She rubs her elbow, glaring daggers. ‘Are you testing out my nerve?’
‘No!’ he objects. But he’s stupid – he should’ve realized she’d react that way. He tries to say something less stupid, more obvious. ‘You’re not sleeping.’
She sighs. ‘Says the guy who’s down here in the office at one in the morning.’
He spreads his hands, unable to think of how else to reply.Just talk to her.He used to be able to do that – even three months ago, he could do that. Why it’s so damn hard now, he has no idea.
‘I guess this is just a tough case.’ Emma squeezes the edge of her blanket. Her posture is staunch, but her fingers are white and thin as bone, her eyes staring out of dark circles.
Travis nods. ‘And you’re carrying it more than any of us.’
‘Hey, it’s not just me. You’re dealing with the fact we’re talking to Simon Gutmunsson again.’
Travis is too tired to do more than grimace. ‘If it produces results, I’ll wear it.’
‘I’m gonna have to see him again.’ Emma hesitates, comes out with it. ‘Today, probably.’
‘Today.’ Travis scratches a hand through his hair. ‘Okay. I mean, I guess it was inevitable, given that Kristin got in touch with me.’
‘She’s been helpful,’ Emma points out.
‘She likes to be useful.’ Travis frowns a little. ‘I still … don’t completely trust her.’
‘You don’t know where her loyalties lie,’ Emma suggests.
Travis shrugs. ‘He’s her brother.’
Travis finds he’s sharing a protracted look with Emma, and a lot is happening in that look. Finally, he realizes the pause has dragged out too long, and he catches his breath, glances away to the couch.
‘You should sleep.’ He lifts his chin at her blanket and cushion. ‘You came to sleep, right?’
‘I thought … if I tried someplace different …’ She clutches the cushion, presses her lips. ‘I’ve tried it before, and sometimes it works.’
He picks up his pen, waves at the couch. ‘Go to sleep. I’ll make sure no one bugs you. I’m gonna be up awhile, I already poured myself coffee.’
She shuffles into the room, closing the door behind her. He should keep his gaze directed elsewhere, but he can’t help noticing the way she lays the cushion on the couch and spreads out the blanket, fussing with the corners. She’s like a little animal making a nest.
‘Will it bother you if I’m here?’ he asks.
She glances over her shoulder, her face drawn with tiredness. ‘Nope.’
‘I can leave if you want.’
‘I know this is crazy,’ she blurts, ‘but I just want some rest.’
‘Take it,’ he says. He keeps his voice and eyes soft. ‘Go to sleep, Emma. I’ll keep the lamp down low.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Through the window of flight UA3504, the sun is a pale disk in a cloudy Maryland sky. Emma stops looking at the view when she sees Kristin take an emery board and an orange stick out of her handbag.
The drawstring satin pouch Kristin uses as a handbag always seems to be full of things like drying leaves, handkerchiefs, yellowing photos, rose petals, so the emery board seems comparatively normal. If Travis were here, Emma would exchange glances with him about it, but he’s not. He watched them leave for Washington National this morning, standing at the doorway of the FBI motor pool garage, one hand leaning on the bricks. The masculine angles of his posture and the lines of his suit were all sharpened in the morning light. Emma reminds herself to stay focused – she should be thinking about the victims, not about how Bell looks good in a suit.
‘Do you think Mr Bell was disappointed not to come with us on this trip?’ Kristin is examining the nails of her right hand carefully.
‘No, I don’t think Bell was disappointed.’ Emma drags her mind back and scans the seat row ahead on the left, where an older agentcalled Francks is sitting. Francks is the new McCreedy, who’s having a service day. ‘I think he doesn’t like the idea of being reliant on your brother for information, which might have been the vibe you got from him.’
‘Because Simon can be so unreliable, yes, I understand,’ Kristin says, checking her left thumb. She doesn’t seem bothered by the idea. ‘Give me your hand, Emma, I want to do a manicure and my nails are all quite acceptable.’
