He was serious.
She swallowed and blinked a few times, unprepared for Riley’s willingness to go to bat for her.
“What gave me away?” She shook out the garment and its complimentary scarf.
“Turning in early,” he said.
“Maybe I’m tired.” She laid the scarf on the bed and held up the long-sleeved, floor length garment.
“You did everything you could to not be in a room by yourself last night,” he said, a softness to his voice.
She swallowed, and her insides quivered.
Erin pulled the garment on over her head and shimmied it in place. The burnt orange color wasn’t something she’d pick, but it was popular among locals. The desert hues always went off well, it seemed. She wrapped the scarf in her best imitation of a hijab. Her mother would no doubt scoff and have a few words, but it wasn’t like she’d ever worn one before her first deployment.
“There. Not my favorite color, but it’ll work. How do I look?” She held out her hands.
“It works.” Riley pushed to his feet. “What is your favorite color?”
“Blue. Why?” She frowned, caught off guard by the question.
“Curious is all. Wait here. I’m going to go get Melody and we’ll make our case to her first. Grant’s going to say no, so our best bet is getting her on our side.”
RILEY JOGGED DOWN THE stairs.
Melody and Grant had retreated to opposite ends of the house, which meant their nightly sparring for who was really in control was over. Riley knew what he was about to do was over the line. Grant wasn’t going to forgive him for this easily, if ever. But it was the right thing to do.
“Hey, Melody?” He leaned against the kitchen counter where she stood going over something on her tablet.
“Hm?”
“Can I speak to you? Upstairs?” He kept his voice low.
Melody didn’t say anything but her body grew still and her gaze slowly slid toward him.
“It’s about Erin,” he said even softer.
Melody jerked her head once.
Here went nothing.
He turned and led the way back up the stairs, sweat breaking out under his arms and along his spine. Before Melody, when the team was divided, he and Grant weighed in with voting. Now that Melody was in the picture, there were three of them in charge. If Riley got her on his side, Grant would be out-voted. He would see this as a betrayal. In Grant’s mind, Riley was his loyal second and should do what he wanted. Riley thought the world of Grant, but the truth was they were human. Grant’s objectivity since Melody’s introduction was shit. More than a few of his judgments were out of spite.
Riley opened the door and ushered Melody into the room with Erin.
“Why do I have a feeling I’m not going to like where this is headed?” Melody turned toward Riley.
“Because you aren’t, but I need you to hear me out because Grant won’t.” And Riley was counting on that last fact hooking her into at least listening to him.
“Go on,” Melody said.
“Erin’s going to be a flight risk for as long as this job lasts if we don’t give her some leeway. I know Grant’s instructions were pretty strict about us not even going to her house for a change or clothes or personals, but that’s not right.”
“I don’t even need to go home,” Erin said.
“What is it you want to do?” Melody crossed her arms over her chest.
“I want to go to the office. Someone has set me up and NexGen wants to cover the whole thing up. I want to know why.” Erin’s eyes flashed.
“We can’t hold her against her will, and I’ve already talked her into not climbing out the window once.” Riley took a deep breath. “It’s a twenty minute drive to her office. Twenty minutes inside and twenty back, we’re gone under an hour.”
“Grant will never go for this, you realize that?” Melody glanced between them.
“That’s why we’re going to vote on it. You’re Grant’s equal. I’m second in command after him. I just need you to see that this is important to fulfilling our job,” Riley said.
“Have you considered how Grant will see this? Going behind his back to talk to me?” Melody clasped her hands in front of her.
Riley winced. He knew Grant had a chip on his shoulder about Melody. Going around him this way with her help wasn’t going to do positive things for the team, but it was the right thing to do.
“I’m willing to do it if you’ll back me up. I know I’m right on this,” he said.
Melody turned toward Erin.
“Is he right? Are you going to be a flight risk?” Melody asked.
“I’m not leaving without answers.” Erin stood up straighter.
“Alright. Fine.” Melody blew out a breath and rubbed her temples. “But we do this up here away from the others. It’s going to cause enough problems without having the rest of the team watching. Erin, wait by the patio doors. Riley, go get Grant. I’m going to tell Brenden to prep to go. Myself, Vaughn and Nolan will stay here.”
Riley could have hugged Melody, but the look on her face was all business.
He opened the door and they each went their separate way. Melody down the hall, he and Erin down the stairs.
Riley found Grant still at the dining table while Nolan and Vaughn were flipping channels.
“Hey.” Riley braced his hands on the table. “Mind if we have a word? Upstairs?”
Grant glanced up, his frown etched deep on his face.
“Sure.”
Riley turned and swallowed. He’d worked side by side with Grant for years, and this was the first time he was going around his Team Leader. Grant had always seen reason so long as they remained faithful to the spirit of
