Conversation flowed around her, and she withdrew into herself a little. It seemed unbelievable that all the people in the room were working hard to help her. It was unexpected, but she was grateful for them.
She was effectively a stranger, yet it didn’t matter.
Again, she wondered what would’ve happened if she’d been alone? More than likely, she would’ve fallen into a panic attack, and it would’ve taken her a long time to pull herself out of it.
In all likelihood, it would’ve sent her over the cliff, and she would’ve never left her apartment again.
Chapter Sixteen
Jag’s admirationfor Steff’s strength grew as she withstood the events of the day. They still weren’t any closer to finding out who the delivery guy was and what the note meant.
Steff was with Cass in her office, and so it was him and his friends alone in the conference room. Ox and the others had all filtered out to attend to other matters.
Now he had the opportunity to voice what he hadn’t wanted to in front of Steff.
“I had a thought, but didn’t want to say anything, because I figured it was too far-fetched to be reasonable.” He addressed his friends.
“We’ve seen enough to know that even the most absurd thoughts can end up being right. What’s on your mind?” Fox grabbed the stylus, ready to take notes on his tablet.
“What if itisrelated to what Steff and Cynthia went through?” Saying it out loud didn’t make him feel any easier about it.
Why would Steff be the one weird things were happening to?
Why not anyone else?
They hadn’t kept track of the other people who’d been in the shipment with Steff and Cynthia. Their focus had been on the two of them, and the other authorities had dealt with the rest.
But what if they’d missed something? Or someone?
“I thought we already eliminated the possibility Viktor would go after them?” Deal said.
“We did, and I did say it was out there. But there was something else.”
“What?” Fox made a couple of notes, and then looked at him.
“The first time I went over to Steff’s place, as I got close to her door, I felt like someone was watching. I was the only one who entered the building. I made sure I closed the front door behind me. No one joined me in the elevator. But…” He shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t need to say anymore. His friends knew what he was getting at.
“Did you see any cameras around? Or any holes in the ceiling to suggest someone had placed a camera in the vicinity?” Hound also made some notes on his tablet.
“There was nothing. I looked, and when I left, I didn’t have the same feeling. I didn’t get it when I got there last night, either.”
Had he imagined that prickling sensation? Had he wanted to be her hero so badly that he created a scenario in his mind?
These were possibilities he hadn’t thought of, but he was pretty sure he wasn’t losing his mind.
“I’m guessing you checked to see if there were any doors ajar?” Fox tapped the stylus against his lower lip.
“Yep, and there weren’t any. I’m wondering now if I wanted something to be wrong, so I conjured up the feeling in my mind.”
Hound scoffed. “Did you ever do that once on a mission where you knew that danger could lurk around every corner?”
“No.” He could see what his friend was getting at.
“Then it’s highly unlikely you made it up,” Hound reasoned. “We all trust our instincts. We know they’ve all gotten us out of situations where things could’ve gone south very quickly. Don’t doubt yourself. If you felt something, then you felt it.”
Another reason why he was so glad he worked with these three men. Nothing anyone said was ever laughed at or mocked. It was considered and taken seriously.
“Thanks, man. It’s just weird. And then this box turns up. I feel like it’s all connected, but I don’t know how or where. The only thing is the fact she was taken and we rescued her.”
