Page 68 of Operation: Sharp Angel

They exited the building and got in.

“In that case, then yes, I’d like to go to my house and get a few more things,” she said.

Uniform

Becca stood in her entry, her gaze taking in the sight. “How?” she asked.

“Surprise,” Tessman said. “Shepherd hired someone.”

Her entire house had been picked up, cleaned, righted.

“You may not be able to find anything as I’m sure they didn’t put things away where you had them, but it’s all off the ground,” Tessman said.

Tears pricked her eyes, happy, thankful tears. “I can’t believe he did this. I’ll never be able to thank him enough.”

“Well, Angel may have had a hand in it too,” Jackson said, stepping in behind them.

“Your wife is a total sweetheart,” Becca said. “Red or white?”

“Excuse me?” Jackson asked.

“Wine, red or white? I want to get her a bottle or two as a thank you for everything she’s done to help me,” Becca said.

“Red. She’ll only accept it if you come to our house and enjoy it with her,” Jackson said.

“I’d like that very much,” Becca replied.

“What did you want to get?” Tessman asked attempting to prompt her into moving past the entry.

“Clothes, upstairs,” she said. “Is it okay to go up?” She nodded to the stairs.

Tessman drew his weapon. “Let me check it out first,” he said. “Stay here with Jackson.”

She watched him mount the stairs. Waiting at the foot of the stairs, she kept her eyes trained on the hallway upstairs until he came back into view.

“It’s clear. Come on up.”

The upstairs was similarly righted. Becca grabbed a tote bag from the closet, taking in all the clothes that were now neatly hung. “A woman must have been involved in cleaning the mess up,” Becca said after she’d opened and closed several drawers, pulling clothes out and putting them into the tote bag.

“Why do you say that?” Tessman asked.

“Just the thought put into what is in each drawer and the fact that everything is folded or hung so neatly,” she said.

“I’ll have you know I fold and hang clothes very neatly, too,” Tessman said jokingly. “It’s not just a female trait.”

Becca smiled at that. “I’ll reserve judgement on that one until I see your place and the condition the closet and dresser drawers are in.”

Tessman glanced back at the door. Jackson was downstairs. She still faced the dresser, searching the drawers and pulling more items of clothing out. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “So, you would like to see inside my drawers, huh?”

She chuckled. “Oh, I’ve seen what’s in your drawers.” Her tone was as light and flirty as his.

“And you’d like to see more?”

Becca folded the T-shirt in her hands and slipped it into the bag before she turned to face him. She set the bag onto the floorand then wrapped both of her arms around his neck. “Yes, I’d like to see more. I’d really like to get to know you better during normal life.”

“Normal life?” he repeated.

“Well, during my normal life when I’m not being protected, when I won’t need to be.” And that was when it occurred to her. “But this is your normal life, isn’t it?”

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