Page 96 of Hidden

“I should take this to Tom. He’s only seen the first package. I’m sure with this and Upwood being back in the news I’ll get permission to work on it again.”

He folded his arms, the package in one hand. “You being on this story is detrimental to your wellbeing and I don’t like it.”

Carrie blinked several times, her mouth opening and closing again before she was able to speak. “You don’tlikeit? It’s my job Peter. I don’t like the idea of someone blowing you to smithereens, but you don’t see me trying to stop you from doing your job.”

His eyes closed, and he blew out a long breath. “I’m not trying to stop you from doing your job, Carrie. I’m just saying maybe you should try listening to your boss on this one.”

“Don’t you dare make this about my lack of submissive tendencies.”

“What? Where did that come from?” He ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I’ve really got to get to work.” He held up the package. “I’m taking this with me. We’ll open ittogetherwhen I get back. Do not leave this apartment. Gage is on his way over.”

Carrie opened her mouth, intent on arguing with him, but he held up his hand.

“I mean it Carrie. If you need to go to work, that’s fine, but Gage will take you. I wasn’t going to tell you, but you’re a damned journalist, so you’ll find out soon enough. I just got word that a body was found in Chicago. It was Savannah, baby.”

Carrie’s hand flew to her mouth. “Do you think Upwood killed her?”

Peter shook his head. “I’m not saying he didn’t have something to do with her death, but I don’t think he actually did it. He flew to Chicago on Friday, but it was for his daughter’s recital and he was never out of his details’ sight.”

Peter looked at his phone and winced. “Baby, I’m sorry. I want to stay here and make sure you’re OK, but I really have to get to work. I promise I won’t be gone long.”

Carrie gave him a small smile. “I’ll be OK. I’m just in shock. I didn’t really even know her that well. I had just shared a few drinks with her when I was visiting the club. Why was she in Chicago?”

Peter pulled her close and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.” When she heard the lock click into place, she finally let the tears she’d been holding in fall. As she cried, she vowed to get justice for Savannah and the other women who were missing.

24

WORK was a nightmare from the moment Peter arrived in his bosses’ office where he got the full story on the body in Chicago. It was being kept under wraps, but a photo of her sitting in Upwood’s lap was pinned to her corpse. “We’re trying to keep it quiet, but if the media finds out, the president will be forced to ask him to resign, at which point, he’ll be free to hire his own private security,” Higgins said.

“Understood. If that’s all, sir, I’d like to get to the hospital and check on him.”

Higgins dismissed him, and Peter drove to the hospital. Upwood was awake and refusing pain meds.

“I’m fine. It was barely a scrape. Tell these idiots to send me home. I can hire a nurse.”

Peter shook his head. “No, sir. We’re going to listen to the medical professionals on this. If they’re satisfied with your numbers, you’ll be discharged in the morning.” The FBI insisted on questioning each of his men and Upwood who was not happy. He lost his temper with half a dozen nurses and three different FBI agents. Every time, his blood pressure and heart rate set off a flurry of beeps and chirps.

“Director, please calm down,” Peter said, for what must have been the tenth time since he arrived on scene.

“Stop fuckin’ telling me to calm down. I’m not a child. I have a right to be angry about the way this mess is being handled. Look at me, I’m being treated like a common criminal.”

Peter wanted to point out that a regular citizen in his situation would likely have been hauled into a police interrogation room and possibly even have been arrested. They definitely wouldn’t be holed up in a fancy government financed safe house with a full staff waiting on them hand and foot. He didn’t say any of that, though. Just once again explained why they needed his cooperation to get through this process quickly.

Once the FBI left for the evening and he’d checked in with his team, he said goodnight, promising to return before the doctor made his morning rounds.

Carrie would be champing at the bit to open the package that had been dropped at his doorstep, but had a couple of stops to make before he got home. The first being the grocery store, and the second being his building security office to see if they had the footage he requested. Hopefully, they would catch a glimpse of whoever brought the package. It had Carrie’s name on it, which disturbed him. How did whoever dropped it off know she was staying at his place?

After picking up the flash drive of security feeds, he carried his grocery haul to his apartment. When he opened the door, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of Carrie curled up in his recliner sound asleep. It would be so easy to get used to her being here when he came home.

Quietly, he shut the door and tiptoed to the kitchen where he dropped his bags. Then he went to his bedroom to strip off his jacket and lock up his gun. Back in the kitchen, he began arranging ingredients to cook dinner.

Soon, his kitchen filled with the scents of spices, herbs and roasted vegetables. When he turned from the stove to grab a spoon from the island drawer, he found a very sleepy-eyed Carrie standing in the doorway watching him.

“Hey little one,” he said with a smile. “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes. Hope you’re hungry.”

“Starved. It smells delicious. I didn’t even hear you come in.”

“One of my many superpowers,” he said with a wink.

---