Page 33 of Caught
When their laughter died down, Jake grew briefly serious. “Good men died because of what Ripley and Alice Broderick did. And we protected some innocents. I’m proud of all of you. And the DEA tells me they’re going to work with Reuben Cowley to get lot numbers on those vials of ketamine. If they pick any up off the street, that’ll go on the list of charges against Ripley Broderick.”
“Are the Brodericks lawyered up?” Ryan asked, already knowing the answer.
“Of course. But the Department of Defense has been watching Alice since Natsuo died. DCIS is sure they have enough to nail them. I love it when all the loose ends get tied up,” Jake said with satisfaction.
Ryan drained his beer and stood.
“Calling it a night already?” Trent asked.
“I have one more loose end to attend to.”
As he made his way to the door, he stopped where Leilah and Marielle stood, now joined by Olivia and Chelsea. Given the way their conversation stopped mid-sentence when he walked up, he suspected he knew the topic.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked Leilah.
“Sure,” she said in a too-casual voice.
As they moved a few feet away, her friends dissolved into peals of laughter.
“This place always reminds me of a high school cafeteria,” he told her. “But this is over the top.”
She blushed. “I was telling them what a good kisser you are.”
He gaped at her. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
She elbowed him. “Relax. I’m joking.” Then she lowered her eyes. “About telling them. You really are a good kisser.”
Now he was blushing. He shook it off. “Listen, I need to take care of something. Are you free tomorrow night?”
“Tomorrow, as in the day after today?”
“That’s the commonly accepted definition of tomorrow,” he said.
She laughed. “I suppose I am. I’m really tired, though. Exhausted even.”
He leaned in and kissed her nose. “So go home and get some rest. Be ready at five. I’ll pick you up.”
“You’re picking me up? I can drive.”
“Not for this date.”
She gave him a long look. “Okay. What should I wear?”
“Anything you want.”
“Not helpful.”
He thought for a moment. “Something green.” Then he swooped in for another kiss, a proper kiss this time, and pretended not to hear the whispers from Marielle, Chelsea, and Olivia.
“Green?”
“Green,” he confirmed. “Five o’clock.”
As he walked away, she called, “Don’t be late.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said over his shoulder.
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