about her. It had killed his father, and his mother tried to be stoic, but every time he saw her or spoke to her on the phone, she would break down. He knew he should be in touch more, but it wasn’t easy for him, either, so he took the coward’s way out. She undoubtedly felt the same. She never initiated contact. Sometimes he almost hated his sister for what she’d done to the family, but guilt would set in immediately. Who was he to judge? It could just as easily have been him. He wished it had been.
Nothing looked suspicious so he went inside. He put the flashlight in a kitchen drawer. Too keyed up to sleep, he logged onto the computer, wondering if Laurel had been in his email. He couldn’t fathom why he’d given her the information to make it possible. Maybe he was getting tired of all the crap and subconsciously decided it was time she knew the truth. If she didn’t have the ability to decrypt on her computer, the message would be indecipherable. If she did, fine. If not, and she knew someone who did, fine.
He knew the rather intimate moment they’d shared in the yard meant nothing to her. She was shocked, needed a steadying hand, and he happened to be in the area. But it got to him. He wasn’t in a position to fall for her. He had nothing to offer. He was too jaded, too angry. He’d seen too much of the bad side of life to even consider he might ever taste the good side. She was used to luxury from money Gerald made before joining the DEA. He’d invested it wisely, which was why part of his cover was to handle the investments of Chaber Pharmaceuticals. His ability to make money was almost uncanny. Dylan had once asked him how he did it but he couldn’t explain. “It must be inborn because I could never teach it.”
He checked his email, but there was no answer to his last message. Was Laurel even now looking at the same screen?
For the love of Laurel? Dylan never knew what Gerald meant by that, but suspected it involved regret and guilt—something Dylan was more than familiar with. If everything he did was for his daughter, there must be a lot of guilt in him because he put his life on the line every day, much like Dylan did for his sister.
“If you’ve got the code, Laurel, and no way to decode it, I wish you sweet dreams because when it’s decoded, your dreams may become nightmares.”
Laurel showered. Afterward, she went to the kitchen and made herself some tea. Mari was finishing the dishes.
“Leave it until tomorrow, Mari. You’ve done enough already.”
Mari beamed. “Happy to do it. It is so nice to see you having a good time with a man, even if it was just a pizza dinner.”
Laurel took a sip of tea. “I hate to disappoint you, but it was more of a business meeting.”
Mari shrugged. “I can still hope. I’ve known Dylan for many years and I think he is a fine, upstanding man. I see a light in his eyes if he glances your way when he thinks no one is looking. You and he could be a good match.”
Laurel laughed and kissed Mari’s cheek. “You are too much of a romantic, but I love you anyway.”
Mari hugged her. “I love you, too .”
Laurel finished her tea and went to her room. She turned her radio to a classical station and let it play softly. Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber was just beginning. It was one of her favorite pieces and its soulful melody fit her present mood perfectly. She got into bed and let the music wash over her as she tried to think of everything she had to do tomorrow.
But all she could think of was the evening. And him. She couldn’t get the feel of his strong arms around her and his slightly rough cheek against hers out of her thoughts. There was nothing sexual about it. Just one human giving unsolicited—yet, heartfelt—comfort to another, expecting nothing in return.
What a complicated man he was, caught up in a difficult situation, dealing with it admirably despite the danger and deceit that surrounded him every day.
He was absolutely
Nothing looked suspicious so he went inside. He put the flashlight in a kitchen drawer. Too keyed up to sleep, he logged onto the computer, wondering if Laurel had been in his email. He couldn’t fathom why he’d given her the information to make it possible. Maybe he was getting tired of all the crap and subconsciously decided it was time she knew the truth. If she didn’t have the ability to decrypt on her computer, the message would be indecipherable. If she did, fine. If not, and she knew someone who did, fine.
He knew the rather intimate moment they’d shared in the yard meant nothing to her. She was shocked, needed a steadying hand, and he happened to be in the area. But it got to him. He wasn’t in a position to fall for her. He had nothing to offer. He was too jaded, too angry. He’d seen too much of the bad side of life to even consider he might ever taste the good side. She was used to luxury from money Gerald made before joining the DEA. He’d invested it wisely, which was why part of his cover was to handle the investments of Chaber Pharmaceuticals. His ability to make money was almost uncanny. Dylan had once asked him how he did it but he couldn’t explain. “It must be inborn because I could never teach it.”
He checked his email, but there was no answer to his last message. Was Laurel even now looking at the same screen?
For the love of Laurel? Dylan never knew what Gerald meant by that, but suspected it involved regret and guilt—something Dylan was more than familiar with. If everything he did was for his daughter, there must be a lot of guilt in him because he put his life on the line every day, much like Dylan did for his sister.
“If you’ve got the code, Laurel, and no way to decode it, I wish you sweet dreams because when it’s decoded, your dreams may become nightmares.”
Laurel showered. Afterward, she went to the kitchen and made herself some tea. Mari was finishing the dishes.
“Leave it until tomorrow, Mari. You’ve done enough already.”
Mari beamed. “Happy to do it. It is so nice to see you having a good time with a man, even if it was just a pizza dinner.”
Laurel took a sip of tea. “I hate to disappoint you, but it was more of a business meeting.”
Mari shrugged. “I can still hope. I’ve known Dylan for many years and I think he is a fine, upstanding man. I see a light in his eyes if he glances your way when he thinks no one is looking. You and he could be a good match.”
Laurel laughed and kissed Mari’s cheek. “You are too much of a romantic, but I love you anyway.”
Mari hugged her. “I love you, too .”
Laurel finished her tea and went to her room. She turned her radio to a classical station and let it play softly. Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber was just beginning. It was one of her favorite pieces and its soulful melody fit her present mood perfectly. She got into bed and let the music wash over her as she tried to think of everything she had to do tomorrow.
But all she could think of was the evening. And him. She couldn’t get the feel of his strong arms around her and his slightly rough cheek against hers out of her thoughts. There was nothing sexual about it. Just one human giving unsolicited—yet, heartfelt—comfort to another, expecting nothing in return.
What a complicated man he was, caught up in a difficult situation, dealing with it admirably despite the danger and deceit that surrounded him every day.
He was absolutely
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