Page 73 of Shadow

“Where are they?”

“In bed. Resting. It’s been a long night.”

Patterson glanced at Martinelli, and he knocked on Roger’s door.

She just stared at him. “You don’t believe me?”

“I just want to make sure they’re actually fine.”

Translation: Make sure they’re actually here. Make sure this whole operation hasn’t been compromised.

Maybe this was how Asher had felt when she hadn’t believed him, back on day one.

Fine. Daphne knocked on Destiny’s door. The woman emerged, her face slathered in cream. “Sorry, ma’am, but…we need your statement.”

Destiny rolled her eyes, then disappeared and reemerged a moment later, her robe cinched tight around her. She still wore the face cream.

Patterson and Michael questioned both of them briefly as Daphne stepped away and dialed Asher.

No answer. She hung up when it went to voicemail.

Dani returned with a shake of her head. “EMS says Asher pulled Mark Sullivan out of the burning car. Got burned doing it. Maybe he went to the local clinic to get his burns treated.”

Made sense, but Daphne remembered the way he’d barely acknowledged them.

Yeah, no. But she kept her mouth shut.

Patterson and Martinelli dismissed Roger and Destiny, who gave Daphne a look as she returned to her room. Something of worry.

Patterson came over to them. “Okay then. We’ll just wait for Agent Morrison to return.”

Fun.

Then he turned to her, his dark eyes on her, and said, “What’s your gut here, Miss Cross? Do you trust your partner?”

She stared at him.

Ten days ago, the answer was no. Absolutely not. He was suspicious. Connected to criminals. Possibly the mole. Possibly corrupt.

Today—after the potluck and the hot cocoa and the pancake stories and the way he’d thrown himself between her and an explosion without hesitation⁠—

The answer should be yes.

Should be.

But he’d disappeared. Without explanation. Without coordination. Without telling her where he was going or what he was doing.

“I think so,” Daphne said.

Patterson smiled, nodded. “That’s honest. I appreciate honest.” He looked at his watch. “When Asher returns, tell him I need to speak with him. Tomorrow. FBI office. Nine a.m.”

“I’ll tell him.”

“Make sure you do. We have questions about tonight. About his involvement. About the timing.” Patterson moved toward the door. Paused. Looked back. “Kim. You stick around until he gets back. Just so Miss Cross has backup.”

She didn’t need backup.

But she got it.