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“Actually, it’s a better life than we had before, though no one ever seems to believe that,” he added, ratifying her interpretation.
“I do. I believe that.”
He seemed startled, even though she’d spoken quietly. “Yes, I suppose you do, don’t you?”
Matteo would have been appalled by how much he had shared with Cara, except he was too relaxed to be appalled. He was the proverbial lobster in the pot, getting cozier and cozier until it was too late. He would have made a terrible prisoner. Apparently allyou had to do to get him to talk was provide a hot bath and a sympathetic ear.
“What’s funny?”
He hadn’t realized he was smiling—chuckling, even. “I was thinking about how even though I’ve had training in anti-interrogation techniques, I would make a terrible prisoner of war. I just told you my entire sordid life story.”
He waited for her to make a crack about how she wasn’t his enemy, but instead she asked, “How have you had training in anti-interrogation techniques?”
“I had a brief military career before this job.”
“Youdid?”
“It’s an honorable calling.” He shifted in place, cozy and warm giving way to cozier and warmer. “I retired as a captain.”
“First Lieutenant Cara Delaney reporting for duty.”
“Indeed.” The sun was shining down, and as she mock saluted him, he saw a flash of what looked like a mole near her armpit, which was interesting because she had no traces of any other marks on her skin—no freckles, no age spots, nothing.
“What do you mean ‘indeed’? Why are you not surprised? Most people are. Wait. Did you have me investigated?”
He smirked. “It’s possible I had you investigated.”
“I should be outraged.”
“But you’re not?”
“Well, you’re nothing if not thorough.”
“What did you do in the army?” he asked. Torkel hadn’t given him any details, and he was extremely curious about young Cara Delaney.
“Logistics. Supply chains.”
“Of course.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You seem very inspired by the quest for efficiency.”
She chuckled. “I found military logistics dull, to be honest. I had a standing job offer with CZT, where I’d interned during college, and I was counting the days until I was discharged.”
“And you’ve been at CZT ever since? You must enjoy it.”
“I... do.”
Hmm. He had never imagined Cara as anything other than completely dedicated to her work. “You sound less than certain.”
“I love the work. There has been outstanding mentorship and support from the get-go. No one in my family has ever gone to college, so I was in uncharted waters. One of the founding partners took me under her wing. I’m just tired. I’m gunning for partnership, which is still a ways off, so I’ve had my nose to the grindstone for a long time.” She sighed. He wasn’t sure if it was a wistful sigh related to her career or a satisfied sigh related to the hot spring. “It’s okay, though. I’m in the paying-my-dues phase of my career. What about you? What did you do in school? And did you go directly to the military afterward?”
“I studied history.”
“I am shocked.”
He smiled. He sure had been doing a lot of that. Yesterday, too. There was something about getting away from the grind of daily life. There was also something about allowing yourself to be teased. Normally, he reserved that for family. “To answer your other question, I did go directly to the military after I finished university.”
