finger the edge of my veil. “I prefer to keep a few secrets. You obviously feel the same way.”

“Mr. Simmons,” I said with more force than I felt. “You are much too close for my liking.”

“I thought we were getting to know one another.” His hand slid down my neck.

I pushed his arm away and stood. “I also like to mix business with pleasure—Jed is proof enough of that—but business always comes first. I would have expected you, of all people, to understand that. Perhaps you’re not the man I thought you were.”

He was on his feet in an instant, towering over me. “Did you just insult me?”

I was scared to death, but I was also pissed. “I am a woman in a man’s world, Mr. Simmons. I did not get where I am today by sleeping my way to the top. I’m sure you didn’t either.”

He grinned. “No, but I’ve had my fun.”

I lowered my voice. “I like powerful men, J.R. And you certainly intrigue me. But I mean it—for me, business always comes first, and pleasure—” I drawled out the word “—comes as my reward for a job well done.” I tilted my head slightly. “Will you be part of that reward?”

Surprise flickered in his eyes, followed by what looked like respect. He took a step back, but paused for long enough to run his hand down my bare arm. “I would most certainly like to be.”

I needed to get him to start confessing. I said the first thing that popped into my head. “I heard how you got the ADA out of office last week. I’m impressed.”

He gave me a wicked look. “I have my ways.”

Mason had told me I needed him to be as specific as possible. That wasn’t nearly specific enough.

“I hear you have sway over many influential people in this county. I heard you used that influence on a judge last summer to get your son’s girlfriend out of jail.” That wasn’t part of Mason’s script, but I was looking for anything to stick to him.

I’d made the wrong choice.

He watched me for a moment, as though evaluating me. “So you like powerful men?” he asked, but something was off in his eyes, and I instinctively backed up. “Is that why you hooked up with Malcolm?”

“Malcolm was purely business.”

“Oh? Then why hook up with Jed?”

Crap. Why indeed? “Jed was a means to an end.”

“So you used him to help you get rid of Malcolm and take over his territory?”

“No. I was willing to bide my time; in fact, I would have preferred it. But you spurred things into motion when you had Gentry kill his two men and set Malcolm up to take the fall. I’d already invested in this county, so I wasn’t about to give it up.”

“Why reach out to me?”

“Because any fool could see you were making a bid for the county too. I had pieces in play, so it made sense to join forces.”

“I don’t play well with others.”

Unfortunately, that was just about the most incriminating thing he’d said.

Crap. Crap. Crap. I was going about this all wrong.

“You’re being dishonest with me, Lady.”

My heart leapt into my throat. “And why would you think that?”

He held his hands out to his side. “I’m honest about who I am. I’m J.R. Simmons, the most powerful man in southern Arkansas—soon to be the entire state. You know who you are dealing with, but I have no idea who you are. Why would I align myself with a ghost?”

“You want me to take off my hat?”