closed the door behind her, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest.
It spoke volumes.
“Gabriel Rothschild, you’re an asshole. If you think I don’t see right through this, you’re a fool.”
He opened his mouth, and then closed it again.
Elizabeth continued, “You picked us not for our skill, but because she’s so freaking Irish that potatoes roll right toward her. We aren’t on this to solve it. We’re on this as bait!”
He couldn’t deny it. “You don’t understand.”
Oh, she did.
This was a no brainer.
Newbie or not, she saw the picture crystal clear. He was going to put out bait, in hopes of luring in a psychopath. They knew that a killer loved playing games, and he’d have two women chasing him.
That would be one hell of a lure. The media would plaster their faces all over the screen. There was no way they’d be able to hide from the killer.
“I have no choice,” he stated.
She didn't believe him. “We all have a choice, Gabe. You’re throwing her right into his path. I’m Irish, but I don’t have red hair. If I did, you’d have two potential targets, not one.”
He sighed. “The director picked you two, not me. When he found out that Livy and you were next up in the rotation, he was stoked. He wanted bait, and she was right there. I swear I didn't put you two in front of the killer. I wouldn’t do that to you, and I wouldn’t do that to her either.”
“How do I know you’re not shooting wind up my ass?” she asked.
Gabe turned his screen around and showed her. Elizabeth read the email.
He wasn’t lying.
They were tagged by the big man. There was nothing he could do.
“I tried to talk him out of it. You two are so green, Ireland looks pale in comparison. I voiced my trepidation, and his only response was for me to use this as field training for you two.”
“I don’t need training. I can run a case, Gabe.”
“You and I both know that. You’re one of the most competent investigators I have. I would have handed you this without batting an eyelash. Livy? I would have yanked her off this one and paired you with a man. No offense, but he’s gunning for women. I like to cover my bases.”
She tried not to be offended. “Okay, I get her because she fits the bill of a victim, but why me? Why isn't she paired with a man?”
He tapped his head. “You’re smart. I have faith in you, Elizabeth. I know you’ll protect her.”
Damn right she would.
At first, she and Livy hated each other. They competed tooth and nail in the academy. They were equal in everything, and once they realized they weren’t the enemy, they became friends. That union buried all the other trainees. They rose to the top as a team.
That superseded everything else. There was no way she’d let her partner go down. That’s not how Elizabeth rolled. She was loyal to a fault.
“I don’t like this.”
“Well, neither do I. Trust me. This is not my ideal situation. I have to worry about both of you getting killed.”
She laughed. “Worry about Livy. If I go down, it’s for the team.”
He hated that about her. “Don’t play cowboy, Elizabeth. It’s a dangerous game.”
She shrugged. There was no doubt in her mind that she was going to die wearing an FBI vest. She knew the life span on a good agent was short.
It was burn out or go down in the line of duty.
She was okay with the latter.
“What are we supposed to do?” she asked. “This is dangerous, and you know Livy. She’ll jump headfirst into this mess.”
“That’s why I’m going to be working this with you. I can’t put you two out there without someone more experienced as backup.” Yeah, and it made him sick to think about Livy getting hurt.
His gut rolled in revulsion.
She opened and then closed her mouth. Elizabeth knew better.
“Say it.”
She laughed. “Oh, Gabe, you don’t want me to go there. I’m dying to spit it out, but you can’t handle it.”
“I can handle the truth.”
She laughed. “Oh, okay,
It spoke volumes.
“Gabriel Rothschild, you’re an asshole. If you think I don’t see right through this, you’re a fool.”
He opened his mouth, and then closed it again.
Elizabeth continued, “You picked us not for our skill, but because she’s so freaking Irish that potatoes roll right toward her. We aren’t on this to solve it. We’re on this as bait!”
He couldn’t deny it. “You don’t understand.”
Oh, she did.
This was a no brainer.
Newbie or not, she saw the picture crystal clear. He was going to put out bait, in hopes of luring in a psychopath. They knew that a killer loved playing games, and he’d have two women chasing him.
That would be one hell of a lure. The media would plaster their faces all over the screen. There was no way they’d be able to hide from the killer.
“I have no choice,” he stated.
She didn't believe him. “We all have a choice, Gabe. You’re throwing her right into his path. I’m Irish, but I don’t have red hair. If I did, you’d have two potential targets, not one.”
He sighed. “The director picked you two, not me. When he found out that Livy and you were next up in the rotation, he was stoked. He wanted bait, and she was right there. I swear I didn't put you two in front of the killer. I wouldn’t do that to you, and I wouldn’t do that to her either.”
“How do I know you’re not shooting wind up my ass?” she asked.
Gabe turned his screen around and showed her. Elizabeth read the email.
He wasn’t lying.
They were tagged by the big man. There was nothing he could do.
“I tried to talk him out of it. You two are so green, Ireland looks pale in comparison. I voiced my trepidation, and his only response was for me to use this as field training for you two.”
“I don’t need training. I can run a case, Gabe.”
“You and I both know that. You’re one of the most competent investigators I have. I would have handed you this without batting an eyelash. Livy? I would have yanked her off this one and paired you with a man. No offense, but he’s gunning for women. I like to cover my bases.”
She tried not to be offended. “Okay, I get her because she fits the bill of a victim, but why me? Why isn't she paired with a man?”
He tapped his head. “You’re smart. I have faith in you, Elizabeth. I know you’ll protect her.”
Damn right she would.
At first, she and Livy hated each other. They competed tooth and nail in the academy. They were equal in everything, and once they realized they weren’t the enemy, they became friends. That union buried all the other trainees. They rose to the top as a team.
That superseded everything else. There was no way she’d let her partner go down. That’s not how Elizabeth rolled. She was loyal to a fault.
“I don’t like this.”
“Well, neither do I. Trust me. This is not my ideal situation. I have to worry about both of you getting killed.”
She laughed. “Worry about Livy. If I go down, it’s for the team.”
He hated that about her. “Don’t play cowboy, Elizabeth. It’s a dangerous game.”
She shrugged. There was no doubt in her mind that she was going to die wearing an FBI vest. She knew the life span on a good agent was short.
It was burn out or go down in the line of duty.
She was okay with the latter.
“What are we supposed to do?” she asked. “This is dangerous, and you know Livy. She’ll jump headfirst into this mess.”
“That’s why I’m going to be working this with you. I can’t put you two out there without someone more experienced as backup.” Yeah, and it made him sick to think about Livy getting hurt.
His gut rolled in revulsion.
She opened and then closed her mouth. Elizabeth knew better.
“Say it.”
She laughed. “Oh, Gabe, you don’t want me to go there. I’m dying to spit it out, but you can’t handle it.”
“I can handle the truth.”
She laughed. “Oh, okay,
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