Page 17 of Shadow Justice

She wished that it would ease some of the pressure in her chest. “So now my knowledge is a federal asset?”

“I’d call it situational awareness.”

“Lawyers…always looking for a loophole.”

His mouth softened. “I’ll do my best to keep everyone safe.”

Everyone.

He understood the thing that mattered most, and that made some of the fight drain out of her. She still didn’t want him here. She still wanted to rewind the day to Roni’s cinnamon roll theft and Hoyt’s bad manners, before FBI badges and dead customers.

But wanting had never been the same as getting. “Fine,” she said. “You can do your sweep, but not while I’m open and not while Maya’s here unless you want to explain why my new employee is inspecting door locks.”

“I can start with what doesn’t look unusual from the public areas.”

The front bell chimed. Maya entered carrying the bank bag and shaking rain from her tight spirals, completely unaware that she was stepping into the wreckage of Holly’s morning.

“Deposit made,” she said, nudging the door shut with her hip. “Receipt tape acquired.”

Her gaze landed on Reid. She stopped so fast she nearly dropped the bank bag.

Holly should’ve had a speech ready. Something breezy and normal. Something that didn’t sound like she’d been informed by the FBI that her coffee shop might be a killer’s hunting ground and the man who’d once left her before dawn was now pretending to be her employee.

“Maya,” Holly said, forcing cheerfulness into her voice, “this is Reid Fleming. He’s going to help out here for a while.”

Maya blinked. “Help out? As in, you hired him?”

Reid stepped forward, calm as ever, and offered his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Roni’s brother.”

Recognition cleared some of Maya’s confusion. “Oh. Dog Roni.”

Holly nearly smiled despite herself. “Don’t call her that to her face unless you want a lecture.”

Maya shook Reid’s hand, still looking a little dazed. He’d always had that effect on women. “Nice to meet you. I didn’t know we were hiring.”

“It happened quickly,” Holly said.

Maya’s eyes slid over Reid in a way that made Holly want to throw a towel over his head. “Well. Great. I mean, good. Holly works too much, and I can’t cover all the hours she needs, especially with finals coming up.”

“That’s one of the reasons,” Holly said, latching onto the excuse.

Maya carried the bank bag to the counter and leaned close while Reid turned toward the tablet showing Blue snoring loudly. “You hired that and didn’t warn me?”

Holly kept her voice low. “Maya.”

“What? I’m saying congratulations on your excellent staffing decision.”

“He’s temporary.”

“So are pumpkin spice drinks, but people still line up for them.”

Pain pinched Holly’s chest before she could guard against it. Maya was innocently teasing. She didn’t know Reid wasn’t simply an attractive temporary employee with broad shoulders and a smile that could wreck every woman in Blackridge. She didn’t know he came with a one-night history, a dawn departure, and a new assignment to sleep somewhere near Holly’s apartment door because a killer might have decided Sanctuary was more than a coffee shop.

“Lunch prep,” Holly said.

Maya’s smile faltered. “Right. Sorry.”

Guilt moved through Holly immediately. “No, I’m sorry. It’s been a weird morning.”