I don't know?
"There's nothing to be sorry for, Tiny," she assured him quietly. "Believe me I know." She emphasized the last word, her gaze steady on his, then she simply said, "Cassius."
Tiny sat back in his seat, slowly nodding his head. He understood. She'd been there. He sighed. "So, I guess this tells us that the saboteur's name must have been on the employee list."
Jackie was silent, her thoughts moving over what the missing papers could mean.
"Doesn't it?" Tiny asked when she didn't immediately agree.
"Maybe," she acknowledged.
Vincent frowned from one to the other. "The name must be on the list. Why else would he take it?"
"To send us in that direction," Jackie murmured thoughtfully.
"What?" Marguerite sat up. "I don't understand."
"The list is easily replaced," she pointed out. "We simply have to have Lily fax us another copy in the morning. So, if the saboteur took the list because his name was on it, it was a waste of time and barely slows us down. But there's another issue here."
"What issue?" Vincent asked.
"How did he know the list was here?" Jackie asked.
Tiny straightened in his seat. "It's someone in the office."
"What?" Vincent frowned.
"There are only two possibilities here," she pointed out. "The only people who could possibly know that Sharon and Lily brought over the list of employees today are the people in your office. Either the saboteur is someone from your office, or the saboteur broke in for another reason and just happened to see the employee list there with his name on it and took the opportunity to steal it."
Jackie pursed her lips, then said, "The second option is possible, but doubtful. It calls for a lot of chance and luck on the saboteur's behalf."
"I suppose this means we should go through the house and make sure nothing else is missing, or has been disturbed," Tiny suggested reluctantly.
"Yes," Jackie agreed with a sigh, her gaze sliding to the clock on the wall. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning. By the time they finished searching the house... She didn't even want to speculate on how late it would be.
"I'll search the house," Vincent said, having caught her glance at the clock. "You and Tiny just check your rooms, then go to bed. I'll check the rest of the house. I'm probably the only one here who knows what belongs where anyway."
"Vincent's right," Marguerite agreed. "It's late for you. I can help him check the house."
When Jackie hesitated, Vincent assured her, "I'll wake you if we find anything wrong."
Jackie felt like she was shirking a responsibility, but nodded and stood. "Then I'll go check my room and go to bed."
Tiny hesitated, then stood as well. "Same here, I guess."
Murmuring goodnight, the two of them slipped from the kitchen and started upstairs.
"Jackie?" Tiny said as they walked upstairs.
"Hmmm?" she asked.
"I'm sorry."
"I told you, it's not your fault, Tiny," she said firmly. "I know. I've been there. Cassius controlled me the same way."
"I know. And I'm not sorry for turning off the alarm. Well, I am," Tiny corrected himself dryly. "But when I said sorry it wasn't about that. I'm sorry for what I said earlier today, about Cassius and Vincent and stuff. I didn't realize what it must have been like. I've thought many times over the years thatę¢¬ell, you weren't in control, so shouldn't let what Cassius made you do upset you so much. I didn't understand how not being in control could be the most damaging part. It's like your own mind betrayed you. Like it let you down. Anything could have happened between my memory of coming down the stairs and walking through the kitchen. I don't even know how much time is missing. It really is scary."
Jackie was silent as they finished mounting the stairs, then turned to him as they reached the upper landing. "Yes, it is scary. But you weren't wrong when you said what you did today. I was judging every immortal by Cassius, and that's wrong. You did me a favor giving me hell today. Vincent isn't Cassius and I was being rude and mean and bitchy to him. I was punishing him for what Cassius did. And he didn't deserve it. You were right about Vincent too, I think he is a nice guy. And I am attracted to him and I was scared by that and reacting badly."
Stepping forward, Jackie gave Tiny a hug. "They have skills and abilities we don't and in some ways that leaves us at a