Chapter 49
Dani was closing down for the night. Knight and Miranda were halfway back to St. Louis from Indiana—Dani had a little tracker app that was PAVAD specific and let her see where all of her peeps were currently.
Jac was currently on a flight out to meet Walker and Moncrief in California to help wade through possible connections on their case involving some sort of teenage drug trafficking ring that had ended up with two nineteen-year-olds murdered and buried in a sandpit more than fifty-five years ago.
They should all be okay out there. It wasn’t a case that had been flagged for a high chance of violence.
But then again…any case had the potential to be…deadly. She would never take that fact lightly. This one in Indiana hadn’t had a high likelihood of a violent resolution, but it had.
“Why are you always the last one in here every night?”
The voice came just after she’d shut down the lights.
Her lab was small, but it was built specifically for her usage.
She worked with Cold Case, but her supervisor—and Jac’s—was still in computer forensics.
Agent Lorcan—Carrie, there were so many Lorcans in PAVAD, it could get confusing—took care of her people. Dani squeaked this time.
She turned. Of course. Him again.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Ian Ward stepped into her lab more fully. She could just make out his features in the dim light from the monitors and from the hallway. “I thought you heard me outside your door.”
“No. I’m sorry…I was lost in thought. About…Indiana. How close it could have been.”
“Miranda is okay. She followed protocol.”
“Protocol doesn’t stop me from worrying about the people I care about.” She would always worry about her team, and about her friends on other teams, about all of the people in this building who faced the demons out there.
“Do you worry about me when I am out there?”
The question was almost a whisper—and it was definitely a dare.
What was this man’s problem with her? That was something Dani had wondered for months, ever since she had been transferred to Cold Case.
“Of course I do. I keep track of all of you. It’s one way I can do my part to help.
You have the black dot on my tracking app, you know. ”
“I see.”
“What are you exactly after, Agent Ward? Can I help you with something specific? I’d be happy to make a note, or you can send me a text with what you need—and I can get to it first thing tomorrow.”
“I don’t need anything. I was just walking by and noticed you were still here. I’ll walk you out.”
Well, she didn’t want to be rude. They were teammates, and while he gave her the shivers, she felt safe with him. She should at least make an effort to get to know him, right? So they could work together far more effectively? “Thank you.”
“I am going to Smokey’s—some friends are meeting up tonight. Jaynice will be there, and I want to catch up. Would you like to join me?”
It sounded almost formal. And something about it…nope. Not going to happen.
Every instinct she possessed was telling her to wheel herself out of there as fast as she could. That this man was dangerous to her very way of life. Not to her life…but…
Nope. It just wasn’t going to happen.
She wasn’t even going to think about it. “I…”
“From what I understand, Cam Lake is going to be singing an original song he wrote tonight.”
“Oh, heaven save us all. I can only imagine what he’ll be singing about.
Probably something completely embarrassing to his wife.
” Cam’s wife was heavily pregnant—and Cam—Dani’s closest friend in the entire FBI—was practically worshiping at Kyra’s feet right now.
It was getting hilarious. It was their second.
Dani had babysat little Kimber multiple times.
But she had thought Cam and Kyra were on their way to Texas for some family thing soon.
“His brothers are in town visiting, I heard. The one is a doctor—he’s supposed to stay at Kyra’s side for the entire flight to Texas.
Or so Cam informed me. He’s going on PTO and heading to Texas with his wife in the morning.
From what I heard, Kyra kicked him and his two brothers out for the night.
Her sister-in-law is staying with her. I’m sure it’ll be a riot or something.
I can drive you to Smokey’s, then I’ll drive you home. ”
She did not think that would be her smartest option here, even though she lived close enough that most days she just took a taxi to work so she didn’t have to worry about maintaining a car. Alone. In a car. With Ian Ward. “I—“
“Are you afraid of me, Danielle?”
“Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“It’s just a night out between team mates. I swear. I’m not after your virtue or anything like that.”
Well, somehow…she thought he was lying about that little fact. But… “Don’t be a jerk, Ward. I didn’t think you were.”
“Sure about that?”
“Maybe it’s just that you act all weird around me? Ever considered that?” Dani wasn’t the type to waste time. That wasn’t her at all. And she would really like to figure out what it was about this guy that freaked her out so much.
She was going to go with him, make notes in her head, and then talk to Miranda. See if a profiler could figure this man-creature out. It was really the only option.
“How do I act weird?”
“You are always staring. Think I can’t tell? It’s not like I don’t get stared at on a regular basis.”
“If I do, I don’t mean to be rude. I’m just trying to figure you out.”
“What is it you want to know?”
“Come with me to Smokey’s and find out. Friendly colleagues. Nothing more. If nothing else—you can protect me from listening to Lake sing an ode or dozen to his wife. I’ll buy the onion rings.”
Dani just looked at him. She just knew he was planning something. But why?
“Come on. Or…are you really afraid of me?”
“Hardly, Ward. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before.”
“You sure about that?”
What exactly was she doing here?
She really hoped she didn’t regret it.