Page 43 of Defending Love
“We’d like to ask you and Dr. Sinclair some questions.” There was a pause. “Is she available?”
“She’s retired for the evening. If you have questions for us, we can meet you tomorrow at your field office.”
“Our closest field office is in Jacksonville. We’d like to clear this up tonight.”
Eli was unflappable. “Dr. Sinclair is unavailable. If you take a step back, I’ll come outside, and you can ask me whatever questions you may have.”
“I’m afraid, Mr. Rhodes, we call the shots here.” The man’s voice deepened. “Wake Dr. Sinclair. Agent Wilson and I will wait.”
“Remain outside,” Eli said.
“You have two minutes.”
Two minutes.
What the hell is happening?
The front door closed. I could only assume Eli engaged the lock. His footsteps on the staircase were too few, as if he was taking them two or three at a time. Coming around the corner, he nearly plowed me over. “Fuck.”
“What’s happening?” There was something unusual in Eli’s expression. Could it be fear? “Eli?”
“They’re claiming they’re FBI, but the badges are fake.”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded, looking down at what I was holding. “They shouldn’t fucking know we’re here.” He ran his long fingers through his hair and met my gaze. “Without a warrant, they can’t come in the villa. But for safety’s sake, hide those things in your suitcase or satchel.”
I’d almost forgotten what I was holding. “Um, okay.”
“We’ll go down together and speak to them on the driveway. Where’s your phone?”
“Plugged in in the bedroom, why?”
“Go get it.”
I didn’t hesitate to follow his instructions, placing the photo album and journals in my suitcase and covering them with clothes. Next, I went to where my phone was on the bedside stand and took it to Eli.
Once I handed the phone to him, Eli entered the passcode and opened the camera. “Take this to the window in your room, the one that looks down on the driveway. Place it in the window. I have cameras pointed outside, but since I didn’t get a notification upon their arrival, I’m assuming they’re scrambled.”
“Fake FBI, scrambling signals.” I looked up. “What’s going on?”
His lips curled. “At the sight of your hair, they won’t doubt you were sleeping.”
I smoothed my hair with my hand, convinced that I looked a nearly fucked mess. I asked my question again. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know. I think we should play along to try to figure out their game plan.”
Play along. I could do that.
I nodded.
Peering around the plantation blinds, I saw a dark SUV parked in the driveway and two men in dark uniforms standing beside it. They were talking to one another, not looking up as I placed my phone in the window.
When I returned, Eli was donning his suit coat over his holster. As his eyes met mine, he said, “Only concealed carry is legal in Florida.”
I took a deep breath as we both walked down the staircase. Eli opened the front door. The two men came toward us as we stepped outside. The sidewalk beneath my bare feet was still warm from the day’s earlier sunshine, yet the air had chilled.
“Dr. Sinclair,” the taller man said. “I’m Special Agent Timmons.”
