Page 20 of Tell Me All Your Lies

“Good.”

We’re in a battle of wills as we continue our stare-off.

“Mr. Ross will see you now,” his assistant says, interrupting us.

I look up to see she’s standing and waiting for us to notice that she’s there. She gives me a curt nod before heading into Dodger’s office.

Grant and I stand at the same time, and he gestures for me to go on ahead. It’s infuriating how a simple gesture from him can get under my skin like this.

As I walk into Dodger’s office, I know I have to be confident and ready, regardless of whether the mission now involves my archnemesis.

I can do this.

I’m a professional.

I won’t let Grant Sinclair ruin me.

“Sinclair. Collins. Take a seat,”Dodger says.

He’s tapping away at his computer with a stern expression. It’s the same one I would see on him every day after we both joined the agency. An unsettling feeling washes over.

He won’t look up at us as we take the two empty seats in his sterile office. As I scan his desk, there’s no sign of life. No pictures of friends or family, no decorative objects, and I mean, come on, there isn’t even a plant.

My gaze catches on Grant’s, who has also been assessing the office. He gives me a slight tilt of the head before focusing back on Dodger.

Dodger’s shoulders are tense as he pauses his fingers on the keys. Only a few moments pass before he resumes his work again.

I straighten my posture with my bag in my lap, gripping the strap as a distraction. I don’t normally feel like this when it comes to meetings, but this is unlike any meeting I’ve been part of in a while.

First, Grant surprises me by being here, and now this tactic by Dodger is baffling. Something isn’t normal, and I’m anxious to find out what that may be.

Dodger finally stops his typing and settles back into his worn brown chair. He grips the ends of the armrests as he stares at Grant and me.

“Thank you both for being here today.”

“Of course,” I answer first.

Grant gives a slight nod.

“Well, I’ll get right to it. The agency needs you two so we can get the Marlin.”

“What information do you have for us? You know my work has focused on the Kingpin of Charlotte and surrounding areas.”

“That’s why you two are together.”

I briefly study Grant’s face, and I realize he knows more about the Marlin than I do. His expression is tense as he waits for Dodger to continue.

“Can you bring me up to speed?” I ask.

“The Marlin is the code name for the head of the underground ring we’ve been trying to infiltrate for years. As you may or may not know, there have never been any defining details about the person to come to light. You both have ties to the Marlin, which is why I’ve brought you both on.”

“Right, but we knew that. Do you think that the Marlin is with the Kingpin of Charlotte?”

“Yes,” Grant answers before Dodger can.

My head shakes at how this meeting has evolved in mere minutes.

“Collins, your information and search to date on the Kingpin of Charlotte have been our primary connection to the Marlin until now.”

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