Angus emerged from Jethro’s bedroom. “I had a key, remember? And you didn’t change any of the security codes. As a profiler, I find that interesting.” Angus Force was a battered and wounded ex-FBI agent with black hair, green eyes, and an aura of pure danger. Yet when Nari emerged from the cellar, his eyes softened to barely deadly. “Did you finda good bottle?”
“Several.” Nari Zhang was a shrink who loved to dig into people’s heads. She wore white jeans and a black sweater that matched her long hair. “Jethro, it’s good to see you. I wish you had called when trouble came knocking.” She put the three bottles on the counter. “I chose midpriced and didn’t go for the good stuff in the northern corner, sodon’t worry.”
Roscoe whined from near Wolfe’s feet.
“No,” Nari said firmly. “We brought you food and water, but you do not get wine. Don’t even think about it.”
The dog lay down and put his nose on his paws, lookingtruly pathetic.
Jethro lasered in on Angus. “Why were youin my bedroom?”
Angus rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t going through your panty drawer or anything. Dana was in the powder room earlier, and sometimes she throws up for a long time, so I just had to use your bathroom. Give me a break.”
A break? Give him a break? “You weren’t invited,” Jethro said, his voice hoarse. “None of youwere invited.”
Wolfe shrugged one monstrous shoulder. “We’re family. I’ve learned that family doesn’t needan invitation.”
Dana chuckled and grasped his good pot holders to open the oven and bring out first one and then another dish of what definitely smelled like steak enchiladas.
Nari opened the nearest drawer. “Where’s the—here it is.” She pulled outa wine opener.
Jethro cleared his throat. “Listen. I appreciate the fact that you all are here, but I don’t want help.”
Dana took a notepad out of his junk drawer and made a couple of scribbles. “We can loop in everyone via computer if necessary. Then the whole team will be involved, except for Serena, and we should talk about her next. I don’t like that shejust took off.”
Jethro twisted his neck to keep from yelling. They weren’t listening to him.
Angus nodded. “We’ve obtained—and don’t ask how—the recording of the last interview you had with your brother when he was in custody. Do you want to watch it while we eat dinneror afterward?”
Jethro saw red.
Roscoe instantly was by his side, nudging his furry head beneathJethro’s hand.
Jethro petted him, forcing his body back to calmness.
“Huh,” Wolfe said mildly. “Really thought we were finally going to see the professor lose his temper. Bummer.”
* * * *
There were many things Angus Force disliked in this life, and walking in blind to any situation was top of the list. He sat on Jethro’s surprisingly comfortable, industrial-styled sofa with Nari next to him. His arm was around her slender shoulders, and he played with her long hair, letting the soft strands soothe him. The rest of the team had sprawled around on furniture or on the floor while Nari tinkered with a laptop, pointing a projector at the brick wall above the modern fireplace.
Jethro sat in a chair to the right, and his gaze kept straying to the painting Wolfe had kindly removed from said wall to lean againstthe far window.
“It’s a fucking painting, Jethro,”Angus snapped.
Jethro swung his irritated gaze to Angus. “That is an original Angela Wakefield.”
Didn’t mean a thing to Angus, but Nari seemed suitably impressed. Angus knew his friend wouldn’t blow up with the ladies present, even though the ladies could fight. Well, Nari could fight. The Brit was too well-mannered, and that could easily be used against him. Although he was deadlier than anybody in the room realized—with the exception of Angus. He’d read Jethro’s file. One of them anyway. No doubt countries all over the world had a file on Dr. Jethro Hanson. “Why didn’t you call?”
“I don’t require assistance,” the Brit said stubbornly, his hand over the side of the chairpetting Roscoe.
Angus kept his temper in check, looking beyond the painting to the floor-to-ceiling windows gridded with heavy metal. His gaze returned to the blue hue of the double-sided gas fireplace, through which he could see a rec room with a pool table and another bar. With its cement floors and stark furnishings, the place should feel cold but didn’t. “The Homeland Defense Department has taken over the case, and we’ve reached out to MI6 and Scotland Yard. You’ve been assigned as a witness as well as a consultant, so you’re all clear to talk to us, Jet. Nari, do you believe Jethro requires assistance?”
Nari cleared her throat. “Yes and no. He’s good at his job, but his brother is insane, and everyone needs backup.” She snorted. “Let me rephrase that. Jethro was good at his former job. When he worked for MI6.”
Jethro knocked his head back on the metal chair. “Everyone knows?”
“Yep,” Angus said easily. “We’re a team and we know one another’s pasts. Or at least part of them. We can’t cover you if we don’t understand everything.”
