Page 23 of Girl Between (Dana Gray FBI Mystery Thriller #5)

“Do you two know each other?” Dr. Taurant asked, his bushy brown eyebrows nearly touching his receding hairline.

His words broke Dana from the trance she’d been in at seeing Detective George in her research office. Standing, she abruptly strode over to George, hand extended. “Thank you for stopping by, Detective. May I suggest we speak in private?” she asked, pulling him further into the room.

Then she slid the old, whining pocket doors closed behind him, practically catching Dr. Taurant’s nose between them in the process. Whirling, she faced the smirking detective. “What are you doing here?” she hissed, her voice an icy whisper.

“What? Can’t a friend drop by to see another friend?”

Dana crossed her arms.

That only made George grin further. “This isn’t exactly what I expected,” he said, gesturing to the pretentious room, “but I have to say, Dana suits you better than Jane.”

“Listen,” Dana started. “Last night … I think you should know … I’m not … it’s not something I make a habit of.”

“What?” George pressed, his voice full of humor. “You don’t usually sneak out the morning after you spend the night with someone?”

Dana’s cheeks burned with embarrassment, particularly since the creaking floorboards outside her office told her Dr. Taurant was still there, presumably pressing his ear to the door to catch every word.

“On second thought,” Dana said, “Why don’t we continue this conversation outside?”

Without waiting for a response, she quickly walked to the French doors, turned the antique cremone bolt, and strode out to the gardens. She stopped when she reached the lotus pond, sucking in the fresh air, though it did little to make breathing any easier.

It seemed glaringly obvious that outrunning her past was becoming more difficult each day. Particularly since she kept making mistakes. But she hadn’t expected her most recent one to show up here.

Hearing Detective George’s feet crunch the gravel behind her, Dana turned to face him, ready to nip this in the bud.

“Last night won’t be happening again. And you can’t show up at my place of work like this.”

“I—”

“No,” Dana said, raising her hand to stop whatever argument he had. “I mean it. I’m not who you think I am.”

“And who’s that?” George asked.

Dana lowered her voice, feigning calm despite her flaming cheeks. “Someone who sleeps around.”

George grinned so broadly, his dimples showed.

“Wait … You think …” A laugh escaped him so suddenly, Dana took a step back, but George followed her movement.

He matched it with his own, until he was so close she had no choice but to stand uncomfortably near him unless she wanted to take a swim in the lotus pond.

George lowered his gaze, his hand reaching to tuck a runaway strand of hair behind her ear. His thumb briefly lingered at her neck as he said. “We didn’t sleep together, Dr. Gray.”

“What?” she whispered .

“Trust me, if we did, it would be something you’d remember,” he added with a cocky wink before taking a step back.

With space to breathe, Dana blinked, refocusing. “I don’t understand. Then why are you here?”

“Jake Shepard sent me.”

Dana’s mind cleared suddenly, only to refill with an abundance of anger. “You’re Flynn?”

“The one and only.”

“You said your name was George.”

“And you said yours was Jane.”

“How did you find me?” she demanded.

“Detective, remember? And my name is George. Vincent Flynn George. If you’d stuck around this morning, you could’ve asked. Flynn is an old Army nickname. Bit of an inside joke, but anyway … everyone here calls me by my last name, George.”

Dana’s face reddened again. “So, this is what you do? Stalk people for your old Army friends and harass them at their place of work?”

“I’d hardly call this harassment. Besides, I was in the area for a case. Figured I’d kill two birds. Though finding out you’re Jake’s, Dr. Gray …” he chuckled. “I can see why he’s worried.”

“I’m not Jake’s anything,” Dana said defensively, though every part of her knew the statement was untrue.

“Sure,” George or Flynn or whoever he was replied. “Anyway, now I can tell Jake you’re alive and well, so I’ll be on my way.” He pulled his phone from his pocket, quickly draped an arm around her shoulder, and snapped a selfie before she knew what was happening.

“Hey!” Dana protested.

“Proof of life,” he replied, flashing the photo on his screen toward her.

She groaned at her pale, startled appearance, which looked downright lifeless next to his dimples and vibrant smile.

“I’ll walk you out,” was all Dana offered.