Page 35 of Misdirection

When he was a safe distance ahead, she stepped out, ready to head back to the office.

But first, she needed to send this picture to Tevin and see if he knew who this other man was.

CHAPTER 14

Olive walked back into Conglomerate’s headquarters and passed through the metal detector.

As soon as she stepped through, someone grabbed her arm.

Was she being pulled as a security risk? No alarms had sounded when she went through the metal detector.

She opened her mouth to argue when she saw Jason staring at her—almost as if he’d been waiting near the building’s entrance for her to come back.

But that would mean he’d known she left.

Had he been watching her?

Tension rose up her back, but she shoved it aside, determined not to show it.

“Olive.” He gave her a cold stare.

“Jason,” she offered back equally as curt.

“You stepped out for a while.”

She tilted her head toward her shoulder. “Is that against the rules?”

“Not at all.”

“Then why do I feel as if you’re interrogating me?”

“Guilty conscience?” he countered.

Olive narrowed her eyes and shifted. “Do you think I’m guilty of something, Jason? Because I’d prefer if you just came out and said it rather than playing this game.”

He stepped closer, his gaze cold. “I find it odd you just started working here, and you’re already knee deep in a murder that occurred here in the office.”

“The timing is unfortunate, for sure. It’s not the beginning I envisioned. But I don’t know why you think that makes me guilty.”

Something floated in his gaze.

What had changed since they spoke yesterday? Their conversation hadn’t ended on a bad note. But now he was acting so hostile.

Not that she needed his approval. But the shift of emotions left her confused, to say the least. Something had triggered it.

“Jason, you harassing our employees again?” a friendly voice called.

Olive looked over and saw one of the guards near the metal detector. He was in his sixties with a slight frame and an easy smile. His name tag read “Sonny.”

“Not exactly.”

“She’s clear,” Sonny called.

“I can’t believe my sparkling wit didn’t set this thing off,” Olive murmured.

Sonny cackled at her joke. “That’s right! Maybe you can pass some of that wit along to Jason.”

“Not sure that’s possible.”

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