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Now he was her jailer. But that wasn’t entirely his fault. Mike was just following orders.
His gaze lingered on her face. A myriad of thoughts played out across his features, but then he smiled softly. “It’s good to see you, Elizabeth.”
Camaraderie and warmth washed over her, along with a healthy dose of guilt. Until recently, Mike believed she was dead.She couldn’t imagine what that must’ve been like for everyone on her team, hadn’t let herself think about it. Betrayal took on many layers, and although she hadn’t intended to hurt them, she had. “It’s good to see you too, Mike.”
He settled into a hard plastic chair. “So… you’re a mom now.”
“Sort of. I have a foster son, and I’m going through the adoption process.” She took the seat across from him. “What about you? Still dating Patricia? I figure you two must be married by now.”
He winced. “No. We broke up a few years ago. She couldn’t handle the long hours and constant secrets.”
“I’m sorry.”
Mike shrugged. “Better to find out before we’re married than after.” His expression brightened. “My baby brother got into MIT, if you can believe it. He’s a sophomore now.”
Pride filled his voice, and it brought a smile to Ellie’s face. Mike had practically raised his little brother after their mom died when he was eighteen. He’d put himself through college, joined the FBI, and somehow figured out how to balance career and parenthood. It hadn’t been easy, but Mike had built a village around him—neighbors, teachers, church members, colleagues, and extended family. He was the reason Ellie had felt confident raising Owen as a single mom, knowing she had her own circle of support.
“That’s wonderful, Mike, but not surprising. Jack ran circles around our team in mathematics when he was in junior high. Remember how he used to challenge us to take the Mensa tests with him so he could practice? He’d cream us every time.”
Mike chuckled. “Some of the guys refused to compete with him.” His expression grew warm again. “But not you.”
“I like a challenge.” She sipped her coffee. “And it was a joy to watch him excel. Watching someone do something they’re great at… it’s inspiring.”
The door leading to the exam rooms swung open and Special Agent in Charge Vincent Maddox strolled through. Maddox was the epitome of Bureau polish, from his pressed dark suit to his crisp white shirt and the blue silk tie knotted precisely at his throat. His blond hair was slicked back, and his ice-blue eyes swept the room with an assessing gaze. He carried himself with a confidence that had always struck Ellie as bordering on arrogance.
They had never seen eye to eye.
She rose. “How’s Daniel?”
“Fine. The bullet was almost a through and through. The doctor excised it, cleaned the wound, and stitched him up. He’ll need IV antibiotics and rest, but he’ll make a full recovery.”
Ellie let out a shaky breath as relief flooded through her. “Can I see him?”
“Not yet.” Vincent’s attention flickered to Mike. “Tanner, keep Ranger Perez company while I speak to Agent Conway.”
Mike nodded sharply and strode toward the exam room without casting a look in Ellie’s direction. It was as if they hadn’t shared that warm moment earlier. Vincent’s presence had a way of wiping out anything that wasn’t duty-bound and official. It bothered her that he’d taken over the team after James retired.
“This way.” Vincent turned on his heel and started walking, fully expecting Ellie to fall in line behind him. She bristled, but there were questions she needed answers to. So she tossed her coffee in the trash and trailed him to a small conference room.
Vincent placed the protective sleeve containing the items from her house in the center of the table. He didn’t sit. Neither did she.
“I’m going to ask you some questions, Agent Conway, and I expect answers.”
Agent Conway. After three years in hiding, the title felt both familiar and foreign, like an old coat she’d long since outgrown.Ellie’s mouth lifted in a sardonic smile. “I’m a civilian now, Maddox. And you haven’t read me my rights.”
He rested his hands on the back of a chair, his expression impassive. “Would you prefer I put you in a holding cell? Fingerprint you? How do you think your adoption application will fare when the judge learns you lied about your identity to the court?” He paused, letting the words hang heavy. “Right now, Agent Tanner and I are the only ones at the Bureau who know you’re alive. That could change, depending on your cooperation.”
Her gut twisted, but she refused to let him see her fear. “What do you want to know?”
“Where is the evidence Lena gave you?”
She chuckled. “You think I have it?” Ellie shook her head. “You’re a bit late to the party, Maddox. No one knows where the evidence is. That’s why the Iron Fist and Tobias are hunting me down. Both of them would love to get their hands on it. And they’re not the only ones.” She watched his reaction carefully. “There’s a rat in your department.”
Not a flicker of surprise crossed his face. “What makes you think that?”
“No one answered the emergency number I called, for starters. I was left high and dry.”
“Probably because no one except Callahan knew you were alive.” Vincent held her stare. “When I took over as Special Agent in Charge, no one informed me of your name change or that you’d been given a number to contact. You might want to ask yourself why that is.”