Maybe because she couldn’t.
Normally, Jane would rush over and deal with the situation, keeping her involvement quiet. But that’s what Sullivan said she wanted.
Jane had no weapon on her, but since she needed to head to Bainbridge Island, perhaps a stop at the ranch would be in order.
As would a phone call she really didn’t want to make, in case this situation snowballed into something worse.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Raine mether at the ranch.
“Well, well. Look who wants my help.”
“You know what? Forget it.” Jane knew she’d made a huge mistake calling her cousin. “I should have gone with Diego to meet Rapp and the others to grab Keiser.”
“That case you’re working on? You found him?”
“They think they did. I’m not sure, but Rapp sounded like this was it. I want to be there, but…”
“Come on. Spill. What do you need, exactly?”
Jane started to answer before Raine added, in a nasty tone, “Me to hold your hand? Is little Jane scared of being by herself?” She sneered.
“I’ll do it myself.” But what if she couldn’t save both herself and Sullivan? Was Sullivan’s life worth more than her pride?
“That’s your problem. You want to do everything by yourself. You never let anyone help you.”
I let Hal,she almost said, but it was bad enough she owed him a favor. She didn’t want Raine to blackmail her as well. “You’re standing here, making fun of me for asking, and then you wonder why I don’t want you to help?”
Raine lost her attitude. “I’m just teasing. Besides, you still haven’t apologized for being a jerk about my terminal leave.”
“I’m sorry. There. Now leave me alone.”
“Oh, that’s sincere.”
Jane didn’t have time to tiptoe around Raine’s precious feelings. “Well, what about you?” She grabbed her Sig, checked it, then packed two loaded magazines into her jacket. With the Sig in her shoulder holster, she added a knife in a sheath at her ankle.
Her adrenaline pumping, she stared at her laptop, studying the satellite image of the address Sullivan sent her. She had a twenty-minute drive in addition to the hour it had taken her to get over on the ferry, and she’d been speeding to make it.
“That’s not a great view,” Raine said, coming to stand next to her. Of course she didn’t respond to Jane’s “what about you?” comment. “Are you planning to storm the barn house by yourself? To what, go to Jenn Sullivan’s rescue—that you’re not sure she needs?”
“Forget I asked you to do anything.”
Raine swung Jane around to face her. “Stop it. You obviously sense something’s wrong or you wouldn’t be arming up. You asked me to help, so you must feel you’ll need it.” Raine looked into her eyes with fiery insistence. “You annoy me. You judge me. You belittle me. And you love me.” Raine grabbed both her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. “As much as you bug me, I love you right back. And I’m a better shot than you are. Take me with you. With any luck, you won’t need me.”
Then she shocked Jane anew by yanking her in for a hug.
It had been a long time since Jane had felt such a mire of emotion. Love, worry, and pain balled up, knotting inside her. Then she let out a breath, and it flowed through her, there to strengthen her, to be used if needed.
She pulled back, uncomfortable yet relieved that they’d gotten past their arguments. Their connection remained, ratty and worn, but with such a strong foundation, it would never break.
“What’s going on, Jane?” Raine asked again.
Jane gave her a quick rundown of the Code Blue Killer case and the supposed mole at the Agency.
“Your boss suspects Sullivan might be one of them.”
Jane nodded.
