“I’m getting to that, Agent Palmer. The guy moonlights as a PI.”
A chorus of groans rented the air. Sloane looked puzzled by our reaction, so I clued her in on the good, the bad, and the––sometimes––unscrupulous world of private investigation. Don’t get me wrong, there were quite a few reputable PIs out there. Unfortunately, there were just as many with questionable intentions, who were strictly in itfor the paycheck, and in most cases, got their license off of shady internet websites.
“How do you know this Lester guy isn’t the good kind?”
“Sunshine, if he was, he wouldn’t need a second job.”
“Or to shack up with mommy,” Lanie chimed in.
“Or that,” I grunted.
“Where does he live, Nelson? Noah and I’ll pay him a visit.”
“Pack up your fancy car then, Keaton. His license says he’s from Knoxville, Tennessee, about five hours southeast of here if you’ve got a lead foot.”
Sloane abruptly pushed away from the table. “I’m going to need an alibi and a shovel.”
We watched in stunned silence as she marched straight to the kitchen and wrenched open the refrigerator door. Every ingredient she pulled out was tossed onto the counter without care––including the carton of eggs––all while she muttered murderous intentions. It was safe to say my girl was livid. I was torn between going to her or giving her space to work through her anger. The choice was stolen from me when Finn slipped out from in between the twins and made a beeline for his sister. Whatever he’d overheard from our conversation pissed him off. His hands were curled into fists at his sides and his face was stone-cold. Finn wouldn’t hurt her, I had no doubt about that, but my protective instincts were riding me hard to intercede. I got to my feet. So did the rest of my team, ready to have my back, but before I could take a step, Waverly wrapped a hand around my wrist.
“Give them a second.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Her mom lives in Tennessee.”
I scrubbed my hand down my face. “Fucking hell.”
Finn approached Sloane like a wild animal, his movements slow and calculated. He said something indiscernible, then rocked back on his heels when she launched herself into his waiting arms.Dammit, that should be me.With his eyes scrunched closed, he held her tight, talking softly in her ear, stroking a hand up and down her back. Her shoulders shook, though she didn’t make a sound.
“How do I keep her from getting hurt when this goes sideways?”
“You can’t, D. But you can be there to put her back together.”
“It’s not fair.”
“Nothing either of you has gone through is fair.” Noah clamped his hand on my shoulder. “Take a good look at all of us standing here, Duncan.”
I did. My gaze landed on the two people I’d known the longest. The first befriended a man teetering on the edge of broken, the other had been filled with so much rage it oozed from his pores. Waverly was my salvation––Keaton, my redemption.
“Every single one of us has been knocked down in some way, shape, or form by that callous bitch called life,” Noah continued.
“Do you think it was fair for a seventeen-year-old kid to discover his father was a serial killer?” Keaton threw out. “I was drowning in hate. Then you told me to man the fuck up, right before you literally kicked my ass.”
I suppressed a laugh, remembering that day like it was yesterday. He’d been a cocky little shit back then, in need of an attitude adjustment, with good reason. Quantico gave him the means while I gave him the tools to expel his demons.
“You said to love Jade through her nightmares.”
My head snapped briefly to Koen, then to Noah.
“And you told me to fight for Lanie.”
“It’s time for you to take some of your own advice.” Lanie grinned.
“You ready?” Waverly nudged me toward the kitchen. “Man the fuck up. Love her through it. Fight for your happiness. Oh, and I told you so.”
“Told me what?”
“That your day was coming.”