She stood and stretched her back. “I need to inspect the undercarriage.”
He frowned, a look that had made more than one junior agent take a step back during his FBI days.
Millie lifted one light eyebrow. “What?”
He glowered at her. “You know what.”
She sighed, her blue eyes an odd, light-cerulean color. “I quit, Angus. I’m allowed. In fact, I’ve gotten offers from several top tech companies as well as more governmental agencies than I can count. I can write my own ticket if I want.”
“Why did you quit?”
“I wanted to.” Without giving him another chance to question her, she dropped and rolled beneath the vehicle as if she’d done so a million times before.
Maybe he didn’t have a right to question her. It wasn’t as if the woman lacked options. He ducked down to watch her. “When are you going back to work?”
“Haven’t decided. I may put more streaks in my hair and travel a little bit first.” She scanned the undercarriage. “I could use a walkabout.”
That’d be perfect. “The sooner you get out of town, the better. Just in case, I mean.” He kept his voice casual and stood to make sure Roscoe hadn’t gotten into any trouble. The dog was scouting around the trees, his tail wagging, his body relaxed.
Millie finished her inspection, rolled to the other side, and checked out the interior of the truck. Finally she jumped down. “You’re fine. No trackers. When you drive away I’ll scan you just in case there’s a tracker that works only when you’re moving.” She tossed the device in the air and caught it easily in her small hands. “You sure there’s somebody after you?”
“No.” He wasn’t sure if Lassiter was alive and he had no clue whether the new killer was really targeting his team. “I don’t know crap, Millie. To be on the safe side, I’d just like for you to get away from here.” Until he found the killer.
She pressed her hands on her hips. “If you’re worried, there’s a bad guy out there. In that case, you’re not the type to head back to your cabin.”
God needed to spare him from intelligent and insightful women, damn it. “You’ve read me wrong. I’m gone,” he said.
Roscoe bounded over, and she ducked to hug the dog one more time. “We could’ve done a lot of good if the team had stayed together,” she mumbled before standing.
Yeah, and he might’ve seen another pretty blonde in the morgue. The image of his sister would never leave him, and the last thing he wanted was to see Millie that way. He had to figure out who was behind the latest killings. “’Bye, Millie.” He patted her shoulder, whistled at his dog, and then jumped into his truck.
It’d be him against this guy. Period.
* * *
Nari stepped out of her car in Pippa’s driveway with her mom’s Waldorf salad in her hands. She needed a girls’ night now more than ever, and she was probably early, but she didn’t care. After her disastrous meeting with Vaughn she’d spent the day getting caught up on the El Salvadoran gang. By the end of the day she was as shaky as a new colt. Would Vaughn’s attitude toward her be matched by the rest of the team?
While Angus hadn’t liked her working with his operatives, he had still been polite. Well, usually. Even when he was cranky, he had a kindness in him toward the team that had made her feel welcome. Or at least safe.
There was only one other finished house in the cul-de-sac where Wolfe and Dana lived. Another house was under construction across the circle, where Raider and Brigid were building. The whole team seemed to be taking over the cul-de-sac, and a pang hit her heart dead center.
She’d never be part of that team again.
Shaking it off, she walked across the porch and knocked on the door of Pippa and Malcolm’s charming cottage.
Pippa threw open the door, and the scent of cookies wafted out. “Nari.” The taller woman enfolded her in a hug. “I’m so glad you came.” She drew Nari inside, looking at ease in a light yellow sweater, blue jeans, and brown leather boots.
“Me too.” Nari glanced past the living room toward the kitchen. While Pippa often baked, she somehow smelled like cookies even if there weren’t any around.
“I have a new chicken dish in the oven and I took out an apple pie about an hour ago.” Pippa took the salad from Nari and gestured her toward the sofa, where Brigid had already settled back with a glass of white wine. “You want red or white? I have both open.”
“Red, then.” Nari smiled at Brigid and walked toward her, flopping onto the adjacent seat.
Brigid’s red hair curled around her soft face. “Rough day?”
“You have no idea.” What was Nari going to do without seeing her friends every day? “The leader of my new team doesn’t like me.” She smiled when Pippa returned and handed over a full glass of red. “It could be because we dated and I nearly destroyed his career, but I’m just guessing.”
Pippa stopped in midstride to the kitchen and flipped around. “What?” Her blue eyes widened.
