Page 23 of Girl Between

“To see Dana?”

Jake nodded and Jenkins remained quiet, her face unreadable.

Jenkins and Dana hadn’t parted on the best terms. But that was due to the unfortunate circumstances of Jenkins’ termination. Before that, Jenkins and Dana had been thick as thieves.

Jake had faith the women could restore their relationship. But he had to repair things with Dana first.

“You’re burning through a lot of PTO,” said Jenkins.

“Yeah, well considering my last few years at the bureau, I’d say I earned ‘em.”

“Jake, my replacement isn’t going to be as lenient on you as I was.”

“I can handle the new director.”

“Do you want to?” she asked.

Sighing, he took another sip of his drink, again regretting the absence of alcohol. “Some days I don’t know. Maybe you have the right idea, Jenks.”

Jake looked out at the sparse yet stunning landscape. Nevada was beautiful, but it wasn’t home. It never had been. It was an address, nothing more. But then again, the true idea of home had always been foreign to Jake.

He’d spent his life fighting for freedom in the Army, then justice with the FBI. It was a nomadic, lonely lifestyle. One he thought he was destined for. But then he met Dana, and dammit if she didn’t change everything.

Dana Gray made him want more. The stubborn woman felt the same way, he was sure of it. The trouble was, she was afraid to let herself admit it.

He understood the notion.

Admitting what they wanted meant admitting they had something to lose. And for two people who’d already lost so much, that was terrifying.

“Are you thinking about leaving the FBI?” Jenkins asked.

Jake shrugged. “I think about it all the time, but then I think about how much more there is to be done, how many more lives need saving.”

“There’s always the private sector,” Jenkins suggested. “You might be surprised how much good you could do there without all the bureaucracy.”

“Honestly, I never considered selling out to go private. But after the Reaper case …” he trailed off, momentarily lost in the nightmare that had shattered the life he’d built in D.C.

Jake still couldn’t quite believe how wrong he’d been. Dana was the only one to see the truth. Little good it’d done.

He knew she hadn’t wanted to be right. Being right about their last case was like being right about an earthquake or a hurricane. Truth offered little comfort in the face of catastrophe.

Surviving such a disaster was hard enough. The uphill battle that followed might be even worse. Particularly with the knowledge that their lives would never be the same again.

Jake scrubbed his hand across his face, as though he could wipe away the memories. “I don’t know, Jenks. I always thought justice should be free, but maybe going private is a better way to get things done.”

“Shepard Solutions has a nice ring to it,” she said. “I’d back that in a heartbeat.”

He huffed a dry laugh. “I’ve got enough to figure out at the moment.”

“Just saying it’s something to consider.”

“Maybe. But first we need to discuss Paris.”

“I’ve given my two cents. Whatever you decide is between you and Wade,” Jenkins replied.

“I don’t see what she’ll gain from knowing the truth. What if it sends her into a manic episode?”

“Since when do you deal in ‘what ifs’?”