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“Also understood. I don’t blame you. We’ll bring her here. She can hang out in our building. We’re one hundred percent secure. I’ll send Smith to you now.”
We disconnect and I cannot get this FBI meeting done soon enough.
Chapter eighty
Cole
The minute I hang up with Royce, I exit my office and walk to Ashley’s desk, kneeling beside her. “Royce and I just talked. He’s going to take you to his offices where we know you’re safe until we find out what is going on with the FBI.”
She squeezes her eyes shut and looks at me. “You mean where you know I can’t be a risk to everyone else. I get it.” She opens her drawer and grabs her purse. “I’m ready. I assume I have an escort?” She stands up and I follow her to her feet.
“Smith is going to take you, but Ashley—”
“Don’t explain. You’re being smart. I should have considered this.”
It’s at that moment that Smith, a tall, broad man with sandy brown hair, heads in our direction. He’s dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and wears a thin leather jacket. “He has a gun on under that jacket,” she says, glancing at me. “That should comfort me. It’s doesn’t.”
“We’re going to get through this. Royce is moving the meeting up to tonight. We’ll get answers.”
“Tonight?” Her voice quakes.
“Yes. Tonight.”
She looks away. “Okay.”
Smith stops beside us. “Ready, Ashley?”
“What girl isn’t ready for a hot guy with a gun?” she asks flippantly, but her voice cracks.
He gives her a direct look. “Then you know everything is just fine.” He offers her his arm. “Come on.”
“I don’t need your arm. I’m fine.” She walks ahead of him and he and I share a look.
“She’ll be okay,” he promises before quickly pursuing her.
Lori passes them and stops in front of me. “What just happened?”
I pull her to me and kiss her. “I’ll explain in my office, and if I could take you home right now and take you to bed, where we would stay all day, I would. We need a day like that. Just you and me.” I lace her fingers with mine and pull her into the office.
A few minutes later, we’re both sitting on the couch and I’ve just updated her on the situation. “Maybe I should talk to her,” she says. “I’ll go over to Walker Security.”
“I don’t want the FBI thinking you know something that makes you a problem.”
“But you can know?”
“I’m her attorney.”
“I’m your co-counsel.” She takes my hand. “Let me talk to her. I’m a woman. I’m the closest thing to a friend here she has.”
My cellphone rings and I pull it from my pocket. “Royce,” I answer. “What do you have for me?”
“The FBI can do five o’clock. Can you?”
“Yes. We can. I’ll be there at three.” I glance at Lori and reluctantly add, “Lori wants to come over and try to get her to talk.”
“She has a connection with Smith. I told him she needs to talk to us before the FBI. Let him try to work his magic.”
“I’ll tell Lori.” I disconnect.
