Misdirection (Pros and Cons Mysteries #1)

Chapter 51

CHAPTER 51

C laudine had been arrested, and Olive and Jason had been questioned—along with Duncan.

This investigation would take a while to wrap up.

Olive and Jason were given permission to take a break, so they headed to the downstairs lobby.

Just as Olive stepped into the area, she saw someone trying to get through the front door.

Tevin.

Jason talked to his security guards and told them to let Tevin through.

Tevin rushed toward Olive and pulled her into a hug. “I was so worried.”

“I’m fine.”

“Smart thinking back there,” Jason said. “I’m assuming you were the one flying that drone?”

Tevin nodded. “I was. I gave Olive a tracker so I could know where she was in the building?—”

Olive raised the heart shaped pendant on the necklace.

“I managed to figure out where she was,” Tevin continued. “Then I decided to launch my drone—which is illegal in downtown Chicago, but I figured it would be worth it. That’s when the camera picked up on her in Duncan’s office. I saw what was happening and knew I had to do something.”

They all moved to a cluster of black couches and chairs and sat together.

“I was able to uncover some texts from Adriana’s phone,” Tevin continued. “She tried to turn Ryan. He accepted one round of payments before changing his mind. Then he got scared and told Adriana he’d return the money but that he couldn’t go through with it.”

“Then Adriana had her guys kill him and make it look like a suicide . . .” Jason muttered with the shake of his head. “She’d truly thought she was going to get away with this.”

“Yes, she did,” Olive said.

“She never anticipated you coming into the picture.” Jason gave her a look.

Olive actually felt herself flush.

One of the security guards called to Jason, and he excused himself.

As Jason stepped away, Tevin leaned closer. “By the way, that name you asked me to look into?”

“Walter Wiggle?”

“Yes, that one. I found out something.”

Olive’s breath caught. “You did? What?”

“You’re going to want to prepare yourself to hear this.”

Her heart thumped with anticipation in her ears. “Okay . . .”

“I found out that?—”

Jason returned just then. “False alarm. They didn’t need me after all.”

Olive and Tevin both looked up.

Jason tilted his head. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all.” Olive forced a tight smile.

She didn’t want Jason there when she heard whatever news it was Tevin had to share. She wanted to process it alone—especially depending on what he told her.

A moment of awkwardness shifted between them.

Then Tevin stood as if realizing Olive and Jason still had things to talk about. “I’m going to go grab some water. You want me to get some for you?”

“That would be great,” Olive murmured. “Thank you.”

After he’d walked away, she and Jason glanced at each other, mountains of unspoken conversations standing between them.

Jason sat beside her. “Are the two of you . . . ?” He glanced from Olive to Tevin.

“Tevin and I?” Her voice rose with surprise. “No. He’s like a brother to me.”

Jason only grunted and nodded.

Her and Tevin? Why in the world had Jason asked that?

Another moment of awkwardness fell until finally Jason said, “So I guess your assignment is over.”

Olive nodded slowly, feeling a strange grief over that fact. It wasn’t because the assignment itself was over. It was because she and Jason had just started to catch up.

“I guess so,” she told him softly.

“That was a close one. But, thanks to you, the deal didn’t happen.”

“It was a team effort. Thank you for all you did also.” She paused. “I’m sorry about Adriana. I could tell you really liked her.”

“I’ll be okay. It’s not the first time I’ve had my heart broken. But there’s only one person I’ve ever truly been in love with.”

His words caused a knot of emotion to catch in her throat. Was he talking about her? By all indications, yes.

They stared at each other another moment. They needed more time, didn’t they?

But she didn’t have any time.

She already had another assignment lined up.

Finally, Jason shifted and asked, “So what now?”

She swallowed hard, knowing what the reality of her future was. “Now, I go to my next assignment.”

“Where is that?”

Olive shrugged. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

Disappointment and understanding filled his gaze. “I see. Will I see you again?”

“I hope so.” She meant the words, though she had no idea what that hope might look like.

Would she and Jason stay in touch? Or would they simply see where their paths led?

She wasn’t sure.

Just then, her phone buzzed. A text message from an unknown number appeared on her screen.

I know who killed your family.

Her heart lurched into her throat, and she glanced around. Who had sent this message?

And what did they know?

She saw no one watching her. Yet she felt it.

She’d experienced the feeling before—the feeling of unseen eyes on her.

She had to find out who this sender was and what they knew.

“Everything okay?” Jason peered at her, his eyes crinkling with concern.

Olive quickly put her phone away, not ready to share this with him. Not until she knew more. “Yeah, of course. We stopped our enemies from getting technology that could harm thousands. I’d say it’s been a good day.”

He nodded slowly and in agreement. But Olive knew Jason knew she was lying.

However, he didn’t push for more information.

Instead, he held out his hand, pinky extended. “We can’t wait nine years to see each other again. Promise?”

She stared at his hand for a moment before allowing a grin to stretch across her face. Then she reached for his hand and linked her pinky with his. “Promise.”

And Olive fully intended on keeping her word.

~~~

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Coming Next: Smokescreen.