Dallas paused outside the door to the op center, breathing deep, trying to erase any last hint of Jane from his face. It wouldn't work, of course. Jane was part of him and always would be, even if he knew damn well that walking away from her was for the best.
It was--he was certain of it. But right now he wasn't in the mood to justify his decision to Liam. They needed to focus on Deliverance. On Colin.
And he didn't need his best friend to tell him what he already knew--that Dallas and Jane were meant to be together, and it was only his own goddamn inability to get his shit together that was keeping them apart.
Maybe if he found the Woman. Maybe if he could fucking erase her then he could erase his fears and needs, too.
Or maybe he'd sprout wings and fly over the Statue of Liberty. Because that seemed about as likely.
Forcing himself to focus, he took a deep breath, punched in the code to unlock the door, and strode into the ops center.
Liam looked up, waving from where he stood in front of one of the computer screens talking to Noah and Quince, whose faces peered out from the monitors.
"So that's the plan, then," Quince said. "I've got a briefing in the prime minister's office in an hour, but Noah and I will get going on our end." His eyes cut to Dallas. "Good to see you, mate. Liam can get you up to speed."
"Sounds good," Dallas agreed, as Noah said his goodbyes, too, and the monitors winked to black.
"So what's the plan?"
"We're going to send Colin anonymous texts from a burner phone. Vague, but suggesting we know his secret. With luck, it'll spur him to action."
Dallas nodded, considering. "Ballsy. But dangerous, too."
"True. But we need to make a play. After seventeen years, he's not doing anything that's going to spontaneously lead us back to the kidnapping."
"I've been thinking along the same lines, actually. Thought I'd mention my conversation with Bill when I'm at Colin's for dinner. Let him know that WORR and a few agencies are investigating the Sykes kidnapping."
Liam nodded. "I like it."
"Assuming he's really our guy, either the texts or Bill's investigation could spur him into making a move. But we're also running a risk that he'll destroy any remaining evidence. We need more eyes on him."
"Already on it," Liam said. "He makes a move, we follow. Noah's going to pull Tony in for additional surveillance."
Dallas considered the ramifications, then nodded. "It's solid. Risky, but it may pan out."
"I damn sure hope so. And we'll also have the intel from the bugs you're going to plant, so let's talk about how that's going to go down."
"Should be easy enough. The point of the dinner is to show off the remodel of the house Colin bought in Brooklyn Heights."
"So you can wander freely and praise the woodwork and casually mention Bill's investigation."
"That's my plan," Dallas said. "I just wish Jane wasn't going to be there."
Liam frowned. "Why is she?"
"Adele invited her. Apparently Colin invited Adele. So it's going to be one big happy family, and I'll have to plant the bugs without Colin or either of the women noticing."
"Easy eno
ugh for a crack spy like you."
Dallas rolled his eyes, and Liam sank down into one of the rolling desk chairs, then pushed backward a bit before kicking his feet out and studying Dallas. "So what's the real reason you don't want Jane there? Because it's Colin? Or because you still haven't told her everything she wants to know about Deliverance?"
"Both," Dallas said. "Neither. Shit, man--everything is such a clusterfuck right now."
Liam rolled his chair closer. "Tell me," he said. And despite everything Dallas had told himself earlier, he heard himself saying, "I hurt her. Goddammit, Liam, I had her slammed against the wall with my hand around her neck and I fucking hurt her."
To his credit, Liam didn't push himself up out of his chair and bash Dallas's brains in. Instead he said, very slowly and carefully, "I think you need to back up, buddy. Back up and tell me exactly what happened. And while you're at it, I think you need to tell me why."