I look away and Oz’s leg touches mine under the table.
“It’s been two hours,” Jude says. “You’re not going to learn anything more. Not like this.”
Something about his tone has me worrying how exactly Judedoesplan on getting the information out of me.
I turn back to face him and the dark heat in his eyes sends a thrill down my spine. Jude may be angry but he’s not giving up on me.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Freya
I EASE THE door to River’s home office closed behind me.
I’m greeted with dark oak and shelves neatly lined with books on criminology and psychology. The curtains are pulled closed, but his desk is lit with a warm glow from a filigreed lamp.
I know I’m pushing my luck. It was only yesterday River had me hooked up to a lie detector and now I’m breaking into his office.
I walk over to the desk and rest my hand on the back of the old-fashioned leather chair. I tug on the top drawer. Locked. I try the others and find the same result. I guess I’m doing this the hard way. I pick out a paperclip from a pot on the desk and re-shape the metal with my fingers.
I’m inserting the makeshift pick into the drawer’s lock when the door swings open.
River stops when he sees me, then steps further into the room and closes the door. “Care to explain what, exactly, you are doing in my office?”
I straighten up, folding the paperclip into the palm of my hand. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what I was doing though.
Yesterday made it clear he doesn’t trust me and after this, I doubt I’ll be able to sneak back in here, so I shrug and go for thetruth. “I want my phone.” The hospital released my belongings into River’s custody and he’s yet to give it back to me.
River’s Oxford’s clack against the wooden floor as he prowls over to me.
I go to move but he comes up behind me, trapping me between his body and the desk as he pulls out a key.
He unlocks the drawer and slides it open. The wood presses into my thighs, giving me no choice but to step back into his chest. Even through our clothes his warmth heats me, and I realize quite how tall he is. My head doesn’t even come up to his chin.
River takes my phone out of the drawer. His arm circles my chest as he holds it out for me. “You could have just asked.”
I take the phone from his hand, but River shows no sign of moving. I twist my neck to look up at him and he nods at the phone.
“Go ahead,” he says. “I assume you want to contact someone.”
I turn back to the phone and unlock the screen. “I thought it would be useful to have a look over Camilla’s file again. See whether we could find a connection between her and Posy.” It’s not entirely a lie. Learning more about the victims could help us locate my father.
I click on my chat with Luke and start typing. “Luke, my partner has the original report, the one with our interview notes on it.” I finish typing out my message and go to press send.
“Wait.” River’s hand squeezes my hip. He bends down and reads the message over my shoulder.
Freya: Hey L, can you send over Camilla’s file?
“Okay,” River says.
I will my fingers not to shake as I press send. I get a response straight away. “He says there’s too much to scan, he’ll comeround to drop them off in person. Is that okay?” I grit my teeth at having to ask for permission.
“Yes, give him the address and then put the phone down.”
I do as he says. “Do I get to keep it?” I ask after putting the phone on the desk.
River’s hand travels from my hip to my stomach and his fingers dip under my top. “If you’re good.” His thumb strokes back and forth over the sliver of bare skin between the bandages and my pants. “Did you let Oz check your wounds this morning?”
My core clenches at his touch and I lean back into his chest. “Yes. He says they’re healing nicely.”
