Strip Tease (Protect and Defend 1.50)

Nate nodded, rubbing his unshaven jaw. “Damn it, I am. But I doubt she feels the same way.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because she didn’t say a word to me the entire drive back to her place. She’s pissed her sister was arrested. She accused me of using her to get to Ginger.”

“She’s freaked out. I don’t blame her. That was some heavy shit, Diaz blowing his head off.” Greg shook his head, his expression grim. “You shouldn’t have let her go home alone. She might need you.”

Great, now his partner was making him feel guilty for letting her go. “I tried, but she told me to leave her alone.” And that hurt more than he cared to admit.

“If you’re so in love with her, you need to be with her. Comfort her in her time of need.”

“She wouldn’t let me.”

“You should have insisted.”

“Lay off, all right? I feel guilty enough as it is.” Nate walked away, frustrated with himself, with Janelle, with everyone.

How had this ended so badly between them? He didn’t understand why Janelle was so damn angry. Yeah, her sister was arrested, but it was a formality. And it was mostly out of his control. She acted like it was personally his fault.

“I heard they want you to sit in during the questioning of Ginger,” Greg said as he glanced around. As if making sure no one heard him. “It’s because of your connection with the sister.”

“Really?” That gave him a bit of hope. Maybe he could convince the agents to let her off easy.

And maybe not, he thought uneasily.

“That’s what I heard, though don’t quote me. They’re taking her back to headquarters so they can use one of our rooms. Go talk to one of the feds. Find out what’s going on.” Greg flicked his head in their direction.

Turned out Greg was right. The moment Nate approached the group of federal agents, they asked if he wanted to sit in during the questioning. Of course, he said yes.

He was doing it for Janelle.

The uneasy feeling stayed with him the entire drive to the station, right until he walked into the tiny room and saw Ginger Pearson sitting huddled in a metal chair. She looked terrible, even worse than the last time he saw her, nothing like Janelle. How had he confused the two of them in the first place?

“I want to make sure you’re aware you’re participating in this interview without a lawyer present. And you’ve already been read your rights. Is that correct?” One of the agents asked as precaution, and for the recorder that taped the entire conversation.

A shaky sigh escaped her. “Yes, I understand. There’s nothing a lawyer could do for me anyway.”

“Ginger.” Everyone looked at Nate when he said her name and he took a deep breath. He needed to say something, warn her before they started questioning her extensively. “It would be in your best interest to have a lawyer with you.”

The agents glared at him, but he didn’t care. He had to protect her for Janelle’s sake.

“I can’t afford one,” she admitted, her voice small, her gaze on her lap.

“Janelle will help you.”

She looked up at him, her gaze dry, her lips drawn thin. “I don’t know...”

“I’ll call her,” Nate offered and one of the agents groaned out loud.

“Don’t fuck this up,” another one muttered under his breath, shooting daggers at him with his eyes.

“You shouldn’t be questioning her alone when she’s in this state,” Nate said, shaking his head. “She’s in shock. She just watched her boyfriend kill himself.”

A sob escaped Ginger and she covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking.

“Thanks a lot, Banks,” another one mumbled.

But Nate didn’t give a damn. He went to Ginger and offered her an awkward hug, then pulled out his phone. He needed to protect Ginger for Janelle’s sake.