Page 64 of Joshua's Mistake
“We can’t let him get away, Joshua.”
“We won’t.” He was completely sure of himself and something about it brought her peace.
“Okay.”
One side of his mouth tipped up in a half-smile. He leaned in for a quick kiss and then turned toward the men coming down the ridge into the valley.
Joshua’s focus was on the short man in front of the rest. “Agent Blake, I would ask you how you found us, but to be honest I don’t care.” The two men shook hands.
“I do have some resources at my disposal, Lakeland,” Blake said.
“I supposed the FBI does have its uses after all.”
Agent Blake stepped forward until he was face-to-face with Tessa. “Miss Clark, the United States government owes you an apology. I did some digging after the incident at the safe house in New Jersey. You could not have perpetrated any wrongdoing during your mission. I had every phone and wire record pulled confirming that. I also assume the official probe of Joshua Lakeland, a respected Psi Agent, will confirm this. When this mess is over with I’m sure your status will be reinstated if you still want to work for the Psi Agency.”
She’d never heard of the government apologizing for anything. “I appreciate that, Blake. I’ll have to give it some thought. There may be some other opportunities opening up for me.”
Tessa looked over Blake’s shoulder to where Joshua was listening to every word. He smiled, knowing she was thinking about the private agency he’d talked about opening.
Blake cleared his throat. “I owe you a personal apology too. I should have done my digging before.”
She shrugged. “You were following orders.”
“I’m learning sometimes that’s not good enough. I suspect the person who gave those orders may have an agenda that is not in line with the overall desires of the
United States government. I’m looking into it now.”
Joshua said, “I’d be interested in what you find.”
Blake nodded and walked away to oversee the securing of prisoners.
“That guy always pisses me off,” Jess McMean said about the FBI agent before grabbing Tessa in a bear hug. “You okay?”
“I need food and sleep, but otherwise I think I’m fine.”
Jess let her go. “I thought we’d lost you for sure.”
Joshua put a possessive hand on the small of her back. “Not a chance.”
Tessa gave him a weak smile. She knew the assurance Joshua displayed was a lie. He’d been scared, afraid he would lose her. She couldn’t help that her lips tugged up. “He says that, but there was a pretty big chance. If Joshua hadn’t come after me I would never have found my way back.”
“I don’t understand,” Jess said.
“It’s a long story and one that can wait until Tessa has had some rest.”
Jess didn’t argue. He accepted the off-putting statement with a nod. “Sorry it took so long for us to get here. The local police showed up at Will’s and we had a lot of explaining and covering up to do. Then Blake and his men descended on us and I had to decide whose side they were on.”
Joshua listened to every word. “Understood. I’m just glad you arrived when you did. Another few minutes and we would have been finished. When this is all over,
McMean, I’d like to talk to you about a new business opportunity.”
Jess raised his eyebrows. “You going private sector, Lakeland?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. Now seems like a good time to give orders rather than follow them. Especially since the source of those orders has become too obscured in the last few months.”
Jess reached his hand out and Joshua shook it. “I’ll sure be interested in listening to what you have in mind, Josh. First I think we have to get on Banta’s trail and settle this.”
“Agreed.”
