Page 6 of Cold Silence
“Travis?” Julie’s eyebrows rose. “He’s the… Oh, no! Oh… This isn’t good, is it?”
Claire flashed a calm smile at her assistant. “Would you mind going inside and telling the team I’m okay so they don’t worry?”
“Sure.” Julie bit her lip for a moment. “I mean if you’re sure you want me to leave you alone with…him.”
“Go. I’m fine.” As Julie departed, Claire ran a finger up the bridge of her nose, likely trying to adjust glasses that had fallen off in the attack. The gesture was classic Claire when she was stressed or uneasy. Despite her claim that she was fine, she obviously needed comfort. Comfort she’d once sought from him. He scooted closer. Her eyes flared with attraction for a moment before she forced it away.
Interesting.She wasn’t as immune to him as the day she’d claimed her job was her one true love.
Right. That day.The day she rejected his proposal. They’d devoted nearly every waking hour to CATS, but once his part of the work was done, he’d known he would return to base in North Carolina, and he didn’t want to leave Claire behind. He was ready to make a real commitment, to build a future with her…but he should’ve seen the rejection coming. All that mattered to her was honoring her father. After his death in a military chopper crash, she wanted to make his dreams of a better training system for soldiers come true, and that meant her job came first.
Always.
She started picking at grass clinging to her socks, but she was such a mess it made little difference. “I assume you’re here about the theft?”
“That and to serve as your protection detail. Guess I’m a bit late.” Without thinking, he lifted his hand to move a stray strand of hair from her eyes, but she cringed.
Got it. Message received loud and clear. Nothing’s changed between us, and keep my big mitts off.
“Your protection isn’t necessary.” She gestured at the surrounding commotion. “I’m sure with all the cops swarming around here my attacker won’t be back.”
“Sounds like you think this was a one-time thing and doesn’t have anything to do with the theft.”
She nodded but a flash of pain darkened her face, and she stopped moving.
Pain he would do anything within his power to take away. “Tell me what happened.”
She took in a breath. Blew it out. Pulled in another. And out. “It was simple, really. I was running. A man came up from behind and tried to drag me to a van. I remembered your self-defense moves. Had to go all the way to the head butt, but I got away.” She ended with a wry smile, easing the tense lines around her mouth for a moment.
“If your attacker was trying to abduct you, we need to assume that it was the thief after the information only you possess.”
She looked him dead in the eye for the first time, her expression unreadable. “You think they’ve already figured out the prototype doesn’t work, and they want to get the missing specs from me?”
He nodded. “And that’s why I’ll be with you twenty-four/seven until the thief is apprehended.”
“No!” She shook her head hard, not even stopping when pain pinched her eyes tighter. “Not happening. So not happening.”
He refused to let her words sting. He was here to do a job and that meant tuning out the personal and getting the job done. He would protect her no matter what she wanted.
Still, it would be easier if he gained her cooperation. “Making a snap decision isn’t like you, Claire. Use that wonderful analytical brain God gave you. Set aside your emotions and weigh every aspect.”
Her chestnut eyes met his and emotions raced through them so fast he couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“Okay, fine,” she said, but crossed her arms. “You’re right. Protection is probably a good idea, but the police can provide it.”
Despite his frustration, he had to smile at her answer. He’d encouraged her to problem solve and she had. She just wouldn’t accept the most logical solution.
“I can do a better job than the police.” He didn’t even try to sound modest. “Besides, my CO has assigned me to your detail. You may be a civilian but you work for the Army. So, short of leaving your job, you have no choice in the matter.”
“Not so fast. I’m sure your CO will entertain an alternative.” She turned away and cupped her hands around her mouth. “Detective Purcell,” she called out. “Can I have a word with you?”
A string bean of a man wearing a rumpled suit and holding a typical police-issue notepad headed their way.
Travis eyed her, searching for her motives, but failed. “I don’t know what you’re up to, Claire, but the theft is still on a need-to-know basis, and this guy or any other law enforcement officer doesn’t need to know about it.”
“Relax.”
Right. How can I relax when the woman I once loved was mauled and barely escaped?
