“I’m going to assume it’s the bump on your head that’s making you sassy.” His voice was gruff, but she thought she heard a note of affection. At least, shehopedso.
She desperately wanted—nay,needed—to end the conversation before Fisher took off. But she felt obliged to ask, “Are you well acquainted with Senator Chastain?”
“Bethany?” Her father’s tone sharpened. And even though she couldn’t see him, she knew his gaze had sharpened as well. “We find ourselves on the same side of most issues and so we work together often enough. Why?”
“She called me a little bit ago to ask me what I told the FBI.”
Silence met her announcement. And then, slowly, “Why would she do that?”
“That’s the thing. I have no idea.”
“Tell me exactly what was said, Eliza. Word-for-word.”
Senator Chastain’s words drifted through her head.“I called to tell you to be careful of who you trust. Careful of who you talk to.”
But the senator couldn’t have been talking about her father.
She relayed the conversation as best as she could remember and ended with, “I think she thinks tonight’s bloodbath was politically motivated. I think she thinks one of her colleagues had had enough of Senator McClean’s fire-branding tactics and decided to take him out.”
“And attempt to kill everyone else too, just so there’d be no witnesses?”
Eliza shrugged. “Stranger things have happened.”
“Mmm,” her father hummed noncommittally, and she could tell his wheels were turning. Instead of sharing what he was thinking, he simply said, “I’ll wish you a good night, Eliza. Please call me the moment you wake up.”
“I will, Dad. I promise.”
He grunted his approval and then, as usual, ended the call without saying goodbye.
She felt better having told her father about Chastain’s call. If anyone could make heads or tails of it, it was certainly him. In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised if he was phoning up the senator at that very moment to demand she tell him what she knew or, leastways,suspected.
After carefully setting her phone on her dresser, she gave herself time to make sure she’d removed the heavier notes of disappointment from her voice before turning to Fisher. He stood beside the bed, and one look at his face told her all she needed to know about his intentions.
“I take it this is goodbye?” She managed to hold off her frown of defeat and turn it into a wry twist of her lips.
He shoved his hands deep in the front pockets of his jeans. She didn’t notice how the move made the tendons in his forearms pop.
Okay, so maybe shedidnotice. She’d always been a sucker for a good pair of forearms. And Fisher had some of the nicest she’d ever seen.
“Like ya told your pops, everything will look clearer in the morning. How ’bout we revisitourconversation then too?”
She rubbed at the unending ache behind her browbone. An ache that she could only partially blame on her concussion. “I’m beginning to think it’s my lot in life to be railroaded by stubborn men.”
“I just want to make sure it’syoudoin’ the askin’ and not your concussion.”
She lifted her hands and let them fall in frustration. “Why does everyone think my head injury is making my decisions for me?” She realized he hadn’t heard her father’s comment and clarified. “Just because I have a golf ball growing from my temple”—she pointed to the swelling—“that doesn’t mean I’ve lost the ability to think for myself.”
“We’re all just tryin’ to do what’s best for ya, doll f—” He stopped himself and finished with, “Darlin’. That should make ya feel good.”
It did. She felt very protected and cared for andcoddled. But she worried if she waited until the morning to revisit the subject of kissing him, she’d lose her courage to ask for what she wanted. Or, more likely, lose her ability to forget all the reasons why sheshouldn’task for what she wanted.
Plus, there’d undoubtedly be more chaos, more turmoil. Surely Agent O’Toole planned to drag her down to the local FBI office to give a formal statement. And just because she’d been witness to a massacre, that didn’t mean life stopped. The Knights still had work to do.Shestill had work to do in supporting them.
So if it was going to happen, it needed to be tonight.Now.
“I’ve told you what would make me feel good,” she declared with a challenging cant of her jaw.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. When he dropped his hand, his expression was the picture of indecision.
