You’ve been through enough because of him. Let the FBI do its job. Other behavioral analysts exist, you know. Someone will get him to talk. This isn’t on you. Really. Just say no.”
Kaely had to smile. “Not sure repeating Nancy Reagan’s antidrug motto from the eighties will help me.”
“You know what I mean. Couldn’t talking to him be dangerous?”
Kaely shook her head. “No, I seriously doubt it. He’ll be chained. He can’t hurt me.”
“Maybe not physically, but I worry about what this will do to you emotionally.”
Kaely picked up her fork and jabbed at a piece of crab. “But what if Chief Sawyer is right? What if Ed is willing to talk to me? How can I live knowing someone died because I couldn’t face my fears? Omaha obviously didn’t call in the BAU because they think I’ll have more success.” She sighed. “They really believe I’m the only one who can get my father to talk.”
“For crying out loud, Kaely. You’re not responsible for everything.” He tapped his fork on the side of his plate with force. “I don’t think you should be put in this position. And, frankly, I have to wonder how the Omaha office feels about you questioning your dad. Why did the request come from Chief Sawyer? Why didn’t it come from them?”
“Good point,” Kaely said, frowning. “Maybe they don’t want me.” A spark of hope ignited inside her. If Omaha didn’t want her to confront her father, she couldn’t do it. “But why would Chief Sawyer come all this way if he thought Omaha would resist bringing me in?”
Noah shrugged. “What did you pick up from him?”
“I didn’t detect any dishonesty. He was nervous, though.” Kaely took a deep breath. “I can read people’s physical reactions, but I don’t know exactly why he was uncomfortable. Was it because he knows Omaha isn’t behind his request? Or was it because he didn’t like having to ask me to do what he knew would be traumatic for me? I wish I knew the answer.”
“I assumed you could read Sawyer and figure out what he was thinking. You seem to know every thought that pops into my head.”
Kaely paused a moment. “Some of them. Not all. Ever since we came back from Nebraska, I’m almost never sure what you’re thinking. I wish you’d talk to me about it.”
Noah’s expression immediately tightened. “We’ve gone over this more than once, but I’m not convinced you get it.”
“You’re still angry about what happened in Darkwater?”
Noah stared at her a moment before answering. “You put yourself in terrible danger, Kaely. I understand the original plan, but you pushed it way too far.”
“I just wanted to make sure we brought down our perp.”
Noah swore. “At what cost? Your life?” He shook his head. “And it wasn’t the first time.”
Kaely felt a flash of anger. “Look, nothing is more important to me than doing my job. No matter what it takes.”
“I know that, believe me.” He took a drink of his soda and then put the glass down. “Look, let’s just leave it. We’re friends. That will never change. I just . . . I just can’t get too close to you. You’re dangerous. I didn’t think I could make it after Tracy died. If anything happened to you . . .”
Kaely searched his face. She knew what he was saying, but neither one of them had admitted to the feelings that had developed between them. It seemed that the only way Noah could cope was to keep their relationship in the friend zone. That was okay with her, but their friendship wasn’t the same because of the wall he’d built around himself. She couldn’t get through it no matter what she said or did. Not knowing what else to say, she picked up her fork and stared at a piece of shrimp.
“Are you going to actually eat that or just admire it?”
Kaely put her fork back in her salad. “I seem to have lost my appetite. I think I’ll take this back to the office and put it in the fridge. It will make a great supper.”
“Do you have any other food at your place?” Noah asked, his tone dry.
“Sure. I have plenty of food, thank you.”
“I’m not talking about cat food.”
Kaely frowned at him. “Okay, maybe not much human food. I’ll get to the store. I’ve been busy.”
“Busy in your war room? Still looking over cold cases from across the country?”
“Maybe. Talk about reading someone’s mind. I think you might be