shooting that boy. It was
me
who figured out Meriwether was the Rosetta Ripper. If you were working alone on that one, that psycho fuck would still be tearing up little girls.”
“I never said you weren’t a good agent.”
“No, that I was just riding your coattails all those years. But if that were true, then what the hell are you doing here begging for my help?” He didn’t say a word. “I’m an asset, and you know that. I can help you catch him. I know how you do fieldwork. I won’t be some tourist trampling on evidence.” I took a step toward him to meet his eyes. “Let me help you.” I bit my lip because I didn’t want to say those words. “I
need
to help you.”
His clear blue eyes looked into mine, gauging me. They were colder than I remembered. The past two years had changed him. Made him harder. And he wasn’t that soft to begin with. But he still wasn’t a fool and he always did have a soft spot for damsels in distress. Especially
this
damsel in distress.
“I’ll call Reggie tomorrow morning. I have to run it by him first.”
“But you’re willing to let me come?”
“As long as you can keep it together for the duration. That means no alcohol, no pills, and at the first hint of a panic attack, you walk away.”
“I can live with that.” I held out my hand, which he shook. His flesh was cool and clammy against mine. He was nervous. The handshake lingered a little longer than it should have. When I looked up, his gaze was distant, as if deep in thought. I pulled my hand away, breaking him out of his trance.
“Sorry,” he said, his pale cheeks quickly turning bright red.
“You okay?”
“I’m tired,” he said, turning his back to me.
“Yeah. It’s really late. I should get going. We have a long day ahead of us.” I picked up my bag from the table and slung it on my shoulder. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay,” he said with his back still to me. I was about to walk out the door when Luke called to me. “Iris?” I turned to face him. “What changed your mind?”
I thought for a moment. “I guess my humanity isn’t completely dead. Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
I finally got a smile. “I won’t.”
“See you tomorrow.”
I stepped into the hallway and shut the door before a smile crossed my face. Just like old times. I didn’t know until that moment how much I missed them.
Chapter 5
“I am going to kick his ass.”
Two hours. I sat in my living room with a packed suitcase next to me for two hours. I was being stood up. The bastard stood me up. I was ready at seven thirty, fully packed, showered, and dressed to kill. I’d even put on my favorite suit to look the part of an agent again, a three-piece black suit with a black silk shirt under the jacket, which fell mid-thigh. I was getting pissed. I set down my knitting, picked up the phone, and dialed Luke for the fourth time. Once again, it rang and nobody picked up. I slammed it down. Patience was never my strong suit. I’d give it another fifteen minutes before I lost my cool and went to the hotel. Then when I found him, even if I had to drive to D.C., I’d kick his ass.
For the third time that morning, I checked to make sure I had everything I needed. I had a hefty supply of candy bars, lipstick, and my recorder. Ah, my recorder. I used it back before everyone had a recorder on their phones. Used it every day I was on the job. It felt weird rooting around my old boxes filled with notes and the old case files I was able to take. I found it next to a box of Hayden’s things I couldn’t bear to part with.
The basement always creeped me out, just four red brick walls with rusty pipes running along them. I had to go through four boxes before I found the small recorder wrapped in an old shirt I first mistook for a rag. When I unwrapped the cloth, my heart gave way. My “Virginia Is for Lovers” shirt. I thought I’d lost it.
Hayden bought it for me on our fateful third date. I was still attending
me
who figured out Meriwether was the Rosetta Ripper. If you were working alone on that one, that psycho fuck would still be tearing up little girls.”
“I never said you weren’t a good agent.”
“No, that I was just riding your coattails all those years. But if that were true, then what the hell are you doing here begging for my help?” He didn’t say a word. “I’m an asset, and you know that. I can help you catch him. I know how you do fieldwork. I won’t be some tourist trampling on evidence.” I took a step toward him to meet his eyes. “Let me help you.” I bit my lip because I didn’t want to say those words. “I
need
to help you.”
His clear blue eyes looked into mine, gauging me. They were colder than I remembered. The past two years had changed him. Made him harder. And he wasn’t that soft to begin with. But he still wasn’t a fool and he always did have a soft spot for damsels in distress. Especially
this
damsel in distress.
“I’ll call Reggie tomorrow morning. I have to run it by him first.”
“But you’re willing to let me come?”
“As long as you can keep it together for the duration. That means no alcohol, no pills, and at the first hint of a panic attack, you walk away.”
“I can live with that.” I held out my hand, which he shook. His flesh was cool and clammy against mine. He was nervous. The handshake lingered a little longer than it should have. When I looked up, his gaze was distant, as if deep in thought. I pulled my hand away, breaking him out of his trance.
“Sorry,” he said, his pale cheeks quickly turning bright red.
“You okay?”
“I’m tired,” he said, turning his back to me.
“Yeah. It’s really late. I should get going. We have a long day ahead of us.” I picked up my bag from the table and slung it on my shoulder. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay,” he said with his back still to me. I was about to walk out the door when Luke called to me. “Iris?” I turned to face him. “What changed your mind?”
I thought for a moment. “I guess my humanity isn’t completely dead. Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
I finally got a smile. “I won’t.”
“See you tomorrow.”
I stepped into the hallway and shut the door before a smile crossed my face. Just like old times. I didn’t know until that moment how much I missed them.
Chapter 5
“I am going to kick his ass.”
Two hours. I sat in my living room with a packed suitcase next to me for two hours. I was being stood up. The bastard stood me up. I was ready at seven thirty, fully packed, showered, and dressed to kill. I’d even put on my favorite suit to look the part of an agent again, a three-piece black suit with a black silk shirt under the jacket, which fell mid-thigh. I was getting pissed. I set down my knitting, picked up the phone, and dialed Luke for the fourth time. Once again, it rang and nobody picked up. I slammed it down. Patience was never my strong suit. I’d give it another fifteen minutes before I lost my cool and went to the hotel. Then when I found him, even if I had to drive to D.C., I’d kick his ass.
For the third time that morning, I checked to make sure I had everything I needed. I had a hefty supply of candy bars, lipstick, and my recorder. Ah, my recorder. I used it back before everyone had a recorder on their phones. Used it every day I was on the job. It felt weird rooting around my old boxes filled with notes and the old case files I was able to take. I found it next to a box of Hayden’s things I couldn’t bear to part with.
The basement always creeped me out, just four red brick walls with rusty pipes running along them. I had to go through four boxes before I found the small recorder wrapped in an old shirt I first mistook for a rag. When I unwrapped the cloth, my heart gave way. My “Virginia Is for Lovers” shirt. I thought I’d lost it.
Hayden bought it for me on our fateful third date. I was still attending
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