Page 44 of Unexpected Redemption

Tension evaporates from my muscles. “Did you intend for that to sound like a good thing?”

She winks at me. Coming from her, the gesture is simultaneously sweet and bizarre. “Just be careful it doesn’t get you into trouble.”

Probably a little late for her advice, but I’ll let it slide.

Since I didn’t jump at her lunch suggestion, we resume our training. Five minutes later, I’ve caught about two sentences of what she said.Hell, I’m not entirely sure of the topic, let alone the details. When my phone buzzes with an incoming text, I use it as an excuse to take a break.

“I should get this. Mind if I stretch my legs?”

“Sure thing. I’ll go have lunch in the break room. I should be back in thirty minutes or so. See you whenever you return.”

Rising swiftly, I fold the cover over the notepad and push the chair back to the other side of her desk. “Thanks, Peggy.”

Excusing myself to the hallway, I lean against the wall and check my phone. Disappointment that it’s not Tomer bleeds into a twinge of panic when I read the message. Shit.

Stella:

Freya and I want to come have lunch with you. Is that cool with the threat level at the shelter or whatever? If not, we need to figure out a way to see you. We love and miss you. You’ve been so quiet lately. We’re worried about you, Lettie bear.

Well,cream my corn and butter my biscuits.

It’s been well over a week of me dodging her calls and giving her short replies to conceal that I’m no longer at the shelter. I suppose it’s time to put my money where my mouth is. If I’m strong enough to face down Yev, I should be able to tell my pint-sized bestie that I’m back with Tomer.

And that I let him collar me and will absolutely say yes when he asks me to marry him.

My fingertips trace the choker around my neck.

Colorful expressions about corn and biscuits ain’t quite strong enough for this feeling of dread. Let’s see how else I can describe it.

The excrement is about to hit the rotary oscillator, and I'm not wearing a raincoat.

Yeah. That’s more like it.

Chapter 8

But you gotta have faith

TOMER

Boss saunters in without addressing anyone, his sharp eyes studying our positioning around the office. He looks at Klein and Mia who are standing at the whiteboard. Then to the table where Shep, Sawyer, and Jonesy are seated.

After sweeping his gaze past me, he focuses on Mia.“What do you have?” he asks her.

Her.

Not me.

“Um, let’s see.” Mia’s voice falters before she quickly recovers. “We finally got a hit on Yev when he entered a grocery store in south Tampa. He was walking with his head down and hat pulled low, which is probably why we haven’t caught him before now. We got lucky when a gust of wind blew the hat off. After trailing him via the cameras inside the store, we caught him exiting and getting into a vehicle.”

“You get a license plate?” Boss asks.

Her. Again.

If the subtle glances she keeps shooting my way are any indication, Mia senses my frustration. “Tomer handled that.”

Big Al’s cheek twitches when he casts his glare my way.

I pretend it’s fine and report out. “We tracked his vehicle through town, and I got his plate number from a traffic light cam. Vehicle is registered to an Alexei Bugrov. His residence is approximately six miles from the grocery store. Although Yev’s entire drive wasn’t captured due to blind spots in digital surveillance, he seemed to be heading in that direction. Aaron is en route to the location and will attempt to tag the car in case he moves again before we move in. If unable to access the vehicle without detection, he’ll stay behind for surveillance.”

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