Page 8 of Girl, Reborn

‘What?’ she asked. ‘What's with the face?’

‘That was Edis,’ Luca told her, grinninglike a loon. ‘Guess you’re stuck with me at least one more time.’

CHAPTER FOUR

Twenty minutes later, Ella and Lucabarrelled into HQ in tandem. Ella caught a few curious glances coming their wayas they moved through the halls, although she guessed most of them were eyeingup the new face at her side. The place was a buzzing, seething mass of suits andpencil skirts, all scurrying to their designated corners. Another day, anotherdollar in the Fed factory.

Usually, Ripley would be leading thecharge, but today it was just Ella and the new kid. Or not so new anymore.Somewhere between the shared coffee and the crime scene banter, Luca had wormedhis way past her defenses. Into her orbit, her space. The Mia-shaped hole inher life.

Ella shook it off. No time for a pityparty, not when there was work to be done.

‘Think he's gonna ream us for that stuntwith the Laughingstock guy?’ Luca asked.

Ella jabbed a finger at the elevator callbutton. ‘The breaking and entering? Maybe.’

‘Got the job done, though.’ The elevatordinged, doors gliding open like silver jaws. They stepped inside and aimed forthe top floor.

‘It did. And I'm sure Edis'll thank youfor keeping him neck deep in paperwork and ass coverage for the next month.’

Luca leaned against the mirrored wall. 'Ifyou want an omelet, you gotta break a few eggs.'

Ella eyed him from top to bottom. Always with thelip, this one. The boyish charm, the easy wit. Lethal combo for a girl with aweakness for pretty things with sharp edges. ‘Listen to you, Hawkins. You crackone case and think you’re Sherlock.’

He shot up straight and smoothed a creaseon his jacket. ‘Kidding. I’m just praying that Edis likes me enough to let thatlittle oversight slide.’

Ella rolled her eyes so hard theythreatened to pop out of her skull. The sad part was, he wasn't wrong. LucaHawkins could charm the habit of a nun, and their resident bulldog of a bosswas no exception. From what Ella had seen so far, the man had a real soft spotfor his blue-eyed protégé. Used to be Ella in that position, but she guessedeven people had their shelf lives. She couldn't deny that it stung a little.

The elevator shuddered to a halt, doorssliding open to reveal the top floor in all its wood-paneled glory. Edis' lair,the inner sanctum. Where cases were made and broken, where careers lived anddied on the whims of a tiny tin god with a receding hairline and a chip on hisshoulder.

Ella squared her shoulders, lifted herchin. Beside her, Luca straightened up, game face sliding into place. The cockyrookie subsumed by the keen-eyed professional, a lawman to his core. It stillsurprised her sometimes, how easily he flipped that switch. The competence, thedrive, hidden behind a mask of easy smiles and aw-shucks charm.

She had a feeling she'd barely scratchedthe surface of this kid – a thought both exciting and terrifying.

No more time to dwell. Edis' office loomedat the end of the hall. Ella marched forward, reached the door, and didn’tbother knocking. Edis was expecting them, and hesitation was a trigger for hiscontempt.

‘Sir,’ Ella said. Luca echoed the greetingbehind her.

Edis glanced up from the open case file onhis desk. His watery eyes narrowed behind rimless glasses. He looked every inchthe bureaucratic warlord, from his power tie to his overstuffed office chair.The proverbial bull in a china cabinet, and this was his personal shop.

‘Agents,’ he gruffed, waving them towardsthe chairs in front of his desk. A summons, an order couched as an invitation.

Ella sank into one, Luca into the other.Edis wasted no time, sliding two casefiles across his desk. Manila, thickenough to choke a horse.

‘We got a situation. A bad one.’

Ella accepted the folder and began leafingthrough. She skimmed the overview on the front page.

Name: Ricky Toledo.

Gender: Male.

Age: 45

Location: Liberty Grove, Virginia.

Liberty Grove, Ella thought. Barely twentymiles from where she grew up in Abingdon.

‘Ricky Toledo,’ Edis continued. ‘A localcouncilman in Liberty Grove – a place I’m sure you’re familiar with, MissDark.’

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