He believed her.Not because she sounded brave—brave was easy to fake.Because she sounded exhausted with the alternative.He knew that exhaustion.Had lived with it for three years.
"Okay," he said.
"Okay, what?"
"Okay, we work together.Full partnership.My resources, your intel.We find out if it's Montgomery or Sattler, and we take them down."
"Just like that?"
"You expected more negotiation?"
"I expected more skepticism."She tilted her head, studying him."You barely know me.I could be compromised.I could be feeding you bad information.I could be working for them."
"Are you?"
"No."
"Then we don't have a problem."
"That's it?You just believe me?"
He should give her the analytical answer.Pattern recognition.Behavioral analysis.The dozen small tells she'd exhibited that were consistent with someone telling the truth.
"I believe you're not working for them," he said finally."The rest we'll figure out as we go."
She nodded once.A contract, sealed with nothing but a look on a dark beach.
"I have an interview at the library tomorrow.Cover work—Holly Warren researching local history."Her eyes glinted."And maybe some digging into Sattler's property records."
"Be careful with that.If he's connected, he'll have eyes on public records requests."
"I know how to be careful."
"Do you?"
The question hit wrong.She stiffened, and the openness that had been building between them shut down like a gate dropping.
"I've been doing this alone for over a year.I'm still here."
"You're not alone anymore."The words came out before he thought about them.He meant it professionally.He was almost sure he meant it professionally.
She looked at him.Really looked like she was trying to read something written in small print.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you care?I'm useful to your operation.I get that.But this feels like something else."
He should deflect.Give her a professional answer about asset management and operational security.That's what training said to do.
"I don't know," he said instead."I haven't figured that part out yet."
Harper's lips parted.She closed her mouth without speaking, and something rearranged itself behind her expression—not softening, exactly.More like a wall developing a crack she hadn't expected.
"Let me know when you do."She stepped back."I should go.Early morning."
"Harper."
