“Angie’s smart and logical. She’ll realize it’s for the best once she thinks about it some more. She’s emotional. It doesn’t help that she’s just gotten over being sick.”
Jared nodded. “She seems to trust you. I’d heard you were hung up on her, but she wouldn’t give you the time of day.”
Jared had been out of the country on assignment for a good part of the past few months, so he’d missed the push and pull between Colt and Angie. Still, people thought he’d been hung up on her? Maybe he had.
Maybe he still was.
“She spent time in the hospital with me after I was shot. When I got better, she cooled off. Seems as if she blamed herself and thought I hated her for it, so she avoided me.”
“She might start avoiding you again once this is over.”
“Maybe. But at least she’ll be alive.” He didn’t really intend to give her the chance though. Yeah, maybe he wasn’t the right kind of guy for Miss Angie Turner, but he wasn’t giving up without a fight. Even if part of what he had to fight was himself. He stood. “I guess I’d better tell her you’ll be here with her so I can head out.”
“Make sure you don’t present yourself as too big a target. I fear she might throw something at you the next time.”
Colt laughed. “Yeah, I got you. I’ll use the door as a shield.”
He didn’t though. He walked back to his bedroom, knocked softly on the door, and entered the room. Angie was under the covers, smashing the channel button on the remote, her eyes glistening with tears. She glanced at him, then concentrated on the TV again.
“I’m sorry, minette.”
She sniffed. “For what? Jenny’s death, or ordering me to leave my phone with you?”
“Both.” He went over and perched on the side of the bed. She still didn’t look at him. Her pretty face was pale and tear-streaked, her eyes puffy. His heart twisted. “I’d do anything to change what’s happened, but I can’t. All I can do is protect you and keep you safe.”
She looked at him, pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Her eyes were wet, wounded. “I hate this, Colt. Hate that I got sick, hate not being in charge of my own life, hate everything that’s happened since Charles left and I got that account.”
“I know.”
“It’s connected. It has to be. Jenny, I mean. She was crying the morning of the fire. When I asked what was wrong, she said it was silly. She said she was crying over photos of her children that had burned though she could just print them again. But if she could reprint them, why cry about it?”
“Some people are strangely emotional about stuff like that.”
“Maybe. But what if she wasn’t? What if it was something else? Maybe she knew something about Charles and the Cardinal Group. Maybe she wanted to tell me about it and somebody killed her to stop her.”
He hated the idea that Jenny might have known Angie’d found something suspect in Martinelli’s files. “Anything is possible at this point.” He paused. “Ang, I have to go out for a while. Jared will be here with you if you need anything.”
“How long will you be away?”
“An hour or two.” He bent and kissed her on the forehead. She didn’t pull away from him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She caught his shirt in a fist before he could sit up again. Their gazes met. “Do you promise?”
“Yes, I promise.”
Her fingers untwisted the fabric. He stood. She was so small in his bed. He wanted to see her there when she was completely better—and he wanted her naked.
“Be careful, Colt.”
“I will, baby. Get some rest. We’ll watch one of those old movies of yours later.”
Ian was waiting for him when he exited the elevator onto the fifth floor.
“I was beginning to wonder if you could pull yourself away for an hour.”
Colt didn’t rise to the bait. “I said I’d be here.”
“Come on then.” Ian turned and led the way to one of the conference rooms. Jace was waiting. Dax.
And Brett.
Colt stopped in surprise. “Brett. Didn’t expect you back yet.”
Brett extended a hand. They shook. “Man, after all you did for me and Tallie, you think I’d stay away when you needed me?”
“You could have finished your vacation. It’s not that dire.”
Brett shrugged. “Both of us were ready to go. Tallie found the pieces she needs for the new store, so she’s eager to get back to it. Besides, when she heard Angie might be in trouble, she knew you’d be involved.”
Colt frowned. “How did she hear about that?”
“Maddy. The three of them have become friends since Tallie moved up here. She also knows Angie had a stomach virus, and she wants me to tell you she’d be happy to help out. Do the shopping, fix a casserole—that kind of thing.”
Colt was touched. He liked Tallie Grant a lot. She was perfect for Brett. She softened his rough edges, made him more human. Like Maddy did for Jace.
Did he have rough edges that Angie could soften?
“That’s sweet of her. Angie’s over the worst of it, but I’ll let you know.”
Ian pulled out a chair and sat. “All right, kids. We ready?”
They took their seats and Dax began the briefing. “We found the account in the Caymans. Angie was right about the number. I had to unscramble it, but it was all there. Account, routing, and pin. Charles Martinelli reversed every third number, then went back in and cut the number into thirds before swapping it again. Which made it into a whole lotta nothing until the program figured it out and made a match
