Page 45 of Hooked on Marshall

“That’s fine,” she nods. “But not much for me, okay? When I’m stressed, I don’t eat well.”

I don’t like this, but given our current situation, I don’t argue. Instead, I kiss her thoroughly and head back out to the bar. I’m surprised when I find Brian next to Jonas, leaning in to look at something on his phone. When he sees me, I can tell that something’s wrong.

“Marshall,” he says as I approach. “Always a pleasure.”

“Likewise,” I say as I shake his hand.

“This gentleman here says he’s looking for Lana,” he says slowly. “Apparently they’re old flames from high school."

"Really?" I ask, knowing it’s a lie. “He didn’t mention that to me.”

“What can I say?” Jonas laughs. “Beer always loosens my tongue.”

“He even has a picture of them together,” Brian adds.

I furrow my brow. Without being asked, Jonas turns his phone toward me. I lean in to take a look. And my blood runs cold at what I see.

Thirty-Two

I’m pacing again when Marshall walks back into the office with Chief Flood right behind him. Neither of them looks happy. So, I know that something has happened.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

Marshall shuts the office door as Brian approaches me.

“Did you and Jonas know each other before you worked together?”

“No,” I say.

Marshall curses under his breath as Brian’s brow furrows.

“What is going on?” I demand.

Marshall pulls me into his side while Brian explains.

“We’re not sure yet, but Jonas has a picture on his phone of him and a woman who looks very much like you,” he says.

“What?”

“Yeah,” Marshall sighs. “For a second, I actually thought itwasyou.”

“But…but what does this mean?”

“He’s now saying that the two of you are old high school flames who lost touch and he’s trying to find you because he heard you’d come back home,” Marshall says.

“Oh, my God, that’s not true,” I snap. “He’s not even from here!”

“We know,” Brian says calmly. “But my concern is that picture and how much you look like the woman who is in it with a very young Jonas Freeman. I’m going to do some digging and I’ll get back to you about what I discover. In the meantime, you stay out of sight, Lana. And when it’s time for you two to leave, make sure Jonas isn’t around. Got it?”

Marshall and I nod. Then Brian pats my shoulder gently and walks out. I groan and flop down on the couch.

“This is ridiculous,” I groan. “Why is he making up stories, now?”

“I don’t know,” Marshall sighs as he sits beside me. “But I’m going to trust Brian to do his job, okay? Until then, you’re safe back here.”

I nod and lean into him when he pulls me into his side. We stay this way until Jace walks in with a plate of food and sets it on the table. We rise and thank him. Then I question the single plate.

“Honestly, my appetite isn’t the greatest right now either,” he admits. “So, we’ll just eat what we can, okay? As long as we eat something.”

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