But that level of distrust did a number on people. FBI teams were supposed to trust and rely on each other. When the atmosphere of the office weakened that bond, it diminished the team’s effectiveness.
The news that Shelby was there spread like wildfire and soon she was surrounded by her teammates. Jocelyn, Ross, Denbe, Price—everyone wanted to know how she was and when she was coming back.
It felt good to be wanted.
After introducing Colton to everyone, Ross asked about his service days. As always, Colton wouldn’t talk about it except in a general way. Feeling his discomfort, which, like always, he tried to cover with humor, Shelby gave the group a sweet smile and yawned.
“I’m so sorry, y’all, but I just need to grab something from my desk and get back home. I’m exhausted. The doctor says it will take time to get my previous stamina back.”
The group parted good-naturedly, allowing Colton to wheel her toward her office.
“What do you need, Agent Claiborne?” a familiar male voice asked from behind her.
Damn, she’d hoped when he hadn’t appeared initially that Theo was out of the office.
Colton pulled up short and Theo strode into view.
“I would have been happy to bring it to you,” he said.
She saw the micro expression right before his lips turned up in a fake smile. The brows went down and together, his eyes went hard before he could neutralize them.
Anger.
There and gone so fast, most people would never see it.
He was good, but she was better.
“I wanted to get out,” she said.Truth. “And…well, the thing I wanted is kind of personal.”
Also the truth.
Colton started forward again. “We’ll just grab it and be on our way, chief.”
Theo had disguised his anger at her appearance, but he didn’t bother trying to do the same with his disgust with Colton. “I don’t suppose this has anything to do with that file you left the message about earlier, does it,chief?”
Okay, this was already going well.
Not.
“We’re not here about a file,” Shelby lied. “Honestly, it’s not a big deal… I just have a personal item in my desk that I wanted. The doctor said it might stimulate my memory.”
The last part was a lie—her doctor hadn’t said anything of the sort—but it wasn’t necessarily untrue.
Theo lifted both brows, a tic under his left eye. “You’ve never been one to keep personal items at work.”
Busted. What Theo didn’t realize was that she did have this one thing and it wasn’t necessary to lie about it. She lowered her eyes, felt an honest blush flood her cheeks. “It’s helped me through some rough times. I hoped it might do the same right now.”
The air was tense, her coworkers frozen in the awkward headlights of the oncoming train wreck.
Theo’s assessing gaze was like a hot spotlight on her face. He knew this was subterfuge but because it was mixed with so many truths, he couldn’t separate the wheat from the chaff. Shelby had to blink her eyes as the pressure building in her head made her vision swim.
In the background, a phone rang. Jocelyn hustled off to answer it.
“Of course, Agent Claiborne,” Theo said after another stiff moment. “You’re still a full-fledged FBI agent and welcome to your personal stuff. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that the files in your office and on your computer are classified—”
“You know what, Ingram?” Colton drew up to his full height and the good ol’ boy vanished. The former SEAL took its place. “The doctor said it might stimulate Shelby’s memory if we stopped by her office and saw her friends. I didn’t like it, because you know, in the past three months you haven’t found her shooter and there’s a killer out there running around, but I caved and brought her. Now you’ve made a big deal about this and embarrassed her in front of her workmates because you don’t likeme. I get that. Nobody likes me, but don’t take it out on her. She’s been a damn good agent for you and she was shot while doing her duty. Can we please move along, get her stuff, and be on our way?”
“Sir?” Jocelyn said from behind them. Everyone turned in her direction.
