“Clearly not well.” That would teach him to try to reason problems through rather than just make a plan and implement it from a distance.
Not in the mood for Garrett’s joking, Wren picked up the file and opened the cover. Paged through the newest round of photos of Emery. She looked confident and in control. That was nothing compared to the real-life version. The version that seemed to be kicking his ass.
“Did you tell her where you work or use your usual alias? In other words, did you lose your mind and give her enough information to trace you back here?” Garrett asked.
Wren decided to ignore the amusement in Garrett’s voice. As if this was his first day in covert operations. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Right. I’m the one acting strange today.” Garrett’s smile faded and a serious thread tinged his tone. “She really is trouble.”
No way could Wren deny that. “No kidding.”
“Not someone you should be rushing off to meet for coffee.”
“Agreed.” And that wasn’t what happened, but Wren didn’t feel as if he had the moral high ground to fight that battle right now. Not when all he could think about was going back and finding her.
“Should I try to talk with her?”
“I’ll handle her.” He created this mess by letting who she was, with her do-good job and quiet life, get to him. By not shutting down her digging right at the start. For the way her face floated through his mind when he closed his eyes and sometimes when they were open.
Garrett frowned. “When you say handle . . . ?”
“I’m not sure yet.” That wasn’t a lie. No subterfuge there. Wren had tried the easy way and she’d barely waited until he left her side before calling on her political contacts again. She was the not-easy-to-back-down type, which he feared he was just figuring out might be his type.
Garrett hummed. “This is a first.”
“She’s innocent.” Wren continued to page through the new information in the file, which consisted mostly of her movements and more photos. Both interested him far too much. “We need to tread carefully.”
“Okay.”
Wren’s head popped up and he pinned Garrett with a glare. “Don’t.”
Garrett held out his arms. “I’m just standing here.”
“Some people are smart enough to be afraid of me.” The people who knew his name, which constituted a small circle. Most people had never heard of him, which was exactly how he wanted it. That way he could strike without warning then retreat into the shadows.
“Not me.” Garrett shrugged. “Sorry.”
“When did that happen? I just want to know so I don’t repeat the mistake with the person I pick to replace you.”
Garrett laughed. “You didn’t hire me to be a ‘yes’ man and you’re not going to fire me if we disagree. You told me that when you gave me the job.”
“A decision I regret at the moment.” Which was not the case at all. Wren relied on Garrett far more than he ever intended to, but he’d gotten used to having someone to discuss strategy with and had liked Garrett from the moment they met. That was a big statement since he didn’t take the time to like many people.
“You’ll remember from my reports on her that Ms. Finn goes to that coffee shop almost every weekday.” Garrett stood up straight again as he pointed out lines in the report. “Though it might be better if you ignore that fact.”
Wren almost hated to ask. “Why?”
“Because if you get any creepier she’ll never sleep with you.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Wren wasn’t completely sure which part he was responding to.
“Right.” Garrett shot him a nice-try grin. “When you meet her for coffee tomorrow will you bring back one for me?”
CHAPTER 3
This guy needed to be taught a lesson.
As if she couldn’t see him sitting out there in his fancy car, right across the street. Whatever Wren paid this enforcer or minion, or whatever he was, it was too much. He seemed to suck at subterfuge. Really, she spotted him out there without pulling back her curtain or getting binoculars.
The guy from the coffee shop. The runner. He dropped his mysterious, nonsense comments then took off. And now it looked like he’d followed her home, or worse, he’d figured out where she lived without her help and stationed himself in front of her apartment building.
The jackass.