Page 110 of Girl Between

“Why?”

“It’s important for a good working relationship.”

“Is that all this is?” he pressed.

“George …”

“It’s all good,” he said, pulling into the precinct. “Really.” He continued after he put the truck in park. “The moment I met you I knew you were running. I think it made me want to stop running myself. If that’s the case, I owe you my thanks. But I think I’m finally ready to move past the past.”

“I wish I was,” Dana said, offering him a tight-lipped smile.

“Me, too.” George grinned. “Right place, wrong time?”

Dana laughed. “Story of my life.”

“Well, it’s been nice working with you.”

“Are you kicking me off the case because I don’t want to sleep with you?”

George turned three shades of red. “Shit! No, I-I just thought … Shepard’s been called back to D.C. You’re partners. I figured you’d follow.”

“Jake left?”

George nodded, slowly. “I thought you knew. Creed had him back on a flight to D.C. before the ink dried on chain of custody.”

Dana swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t like leaving things undone,” she said. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to stay on and help with the case.”

“Of course. We can use all the help we can get,” George assured her. “Sorry,” he added. “I thought Shepard would’ve told you.”

“Yeah,” said Dana. “That makes two of us.”

96

“Did you know?”Dana demanded as she stormed into the NOPD break room.

“It’s good to see you, too,” Richter amended.

“I’m not in the mood,” she snapped.

“Clearly,” said Richter, pulling her away from the rest of the agents and officers milling about before Creed’s next briefing.

“What the hell crawled up your ass?” Richter asked when they were out of earshot.

“Jake’s back in D.C.,” Dana hissed.

Richter shrugged. “Yeah. And?”

“Am I the only one he didn’t tell?” She threw her hands in the air. “Great!”

“He didn’t know,” Richter said, practically chasing her down the hall as she stomped away from him. “Look, Creed was the only one privy to Nowak’s plan. He enjoyed springing it on Shepard, too. From the look on Shep’s face, he was blindsided.”

“He wasn’t the only one,” Dana muttered.

“From where I stand, Shepard was pretty upfront with his plans to be back in D.C. for the trial.”

“I know, but it hasn’t started yet, and …”

“And?” Richter pried.