Page 18 of Jep

“I hope not. I’d hate for her to see you covered in blood. Has she ever seen blood before? My guess is no.”

Pearce’s hand moved to his gun and rested there. “I don’t want things to get ugly, but I’ll do what I have to if you’re going to get aggressive.”

“Isn’t that what you were expecting? That’s why she’s here.”

Pearce looked at Emery and waved her back into the car.

Her lips pursed. She didn’t like being dismissed. Jep was disappointed when she obeyed. The type of worker bee who always did what they were told. That was everyone’s problem with him. He was the exact opposite.

“Is this her first time in the field?” Jep said. “She would have been better off staying back at the office with the cozy blue carpet. Is it still blue? I liked that carpet. Not always practical, but it felt nice. Intimate.”

“Maybe this was a mistake.”

“Most likely.”

Pearce sighed and dropped his hand away from his gun. “The problem is, I don’t have many options.”

“Options for what?”

“The task force. We’re in a difficult situation, and we’d like you to consider coming back.”

Jep struggled to make sense of what Pearce had said. “Is this a joke? You came all this way to make a joke?”

“I’m not kidding. We need you.”

Jep ran his hand over his head and rubbed it hard. Pearce had been right to bring Emery Chapman with him, but not for the reason she was there. Her presence was so outlandish Pearce had to be telling the truth.

“What do you think?” Pearce said when Jep couldn’t find a fitting response.

“Whose idea was it? Because I know for certain it wasn’t the assistant director’s.”

“Actually, it was mine. Truman wants to shut down the task force.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“You’re the leverage to keep it going. We bring you in, and Truman gives us more time.”

“Truman wants me back? Man, you guys must be in trouble.”

“I was around long enough to know you did your job very well. I thought maybe you could do that again.”

“What does Lawson have to say about it?”

“He’s the one who sent me to get you.”

“But Lawson doesn’t want me?”

“He has agreed. I told you, he sent?—”

“I’m going to have to hear it from his own mouth.”

“If you come back, you’ll see him at the office.”

Jep had strong reasons that tugged him firmly one way, then the other. It wasn’t the workshop he was worried about. He had a friend who could come in and look after the shop and the boys while he was away. But as much as it had felt like a prison, he knew where he stood with these boys. If he returned with Pearce, he’d be entering unknown and probably hostile territory.

Chapter 5

Emery foldedher hands in her lap. When Jep had come out to meet Pearce, he had been exactly what she’d expected. He was solemn and dark and had a black eye that suggested he was a man accustomed to fighting. But he’d also looked unimpressed, bored even. That was until he’d closed in on Pearce.

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