Page 78 of Girl Betrayed

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

“That’s been established,” Jake muttered. “What hasn’t been is your whereabouts. Start talking.”

64

Claire saton Dana’s couch, hugging her knees to her chest. Despite Jake’s intimidating warning, she hadn’t told him where she’d been or who she’d been with. Only that she’d slipped out for some air. “Sometimes I feel like I’m suffocating. I just need to get outside and breathe. I knew you’d tell me no,” she said to Jake. “So, I went out the window.”

Dana seemed appeased with Claire’s half-truth, but it was harder to tell with Jake. He’d eventually given up his questioning and followed Dana to her office.

Claire told herself she’d kept the truth from them for their own protection. If her plan fell through, plausible deniability would be the only thing to protect Jake and Dana’s careers. Despite what she had to do, she still cared about them.

At least that’s what she told herself.

But fear had also been a motivator. The trouble was, Claire didn’t know what she feared more. Jake’s anger, Dana’s disappointment, or what would happen if they found out the truth.

She watched Dana trying to console him through the gap in her office door. She’d no doubt left it open to keep an eye onClaire. But it also made it impossible for Claire to ignore the deepening intimacy between Jake and Dana.

The soft touches, the tense glances, the way they leaned into each other; it created an electrical charge that was uncomfortable to be around. Claire worried if she didn’t pretend to be oblivious to their undeniable chemistry it would ensure front row seats to an explosion of affection.

She should feel guilty—she was likely one of the problems keeping them apart—but she didn’t.

Her own problems were all that mattered now.

She was proud of herself for not caving under pressure. It was the first of many tests to come.

65

Jake reached his limit.The weight of the day had taken its toll. He’d lost his badge, been hung out to dry by the Bureau, sidelined from an investigation that was pulling Dana deeper and now Claire had lied to him.

He didn’t believe her bullshit ‘I needed air’ story for a second.

Jake wished he could say his years of training made the lie easy to spot. But when it came to Claire, he was guilty of having a blind spot. One he never would’ve realized if it wasn’t for the video surveillance he’d had installed along with the security system, unbeknownst to Dana and apparently Claire.

He’d checked the footage after he’d found her missing from her room. There was a clear shot of her bedroom window. It was never opened.

Jake glanced at Claire through the open door of Dana’s office. She sat on the couch, the picture of remorse. As far as tells go, Claire didn’t have any. She’d spun her lie expertly. The best thing he could do was continue to let her believe she’d gotten away with it. Confidence is what trips most people up.

The trouble was, Jake didn’t want Claire to trip. He wanted to stop her before the fall.

There was only one reason people lied. And Jake intended to find out what Claire was hiding.

But he had to do it without involving Dana. She had enough on her plate without worrying more than she already did about Claire. Especially after her encounter with Agent Spector.

Jake wished he could say hearing Dana’s recount of her conversation with the Homeland Security Agent had soothed his nerves, but it had done the opposite. “I’d be more comfortable with you working with him if I could access his CV.”

“I’m not working with him,” Dana amended. “He just wants me to get Meredith to cooperate.”

Jake raised his eyebrows. “And you’re willing to entrust Meredith to this unverified HSI Agent?”

“I don’t really have a choice, do I? He’s going to question her with or without my help. With it, this ends faster.”

“Unless it’s not a political strike.”

“Now you’re doubting it?” Dana asked.

Jake shrugged. “Your first instinct is usually the right one. This Holloway kid might have celebrity parents, but I don’t see the connection between him and Hayes.”

“Me neither. It doesn’t help that I didn’t get to walk the first crime scene. But from the photos, this one feels different. More violent. Almost like it’s two different killers with the same MO.”

---