How many antacids had Faith consumed because of Janice drama? And why didn’t she have any with her at the moment? “I haven’t heard of any FBI movement against Stevsky, but I’ll ask Janice tomorrow. What about the competitors? Even if they aren’t anything you’re worried about, it seems like it would be wise to see if anyone is interested in making a move. Anyone who operates in their world would know that after an attack like this, the Stevskys would be the most likely suspects. It could be an attempt to make them look guilty for something they didn’t do.”
Luke tapped on his computer. “I’m messaging Jacob now. That’s probably something Gil or Tessa could work on tomorrow.”
He finished typing and looked at her. “So, are you focusing on the Stevskys?”
Faith couldn’t tell what answer Luke was looking for, but it didn’t matter. She told him the truth. “They have to be investigated. If you call that focusing, then yes. But if you mean, have I ruled out everyone else and won’t be looking elsewhere until the Stevskys are cleared, then no. An investigation like this has to be multifaceted. It has to be both focused and generalized, and it’s going to require a true joint effort. I can’t speak for anyone else at the FBI, but that’s how I do things—and that’s how I expect the agents working with me to do things. That includes FBI, Secret Service, ATF, local sheriff, and anyone else. I won’t put up with anything less.”
FAITH MALONEwas a problem.
Luke tried to focus on what she was actually saying and not what he thought she meant. So far, everything she said made sense.Despite his misgivings, he couldn’t ignore the facts. Faith Malone knew her stuff. She was good at her job, and she wasn’t afraid to ask tough questions, even if it meant ticking him off.
And right now, with the way her hair was flying around in the breeze coming off the river, she was even more beautiful than he’d realized.
Thad had liked Faith. A lot. When Luke had been assigned to the JTTF, Thad had been thrilled and hadn’t hesitated to voice his belief that Luke should ask her out.
It meant nothing that while Faith had been a lot of fun when they’d worked together on a few fundraisers and the annual interagency golf tournament, Faith had never given him any indication that she might be interested in knowing Luke outside of work, or the undeniable truth that Luke’s family would disown him for bringing home an FBI agent. “She’s gorgeous, and she’s not going to let you have your own way all the time. She’s exactly what you need,” Thad had said while they were on their way to help with the protective detail when the last presidential candidate came through town.
“That makes no sense,” Luke had countered. “I don’t want a woman who’s going to do nothing but fight with me. And she’s FBI.”
“You say that like her being FBI is a deal breaker.”
“It is.”
Thad had rolled his eyes. “You’re going to have to let it go, man.”
It wasn’t that easy. In fact, it was impossible. But as Faith explained her plans for handling this case, her deep brown eyes sparkling with intensity in the fading light, he had to admit it.
He wished things were different.
Not that it mattered. He couldn’t ask her out now even if he didn’t have every reason in the world to stay away from her. Shewas working a case that involved him and his coworkers. She was off-limits.
He could almost hear Thad whispering, “For now.”
But it wasn’t for now. It was forever.
He’d never realized how depressing that was.
“Luke?” A feminine hand waved in front of his eyes. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” Why was she so worried about him?
“You zoned out for a minute.” Faith studied him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
He’d zoned out? He hadn’t meant to. He’d been thinking about ... her. He cleared his throat and sat straighter. “I’m fine. My mind wandered for a second. I can go for a few more hours if necessary. I’m ready for anything.”
He could tell he hadn’t convinced Faith, but she tapped her fancy pencil on her iPad and nodded. “Okay then, Mr. Ready for Anything, tell me why you don’t trust the FBI.”
“Who says I don’t trust the FBI? The Secret Service and the FBI haven’t gotten along in ... forever.” Not liking the FBI hardly made him unique.
“This is way more than posturing or differences in professional culture. Even more than differences in approach to investigations. You have a deep distrust of the FBI.” Faith scratched the side of her cheek with one rounded fingernail. “But you strike me as someone who is willing to listen to the facts and see how things play out before drawing an unfounded conclusion. As someone who wouldn’t take the long-standing animosity between the Secret Service and the FBI to heart. But you have. Which leads me to believe you have a personal reason. I’ve never pressed you before. It didn’t matter when the only thing at stake was bragging rights. But it matters now, and I need to know what it is.”
“No, you don’t.”
One corner of Faith’s mouth twitched. It was the only outward sign that she’d heard him. She didn’t respond immediately, and he braced himself for a tirade.
“I’ll find out eventually.” She didn’t raise her voice. There was no hint of agitation. Her confidence was both impressive and irritating. “But until then, you should know that your trust, or lack thereof, in me or my agency is irrelevant to my ability or my desire to do my job.”
A phone vibrated somewhere on her person. Not the phone that sat on the table. Her personal phone.
