Chapter Twenty-Two
Barrett and Bellamy were back, briefing Brad on whatever they thought he needed to know about our mission. He nodded at whatever they showed him on the screen.
The heels of my ankle boots clanking against the wood floor interrupted their discussion.
Brad looked at me, stunned for a moment.
He was used to me without a wig, but my mousy brown shoulder-length hair was usually pulled back.
Now it was styled like a long bob. I wore minimal, tasteful makeup.
Gold stud earrings and a matching necklace that broadcasted to the world I had a rich husband and no personality.
A brown and black satin button up blouse and brown wide leg trousers.
Ellie was back.
“You look hot,” Brad said.
I circled him like I was in front of the camera on an Only Bears livestream. “You like this better than Synamon Honey?”
Keeping Synamon in the conversation felt important. Dressed like this, I felt like the last few weeks had never happened. I was back to shy Ellie who wouldn’t know confidence if it punched her in the face.
“Didn’t say that.” Brad chuckled. “Are you ready to go?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Here’s the plan,” Barrett said, but I held up my hand, stopping him.
“I know you mean well, and you’re experts about a whole lot of things I can’t begin to understand, but Jen’s my best friend. This is my city, my life. I know it better than anyone.”
Bellamy nodded. “We’ll be watching in the background for anything that’s on our radar—those things you don’t understand, so you can focus on Jen, and we’ll focus on any bad guys.”
I grinned. “And that’s why you’re the best.”
Barrett groaned, like he was convinced this whole mission was about to go sideways, and as Brad closed the door on the passenger side of the SUV we were using for this mission, I hated that I agreed with him.
The ride between Granger Falls and Boise was a straight shot through Sawtooth Forest on a lonely road.
“We should call her,” I said. Now that we were on our way, the plan felt like it was too flimsy. “She likes this coffee shop, but she doesn’t always stop there. Sometimes she runs errands and--”
“El-Synamon, sorry, that outfit is throwing me off. No, we shouldn’t call her. We can’t guarantee whoever deep-faked that call didn’t hijack her phone number.”
I let out a deep, exasperated sigh. The technological aspect of this case hurt my brain. Which was even more frustrating because I considered myself relatively savvy. “Imagine what these people could do if they didn’t use their powers for evil.”
“Mm hmm.” Brad’s gaze was fixed on the road ahead of him, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened.
“With all that tech there’s really no way Bellamy can tell if the call is going to the right place?
” Something was off and I couldn’t tell exactly what it was.
Since I’d had that vision of Brad wild and free, I’d looked at him differently.
This bear wasn’t meant to be third, fourth, or whatever in command.
He should have been leading his own case. His own team.
“Of course he can,” Brad said. “Which is why I’m advising you against making the call.”
More like, daring me not to... Wait a minute.
“Sweet moon, you think she’s in on this, don’t you?” My body went numb.
His only answer was a sideways glance.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I couldn’t hide the panic in my voice.
“Nothing that you don’t know, but think about it.
” Brad’s voice was calm, way too calm to be taking a sledgehammer to every fucking thing I cared about.
“Who’s the only one who knows everything about you?
Your ex, your family, your job, Synamon Honey.
And she called me, hoping that I’d break and give her classified information because she’s got that protected best friend status. ”
My heart felt like it was sinking into a black hole. His accusation—and that was all that it was—Jen was innocent until proven guilty—felt worse than losing Velvet Ransom. Hell, I didn’t even know Velvet’s real name. But Jen? I’d trusted her with my entire heart and soul.
“I don’t want this to change anything about our plan,” Brad said, like that was even possible. “We’re still in control.”
“I know,” I said defiantly. “Because Jen isn’t behind this.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say he was wrong. The sinking feeling in my stomach wasn’t unfamiliar—Ellie was used to disappointment. But this one hit different, because it was coming from Brad.
No, he’s not like your ex, my bear reminded me. He wouldn’t keep you away from Jen on purpose.
While my brain did a deep dive on why my ex might have wanted to keep us apart, I reminded myself that fully becoming Synamon Honey didn’t mean leaving Jen behind.
Right?
Was that what I was really afraid of?
No, impossible. Just because I was wearing a faux silk shirt and slacks complete with a front pleat and a rolled cuff didn’t mean Ellie Thinking had any right to creep back into my reality.
This is the last time you’ll have to cosplay Ellie, my bear insisted. You’re so close.
Then why was I feeling so resentful toward Brad? Because he had nothing to lose on this trip? Because if things went sideways, not only could I lose my best friend, I could lose my--
Mate. That’s who he was.
I glanced over at him. He’d relaxed and was gently tapping his hand against the steering wheel in time to the music. A soft smile played on his lips, and he caught me looking at him, nodding at me when I didn’t look away.
It should’ve comforted me, and it would have, if there wasn’t an invisible wall between us.
Which made my brain hamster wheel all the worst-case scenarios. “If Jen was really part of the crew trying to disappear me, why would she have called you? And, just so you know, she wanted me to jump your bones that night at the Stepchild.”
He laughed, cracking that tough guy facade he’d been sporting since the Sawtooth Security top brass had arrived on the scene.
“Never said she didn’t have good ideas.” He sighed. “Listen, Synamon, I’ve never wanted to be wrong more in my life. And I have no doubt you’ll come up with some very creative ways to say I told you so.”
Just the idea of that made the muscles between my legs throb with possibilities. “I would tell you what they are, but I want to keep you guessing.”
“Maybe you can reenact one of your favorite 80’s movies from our bed,” he suggested.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” It wasn’t a bad idea. But also, I had a penchant for horror and as we pulled into the parking lot of Jen’s favorite coffee shop, I felt like I was in a live action one. The perky heroine who couldn’t see the bad guy coming...
And even this handsome bear might not be able to save me.
Brad reached for my hand. “Can I tell you something before you go inside?”
Anything, I wanted to say. Anything that would make that gross sludgy feeling of terror dissolve from my belly. But I simply nodded.
“When I was a survivalist, it wasn’t unusual to work with people who wanted to disappear. Not that your situation is anything like theirs, but I’m telling you this because things just don’t go back to the way they were. That time away changes things.”
“She’ll understand.”
But would I?
“I’ll be with you the whole time. Any time you want to back out of this, say the word. We go back to the Forest.”
“Not until I get to say I told you so.”
His lips curled into a smile. “Can’t wait.”
My legs were jelly as I walked into the coffee shop.
Jen loved this place. She’d come here whenever she could, after she dropped the kids off.
It was her escape. She’d get her mocha and a fancy sandwich and read her book for the time it took to enjoy them.
I always thought it was indulgent, taking the most productive part of the day for an escape, but business hours were the only time she got to breathe.
I hated that there was some weight to Brad’s claim, that she envied me. But she’d always been my biggest cheerleader. Gave me ideas to try during my lives. I’d always believed she wanted the best for me.
And I desperately needed that to be true. Some people definitely did suck—But Jen wasn’t one of them.
Brad held my hand, more like, let me grip his hand while we walked in. The coffee shop was always pleasantly busy and smelled divine. My belly rumbled. I’d been too nervous to eat before we left.
My gaze landed on the chair in the window where Jen always sat, usually with a foot tucked up on the cushion, with her mocha and her e-reader. Today, it was occupied by an older man in a polo shirt working on his laptop.
Nothing to panic about, I assured myself. Maybe she had an appointment. Or she already left.
I gave Brad’s hand a gentle tug and headed toward the counter.
“Want anything? The fruit and honey tart is mind-bendingly good.”
“Perfect.”
“Coffee?”
He nodded.
I’d ordered from this cafe, this employee more times than I could count, and she greeted me like she’d never seen before. Sometimes, there were advantages to being completely forgettable.
She handed me a plastic card with a number. “We’ll bring your order to your table when it’s ready.”
I leaned in slightly. “I was wondering, have you seen my friend Jen? She comes in here almost every day.”
The clerk’s brow furrowed. “We see a lot of people--”
“Large white chocolate mocha with oat milk, and the ham and gruyère biscuit? Always sits in that gray chair by the window?” I’d worked in one of these places before and I remembered people by their orders.
Now the clerk’s face lit up with recognition. “Oh right. No, she hasn’t been in for a while.” She pressed her lips together. “Is she okay?”
I glanced at Brad quickly, registering the slight rumble that went through his body on my own personal Richter scale. “Why wouldn’t she be?”
“It’s just that...” the clerk hesitated. “You’re not the first person who’s asked me about her.”