Page 121 of The Attraction File

“He called me after you talked to him. I made sure my agents got to you before you went to that warehouse and did something crazy. I was too busy keeping an eye on Lucy Bechmann and following Trey Larson to get to you in time.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “So, you’re the CIA agent my brother has been talking to these past few months.”

He stood a little straighter. “Yeah, and it hasn’t been easy for him to keep all this a secret. He said many times he wanted to tell you. But if he did it would have possibly compromised our investigation and his company.”

I felt ashamed for not trusting my brother. When he told me about keeping it a secret I was still a little pissed he couldn’t confide in me. But then I realized how long I have kept my feelings about Evaleen a secret from him.

I let my youthful resentment for my brother easily paint him as a bad guy. There was no other way around it, I felt ashamed.

“My brother is a good guy. I should never have doubted him.”

Jagger slapped me on the back. “Sometimes in life we have to imagine the worst in people before we can see their best.”

I nodded and shook his hand. “Thanks for all that you have done.”

“No problem, small balls.” He winked and turned to go.

I walked over to find Evaleen and her mom with blankets around them sitting on the back of the ambulance. Evaleen took off her blanket and threw it at the medic.

“It’s ninety degrees. Do you want me to have heat stroke?”

I couldn’t help but smile at my sassy woman.

“If it isn’t my sweet lady.”

She groaned. “More like sweaty lady. They want me to come to the hospital since I’m pregnant. Make sure everything is all right with the baby.”

“May I?” I showed her my hand and glanced at her stomach.

Evaleen nodded. “The only thing you are going to feel is the rumbling from my stomach. Kidnapping makes a woman hungry.”

“I’ll make you some soup for when you get home from the hospital,” Ms. Bechmann said as she handed over the blanket and stood.

The medics were packing up and assisting Evaleen into the ambulance.

“No, Mom. Ever since I got pregnant I can’t eat your soup.”

Her mom smiled up at her. “It’s all right. I’ll make anything you want.”

“You know what I could go for? A Chicago dog.”

“Got it. I’ll take your mom home and pick it up on the way to the hospital.”

Evaleen fist pumped the air. “I finally want to eat something other than crackers. Man, that’s the best feeling in the world to want real food.”

Her mom gave her a hug and went to talk to one of the agents.

“I wouldn’t call a hot dog real food,” I noted.

“Edgar, don’t ruin this for me. You know how I love my tubular meat. And I’m going to love that tubular meat all night long, or at least until I throw it up.”

“Well, I was hungry.” I laughed.

I reached up to take her hand before they had a chance to close the door to take Evaleen to the hospital.

“I love you, Evaleen.”

Leaning down I kissed the back of her hand when I thought I heard her whisper something. Raising my head, I saw her beautiful smile. Her face flushed and a lone tear fell off her cheek.

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