“I know what I want to ask you.”
The air shifts, bringing reality crashing right over me. If she’s digging for information on Ramirez for Edmond or someone else, I have to protect the mission and it will confirm what Ruby and Katherine already suspect. Cybil is part of the crime. And that will effectively shut down any hope I—or my gran—might have about biscuits and benches. Unless, of course, they have those in the federal penitentiary.
“Ben?”
My heart stutters. “You said my name.”
She looks at me, confused and a little frustrated. “Are we still doing this? Craig?”
“No, it’s just... I’d forgotten how nice it is to hear you say my name.”
She exhales. “Were you going to show up at the tree that day?”
My stomach drops. “What?”
“The day we were supposed to meet—”
“I know the day you’re talking about,” I say, cutting her off. “I waited. You didn’t come.” The hurt rushes over me and I feel like that vulnerable teen boy all over again. “Why?”
Cybil stares at her hands gripping the steering wheel. “I was going to. But I heard you talking to Rex. You told him I was a risk. That I was different and would never end up”—she gestures around her—“here.”
I frown, trying to recollect the conversation she’s referring to, and then it hits me. “Wait, that’s why you didn’t show up?”
She turns to me. “Why would I if you thought I had no intention of sticking around? I was too big a risk, right?”
“No,” I say softly, reaching through her window to tilt her chin up. “I was eighteen. Insecure. And wildly terrified that the girl I’d loved since she put frogs in my boots might not love me back.”
She’s staring at me. I want to kiss her. Hold her. But I still have a job to do.
“Cybil—”
My phone rings.
She leans back. “It’s fine.”
It’s not, but when I see Ruby’s name on the screen, I don’t have a choice.
“Yeah?” I answer, turning slightly away.
“Where are you?” Ruby’s voice is tight, no preamble.
My eyes flick to Cybil. “With family.”
“You need to come in.”
“Now?” I step away from the car. “I haven’t gotten any information yet.”
“It’s too late,” she cuts in. “Bring her with you.”
My pulse kicks hard. “What’s happened?”
A pause.
Then Ruby says quietly, “They’re looking for her.”
Every nerve in my body goes on alert, and I search the area around me for Ramirez or Rook.
“You need to get her here—”
