your life any more than I already have, but you may have to come with me for a few days. I’m hoping it won’t need to happen, of course.”
Disappear with Brad.
Her skin crawled, and she wanted to be in her sunroom sipping coffee with a Brad who wasn’t haunted by the demons of his past, real or fabricated. Even when it was the good guys tracking you for all the right reasons, things could go wrong.
Stay in the present
.
“I believe in you, Brad. I believe you’re innocent of any terrorist plot, that goes without saying, and that you had no choice but to take out that missile and its handler. I also believe you’d better figure out whatever you need to figure out quickly. If our side knows you’re still breathing, it won’t take the bad guys long to figure it out, too. And they’ll be after you.”
And her. She was now as much at risk as he was.
The terrorists would see her as an obstacle, someone who’d gotten in their way.
She set her mug on the polished surface of the table she’d found at an antiques fair in France when she’d visited her parents in Paris earlier this year. For years she’d been collecting pieces of furniture, pottery, exotic fabrics—all with the goal of having her own place and never moving again.
The thought of having to pack up and go, even temporarily, left her cold. Would she really have to leave, get out of sight, as Brad was suggesting?
* * *
B RAD ’ S SKIN STRETCHED over his knuckles as he clenched his fist on the table. He needed every bit of self-control not to pound it on the wood until it was bloody. Or slam it through a wall. Or better yet, smack himself in the face.
“I’ve made a huge mistake, Joy. I never should’ve involved you in this. It seemed like a decent shot, getting the information I knew you’d be able to find in the court records. It’s snowballed too quickly, and I need to get the hell out of here. All I ask is that once you’ve got the files and have gone through them, please take the information to General Grimes. He’ll be able to fill in any blanks.”
“You’re the one who needs to meet with him, Brad. Now, not later.”
“It’s too risky.”
“Did you ever talk to him about what you saw out in the field? Whatever it was.”
“Yes.”
“Yes?” He heard her incredulity. After a heartbeat or two, he could feel her anger simmering.
“The entire time we worked together on Farid’s case, you never mentioned that you’d spoken to him.”
“It was a private conversation and wasn’t relevant at the time. It had nothing to do with proving Farid’s innocence.”
“I disagree. The officer in charge of operations in the field had everything to do with it—if you told him about your mission!”
“First of all, he gave you a deposition early on, which you yourself said was less than helpful. He had the big picture in mind. He was a successful leader because he knew how to delegate. Second, I had no idea that some of what I’d shared with him might eventually prove to be relevant. Like you, I thought that once we got Farid released and into Witness Protection, the bad guys would call off their witch hunt.”
“Obviously, they’ve still got some eye of newt to toss into the pot.” How did she manage to retain a sense of humor, not to mention a hopeful, almost upbeat temperament when her life had been put in danger—by a man who could never give her what she deserved?
And why was his body responding to her nearness when his only focus should be on keeping her off the terrorists’ radar and protecting her from the unforgiving mess that was his life?
“Grimes is living on the southern part of Whidbey,” she said. “In the middle of the woods.”
“How do you know that? Do you keep a dossier on everyone you’ve ever taken a deposition from?” He imagined her recoiling in the darkness. He hadn’t meant to sound so snarky.
“I have a good memory.” She laughed. “It’s the one thing that’s gotten me where I am.
Disappear with Brad.
Her skin crawled, and she wanted to be in her sunroom sipping coffee with a Brad who wasn’t haunted by the demons of his past, real or fabricated. Even when it was the good guys tracking you for all the right reasons, things could go wrong.
Stay in the present
.
“I believe in you, Brad. I believe you’re innocent of any terrorist plot, that goes without saying, and that you had no choice but to take out that missile and its handler. I also believe you’d better figure out whatever you need to figure out quickly. If our side knows you’re still breathing, it won’t take the bad guys long to figure it out, too. And they’ll be after you.”
And her. She was now as much at risk as he was.
The terrorists would see her as an obstacle, someone who’d gotten in their way.
She set her mug on the polished surface of the table she’d found at an antiques fair in France when she’d visited her parents in Paris earlier this year. For years she’d been collecting pieces of furniture, pottery, exotic fabrics—all with the goal of having her own place and never moving again.
The thought of having to pack up and go, even temporarily, left her cold. Would she really have to leave, get out of sight, as Brad was suggesting?
* * *
B RAD ’ S SKIN STRETCHED over his knuckles as he clenched his fist on the table. He needed every bit of self-control not to pound it on the wood until it was bloody. Or slam it through a wall. Or better yet, smack himself in the face.
“I’ve made a huge mistake, Joy. I never should’ve involved you in this. It seemed like a decent shot, getting the information I knew you’d be able to find in the court records. It’s snowballed too quickly, and I need to get the hell out of here. All I ask is that once you’ve got the files and have gone through them, please take the information to General Grimes. He’ll be able to fill in any blanks.”
“You’re the one who needs to meet with him, Brad. Now, not later.”
“It’s too risky.”
“Did you ever talk to him about what you saw out in the field? Whatever it was.”
“Yes.”
“Yes?” He heard her incredulity. After a heartbeat or two, he could feel her anger simmering.
“The entire time we worked together on Farid’s case, you never mentioned that you’d spoken to him.”
“It was a private conversation and wasn’t relevant at the time. It had nothing to do with proving Farid’s innocence.”
“I disagree. The officer in charge of operations in the field had everything to do with it—if you told him about your mission!”
“First of all, he gave you a deposition early on, which you yourself said was less than helpful. He had the big picture in mind. He was a successful leader because he knew how to delegate. Second, I had no idea that some of what I’d shared with him might eventually prove to be relevant. Like you, I thought that once we got Farid released and into Witness Protection, the bad guys would call off their witch hunt.”
“Obviously, they’ve still got some eye of newt to toss into the pot.” How did she manage to retain a sense of humor, not to mention a hopeful, almost upbeat temperament when her life had been put in danger—by a man who could never give her what she deserved?
And why was his body responding to her nearness when his only focus should be on keeping her off the terrorists’ radar and protecting her from the unforgiving mess that was his life?
“Grimes is living on the southern part of Whidbey,” she said. “In the middle of the woods.”
“How do you know that? Do you keep a dossier on everyone you’ve ever taken a deposition from?” He imagined her recoiling in the darkness. He hadn’t meant to sound so snarky.
“I have a good memory.” She laughed. “It’s the one thing that’s gotten me where I am.
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