Jameson (In the Company of Snipers #22) - Irish Winters Page 0,53

here. Already gave an initial statement to the sheriff. His coroner’s onsite and an FBI forensic team is on the way. I’m going to catch up with Hunt.”

“Keep in touch.”

“Copy that.”

Alex had barely disconnected the call when his other problem, Mother, opened his door without knocking and stalked in. Today she wore a no-nonsense silvery gray business suit, black heels, and a white silk blouse, its collar tucked smartly under the lapels of the suit. She settled into the chair in front of his desk, leaned forward, and, with one hand, pushed his nameplate aside. She crossed her arms and interlocked her fingers without breaking eye contact.

She’d changed since she’d returned after her daughter’s death. He’d thought her long hiatus would’ve helped her come to terms with losing Dempsey. But she’d come back to The TEAM with a tough, flinty edge. Reminded him of the hard ass he’d been after he’d lost Sara and Abby.

Mother was clearly still in pain, and a child’s death would take the rest of her life to process. That didn’t entitle her to a partnership, though. He didn’t appreciate the leverage she’d assumed she had, that she’d only stay if he made her his partner. Bottom line, he had Ember, Beau, and Maddie Bannister working technical support, and each of them brought positive energy to The TEAM, not tit-for-tat. They were straight with him, and they minded their business, a trait Mother didn’t seem to think mattered.

But it sure as hell did. He waited while she stared him down. As if her glare came close to intimidating a Devil Dog? Not hardly. When she didn’t speak up and spit it out, he charged. “What do you have for me?”

“Information.”

His head throbbed at her continual cat-and-mouse game. “I don’t have time for this,” he growled. “Support my TEAM or pack your desk and leave.”

“I know where Jameson and Maddie are.”

“And you didn’t lead with that?”

“I wanted to discuss my offer first.”

“I have people missing, possibly injured or dead, and you want to talk business? Get the fuck out!”

Her back stiffened, well, so the hell did his. Good people didn’t hold back when their teammates’ lives were on the line. They threw in and they gave all.

“Where are they?” he growled.

“Face it, Alex,” she snapped. “You need a partner and that person is me. You’re not a businessman. You want to be out there looking for your people, not sitting behind a desk twiddling your fingers. And Mark—”

“Did you tell Mel Stewart where I was today? Did you break protocol and share my wife’s secure location with someone you didn’t know or investigate? Without checking with me first?”

“Of course! He said he was your father. For Christ’s sake, Alex. He looks just like you.”

And that was the last straw. There was a time Alex thought Mother worked miracles. Not anymore.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the nasty retort on his lips. Mark popped his head in and advised, “Your helo’s on its way, Boss. ETA to Adam’s location in twenty minutes, once you’re in the air. Car’s running to get you to the helo pad.”

“Thanks, Mark. Don’t go anywhere. You were saying?” Alex asked Sasha Kennedy, the woman he’d thought he’d known and trusted since the day he’d hung his shingle on King Street.

But she’d changed since she’d lost Dempsey. Her usually soft blue eyes were hard as flint today. “I only want what’s best for this business.”

He didn’t have time to argue. “We’ll continue this conversation later.”

“I won’t be here.” She was on her feet, and her temper was up.

How Alex saw through her bravado just then, he didn’t understand. Yet he did. She was him all those hard days and months after he’d lost his family. After the accident, back when he’d struggled like hell to focus on making it through one damned day after another without them. Making everything worse for Mother, he and Kelsey had just welcomed a son, while Ember and Rory were pregnant and due soon. Had she kept that secret from Sasha? Was that what was really going on here? Unrelenting grief in the face of another’s joy? Jealousy because her baby was gone, and Ember was finally carrying hers to full term? That Kelsey and Alex had the exquisite happiness Mother wanted? Short answer—maybe.

Mark was waiting, but Sasha was ready to walk away from the best friends, quite possible the only friends, she’d ever had. Alex couldn’t let that happen. “Please stay,” he said more gently. “Take a