If it was, it meant they’d need to find this man in the next twelve days. Since I was always acutely aware of her, my gaze went to Laurel. She lingered like she wanted something but wasn’t sure how to ask.
I kept my tone casual. “What do you need?”
“I’d like to talk to Caroline. Alone.”
Her expression was empty, but the way she said it made me nervous.
Caroline didn’t have any issue with the request. She snatched up Laurel’s bag and motioned for her to lead the way before I could come up with a reason why I shouldn’t allow it.
8
LAUREL
Caroline eyedthe bed then pointed to the indentations in the carpet. “Rearranging furniture? Youfeng shui-ing the place up?”
“I needed space to practice,” I said.
When I’d filled out the packing list, I’d asked for the pair of pointe shoes I’d used last week in rehearsal, and I was relieved to find them in the duffle bag she’d brought me. Even though it was carpeted in this room, I was eager to get them on. There was safety in routine, in the work. I sat on the edge of the bed, put a foot inside the slipper, and began to lace the ribbons.
“What happened with Nelson?” I asked.
“I shouldn’t tell you,” a smile crept onto her face, “but I will. He and his wife were transitioning into the program when we discovered he liked to rough her up sometimes. Like, he got off on it. You know the type.”
I really didn’t.
“I wanted to do it,” she continued. “Hell, I thinkeveryonewanted to, but Jason got there first, and with his fists. It was a great way to get in a shitload of trouble. You can’t break a guy’s face and jeopardize a witness leaving the program, even if they are a huge piece of shit.”
Was that story... supposed to impress me? And it was stunning she’d revealed it, especially when we’d literally just met.
But I pushed the thought away and focused on my goal. “What if I wanted to request a different marshal on my case?”
She anxiously shifted her body weight to the other foot. “Okay, forget I told you all that.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Her eyebrows pulled together with confusion.
Shit, how could I tell her the truth? I didn’t want to be alone with Jason. Doing that filled me with desire I didn’t want to have. It threatened to swallow me whole.
“Being around Jason . . . makes me uncomfortable.”
Her voice went tight. “Why? What’s he done?”
“He hasn’t done anything,” I tried not to sound ashamed, “but I think I’d feel more comfortable with a woman marshal.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Well, there’s currently only one female marshal in the Chicago office and you’re looking at her.”
I swallowed thickly. I tried not to make snap judgements, but it seemed like she wouldn’t be the easiest to get along with. I’d noticed the shift in the men when she’d arrived, and how Jason had hung back.
But on the plus side, I wouldn’t wantthismarshal to kiss me. “All right, if I wanted to request a replacement?—”
There was no knock. The door swung open and Jason charged in, his gaze finding me and his face masked in an unreadable expression. “Laurel, just wait a minute.”
I shot to my feet so quickly my vision hazed. The jerk had been listening to our conversation.
“Hey, we were just talking about you,” Caroline said dryly.
He shot her a stern look. “Give us a minute?”
