Page 101 of Shadow Operative

This was it.

The moment they’d find out if their investigation would move forward or if it stalled.

They had no time for it to stall.

Not with Sophia being abducted.

Hot tears pressed at her eyes at the thought.

Gage punched in the code, and the lock turned.

As soon as she stepped inside, the memories hit her. Memories of waking up and seeing Rob’s bloody body lying mere feet from her.

Her throat tightened as panic swirled inside her.

The moment had been so horrible. Something she’d never forget.

What she’d done afterwards hadn’t been smart. Maybe she shouldn’t have run.

But knowing Mario, she would be behind bars right now if the police knew she’d been here.

“Hey.” Gage gripped her elbow, his eyes peering into hers. “Are you okay?”

Nia forced herself to nod. “Just lots of bad memories being here.”

“I can imagine. But we need to keep moving. Okay?”

She nodded and followed Gage as he strode through the living room into a room she could only assume was Rob’s bedroom.

He didn’t bother to flip on the lights. Instead, he used the light on his phone.

It was better that way. Just in case somebody was watching.

He reached for her hand and pulled her toward another door in the distance.

The closet.

If Cormac was right, this was where the safe room was.

Another thought hit her, and Nia put on brakes. “You don’t think Cormac is setting us up, do you?”

“I don’t think so. Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know what to think anymore.”

“I’ll open the door and step into the room first, just to be sure it’s safe, okay?”

She nodded.

But as he started to step forward, Nia kept a grip on his hand and stopped him from going inside.

He turned back to her, confusion in his gaze.

Nia licked her lips, unsure of exactly what she wantedto say. But the words were on the tip of her tongue. Words that showed how much she’d begun to care about him.

Something passed through Gage’s gaze, and he nodded as if to acknowledge her worry and concern. To acknowledge that there was something growing between them. To acknowledge that, if he got hurt, they’d never be able to explore their feelings toward each other.

Then he let go of her hand and pushed Rob’s clothes aside.

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