Blind Fury by Gwen Hernandez Page B

laugh at Tara’s description of her new boss. The redhead was not well-liked in the HR department where she’d taken over for Tara’s previous supervisor, a friendly old guy named Reggie who had retired after forty years at QDS. “You definitely don’t want to mess with her. She might turn you into a toad.”
    “I don’t doubt it.” Tara sighed. “Any idea when you’ll be back?”
    “Soon, I hope. Mick wants me to wait a few more days.”
    “Are you doing okay at his place? Anything I should know about?” Tara asked, her voice heavy with innuendo.
    Only in her dreams. “Tara.” Jenna could only laugh at her friend’s reliably dirty mind. “I’m fine. I feel safe here.”
    “Good. Any news on who destroyed your house?”
    “No. The police are investigating.”
    “I hope they figure it out soon. I miss having you around.”
    “Believe it or not, I miss being there,” Jenna said. “Hey, before you go, can you do me a favor the next time you talk to Colin?”
    “Sure.”
    “Will you find out if he was with Rob’s team the day he died? And if so, see if he’ll tell you what happened.”
    “He’s not big on talking about his time over there at all, but I can ask.” Tara hesitated. “What’s going on?”
    How much to tell her? Jenna’s instinct was to keep it close to the vest, but if she couldn’t trust Tara, then there was no one left. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think anyone’s telling the whole story. And, I’m starting to wonder if maybe Rob was more than just a casualty of a war zone.”
    “Are you serious?”
    Jenna considered mentioning Rob’s photos, but something held her back. She’d trust Tara with her life, but she couldn’t ignore Mick’s instincts about Colin. And even if he wasn’t involved, Colin might mention it to someone in Claymore who was.
    Jenna sighed. “Yeah, I’m serious, but I’m probably delusional too. You know what? Just forget about it.” She was starting to regret her decision to involve Tara. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. I know things are hard right now. I’ll poke around a little and call you later.”
    After thanking Tara, she thumbed off her phone and listened to the water from Mick’s shower. She wasn’t cut out for subterfuge. Sneaking around made her jittery. And she wasn’t even doing anything wrong. She was just trying to see if she could get information from another source.
    Still, she hated lying to him. It felt like a betrayal of one of the few allies she had left. But at least they weren’t fighting. Now all she had to do was figure out how to keep from acting like a lovesick fool around him, and they’d be grand.
    But then she’d always struggled with her feelings for him. Like that time when Rob threw a Christmas party during a month of leave from Claymore, and Mick cornered her beneath the mistletoe.
    “I’m not supposed to kiss you.” He leaned his forearm against the wall, looking down at her with sin in his eyes.
    She licked her lips as her stomach flip-flopped and her heart beat wildly. She shouldn’t want him. But those piercing blue eyes and that cocky grin did her in every time. She pressed herself against the wall, too aware of his body heat and clean, spicy scent. “Says who?” she asked with more bravado than she felt.
    “Your brother.”
    As if she hadn’t known. Though she was more than old enough to drink the beer in her hand, Rob still treated her like she was a naïve teenager. She took a quick swig from the brown bottle and suppressed a grimace at the bitter taste. “He’s not in charge of me,” she said, raising her chin in defiance. “I choose who I kiss.”
    Mick glanced at her mouth and heat flooded her limbs. Would it be so bad if she gave in? Just this once?
    Yes!
    Mick left behind a woman with a broken heart every time he left for Afghanistan. Her brother did too, for that matter, but apparently Rob wanted better for his little sister.
    So did she.
    Mick knew she was off limits, yet for