Page 73 of The Inevitable Us

“Good morning, Ethan,” Sawyer says. Until now he was Mr. Coleman or Boss Man. At Thanksgiving Sawyer hadn’t referred to him by his name at all, so the name change is significant.

My dad clears his throat. “Good morning, Sawyer.”

The four of us sit in awkward silence, my mom and I looking at one another, while my dad and Sawyer don’t quite meet one another’s gazes.

The agents had said last night that only Sawyer and myself would be allowed in the building for security reasons, so once breakfast is done, Sawyer feeds and walks Ranger.

“Should we bring him over to play with the other dogs?” I ask Sawyer.

“I’ll run him. He runs well on a leash?” my dad asks Sawyer, finally meeting his gaze.

“Yes, I do six minute miles with him all the time. He loves it.”

“And the kittens?” Mom asks.

“They’ll be fine. Just check on them if we’re gone a long time. It’s Taylee I worry about,” I confess. “She has an entire staff normally to help with all of the dogs and now it’s just her and Jay.”

“I’ll pop over,” Mom promises.

FBIheadquartersdowntownisa large brick building about thirty minutes from my parents’ home.

“ID please?” a female agent asks at the window. She glances down at my drivers license. “Yes, Agent Brown is expecting you this morning. I’ll let him know you’re here,” she says as she reaches for the office phone.

A moment later Agents Brown and Jones walk out together. “This way, please, Ms. Coleman,” Agent Brown says, gesturing to the right of a long hallway in front of us.

“Mr. Benson, good to see you again,” I overhear Agent Jones tell Sawyer.

“Wait, we do not want to be separated,” Sawyer demands. “You may interview us together.”

“Unfortunately, Mr. Benson, it’s protocol,” Agent Jones answers.

I look over to see Sawyer’s hands balled into fists, his knuckles white. “Break protocol.”

“Unfortunately, you must be interviewed separately,” Agent Brown informs Sawyer.

“I don’t think so. No, you’re not interviewing her alone with no one…”

”Sawyer, it’s fine, I’ve got this,” I tell him as I swivel around to give him an annoyed look. Does he need the sameI’m a grown ass womanlecture I gave my dad yesterday?

He narrows his eyes at me. “I don’t like you going in alone.”

“Well, looks like I am,” I sass back as I walk back down the hallway.

“Remember what you’ve been taught Rosalie,” he reminds me.

The bodyguard bible again. He’s reminding me that I have the right to end an interview or interaction with someone, anyone, at any point. Since I’m not here being interrogated for a crime, I’m here as a victim, I have the privilege. “Sawyer,” I say softly, letting my gaze go to him one last time. “I’ve got this.”

My interview doesn’t last long at all, but Sawyer’s lasts forever. I occupy myself with a paperback book while I wait. Agent Brown went into the room I’d seen them gesture Sawyer towards, and walked out excitedly a few minutes later.

When Sawyer walks out, he’s ghostly pale. “They worked together before. Jackson and Keaton,” he says, his gaze not quite meeting mine. “I caught him walking straight into the house while I had you half naked in the kitchen and was so busy being jealous not once did I think that he was there to sneak a picture of you.”

“Maybe he wasn’t?” I say as the panic sets in. They’ve both been around me quite a bit around the ranch. “It might have been a coincidence.”

“They’re working on the search warrants now,” he says. “Let’s go back to the house.”

Chapter thirty-eight

Sawyer

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