Page 64 of Covert Obsession

While she couldn’t protect Bryant and Lori from the fallout of their liaison and its possible consequences, Parker assured him that the two organizations would have far more to worry about concerning Lydia’s involvement in so many high-profile cases. How many had been successful because she’d used groups like RING to manipulate the outcome?

* * *

Emit’sranch

Two hours later

Moe had showered and ate,keeping his distance from Lori and Bryant. There was so much between the three of them and the void felt too big. His heart was raw and nothing would go back into its assigned compartment in his brain, no matter how hard he shoved, pushed, or bulldozed.

Someone knocked on his door, and he found Beatrice standing on the other side. “The CIA picked up Romalov. Thought you’d want to know. We’re staying behind the scenes, but Director Flynn and his bosses owe us over his capture, which is good for all of us.” Having allies in high places was the name of the game in operations. “With what you and Parker were able to get from him, and the fact he’s willing to turn on Lydia, the case should be wrapped up fairly quickly. Parker’s insistence on interrogating Lori and Bryant and getting their statements, as well, lines everything up and gives us and the U.K. a slam dunk in prosecuting her.”

Parker had done the work, but he appreciated Beatrice suggesting they were a team. “And me?”

“Probation until Parker and I work through our debrief.”

He nodded, heart sinking. “Thanks for everything. Not just with this. For taking a chance on me, and all that.”

He wanted to say more, but words escaped him. He couldn’t imagine what his future looked like. He’d gained his birth parents but possibly lost everything else that mattered.

Beatrice hesitated. “I made a mistake sending you into that situation. We all have blinders. I’ll be evaluating my own in this case, and I encourage you to also.”

She left without a backward glance, and somewhere in there, he thought there might be an apology. Figuring out the Queen B was an impossible task, though. Figuring out women in general, actually.

He glanced down the hall to the guest room Parker occupied. The door was closed. He thought about knocking and begging her forgiveness. Again. He was up to about five or six attempts now. She’d allowed him in on the interrogations, but she’d been incommunicado since they’d returned to the ranch. He didn’t blame her. Not only had he disobeyed orders, he’d pointed a gun at her in the heat of the moment.

Hanging his head, he longed to be in the air again, free from his life. Instead, he went to find his favorite brain picker to talk about his cork.

THIRTY-FOUR

Dinner was a rowdy affair. The entire team, along with Beatrice and Emit were all satisfied now that everyone was safe and Lydia’s double cross had been revealed.

Ghost Fox was on hold for the time being, but already making plans for moving forward. The other members had left. Emit had downloaded the information contained on the watch and was still debating whether to share it with anyone. It was all false, a figment of Lydia’s warped but brilliant mind.

The Agency was keeping the convoluted mess from the public and handling it internally as much as possible. The fact Lydia was MI6 helped, since the Brits would have the arduous task of investigating her and full responsibility was in their lap.

Lori and Bryant had endless meetings and debriefs waiting for them, the CIA and MI6 insisting on in-person conferences where they would give testimony against Lydia and RING. They’d been dancing around each other over the past day and Vivi had sat in on a few of their discussions with Beatrice and Emit to evaluate their mental states. The couple seemed to have come to a truce, and as Parker watched them from across the dining room table, they appeared happy and relaxed, listening to a story Rory told about his first encounter with Moe.

Moe, the only one absent from this get-together.

Her orders from Beatrice were clear—avoid him for now. Their relationship had compromised the team, and although the mission had ultimately been successful, their future of working together was hanging by a tenuous thread. While it still gulled Parker that Beatrice had overrode her directives, at least her boss had taken responsibility, owning up to the fact that Parker had been right—Moe’s emotional connection to Lori and Maddox had been too volatile to allow him to participate. He should have been sidelined.

No one was beating themselves up about it more than he was. Emit had doubled up security, and under Parker’s request, Rory was keeping tabs on Moe’s movements. No way was he sneaking away to disappear forever.

He had everything to live for. He’d found his birth parents and had much to learn from them. Their relationship had had a rocky start, but the three of them needed each other. Vivi had told her that the only way for all of them to heal was together.

She drew out her cell, keeping it hidden under the table as everyone laughed at Rory’s story.Come to dinner, she typed.Talk to your parents.

She hit send and sipped her water, adjusting her foot to ease the tension in her sore calf. Emit’s doctor had insisted she go to the hospital for tests and Beatrice had agreed. The brain scans had been normal, as had a bevy of other tests. Her energy levels had been a roller coaster over the past twenty-four hours and she’d slept more than she’d been awake. Even now, she heard the bed calling her name, but all in all, she was normal.

Except, her heart hadn’t gotten that memo. She checked the screen but there was no reply. He’d apologized profusely to her several times on the ride back, then via voicemail, text, and through Rory delivering a message. She’d told him he was forgiven; she didn’t know what else to say. Due to the fact that she’d turned off the comms and video for their private chat after Moe beat the hell out of his dad, her leadership was being put under scrutiny. Until she’d submitted an official report to Beatrice, she couldn’t discuss the fallout with him. It was protocol.

If she kept her position, Parker was sure it wouldn’t be the last time Beatrice would challenge her decisions. They each had their own way of doing things, and although Parker hadn’t been in charge of the fledgling spy division for long, she knew she was still the most qualified to run it, outside of the Queen herself.

The next course was served, but Parker only toyed with the salmon and rice, her body hungry for something the food couldn’t satisfy. Maybe she and Moe would both be looking for new jobs soon. As long as he reunited with his parents, she didn’t care what happened to her. She’d done what needed to be done to keep him from making a fatal error in judgment, and she’d used him to get to the truth. She wouldn’t have done anything differently.

About to beg off so she could retire to her room, she slid her phone into her pocket and placed her napkin beside her plate.

“What about the director’s wife?” Emit asked Beatrice. “I did some digging on Julia Torrison’s skills and qualifications. She might make a good replacement for Lydia.”

---