Page 53 of Smoke Screen
Rohan, ever the old soul and anI Love Lucyfan, channeling Ricky Ricardo. Funny. “I figured.”
“Phin!” Zeke hollered, his tone sharp enough to slice a guy in half.
“I’m coming!”
Phin hauled ass, leaving Rohan and Cruz laughing at him. Literally yucking it up.
When he stepped into Zeke’s office, his brother sat back in his chair. His body appeared relaxed, but his eyes?
Blazing.
Is it hot in here?
“Shut the door.”
Phin waved that off and dropped into a chair. “No need. They might as well hear this. It’ll save me from having to say it twice.”
“Fine. Why is she here?”
No doubt who the “she” in question was. “Before you start screaming, hear me out. Press was camped out at Maddy’s place. She couldn’t go home. I thought—”
“How did we get from her not going home to you bringing her here? You realize she’s the target of afederalinvestigation.”
Zeke’s voice took on that tight, controlled vibration that came with trying to not lose his temper.
Phin gave him his best bored look. “I’m not a moron.”
There went keeping his mouth shut and withstanding the storm.
“Then stop acting like one. How could you bring her here?”
He shrugged. “Best option.”
“How do you figure?”
What?How did he figure? Had Zeke not been paying attention when he watched the news and saw a bunch of reporters circling? Phin cocked his head, studied his brother. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Please,” Zeke said, “don’t make me kill you.”
“Put yourself in her shoes. She didn’t want to expose her friends and family to the press, so that option was out. So was going home. You know as well as anyone, with a case this high-profile, the press would hound her night and day. She refused to put the people she cares about in the line of fire. Admirable, if you ask me.”
Zeke opened his mouth, but Phin put up a finger. “Before you say it, yes, she could’ve gone to a hotel. Cilla didn’t recommend it. The press would find her there, too.”
“Since when does Cilla call the shots? I’ve never even met her and she’s being a pain in the ass.”
“What’s your point?”
Zeke sat forward and poked his finger at Phin. “You don’t think the press will find her here? And then what do we tell our client who is paying us a ton of money to find assets the FBI, and our brother, think Maddy stole?”
“She didn’t.”
“How do you know?”
Gaze locked on Zeke’s, Phin shook his head, ready to launch into a defense, but … nothing. Aside from Maddy telling him she was innocent, howdidhe know? What proof did he have?
Phin finally sat forward, propping his elbows on his knees while studying his shoes. A nice pair of Ferragamos he’d found online.
After a few seconds, he looked up, faced his brother again. “I understand why you’re upset. I don’t blame you. You weren’t there, Zeke. You didn’t see that mob outside FBI headquarters. One of those sons of bitches must have leaked that they were questioning her. And the Thompsons put her on,” Phin made air quotes, “temporary leave.”
