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“I’m looking for Benjamin Carpenter,” he managed through clenched teeth.
The other man nodded, meeting his cool glare and held out a hand. “Jackson Shepard.”
Finn considered not taking the hand, but whether he liked it or not, this man was important to Gretchen and her safety. “They call me Finn,” he finally conceded, shaking Jackson’s hand.
The other man studied him for a moment before he nodded and motioned for Finn to follow him. “You have a last name?” They rounded the corner, walking down a row of cubicles toward an actual office.
The corner of Finn’s mouth turned up mockingly and he shook his head. “I’m like Cher.”
Snorting out a reluctant laugh, Jackson knocked on the door of the office. When he heard the call to come in, he cracked it opened “Are you alone?” Jackson’s head swiveled. “You have a visitor.” He pushed the door opened the rest of the way.
Benjamin Carpenter looked around Jackson. When the older man spotted Finn, he smiled slowly and leaned back in his desk chair. “Let him in.”
Jackson stepped out of Finn’s way, so he could enter the room.
“You know where Chris is?” Carpenter asked Jackson who still stood in the doorway.
“Yeah.” The other man’s eyes darted to Finn.
“Good.” Carpenter gave him a pointed look. “This is a private conversation.”
“Of course.” Jackson stared at his boss before he raised his chin and disappeared, closing the door behind him.
“So, Jay Finley,” Carpenter murmured. He leaned forward now, resting his forearms on his desk. “What brings you to see me?”
“I’m about to make your fucking day.” Finn dropped into a chair across from the desk and made himself at home.
~ ~ ~
Gretchen squinted at the screen in front of her and sharp pain shot through her head, above her right eye, causing her to wince.
“Concussion,” Neil murmured from his own desk.
“Thank you, Dr. Anderson.” She gave up on the computer and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.
“Seriously.” Neil stood and came over to lean a hip against her desk. “How’re you feeling?” He lifted her chin to inspect the cut he’d glued shut on her neck.
“Some headaches,” she admitted. He’d expect them. From the bruises on her face, it was impossible to deny she’d been hit in the head . . . hard.
“Throat looks good. How’re you sleeping?” He dropped her chin and met her gaze.
“Sleep’s fine. I woke up two days in a row, so that’s a plus.” She beamed at him.
He didn’t return her smile. “I mean, are you sleeping? Any nightmares? You didn’t go home last night.”
She’d opened her mouth to reply when Jackson appeared around the corner at the same time Neil’s phone buzzed at his hip.
“Oh. There you are.” Jackson’s smile was too wide. “You want to grab lunch?”
Neil pushed off her desk, the phone clenched in his hand so tightly Gretchen feared it would shatter.
“Everything okay?” She sat up and eyed her partner.
Jackson gave Neil an almost imperceptible nod.
“Fine,” Neil bit out. “Go get lunch. I’ll catch up with you later.” He disappeared around the corner.
“What was that?” She turned back to Jackson, who only shrugged.
