Page 43 of Jep

“That’s why I chose you as a partner,” he said. “I need someone who can discern what’s going on besides the obvious. Most agents wouldn’t have picked up on the pregnant girl. They would have been too busy watching the drug deals or something else. They would have focused on the homeless man as a threat and not on what his motivation was.”

“But how does that help the investigation?”

“If we’re going to catch these guys, we can’t look at them the same as before. When I went through those reports, what I noticed was that, whoever is behind this, they know how we operate. They know our response time and our playbook, and they’ve been using it against us. I don’t need a field agent with on-the-job-training. I need someone who doesn’t have any of that but has the instincts to see what’s between the lines. Not to mention your memory for the details.”

“Oh.”

“That’s what I was thinking anyway. I guess you instinctively knew it wasn’t a good idea to be my partner, but I refused to accept it. I accept it now.”

She scrunched up her face against the prodding headache that was digging its fingers into her temple. If it wasn’t for the pain, she could focus more clearly. Everything she’d thought about Jep was now turned on its head.

She’d agreed to partner with him as a last resort. Him giving her a way out of it was something she should jump on, but now that she knew the truth, she didn’t know what to do. But she couldn’t ignore the fact that she wasn’t cut out for field work. He couldn’t do his job if he was spending the whole time protecting her from every possible threat. The advantages he saw in her must have diminished considerably. Their ceasing their partnership was probably best for them both.

Chapter 10

Jep touchedher elbow to lead her onto the elevator back at the office.

“I’m sorry about your shirt, too,” he said.

“I’ve got more. Next time, I’ll take your advice.”

When the doors opened on the fifth floor, Lawson was waiting.

“Miss Chapman,” he said, closing in on her. “I take it you’re reasonably okay?”

“Yeah.” She lifted her arm to show off the bandage. “Seven stitches later. Not too bad, considering.”

He glanced at Jep, then back at her. “Good. Why don’t you take a few days off. You’ve earned it.”

“For a cut on my arm? I see others in the team come in with a lot worse.”

“As an analyst, I have no expectation of you overcoming an experience like that to get right back to work. That attack must have been terrifying.”

“It—well—no. Jep was there. I was shaken up by it, but that’s to be expected.” It hadn’t occurred to her until that moment that she hadn’t been scared.

“If he’d done his job properly,” Lawson said, breaking her train of thought, “you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

“A few painkillers, and I’m good to go. Really.”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“You’re a real trooper. You can let Gardener know you’re back on her team. Jep, you can come with me.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Em said. “And I?—”

“I have all the information I need. Thank you. If you’re staying, you can return to your desk.”

“But sir?—”

“He said he’d keep you safe, and he didn’t. This was exactly what I was afraid of. Jep, come with me.”

Em remained in place as Jep followed Lawson to his office.

The door slammed shut, but Lawson’s voice still carried through the room. “You might be good on the field, Jep, but you’re incapable of working in a team. You not only refused to listen to solid advice, but you then put Miss. Chapman’s life in danger for what? To prove a point? You’re a disgrace. And I’m sickened by the prospect of having you in this office.”

There was a pause. If Jep was speaking, she couldn’t hear it.

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