Almost.
He held the photograph out.
When I
reached for it, he didn’t release it immediately.
“Whoever sent this wanted you to distrust me.”
I met his eyes.
“Maybe they wanted me to ask questions.”
“Those aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“No.”
He let go.
The photo returned to my hand.
Behind me, Lily murmured in her sleep.
Both of us turned toward the sound.
That tiny movement broke the tension.
Adrian lowered his voice.
“You should rest.”
“You keep saying that.”
“You keep not doing it.”
“I’ve had a strange day.”
“That may be the understatement of the year.”
For a moment, we simply stood there.
Then I said, “I want to know who booked that seat.”
“So do I.”
“But I want the answer tomorrow. Not in some private report three weeks from now.”
“You’ll have whatever we can legally get.”
“We?”
“You.”
He corrected himself immediately.
“You’ll have whatever you can legally obtain. If you want help
requesting it, Daniel can explain the process. That’s all.”
I studied him.
“You really think about every word, don’t you?”
“When people quote you for a living, you learn.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
For the first time that night, his smile reached his eyes.
Only briefly.
Then he glanced at the photograph again.
“May I ask one question?”
“Yes.”
“Why was Ethan investigating Northbridge?”
I should have refused.
Instead I said, “He says there were financial discrepancies.”
Adrian’s smile disappeared.
“What kind?”
“Medical supplies paid for but never delivered.”
He went absolutely still.
Not surprised.
Not exactly.
Recognizing something.
I saw it.
“What?”
