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“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
“Operationmake Diana come as many times as possible.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Rafe
A few weeks later, I brushed my hands over Diana’s hair to comfort her. Or maybe to comfort myself. This was so far outside my usual wheelhouse. I’d never brought someone in to the FBI who actually wanted to be there. Although looking at how she was reacting, I wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to do this. But she seemed determined to do the right thing.
I could relate. It was a bitch when the right thing seemed like it would tear you apart. But at least this way I could get her protection on all sides.If you still have any pull.
“Agent DeMarco. We’re ready for you.” An agent I’d never seen before hovered at my elbow uncertainly.
Except I wasn’t an agent anymore was I? “Okay, we’ll be just a minute.”
I turned back to Diana. Her dark eyes were red and shiny. She’d been crying off and on since she’d made the decision to do this. I’d called ahead so there was an agent ready to take Diana’s statement and open a case for her. She’d be an official informant after this. It was a huge step, but it was likely the only way to get her out of this situation.
I kissed Diana gently on the forehead. “It’s all going to be okay. All you have to do is be honest and tell them what you know.”
Diana blew out a breath. “I know. It’s okay. I can do this.”
We stood together, but before we could move, my phone went off with a text alert. Cursing, I grabbed it from my waistband. When I saw who it was from, I was prepared to blow it off. Then it started ringing.
“Damn it. Hello,” I bellowed, not even caring about rudeness at this point.
“Agent DeMarco, it’s Emilie Durand. Where are you right now?”
I sighed. “In the FBI field office in New York.”
Instead of being annoyed like I’d expected, she let out a huge sigh of relief. “Good. I called because there’s been a break in the Vandergraff case. We need you. Conference Room M.”
“Give me a few minutes.” I turned to Diana.
She must have guessed what was going on because she smiled gently. “Duty calls, huh?”
“Yeah. Unfortunately. If this wasn’t really important, you know I wouldn’t leave, right?”
She waved me off. “I know. Go. I’ll fill you in later. I just need to get this out before I lose my nerve.”
The agent who stood behind them was still waiting. I pointed at him and growled, “Take good care of her until I can get back.”
The young man nodded frantically. “Yes, sir. Of course, sir.”
Diana squeezed my arm. “Easy, tiger.” Her whispered words washed over me, calming my agitated nerves. I wasn’t sure why, but all of a sudden the idea of leaving Diana on her own made me very nervous. She was clearly capable of doing this. But still, I watched until she went into one of the offices with the nervous young man and then turned to find my way to the conference room.
When I walked in, Emilie turned around. “You aren’t going to believe what’s happened.”
I took a seat at the table, nodding to those I knew around the room, which were quite a few people. I’d spent enough time in this office lately to have more than a passing familiarity with half the table.
“It must be good ifyou’rethis excited.”
Emilie didn’t respond to the dig, another clue that whatever had happened must be big. She leaned over and hit a button on her laptop.
“Good is maybe the wrong word. More like itwill begood. We got a hit on facial at JFK. We got a hit. Well, two hits.”
At that, I squared my shoulders, even as the knot of unease settled between my shoulder blades. She sounded happy.Toohappy. Like starting an evil empire kind of happy.
“What’s got you so happy?”
