Thankfully, Benjamin returned to the conference room, and everyone took a seat. Tessa turned to the four men who, Zane’s deception notwithstanding, she knew would always have her back. “First, thank you all for today. You were wonderful.”
“We didn’t do anything, Tess. You took the guy out on your own.” Gil grinned at her. “And I’m officially afraid of those boots.”
Tessa wasn’t in the mood for anything light and fluffy. Not tonight. “Thanks. I appreciate that you have my back.” She filled them in on everything Morris had shared with her.
“You mean to tell me someone has killed someone with strychnine before? In Raleigh?” Luke rubbed his temples. “I’m tired of people putting targets on us.”
They discussed the possibilities and ramifications for another thirty minutes. By the time Tessa had an opportunity to rein everyone in, it was almost seven. “Look, we need to get out of here. We all need a good night’s rest. And while I know you all want to come riding to my rescue, there’s nothing we can do rightnow. Morris is tracking down leads. The ME is all over this. The best thing any of us can do is refuel and recharge.”
No one disagreed, and they began chatting with each other. All except for Zane. He’d kept his eyes on the table and hadn’t made true eye contact with her since Rodriguez had left the office.
She gathered her computer and walked to her cubicle. Zane, Gil, Luke, and Benjamin stayed behind to restore order to the conference room. Leslie was a marshmallow—the kind that was sweet and gooey but also capable of scalding the skin off the roof of your mouth if you didn’t put the markers away where they belonged.
The guys were talking, and it didn’t sound like their conversation was winding down. This was her only chance. She grabbed her bag and her keys and slipped out the back door that opened into a service hallway and dumped her out on the opposite side of Greg’s desk.
“You headed out?” Greg asked.
“Long day. Need to get home and get some rest. Thanks for everything.”
“You leaving alone?” Greg stood and leaned against the door.
“I’m a federal agent, Greg. I can take care of myself. But thanks.”
“Okay. Good night.”
Once outside, she jogged to her car, opened the door, threw her bag across to the passenger seat, and climbed in.
She fired off a quick text to Luke.
I need to head out. Can you be sure Zane gets to his hotel? Thx.
She was out of the parking lot thirty seconds later.
The tears she’d held back broke free before she got a mile down the road.
18
ZANE HIT THE PARKING LOTin time to see Tessa’s brake lights. Luke slapped him on the back. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“Tessa’s.” The “Where else?” was implied. “Walk back inside with me, get your stuff. I’ll take you there, and I won’t leave you until I know she’s going to let you in.”
Gil and Benjamin joined them inside the building. “I’m going to kill Rodriguez,” Zane said as they walked past an obviously curious Greg.
“Get in line,” Benjamin said.
“Rodriguez’s original plan may have been to make Tessa so mad at Zane that she’d go out with him to get back at him. But then after she smacked him down this afternoon, I think he did it for spite.” Gil’s anger was an unsheathed blade, and he turned it on Zane. “When are you going to get your act together and fix this? You two have danced around each other for as long as Tessa has been here. It’s obvious to everyone that she’s it for you. When are you going to do something about it?”
Benjamin raised a hand. “Okay, so maybe not obvious to everyone? But the picture is coming in clearer.”
“I don’t have time to talk about this right now.” Zane grabbed his laptop and shoved it into his bag.
“Gil’s right.” Luke’s quiet confirmation sliced another cut through Zane’s defenses.
Zane turned to his best friend. “Youknowhow complicated this is.”
Benjamin rubbed his chin. “Yeah. See, you’re looking at three men who are living lives of marital bliss with women who probably could have done a lot better than us, but for some reason, they love us.”
