Page 8 of Mensa's Match

“That’s fair, but he really needs to get over himself. I don’t understand why he has a problem with you. Who cares if your brother works for the FBI?”

“Whitney,” Aunt Nadia said.

I jerked my head toward the back. “Come on back to the office. You want some sweet tea?”

Riley's eyes skated between me and Aunt Nadia. “Is it that blackberry stuff I had a few days ago? Because that is pure nectar.”

“As long as it’s blackberry season, Riley, I’m gonna make blackberry tea,” Aunt Nadia declared.

I led Riley to the back and poured her a glass of tea from an over-sized travel thermos Aunt Nadia kept in her office mini-fridge.

Time to face the music.

She sipped from her glass and her eyes rolled back in her head for a moment. “I don’t know how she does this without tons of pulp.”

I grinned. “Wish I could tell you, but she never makes it when I’m in the room, and she guards her recipe like a hawk.”

Riley waved her free hand at the office. “Why did you want me to come back here?”

“You mentioned my brother working for the FBI, but I did, too.”

Riley gave two quick nods. “Yeah, I suspected that when you visited me in the hospital.” Her expression turned wary. “But you mentioned you were between jobs to take care of your aunt.”

“Yeah, my status changed not long before shit hit the fan with the case against your dad.”

“What do you mean? I thought there was a man involved in this.”

I nodded. “Yes, but that isn’t what I wanted to talk about.” I blew out a breath. “My superiors assigned me to you in order to figure out how much, if anything, you knew about your dad’s activities.”

She put her tea down on the desk, and frowned at me.

A sour feeling grew in my stomach. “I didn’t want to keep it from you any longer. I’m sorry that—”

She shook her head. “But you asked me about Dadonce.”

I tilted my head. “Right. The way you shut that down, my gut said you had nothing to do with it.” I paused. “When I wasn’t with you, I’d follow you. It became clear your story aboutavoiding and staying away from Tyndale was true. I’m sorry I didn’t do anything about your car being sabotaged. From where I watched the house, it looked like he was trying to take care of the car.”

As much as silence saved my ass, it unnerved me when others went too quiet.

After enduring her long stare, she said, “I interrupted you a moment ago. What were you going to say, you’re sorry that… what?”

“I’m sorry that I deceived you.”

Her head tilted. “I don’t think you’re sorry about that. I mean, you were doing your job. So was your brother.”

I shook my head. “Wyatt wasn’t on that case. I was just as surprised as you to see him at the hospital. You’re right, though, I was doing my job. I hope you don’t think we’re friends because I was assigned to you.”

Her lips twisted with skepticism. “Were youassignedto loving karaoke? Hmm? And don’t tell me you don’t love it because nobody gets as good at it as you are without loving it.”

My lips tipped up. “No, I’ve always had a thing for karaoke.”

“And those wrong, but incredibly strong, opinions about Ben Stiller? Were those a front?”

“No… and you’re the one who’s wrong.The Secret Life of Walter Mittyis his best movie by far.”

“Zoolander, but there’s my point. We’d have been friends no matter what spurred our meeting.”

I stared at her in admiration. “I love how open-minded you are, Riley. Most other people find out I had to cozy up to them because of a case and I’m cut out like a cancer.”

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