Page 112 of Hidden

Carrie lifted an eyebrow. “Missing?”

Gage nodded. “That’s the other piece of news. Boomer missed his last check in with his handler.”

Peter stood and for a second Carrie thought he might hit him. “Why the hell didn’t you lead with that?’

Carrie stood. “I’m gonna call Gina.”

Peter stopped her. “You’re forgetting something.”

Carrie huffed. “Seriously? You’re going to enforce that now?”

“Ask me.”

She threw a glare at Gage because he wasn’t being helpful. “Can I please go call Gina? I assume you don’t want to be there for that conversation, Sir.” There may have been a hint of sarcasm in the honorific, but it was the best he was going to get.

He chuckled and cupped her cheek. “Yes, baby. Use my office. I might run to the gym. I skipped my workout this morning.”

In his office, Carrie dialed Gina’s number.

“Great show last night, Carrie. What’s up?”

“I need a favor. I might you to work a source for me. Before you get defensive, I think it’s going to lead to a major story for the show and UNN will have the exclusive.”

“I’m listening,” Gina said.

“How connected is your NSA source?”

Gina sucked in a breath. “You’re not asking me to reveal a source, are you?”

Carrie slowly spun in the office chair and looked around the office as she debated just how much to tell her. “No. But I need you to reach out to them. A friend might be in trouble and I have reason to believe they’re doing deep cover work for the NSA. It would be easier to give you the whole story in person.”

A clacking noise came through the phone and she knew Gina was typing something. “Let’s do lunch before the rundown today. We can talk then. Give me something, here, Carrie. What kind of story are we talking about?”

She worked her bottom lip between her teeth. “Let’s just say there might be a pretty sinister reason for all the assassination attempts on Corbit Upwood and leave it at that. I have my own source to protect right now, but I’ll be able to lay everything out for you soon.”

Gina whistled. “OK. You’ve got my attention.”

Knowing she needed to clear things with Gage but not wanting her to know she had a bodyguard, she said, “I’ve got a couple of appointments before I come in this morning, so I’ll let you know if lunch works as soon as I get there.”

The two talked for a few more minutes before Gina said she had to get to an appointment. Setting the phone on the desk, Carrie turned in her chair and looked around the office once more at the various plaques and photos that were scattered about. A small frame on his desk caught her eye. Instead of a photo, it had a quote. She leaned closer to read it.

“I hate journalists. There is nothing in them but tittering jeering emptiness. They have all made what Dante calls the Great Refusal. The shallowest people on the ridge of the earth.”

? William Butler Yeats

Carrie gasped as she read and reread the words. As a journalist, it was a quote she’d heard often. It just wasn’t something she ever expected to find on someone’s desk. Did Peter really hate journalists that much or was it just one journalist that was the object of his ire? She picked up the frame and read the words again, trying to decide if it was worth confronting him about.

“It was a Christmas gift from my mother after Pam died.” Carrie lifted her head at the sound of Peter’s guilt laden voice. He stood in the doorway in a sweat-soaked T-shirt and jogging pants, looking delectable as ever. “Her not-so-subtle way of reminding me not to trust a journalist again,” he said as he made his way into the room.

“Oh, she’s going to love me, isn’t she?”

Peter leaned across the desk and plucked the frame from her hands. “I did feel this way at one time,” he confessed as he stared down at the words. “And I still feel that way about Gigi, but you’ve changed things for me.”

Carrie’s insides twisted as she stared at him. “I just hope it stays that way, Peter. I don’t want to open up old wounds or have your mother hate the woman you’re dating.” She nodded at the frame still in his hand. “You kept that on your desk for a reason.”

“My mother lives in Hawaii, and her opinion doesn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter if she lived in this apartment with me. I understand why she feels the way she does, but I’m not going to give you up just because she has hard feelings towards my ex. And this,” he said holding up the quote, “is going in the trash. I admitted I used to feel that way, but I don’t anymore. I just forgot it was here. I’m sorry you had to see it.” He laid the frame face down on the desk and opened it up. Pulling out the card stock with the quote on it, he proceeded to rip it into multiple pieces and let them fall from his hand into the trashcan near his desk. When the last piece fell into the can he came around the desk and tucked the now empty frame into a drawer. He placed a hand on both arms of the office chair and leaned in close to her. “Please don’t let this change your opinion of me.”

Carrie leaned up and snaked her arms around his neck. “I love you, Peter,” she whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers. “You’ve changed my perception of a few things too. We’re both learning and growing here I think.”

---