Page 102 of Artifice

“I’m sure he was convincing.”

Denarau frowned. “Unfortunately, he was.”

“But I have to tell you—I saw you in the warehouse a couple nights ago, looking at blueprints with Mr. Thorne. How do you explain that?”

His eyebrows flickered up in surprise. “That was you outside? I should have known. You followed me from the restaurant, I assume.”

She nodded.

“I thought something suspicious was going on there. I trusted Mr. Thorne and asked him to meet. I found that second set of blueprints inside.”

“Who were the men hanging around doing security then?”

“I hired my own team,” he told her. “I could feel the noose tightening, so to speak. I didn’t feel safe. I knew people were watching me, following my every move. So I was proactive.”

“How did you even get tipped off about the warehouse?” Tevin asked.

“I overheard Director Ingraham talking on the phone about it to someone. I wanted to see what was going on with my own eyes.”

Simon stepped out and called for Principal Denarau to join him inside.

Michael muttered another thank you before scurrying away.

Then it was just Olive and Tevin again.

She turned to Tevin. “I was really worried about you, you know. I never wanted you to be in that situation.”

“I know you didn’t. I didn’t mean to put myself in that situation. But I could feel danger closing in.”

She tilted her head. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Tevin.”

He returned the smile, then started to say something.

Before any of the words left his lips, Olive’s phone rang.

It was Rex.

“I guess we should give him an update,” Olive murmured.

“Maybe you should fix your hair first?” Tevin lifted a strand, dried with mud, from her cheek.

After climbing that cliff and being knocked out and placed in those tunnels, she could only imagine how she looked.

“I don’t think Rex cares,” she said. Then she answered the video call.

Rex practically flinched when he saw Olive’s face.

Maybe she should have fixed her hair first.

She gave him the update.

“Good work,” Rex said. “I knew you could handle this.”

That meant a lot coming from Rex. She was one of the junior agents at the agency, so she still had a lot to learn.

“I have an update for you also,” Rex started.

Olive shifted her phone into her other hand. “What’s that?”