“I don’t give a shit why you’re here. I just want you to leave.”
“And we will,” he promised. “Just as soon as you answer a few questions.”
The man’s angry face reappeared in the doorway. “I’ve just spent two fucking days answering questions for those fuckers,” he spat back in return.
Jagger’s hands curled at his sides, and he had to remind himself what a pain in the ass it was to clean blood from the kind of carpet Keith was currently standing on. But just because he couldn’t shoot the guy dead, that didn’t mean he had to play nice.
He shoved the door open so hard Talia’s former co-worker stumbled backward and nearly fell. For a guy who used to be CIA, he’d sure let his training fall to the wayside.
“What the hell, man?” Keith righted himself. “I said get the fuck out!”
“And I said I had some questions.” Jagger approached.
Liam kicked the door shut behind, standing beside Jagger with his arms crossed at his chest.
“Fine.” The man they’d come to see threw his hands out to his sides before letting them fall straight down. “What is it you want to know?”
“Why have you been stalking Talia?”
He just put it right out there, needing to gauge Keith’s initial response.
“Stalking?” A deep frown that held a thick layer of confusion fell over Keith’s face. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Playing dumb, I see.” Jagger shrugged. “I suppose that’s one way to go.”
“It’s not a ‘way’, asshole. It’s the fucking truth. I don’t know where you got your intel, but I haven’t been stalking Natalia or anyone else.”
“Tell me about the picture,” he demanded.
There was a quick shake of Keith’s head. “What picture?” His gaze slid back and forth between Jagger and a silent, stoic Liam.
“The picture you left in her room back in Chicago,” Jagger explained, already knowing he’d denied being anywhere near Talia’s hotel.
He needed to see the man’s response to the allegation one more time. To be sure he wasn’t lying, and that he truly wasn’t the person responsible.
After a pause, the other man looked at him and asked, “You talkin’ about the one she showed me during that ridiculous interrogation?” When Jagger nodded, Keith said, “I’ll tell youthe same damn thing I told her. I was never in her hotel room, I didn’t leave the fucking picture, and I have no idea who did. Hell, I never even knew she was in Chicago the same time as me until she told me.”
It was the exact same story he’d given Talia that day at Homeland.
“And the obit that was left on her car?” he asked. “I suppose you know nothing about that, either.”
Jagger watched the man closely as Keith denied that one, too. Using his own training and skills, he attempted to pick up on even the slightest sign of deceit. The only problem was, there weren’t any signs the man was lying.
From what Jagger could tell, Keith Sinclair appeared to be telling him the truth. About the picture, anyway. As for the recent attempt on Talia’s life?—
“What about the bomb?” Liam chimed in right on cue.
Keith didn’t hesitate to ask, “What bomb?”
“Someone blew up Talia’s car two days ago,” Jagger growled.
The former CIA operative appeared genuinely shocked by the news. “What?” He frowned. “Is Natalia…” His throat worked. “I-is she okay?”
“No thanks to you.”
Keith’s angry glare immediately spun Liam’s way. “Good luck trying to pin that shit on me, asshole. I was locked up two days ago, remember?”
“Doesn’t mean you didn’t have someone do your dirty work for you.”
