Page 29 of Rogue Hope (Hope Landing: New Recruits #4)

The safe house’s generator hummed quietly in the background, a rhythmic counterpoint to Zara’s increasingly erratic heartbeat. Her stiff fingers hovered over the keyboard, each keystroke a battle between determination and the inflammation ravaging her joints.

Behind her, Finn worked silently at his terminal, the soft tapping of keys sharpening the tension rather than breaking it.

“The timing of this evidence is remarkably convenient,” she finally spoke, her voice low but edged with skepticism.

Finn looked up, surprise and mild irritation crossing his features. “Convenient? It’s undeniable. I’ve checked and cross-checked. It leads straight to Reynolds.”

She swiveled her chair toward him, ignoring the pain in her knees as she fixed him with a measured stare. “According to you. But I haven’t verified it myself yet.”

Finn rose, meeting her gaze evenly. “You think I’d make this up? I don’t want it to be true any more than you do.”

She snorted. “Give me a break. It’s the perfect scenario—you get to confirm your suspicions and undermine my closest ally.”

Finn exhaled slowly, visibly controlling his response. “I suspected him because the data pointed in his direction. I didn’t create the evidence. I followed it. That’s how investigations work.”

“For normal people with nothing to hide.” Tired of staring up at him, she pushed herself to her feet. “And we both know where you fall on that scale.”

His jaw tightened. “You can’t dismiss this just because you don’t like what it suggests.”

She headed for the window, needing the distance to clear her head. Outside, sunlight dappled through the trees, mocking her turmoil. “I won’t dismiss it—but I won’t accept it blindly either. Harrison’s integrity is beyond question.”

“No one’s integrity is beyond question,” Finn countered softly, his tone gentle but firm.

She turned sharply, eyes blazing. “I guess you would know.”

Finn flinched. “I’m not asking you to trust my judgment. I’m asking you to trust the evidence. Verify it yourself. Then we make a plan.”

The silence stretched between them, filled with history and unresolved emotion. Zara’s anger slowly subsided into a weary resignation. She exhaled, the tension in her shoulders softening slightly.

“Fine,” she conceded. “I’ll analyze the data independently. Without your influence.”

Finn nodded, visibly relieved. “Understood. I‘ll give you space.” He hesitated briefly before continuing, his voice cautious but determined. “I’ll monitor the perimeter from outside. You’ll have privacy—but not at the cost of security.”

Zara bit back a sharp retort, realizing the practicality of his compromise. She gave a curt nod instead, turning away as he gathered his gear and headed to the door.

He stopped in the doorway. “For what it’s worth, Cipher expects us to fracture. Division benefits him. Just consider that.”

She didn’t respond, listening as his footsteps faded down the porch stairs. Only when silence settled around her again did she allow her tense muscles to ease slightly. She reached for her medication, but the stubborn childproof cap defied her trembling hands.

“Come on,” she whispered fiercely, fighting the growing sense of helplessness. Finally, the bottle surrendered. She swallowed two pills, bitterness lingering on her tongue.

Slowly, she settled back at her computer. Her fingers hovered above the keys, hesitation warring with her determination to uncover the truth. Harrison had always been her rock, her most trusted ally outside of her team.

If Finn was right—if Harrison had betrayed her—she wasn’t sure how she’d recover.

But she had to know.

Drawing a deep breath, she plunged into the data, bracing herself against what she might find.