Page 18 of The Rough Ride

Chan didn’t say a word but gathered a binder, burner phone, and her eyeglasses. “Let’s go.” She locked her door on the way out and shoved the keys in her pocket.

They walked quickly and in silence to Liz’s office. The major locked the door from the inside after she shut it.

“Show me.”

Liz pulled up the social media post and stood back, allowing Chan the chair.

The major steepled her hands and sat for a few seconds. “This is a prime example of why we don’t allow personal deliveries at work, Liz.”

A wave of unfounded guilt rolled over Liz. “I understand, ma’am. Believe me when I say that I still don’t know who sent them.” She reached for the vase.

Chan leaped up and grabbed her hand. “Don’t touch them. Forensics will be here in a few minutes to bag and remove them. Here, just sit while I make a few calls.”

Liz listened in horror as the major requested a forensic team on the 7thfloor, initiated a complete download of every computer, and called in a Code Blue to freeze online access for the entire building.

When the voice on the other end of the phone questioned her, she raised her voice. “Kill it, Victoria.”

Forensics arrived minutes later.In Hazmat suits.

The major unlocked the door and let them in. “Come with me, Liz.”

Liz reached for her purse.

“No purse right now. The team will scan and search it. It’ll be returned when they’re done.”

Oh. My. Goodness. “Okay.” She followed the major back to her office and steadied herself in a chair.

The major sat next to her. “I need to ask you some questions.”

Liz swallowed hard. “Yes, of course.”

“Think back. Have you made any new friends? Mentioned to anyone what you do for work? Flirted with someone? Got a new love interest? A new daycare provider? Is there anyone new in your life, Liz?”

Liz pursed her lips and gave a definitive shake of her head. “No. There’s no one new in my life. I never tell people that I work here. I’ve told people that I work for Homeland Security but never go into detail. You need to understand, Major, my life is very limited in scope right now. I have an infant at home. Most nights when I’m done here, I head home to nurse Ella and relieve my mother from her babysitting duties. The most socializing I do involves buying diapers at the Big4Less on the way home from work.”

“Has anyone flirted with you? Accidentally bumped into you?” Natalie sat back and waited.

“No. No one new.”

“Someone from your past, then?”

Shit.Now she’d drag Nick into this. “I’ve had an on-again, off-again relationship with my high school sweetheart for the past ten years. And for the record, he doesn’t know about Ella, and I want to be the one to tell him. We had dinner together a few nights ago. The same day the roses arrived at my office. I hadn’t talked to him in a few weeks, but texted and asked if he’d sent the flowers. He saidno,and that night he showed up at my home with his own flowers and a supper invitation.”

“Do you trust him?”

Oh no, she was not going there. That was a trick subjective question, which would lead to twenty other questions. “You’ll have to make your own decision on that matter. He’s a decorated veteran with ten years of service.” She recited Nick’s legal name and military ID. She’d memorized his ID years ago, along with a few others because she often had access to casualty lists and searched them first for those she loved.

A knock on the door ended the conversation. It was the Hazmat guys with her purse and keys.

Liz stood up. “Am I free to leave, Major?”

“Yes. There’s nothing else you can do here today. Go home. Please remember that the questions and cloak and dagger protocols are not personal. They’re procedures.”

“I understand, see you tomorrow.”

Liz held her head high, even though sadness for the hostage situation and Marion’s loss weighted every step as she headed for her car. After dropping into the front seat, she turned on the AC, and checked her messages in the parking lot. An impromptu invite to dinner at Nick’s renovated loft greeted her.Hell, yes.Dinner with Nick would go a long way toward shaking off the day’s events. She checked with her mother. It was book club night at the house. There’d be plentyof loving arms and kisses for Ella. And Liz was so glad she’d dropped the late afternoon pump for Ella.

For once in her life, she didn’t overthink or analyze it. She tapped Nick’s address into the GPS and turned onto the highway ramp toward his place.

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