Page 5 of Saved from Obsession

It’s weird, until Cole met Maya, I never really thought about finding a wife. I was too focused on the Army, my computers, my friends and family. But seeing their relationship, seeing how deeply Cole loves her and how happy she makes him—it does make me wonder sometimes if I’m missing something.

“Okay.” Cole’s tone switches from casual to business, and we all straighten in response. Even though we’re all friends and can joke before a meeting, once it comes time to discuss our cases—missions—we’re totally focused. “First up, our paid jobs.”

He opens the top folder and glances inside. “We have another training session planned with the security detail for a CEO out in Los Angeles. There have been some breaches, a disgruntled employee actually got into his private residence. I need two people to head there for a week to check out the security system and give his team a refresher course.”

Looking across the table, Cole meets Zane’s gaze. “I was thinking you and Finn could go. Does that work for you?”

Zane lifts his chin at Cole. “Sure thing.”

Finn nods and runs a hand through his hair. “When do we leave?”

“Next Monday.” Cole closes the folder and slides it to the bottom. “I’ll send you the files and Maya will get the travel arrangements all set.” Although Maya technically works with us as a researcher—she stays at the office and helps me out with investigative work, mainly—she also helps when we need plane tickets and hotels arranged.

“Next—“ Cole opens the next folder. “We have an applicant for our pro bono program. A woman out in Maine thinks that her husband is trying to frame her, set her up so she’ll lose their upcoming child custody case.”

“After looking through her application and some preliminary research, I think the husband is behind everything. But he has a lot of power in the community, so the police may be looking the other way. Nora, I’d like you to meet with her, get a feel for what’s going on before we decide to take on the case.”

Nora turns to Cole, her dark brown gaze meeting his. “Absolutely.”

He gives her a little smile. “Okay. You’re set to leave on Friday. And the last case…”

Cole looks between Rylan and me, his brown eyes going somber. “This is a pro bono case, but there’s no question of us taking it on. Leo, Rylan, you’ll be joining me on this one.”

Continuing, Cole says, “This case has a personal connection. You know Hayden, one of the cops I worked with in San Antonio. She’s the one who brought this case to my attention.”

I’ve met Hayden a few times when we all went to training exercises near San Antonio. She’s one of the most competent and skilled police officers I’ve ever met, and I know Cole respects her immensely. If she’s asking us to take on a case, I can understand why Cole would say yes immediately.

Rylan’s brows go up. “So what’s the case about?”

“It’s Hayden’s best friend from high school. Her name is Georgia Dixon.” Cole flips through the papers in the last folder, his jaw going rigid. “She was attacked by a stalker several months ago and was badly injured. She was…” his mouth presses into a hard line. “Shewasa model, and the stalker cut her face. Basically ruined her career.”

“Damn.” My teeth grind together as I think about it. Not only did the stalker terrorize this woman, hurt her, but he had to ruin her livelihood, too? “Did they catch him?”

“Yes.” Cole looks at me, his brows pulled down in a V. “He went to jail. Georgia thought she was safe. Until a couple of months later, when she started getting letters, calls, and strange gifts again.”

Zane hisses out a breath, and Finn bites out a low curse. Rylan frowns, then asks, “Is it definitely another stalker? Not just PTSD?”

“Yes.” Cole shakes his head. “Hayden has known Georgia since they were in elementary school. If Hayden says Georgia is telling the truth, I believe her.”

“Did she go to the police again?” I shift in my chair, tension already running through my body. I have a feeling I know what the answer is going to be.

Cole looks at us grimly. “She did. And the police brushed it off, saying she was imagining things, or she might be sending herself things as a byproduct of her PTSD.”

“The fuck?” Zane grits out the low curse. “So the cops failed her two times so far.”

“Exactly.” Frowning, Cole says, “I’m sure you can imagine how upset Hayden is. She offered to let Georgia come stay with her, but she refused—she’s too scared of anyone else getting hurt. So Hayden called me.”

“When do we start?” Rylan looks as pissed off as I feel.

“Hayden is staying with Georgia at her house upstate in Ballston Spa until we get a plan in place. They’re both coming here tomorrow to meet with us, so we can get the full story. We’ll need to get as many details as possible from Georgia—she might have been hesitant to share them with Hayden, not wanting to worry her.”

Cole looks across the table at me. “I want you to take point on this. From what Hayden told me about Georgia, I think she’s going to respond best to you.”

“Me?” I can’t help a dry laugh from bursting out. “She’s been stalked by two men and you wantmeto take the lead with her?“ At six feet five inches and just topping two hundred and fifty pounds of mostly muscle, I’ve been called intimidating by both men and women more times than I can count. I’m not sureI’mthe one this poor woman will feel most comfortable around.

“Yes.” Cole nods at me, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “You listen and don’t miss a single detail, but you don’t push people to talk. When we were trying to figure out who was after Maya, you knew you had to ask her hard questions, but you were sensitive about it.”

“And when I told Maya about this case,” Cole continues, “She said the exact same thing.”

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