Page 101 of Misdirection

But there was no way she’d leave this alone.

However, Olive didn’t need to tell him that.

Instead, she nodded and turned away from the house, trying to put on a brave face. “I’m ready.”

Tom placed his hand on her back and led her to his awaiting car.

And Olive stepped into the next chapter of her life.

CHAPTER 43

TODAY

Olive stared at her computer the next morning, her thoughts scattered.

Scattered thoughts meant lack of focus—something she couldn’t afford.

She should have never let herself get swept away in the moment with Jason last night. She’d known better. She’d almost kissed him!

Even worse, as soon as she’d dropped him off at his house, she’d missed him.

Missed him? Was she out of her mind? She wasn’t the type who missed people.

She stared at her computer.Focus, Olive. Focus. Don’t think about kisses and feelings and men. Think about your job. About your assignment. About the importance of stopping a killer from getting his hands on technology that could hurt hundreds of thousands of people.

Her phone rang, and she saw it was Tevin.

She placed it to her ear. “Hey. What’s up?”

“I just found out something I know you’d want to hear right away.”

She straightened, all her attention shifting to him. “I’m listening.”

“It wasn’t easy, but I managed to track down some information on Adriana. Her real name is Adriana Sokolov, and she’s an operative with The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.”

The FSB. The new name for the former KGB.

Olive’s breath caught. “What?”

“It’s true. I think she’s the buyer, the one trying to get the specs for that new smart dust.”

She pressed her eyes closed as frustration rose inside her. “She was right under our nose the whole time . . .”

“What we don’t know is who she’s recruited from Conglomerate to help her. My guess is that she was feeling Jason out, but she eventually realized he wasn’t going to budge.”

That sounded accurate. Anyone who got to know Jason would see his integrity was rock solid.

He was an amazing man, and the fact Adriana had tried to use him made a surge of protectiveness well inside Olive. People who knew her knew this: she protected those in her circle.

“So who killed Trey and injured Adriana?” she asked.

“I’ve been trying to figure that out, but I have no idea. The CIA hired you, and apparently the US Attorney General got Bennett involved. So who were those men? It’s an excellent question.”

“One we need to find the answer to.”

“So what are you going to do now?” Tevin asked.

Olive glanced at her watch. “Jason is supposed to meet Adriana in an hour. I’m waiting to hear how that all plays out and what excuse Adriana gives him for all this. I also plan on talking to Claudine about those phone calls to Alex, but she hasn’t come in yet.”

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