Page 29 of The Reluctant Hero

He doesn’t seem to be laughing at me. He’s trying to turn my horrible day around in a really creepy way. It’s confusing as hell.

He makes a thoughtful sound and presses the money into my hand, curling my fingers around it.

“Enjoy the rest of your day, darlin’. I’ll be seein’ you later,” he tells me with a wink and turns away. It’s like a switch flips inside him as soon as he sees Jake and Cade gaping at him.

“You fuckers get in that stairwell andrunto the top. You better start prayin’ I don’t catch you before you get to Gabe because I ain’t feelin’ nice.”

They both take off running without a single protest as he stalks after them. It’s a toss-up on whether he’s the slasher in a horror movie stalking his victims or an exhausted babysitter rounding up kids.

When the stairwell door closes behind him reality comes back as if a bubble popped around me. It seems way too loud and quiet at the same time.

“Amanda.”

I turn to Sarah as she marches up to me. She looks madder now than she was before.

“How did you get him to talk to you? Orlookat you?”

I have no idea. It’s as much of a mystery to me as it is to her. I have to be a sweaty, bedraggled mess by now. The image of such a strong, cocky man on his knees looking up at me with a smirk is going to haunt me forever. He made me feel strong and delicate at the same time. Like I could get through anything with his voice in my ear, and he’d pamper me as soon as I finished.

“So, how did it go?” She crosses her arms and glares at me, breaking into my stupor. The defensive posture reminds me of what I was doing.

“I quit,” I lift my chin, spin on my aching heels and walk away.

9

Mast of the World

Gabriel

I look from the highlighted file to the head of the filing department without a change of expression. The blond is smiling tensely at my frozen, brow-raised position.

“And you’re the one who has been working on this?”

Mikael shifts behind me. He can sense the bullshit just as easily as I can. Considering she had no idea these were ‘damaged’, it’s plain to see. She’s claiming credit for work another employee did.

“My underling must have been working on this while I was in your office yesterday, sir. Remember, this box was dropped, and I cleaned it up. I don’t know why she would ruin the files.”

Ace sets another sheet next to my elbow. I pull it into view and stare.

Judge Fullerton’s name is highlighted in bright pink in several places. Justin Blake in yellow. Elliott Bernard in blue. Those two names aren’t familiar to me. They will be by the end of the day. I’ll make sure of it.

I need to know who is trying to bring my attention to this and why. Dealing with the source of the problem will cut down on the bullshit.

Who knows that I’ve been looking into Fullerton, and do they know why?

Corrupt law enforcement isn’t unusual. I have my own fingers in that pie. The struggle to gain a foothold has brought my attention firmly to them all. I know my father had a teamlooking into Fullerton before due to the kickback of trying to find a way into the system in Ander Springs.

Even though several informants pointed the finger at her as being involved, there hasn’t been any objective evidence of wrongdoing on her part. There have been no odd transfers of money or deposits, clandestine meetings, or bizarre phone calls. Nothing links her to anyone, really. Her job or golfing consumes her.

Yet her name is right in front of me in hot pink like a warning sign.

“Bring them up,” I tell her flatly, trying to ignore the ridiculous seduction attempts she’s been making since yesterday morning. I would continue cursing the mistake that sent this box downstairs, but I might reap a few rewards from it.

When I don’t acknowledge her any further, she clears her throat and declares, “I’ll grab her now. It’s past seven, so she should be here.”

Why is a filing clerk coming in at seven in the morning? Harriette unlocks the doors at eight for regular employees to come in.

As soon as she leaves, I glance at Ace. He clenches his toothpick between his teeth. No words are needed as he leaves to get more information on the filing clerk.

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