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He gripped her shoulders and bent, until they were eye-to-eye. He studied her with such a penetrating gaze, she felt as if he could see the pain that filled every crevice of her soul. She tried to move away. She couldn’t let anyone see the dark thoughts she hid.
Grant held firm. “I told you I had your back. That hasn’t changed.”
Finally, she broke away and turned from him. “I don’t understand. Why would they let you in here?”
“Because I’m one of you. I’m Agent Joseph Grant. I’ve been an agent for the past ten years and undercover shadowing Jay for the past three.”
This couldn’t be right. She turned slowly and raised her gaze to meet his.
He nodded. “I was your deep cover.”
No. Grant had helped Finn take care of Carlisle’s problems. He’d vouched for Finn and told her he was a good man. It didn’t make sense that he was a cop. Then again, she was a cop, and she loved Finn fiercely, in spite of, and maybe even because of, the things he’d seen and done.
She knew now there were times, when even those who’d sworn to obey the rules, could turn away for someone as good and yet flawed as Finn James. Her heart broke again at what she’d lost, and her eyes filled with tears.
He stepped toward her. “I know you have your reasons to hate me, but I’m here for you. I know Finn, I knew how you felt about him before the job, and I know how he felt about you after.”
She shook her head and moved away. “Don’t. I loved him and I’ll own that. Let’s not make his feelings for me into something more than they were.”
She thought back to how Ronnie had reacted to news of Finn’s death. How she’d questioned Gretchen without falling apart. Gretchen had fallen so far apart she wondered if she’d ever be able to pull herself back together. And he’d chosen the other woman over her.
“You think he didn’t love you, because they told you he was with Ronnie?” Grant asked behind her.
“Hewaswith her. I saw them, I—”
“All a con. He had to play her to set her up to be taken down. Foryouto take her down. You had to believe he’d gone back to her, so you’d stay away. She had to believe you were out of the picture, so she’d trust him.”
Gretchen shook her head again. She couldn’t believe him. “I guess we’ll never know.” She bit back the tears and shrugged hopelessly.
Grant still watched her with too much understanding. “Maybe, maybe not. I want you to know, I still have your back.”
She nodded and watched as he walked toward the door. “Grant.”
He stopped and turned to her.
“Did you see him that night before we got there? Was he with Ronnie?”
He sighed heavily. “For a minute.” It was clear he didn’t want to add to her hurt. “He sent her back to a room.”
“Was he on his way back there when we came in?”
Grant shook his head. “No, he stayed in the private dance room. I don’t think he planned to follow her.”
“But he sent her?” Gretchen pressed.
“Yes, but—”
She didn’t hear anything else as she pushed past him and ran from the locker room.
Gretchen burst through the door of Carpenter’s office and stood panting as he lifted his head to meet her eyes.
“Who was your informant?” She knew the answer from the way he avoided her glare. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She moved closer to his desk. Why hadn’t Finn told her?
“He asked that I not,” Carpenter replied. “He came to me and wanted to do it.”
“That doesn’t make sense.” Gretchen leaned her hands against his desk and bent to meet his eyes. “He’s known about me for weeks. Why didn’t he tell me what he wanted you to know? It would have been safer for him.”
“For him . . . perhaps.”
