The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents 6)

“You’re EOD.” It made sense. So much sense and she felt herself flush. “That’s why Van’s last message was erased at the crime scene. You smeared the blood deliberately, didn’t you? To keep your organization quiet. You destroyed evidence.”

A muscle jerked in his jaw.

But he didn’t deny being EOD. She’d actually expected a denial.

“I think—” Noelle spoke softly as she pulled her files a bit closer “—that we all need to calm down.”

“I’m completely calm,” Gabrielle said. She was. An eerie calm that she hadn’t expected had settled over her.

Gabrielle pulled out her phone. She held it gripped in her hand. She tilted her head as she studied the profiler. “If I call Detective Carmichael right now, is he going to back up your story? Is he going to even know who you are?”

Noelle hesitated.

That was Gabrielle’s answer. “He’s not, because you aren’t working with the local cops. They aren’t the ones who sent you to me.” She rolled back her shoulders and forced herself to meet Cooper’s stare. “The team that you had searching my apartment—they were from the EOD, weren’t they? This guy, this fellow doing the killing, he’s one of your agents.”

Cooper didn’t speak, neither confirming nor denying her charge.

She’d wanted a denial. Crazy, of course, but she’d wanted one.

A woman didn’t like to be that wrong about her lover.

She was.

Gabrielle retreated from him and the FBI agent.

Noelle rose. “I really need to ask you more questions. It’s imperative that I learn as much about this man as I can.”

So that the EOD could catch one of their own?

“He’s fixated on you,” Noelle continued, as Gabrielle took another step back. “The fact that he’s contacting you gives us an advantage. It means—”

“—that you think you can use me as some kind of bait.” Her blinders were definitely off. No wonder Cooper had agreed to be her partner. He was letting her rush out and try to draw the killer’s attention.

She’d been live bait in the EOD’s trap, and she hadn’t even realized it.

“Thanks, but no thanks.” Gabrielle spun away and yanked open the door.

“Gabrielle!” Cooper called after her.

Her eyes were tearing up. Knowing that she’d just been a means to an end for him hurt.

“Gabrielle? Are you okay?” Penelope asked as she hurried toward her.

“I need to get away,” she whispered back.

Penelope handed her a pair of keys. “My car’s in the lot.”

Then Penelope pushed her away—and rushed toward the conference room door. “Is it my turn for questions? Because I’ve got tons....”

Penelope was buying her some time by being a distraction. Perfect. Gabrielle gave up trying to look in control—the eerie calm had totally fled. She rushed for the elevator.

Once she slipped inside, she risked a glanced back and saw Cooper prying himself out of Penelope’s grip.

There was emotion on his face right then.

Rage.

The doors slid closed, and Gabrielle sucked in a deep breath.