Wicked and True (Wicked & Devoted 4)

“I’ll call you back.”

“Wait—”

But it was too late. He was gone.

Tessa closed her eyes. Why had she assumed he knew about the corpses and opened her big mouth? She’d much preferred the smug, didn’t-have-a-care-in-the-world kidnapper to the panicked, out-of-control one. Now that she’d stupidly rattled him, would he take it out on Hallie?

Her hands shook as she tried to go about her morning like nothing was out of the ordinary. She hooked up her laptop to her monitor and opened her company email. Joaquin had sent her a list of things to do today—people to email, copies to make, clients to bill. None of that would take too long or require her to think too much, thank goodness. She could barely spare any thoughts for anyone but Hallie.

As she sent him an email promising to take care of all of the items quickly, her phone began to buzz again. Tessa lunged for it and answered immediately.

“Yes?”

“Change of plans.”

“I need to know if my daughter is okay.”

“You’ll get a full report when we get full information. If you want it, you will do two things immediately. First, take a picture of the crime scene with the bodies.”

“I don’t know if they’re still here.”

“You better see to that first, then. And second, what are EM Security’s plans to rescue Kimber Edgington? We need details.”

“I haven’t seen the family in days. They’re planning elsewhere and not saying anything to the staff.” At least that’s what Tessa thought. Or had they been telling Zy something he wasn’t supposed to share? “B-but I’ll ask some of the operatives, see if they know something I don’t.”

“You do that. I want some answers in half an hour or less.”

Then the caller was gone.

Tessa dragged in a ragged breath and told herself to keep it together. She couldn’t take a few minutes to herself. She couldn’t go to the ladies’ room and have a cry. She had to suck it up and get busy. Her breakdown would have to wait until she’d gotten some word about Hallie.

Gripping her cell, she opened the camera app and cracked the door. She encountered a female officer, who turned to her with a scowl.

“Ma’am, you can’t be out here.”

She nodded, not looking at the crime scene as she pointed her phone in that direction and pressed the button a few times, hoping she caught a usable shot. “I-I left something in my car.”

“It will have to wait. I’m sorry.”

“Of course.” Tessa tried to smile as she ducked back inside.

Quickly, she opened her photos and scanned the five she’d taken. Yes, there were three bodies visible. Some pictures were better than others, but she wasn’t looking at details. She couldn’t do that again.

Trembling, she turned on the recorder on her phone and tucked it in her pocket, then headed for the conference room. On the way, she saw One-Mile and Matt, who watched her expectantly. Shit, she’d forgotten to get the cowboy a laptop.

With a harried smile, she held up a finger, silently asking them to give her just a minute.

They nodded, and she let out a shaky breath while trying to collect her wits. She wasn’t sure how she was going to ask Zy for information he wasn’t at liberty to give—if he even knew—but she needed to come up with something quick.

Pressing a hand to her knotted belly, she knocked softly, then pushed her way inside. Zy sat in the big chair at the head of the table, feet crossed on the massive wooden slab, and replied to the speakerphone. “I think you’re right, and we need to think about all the possible angles. What’s up, Tessa?”

She shut the door behind her—and was still blank. She masked the moment by clearing her throat and smoothing down her skirt. “Am I interrupting something important?”

“Talking to Trees. Did you need something?”

“Actually…yes. Can I bug you for a minute?”

“Sure.” He gestured to the seat beside him. “I’ll call you back, buddy.”

“Yeah. It’s gotten too quiet here. I should see what the fuck is going on.”

Zy chuckled. “I think it would be wise not to let that…situation get out of hand.”

“I don’t know that you should be laughing, man. Just remember that. Talk to you later.”

Tessa frowned. “What was that about?”

He smiled smooth as silk. “Rodent problem.”

What? She’d never heard either of them talk about mice or squirrels, but whatever. They seemed to have a million inside jokes, and this was probably one of them.

“I wanted to talk to you.” She folded her hands on the table in front of her and stalled for time to gather her thoughts.

“About?”

Then the most obvious tactic occurred to her. “Kimber. She’s my friend. She didn’t do anything to make a drug cartel mad. And I worry…if they came after her, what’s to stop them from coming after any of us?”