Page 41 of Misdirection

Anxiety sloshed inside her at the thought.

For now, she glanced at her watch again.

Ryan was officially twenty minutes late. What was taking him so long? What if something was wrong?

On a whim, Olive called his office number.

His phone went to voicemail.

The feeling in her stomach churned harder.

Something was wrong. At least, that was the most likely scenario.

She hoped she was incorrect. But there was only one way she could truly know.

Olive needed to find Ryan and see him with her own eyes.

But just as she turned to head to her car, a heavy hand came down on her shoulder.

Olive had three seconds to decide what to do.

Throat punch the person touching her? Or wait to see who was here?

Just as she drew her arm back, ready to defend herself, Jason’s face came into view.

Her arm softened. No need for a throat punch.

But her eyes narrowed when she realized the truth about Jason’s appearance here. “Did you follow me?”

He shrugged, taking a tactic from her own playbook and acting nonchalant. “Would you believe me if I said I just happened to be walking this way when I saw you standing here?”

She crossed her arms, irritation gripping her. “No, I wouldn’t.”

Jason still didn’t own up to anything, but Olive was smart enough to know this wasn’t a coincidence.

She glared at him. “I don’t appreciate you watching me.”

He glared back. “I think you’re up to something.”

If there was anyone who could see through her, it was Jason. Outside her family, he was the only person who’d ever truly known her.

She wouldn’t tell him that, of course. But that made him a major threat right now.

“You want to tell me what you’re doing?” Jason cocked his head to the side as he waited for her response.

Olive brushed off his question. “It’s none of your business.”

“It is if you’re doing something to put the company at risk.”

She let out a dry chuckle. “Sothat’swhat this is about? You thinkI’mthe one who killed Beau?”

“I didn’t say that.” His jaw twitched.

“But that’s what you’re implying. I was the one who found him, after all. But the police tested my hands for gunshot residue, and I was clean.”

He let out a skeptical grunt, making it clear she wasn’t off the hook in his mind.

Then he shifted and locked gazes with her. “So you ready to start talking yet?”

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