Page 32 of Wired Justice

Chapter Eighteen

Jake wovehis fingers together and rested them on his stomach, fixing his gaze on Sophie. She set the uneaten half of her sandwich down and picked up her bottled tea. Her eyes flicked to the computer. “I have some more filters to run before we go,” she said, ignoring his prior statement.

He wasn’t giving up so easily.

“And I said it was time we talked about the Ghost.” He wanted to know what she knew about that slippery cyber vigilante Bix had told him was allegedly associated with Security Solutions. “The FBI’s trying to make a case against our CEO, Sheldon Hamilton,” Bix had told him before he left Oahu for the Big Island. “But they can’t get anything to stick. And they won’t. Hamilton’s nose is clean.”

Bix had brushed off the rest of Jake’s questions. “I only told you so you won’t be surprised if you get questioned by one of Sophie’s former teammates. And she knows all about this.”

That Sophie knew about the Ghost and had never said a word rankled Jake. He hated secrets.

Sophie raised her eyes to his. “Please, Jake. Don’t ask me about this. I can’t talk about it.”

The naked appeal in her gaze disarmed him. Such a warm amber brown, and those lashes! Her eyes were a damn superpower.

“Fine,” he said gruffly. “Since you don’t trust me.”

“I trust you. I just . . . don’t want you to be hurt. And the less you know about this particular subject, the better for you.” She stood up abruptly. “I won’t get anything more done here, today. Let’s go. We can case the area where we’re meeting the informant first, which is good practice.”

Jake dropped his booted feet to the ground, puzzling over her words as Sophie rolled up the internet cable and stowed it. “How would I be hurt by anything to do with that cyber vigilante?”

Sophie folded her lips together tightly. “I think I misused a figure of speech. I meant that . . . you should not be responsible for any more knowledge, in case you are questioned.”

“Ah-ha. So, you do know something.”

Sophie stowed the laptop in her backpack and slung it on. “Let’s go.” She headed for the door.

Jake picked up their discarded lunch. She had only eaten half her sandwich and chips. He was going to make her finish the rest.

They reached the Jeep. Jake beeped it open to the happy greeting barks of the dogs, and set the lunch bag inside on the dash.

Sophie opened her door and her face lit up. “Jake! Tank is still here!”

“I couldn’t do it.” Jake’s ears were hot with embarrassment. “I took him to the Humane Society and started filling out the paperwork, but one look at those cages . . . I just couldn’t do it.”

Sophie ran around the front of the Jeep and embraced him. She wrapped her arms around him, pulled his head down, and kissed him.

Surprise had him standing stiffly, but Jake recovered quickly, kissing her back, squashing her against the side of the Jeep as pent-up hunger took over. She was making a little humming noise in her throat as she wound around him, not put off by his clumsy enthusiasm. Their mouths fused, their hands roamed, and his brain shut down as one of her legs came up, wrapping around his hip. God, she tasted good . . .

“So that’s how it is, eh?” Freitan’s voice, heavy with amusement, came from behind Jake. “Can’t say I blame you, but the parking lot of Hilo Police Department might not be the most private venue for what you got goin’ on.”

Jake buried his face in Sophie’s neck, breathing heavily, imagining that devil-woman dancing a jig in hell. “Dammit.” Maybe Freitan would just go away.

Sophie shoved at his chest, cursing in Chinese or Thai or something. He let go, keeping his back turned to Freitan so she couldn’t mock the action he had going on at the front of his pants. Sophie went around and opened the Jeep’s door as Jake kept his back to the detectives, simmering with temper and frustration.

“Sorry for the cock block.” Freitan laughed harshly.

“Kamani, leave them alone.” Wong’s voice, coming to the rescue. Jake heard the sound of their vehicle beep open. The two bickered.

Jake shoved his hands through his hair, calming himself, tugging his shirt down, setting himself to rights physically and mentally as their car pulled away.

“Tank, you beautiful boy. I’m so glad you’re still here.” Sophie was already inside the Jeep talking to the dogs. Jake turned around when he was sure he was decent, and it was just in time to see her feed the other half of her sandwich to the dogs.

“I brought that so you could eat it. Not them,” Jake scolded. He had himself back under control, but all he could think about was getting his hands on her again.

“I’m sorry about kissing you. We appeared very unprofessional.” Sophie wouldn’t look at him as she turned in her seat to face forward, and buckled in. “We should hurry. We’ll be late.”

“I’m just sorry Freitan interrupted us.” Jake fired up the Jeep. “Though we could have picked a better place to make out.” His lips felt sore in a good way when he smiled at her. “We still can.”

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