Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,34

go.”

Cal turned to Josh. “It wouldn’t take much.”

Josh gave him the biggest smile he could. “I know. But think of the paperwork.”

Snorting, Cal removed his hand from Mullins who huffed as he picked up his coat.

“Do that again and I’ll have you arrested.”

“You can try,” Cal assured him as he picked up his coat and turned to Josh. “Where are the boys?”

Josh pointed to Dave and Rick who’d gotten themselves hot drinks and were relaxing behind them. “You owe me coffee.”

He was a little sulky about his muscle getting a drink while he had to cope with Mullins uncaffeinated.

“I’ll get you the biggest cup I can find,” Cal promised him. His eyes, which had been the color of ice while he stared at Mullins, were now a warm jade. “You deserve it for stopping me throttling Mullins.”

“He’s not worth it,” Josh said dismissively. “We’ll find the information without him.”

“Gil and Max are on it,” Dave assured him.

Cal gave a short laugh. “Remind me never to underestimate you guys again.”

Josh slipped his hand into Cal’s. “First, coffee. Then we’re going to have a very long talk about what you just did there.”

“You mean threatening to kill Mullins?”

“I mean slipping out of the office without telling anyone and leaving your phone behind so we couldn’t contact you.”

Cal flinched. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

“You have a lot of explaining to do, my Charlie.”

Josh was not going to let this one go. Cal did not get to play his spook bullshit and disappear like he had while he worked for the agency. He was the head of a new operation that needed its leader where he could be found.

“We’ll talk back at the office,” Cal said, suddenly looking very tired. He led the way down the stairs without another word. Josh stared after him and then looked at Dave and Rick. They looked as bemused as he felt. What the hell was going on with Cal?

“Follow the leader,” he said, feeling angry and unsure. Neither feeling he was happy about. Josh was used to controlling the situation, not being led around by the nose.

They followed Cal down the stairs, Josh in front, Rick and Dave behind. Josh could hear Rick talking to someone, probably Gil by his tone. Josh was itching to get at his notebook. He needed time alone to think, and not for ordering fucking butt paper.

Instead of talking, the ride back to the office was completed in near silence. Cal stared out of the window, Josh staring at him. He was still bothered about this visit to Mullins. Did Cal really go Secret Squirrel just for a list of properties? Yes, they could find Weatherly in one of them, but Max or Stephen could probably find that information.

Cal and Mullins had history. What kind of history? A nasty thought crept into Josh’s mind. Sexual history? He looked at Cal. Had he and Mullins fucked? No, Cal would have told him, surely.

“Did you fuck Mullins?” he blurted out.

The car lurched forward and Rick made a choking sound.

“What the fuck, Cooper?” Rick barked.

Cal turned to stare at Josh, his mouth open. “What?”

“Did you fuck Mullins? You said you had history.”

“Jesus, no! How could you say that?”

The horrified look on Cal’s face, which he saw in multi-color as they passed the lights outside the car, was enough to reassure him. Cal had never laid a finger on Mullins.

“I had to ask,” Josh said defensively.

“You really didn’t,” Rick muttered from the front. “I nearly lost my lunch.”

Cal shook his head. “I don’t get why you’d even think such a thing. Mullins for Christ’s sake. He’s…he’s…Mullins.”

Josh looked out of the window, his cheeks burning. What had he been thinking? He yelped as he toppled backward. Cal tried to tug him into his arms, which was impossible with the seat belt.

“Cal, enough.”

Cal tugged him as close as possible. “There’s nothing like that between me and anyone in the agency. I promise. I’m not talking to the agency.”

Josh turned his face to whisper into Cal’s ear. “Why did you talk to him?”

“Because he’s the head of a lot of power. Yeah, it’s crumbling, but Weatherly and Sir Gee would have known how to save it. He’s useless, he knows nothing.”

A light went on in Josh’s head. “Someone asked you to step in.”

The silence was Josh’s answer.

“Who asked you?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Does it matter?” Cal sounded weary.

“Not really, if you won’t give me the information.” Josh struggled to sit up, still fighting with the seatbelt. “Is