Vivi moved to sit beside her. “You’ve been through multiple traumas in the past few days. A panic attack. A murder. Now finding out someone you trusted is connected to your best friend’s killer.” Her voice was gentle. “It’s okay to not be fine.”
“I need to be functional.”
“You are, but you’re also human.” Vivi squeezed her shoulder. “Let us help you.”
Claire’s throat tightened. She nodded, not trusting her voice.
Wolf insisted she eat and took her to the cafeteria. There, he fixed sandwiches, grabbed chips, and poured them both energy drinks. He asked her about her experiences at the Bureau—not about Derek. The questions were thoughtful. His green eyes sparked when he teased her about being a badass.
She found herself relaxing for the first time in days. Weeks. Laughing and joking. Before she knew it, she’d finished off her entire meal.
He escorted her to her room and stood guard while she showered. She didn’t spend too long in the hot water, but even the brief respite eased her tight shoulders. Her mind kept circling back to their earlier kiss. The fact that he was on the other side of the door made her body heat.
He was a good man, and she’d let herself get carried away with her emotions. But it had been too long since she’d felt safe. Desired. Too long since she’d allowed herself to feel more than passing friendship or affection for anyone.
She didn’t need to be a profiler to realize it was because she’d been too scared of losing someone she cared about.
Back in the ops center,the phone interview took forty-five minutes. The local detective was professional but relentless. How long had she known Derek Sullivan? How often did he have access to her devices? Did she ever suspect anything? Had he ever made her uncomfortable?
No. That was the answer that hurt most. No, she’d never suspected. He’d been invisible. Forgettable. Exactly what a predator wanted to be.
“Thank you, Agent Dawson,” Detective Mills finally said. “The FBI team from Missoula will be here by ten tomorrow. We’ll convene here at the station then for a full briefing.”
“Understood.”
The line went dead.
Claire slumped in her chair, exhausted. The adrenaline that had kept her going all day was gone, leaving her hollowed out and shaking.
“You did well,” Vivi said quietly.
“I know what they’re thinking.” Claire’s voice was flat. “I profile serial killers. Read people. See patterns. And I worked with him for five years and never once thought?—”
“He was hunting you specifically,” Garrett said. He stood near the tactical map, arms crossed. “He built a cover over the years. Got a job at the FBI. Positioned himself to have access to you without raising red flags. That’s not something you could have anticipated or predicted.”
“I should have.”
“No.” Garrett’s voice was sharp. “You couldn’t have known. Stop blaming yourself for what he did.”
The words echoed what he’d said in his room hours ago when he’d pushed her to get angry instead of guilty.
“He’s right,” Vivi said with a patient smile. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty. Give yourself some grace.”
Garrett sat across from her and kicked back, his gaze intense. “You’re letting him get in your head again, Paperclip. That won’t help anyone.”
Claire glared at him. The man who’d helped her out of a panic attack. Who’d kissed her like she was oxygen. Who still wouldn’t tell her his real name.
Something about him felt...familiar. Something in his eyes. The way he looked at her sometimes, like he was seeing more than just Agent Dawson.
“Get some rest,” Garrett said. “Both of you. Bobcat will be at your door for a few hours before I relieve him, Claire. Grizzly is on perimeter patrol. Hawk’s on overwatch. Lynx is monitoring systems. We’re secure.”
Vivi stood, grabbing her tablet and fighting a yawn. “And I’ve called in two other men with solid backgrounds to add an extra layer of eyes to our security setup overnight. Everyone has a photo of Derek in hand and knows how clever and skilled he is. We won’t underestimate him.”
“What about you?” Claire asked Wolf.
He checked his watch, not looking the least bit tired. “I’ll be in the gym. I need to burn off some energy.”
Of course he did. While she was falling apart, he was perfectly calm and confident.
