“Your buddy transferred to the marshals’ office in Chicago?”
“Yeah. Josiah Redeker. He and his partner went up there not too long ago. He said it’s colder than crap, but I’m still jealous.”
“Of him moving to Chicago? Why?”
“Not Chicago, just the change. Any change.”
“The DEA doesn’t suit you anymore?”
The weight of his stare, how weary he looked, made me remember when I’d felt the same way. “It just…wears.”
I nodded. “Ella’s going to give you my number so we can stay in touch.” She confirmed she’d take care of it on the long plane ride. “Call me and we can talk about it.”
Quick flashing grin. “Oh yeah? You gonna solve all my problems like you used to? You gotta great new job for me, Croy?”
It was very possible.
“I missed you,” he said, and his eyes glowed with warmth.
It was entirely possible that I had not realized my worth all those years ago. I needed to reevaluate what I meant to other people. Perhaps I was more important than I thought. My eyes were open to a whole new world.
After I hugged Ella, and then Dallas hugged Ella, and she swore to be back in Vegas soon, shooting me a pointed look, they were gone and on their way to the airport.
“What did she mean about coming back to Vegas?” Dallas asked me.
“She wanted to coordinate with me when I was going to be out here visiting you.”
“Oh,” he said, and it was like the rug was pulled out from under his feet and he deflated.
“You should shower and then go back to bed. You barely got any sleep at all last night.”
“Are you hungry? We can go out for breakfast, or—”
He was dead on his feet.
“Or I can make you some eggs and then we’ll put you in bed.”
Quick clearing of his throat. “And you’re gonna stick around, right?”
“Yes.”
Deep exhale. “Okay then, I’ll eat.”
He wolfed down some eggs and bacon and toast when he got out of the shower, but he got no coffee, only water, and then I walked him into the bedroom.
“You got hurt,” he reminded me as he slid in under the covers. “You should rest too.”
“I will, but I have phone calls to make.”
“Okay,” he agreed, and rolled over and closed his eyes.
I called Jared Colter when I was back in the kitchen, cleaning up.
“Well done, Esca,” he told me. “I was briefed by Alexander Higa about an hour ago, and not five minutes ago Brigham Stanton paid the balance on our invoice.”
“So I didn’t die, and Torus got paid. That’s a win all the way around.”
“It is, yes.”
What was I going to say to him?
“Esca?”
I took a breath. “There’s a need for good, reputable, dependable private investigators here in Vegas.”
“I’m sure there is,” he agreed. “People can get lost there, and they need someone other than law enforcement looking for them.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
But it was so completely unlike me. “I was thinking that I might make a pretty good private investigator,” I said, taking the leap.
“No,” he said gruffly. “You’d make an excellent private investigator. You’d be able to do the part you like best about your work at Torus, but all the time.”
“Finding the truth?”
“I was going to say ferreting out secrets and lies. You like a good mystery, and you enjoy solving them.”
He wasn’t wrong.
“Why don’t we do this,” he said slowly, his voice that deep rumble that made you think he would take care of you. “You stay on my payroll and use your Torus credentials until you get licensed there.”
“And then?”
He grunted. “Then we’ll talk and decide if you want to keep Torus as a partner or do things on your own.”
“Begging your pardon, sir, but do you just decide these things on the fly?”
“Yes,” he replied honestly. “When it’s right.”
“How do you know?” I asked him. “Brann just left. So have others. But I’m different?”
“Did it ever occur to you, Croy, that I’m a fixer too?”
It hadn’t, no, not until right then. “You’re saying you were fixing me while I was working for you?”
“Are you different?”
I was, yes. “Somewhat,” I admitted.
“For the better?”
“I don’t know if it’s better or—”
“Esca,” he said, sounding tired. “It’s better. You’re better. Let it go.”
I couldn’t stifle my chuckle. Lying to Jared Colter was impossible.
“You’ll need a partner, Esca, and I don’t mean your FBI agent.”
Of course he knew all about Dallas.
“You have someone in mind who might want to do the PI thing with you?”
There was Jared’s syzygy again, when everything aligned. It was crazy that it was happening to me all at once.
“I might.”
“Well, have a talk with them and get back to me. In the meantime, Owen cataloged the tea service, because Locryn would rather gargle glass. It’s all there.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome, Esca, we’ll be in touch.”
He was gone a moment later, and I had the horrible feeling that I was making a huge mistake. It was terrifying to think that Dallas could change his mind about me, or I could wake up one day and not be crazy about him anymore. But then again, wasn’t that the same gamble that everyone took?