raised her brows at Joel. “Are you ready? We have other stops.”
A hard nod.
“Excellent work.” Chloe hurriedly advanced for the exit. “I am most—”
“You already knew all of this. I bet you knew when you first read Ruben’s report. Why the hell did you go through this whole circus with me?” Joel demanded.
“Because even I can be wrong. And I wanted your opinion.” She paused beside Ruben. “Thoughts?” she whispered.
He smiled at her. Leaned forward and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Then he murmured, his breath brushing over the shell of her ear, “Watch yourself with him. I don’t think he will play nicely.”
Why was everyone so obsessed with playing? She didn’t play.
“He’s not the type to say please and thank you,” Ruben noted softly. Then he chuckled.
She didn’t get the joke, but she did get the warning. “See you on Sunday. Our usual date spot.”
He nodded. “You know it.”
Chloe strode briskly down the hallway. She was aware of Joel following her steps. The sooner they got away from the antiseptic and bleach and the bodies, the better she would feel. She shoved open the door and sunlight spilled onto her. Waning sunlight. She’d lost a big portion of the day to the FBI briefing and to the exam with Ruben. She’d also slept far later than she’d intended, but her crash after the night’s events had been considerable.
Richardson barreled toward her.
She gave him a friendly wave and didn’t slow down. “Visiting a friend. You know how it is. Oh, wait. You don’t. I don’t think you have many friends.”
He snarled at her.
“Watch it,” Joel barked right back.
She reached the motorcycle. So did Joel. Joel towered over her. She could feel Richardson’s eyes on them.
“You’re gonna tell me soon why you hate him so much,” Joel murmured.
She considered the matter. “I can do that.” It seemed fair. Especially since Joel had shared so much with her. It wasn’t as if she could tell him her real secrets, and as far her dislike of Richardson? That was certainly public knowledge.
He climbed onto the motorcycle. When she’d ridden with him before, she’d held onto him too tightly. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. She’d hold herself back. There was no need to plaster her whole body against his. She could put a little space between them.
“What are you waiting for?” He offered her a helmet.
She took it. Popped it on her head. Settled in behind him.
“Your hands need to be around my waist.”
She knew that. Absolutely. That hold balanced her the most, though she could always put her hands behind—
“Scared, Chloe?”
Her arms curled around his stomach. “What would I possibly fear when I’m with you?”
“You could be scared…of me.”
Her head turned. She saw Richardson staring at them. No, not them. At Joel. His head was cocked, his eyes narrowed, his face tense.
“I’m not scared of you,” she told Joel. “You were hired to keep me safe, weren’t you?”
“And here I thought you just wanted me for my brain.” He revved the motorcycle’s engine.
“That, too.”
“Where are we going this time?”
“Back to the strip club.” She needed to see that alley before all the light was gone.
He laughed.
Richardson’s frown grew worse.
“How did I know you were going to say that place?” Joel asked.
Because you’re thinking like my partner.
He shot them away from the curb. She could still feel Richardson’s eyes. And she didn’t like the way he was watching Joel.
***
“Why the hell did you talk to Chloe Hastings?”
“Well, hello, Agent Richardson. Great to see you again. I’m good. Thanks so much for asking. Had a bit of a sinus infection earlier this week but—”
“Chloe.”
“I talk to Chloe all the time. She’s one of my closest friends.”
“Chloe Hastings has no friends. She only has people that she uses to suit her own purposes.”
“Um. I guess we can agree to disagree.” He motioned toward the dead body. “Want to examine him? Or go through the other patient files? Or maybe you just want me to cut to the chase and tell you what Chloe and Joel figured out before they left? Would that help? You know, your usual routine. The one where you use the data that Chloe collects in order to make yourself look good.”
Richardson’s eyes became slits. “Why did she bring Dr. Landry here with her?”
Ruben rolled one shoulder in a shrug. “Because they’re dating? Because the guy is hot? I don’t know. Ask her.”
“Did he look at the body?”
“Yes. A doctor looked at the body.”
“You’re compromising evidence chains. You’re