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CJ GLANCED AT TOM SLUMPED in the front seat, his arms crossed and his expression moody, but his mind was like a vice, shut down from CJ’s power of inquiry.
“What’s going on?”
Tom shook his head, still staring out the side window.
“Did you and Raven get into a fight?” CJ asked. He hadn’t seen her at all this afternoon and she didn’t walk Tom out of the school today.
“No,” Tom said.
“Then what is it?”
“I’m worried about her, that’s all,” he signed.
“Why?”
Tom leveled a glare in his direction. “Let it go.”
“Okay, but you know I’m here if you need me.” He took the last turn and his brow creased. Jennifer’s car was in the driveway along with a few others he didn’t recognize. It looked like the media presence had been kicked up again too and he beeped his horn, waiting for the idiots to clear a path.
“Shit,” he muttered as he pulled to a stop.
“Wha?” Tom asked, glancing between CJ and the house.
“They’re here to take me to D.C. to testify against Steve,” CJ said and slammed his palm on the steering wheel before shutting the car off. “And if I don’t go, they’ll revoke your house arrest.” He glanced at Tom. “Bastards,” he whispered and got out of the car.
* * * *
TOM STARED AS CJ STORMED into the house, his words still sinking in and Tom got out of the car slowly, crossing to the threshold in time to hear CJ spew curses at Ron Cleary.
“You fucking bastard,” CJ yelled, his hands balled into tight fists. “I told you that in confidence.”
“Settle down,” Sarah said, standing between CJ and Cleary.
“How the hell can you do this to Steve?” Jennifer said, leveling a glare that would kill if she had any power behind it.
“He violated the law,” Cleary said, like that explained everything.
“You betrayed him,” Jennifer growled.
“Jen, I know how pissed you are, but you have to stand down,” Sarah said trying to keep the peace in an explosive situation.
“And what about you?” she turned her glare on Sarah.
Tom leaned on the kitchen counter, observing the dynamics and wondering whether CJ was going to blow or not. If it was him, he would have swung by now, but he stayed out of it, too numb from his day to react.
Sarah met Jennifer’s gaze. “I’m on his side. We’re all on his side.”
“Bullshit,” Jennifer took a threatening step forward.
CJ put his arm out, stopping Jennifer. “I’ll go because I don’t want to see Tom thrown in jail,” he said and met her gaze before swinging it back toward Cleary. “But you better assign a fucking battalion to this house while I’m gone because I promised Steve I’d be here to protect them in case the Windwalker struck.”
“We have one of our best agents keeping watch.”
“Just one?”
“He’s been instructed to call for reinforcements if he sees anything unusual,” Cleary said. “Now go pack a bag, our flight is leaving from Peas in an hour.”
“Fine,” CJ stomped out of the living room.
“Just one agent?” Jennifer said and met Sarah’s gaze. “That’s all you assigned?” She crossed her arms in defiance, but Tom knew there was an underlying insecurity.
“We will have CJ back here by nine tomorrow night. I promise,” Sarah said.
“And what if the Windwalker decides to strike?”
“You have twenty-four-hour surveillance,” Cleary said and his gaze fell on Tom before shifting back to Jennifer.
“Oh, that makes me feel eons better,” Jennifer volleyed.
“Cut the sarcasm,” he glared at her. “This is serious and I’m praying CJ has some nugget of information that can save your husband’s ass. Otherwise, he’s headed for a long stay in a federal penitentiary.”
Jennifer closed her mouth and looked at the floor, stepping back to put more distance between her and the two FBI agents. Tom saw both defeat and fear in her stance and crossed, putting a protective arm around her shoulder. He leveled a glare at Cleary, one that was fueled more by the day’s events than the current situation, but it had the desired effect.
Cleary shifted uncomfortably under Tom’s silent challenge and he traded a glance with Sarah.
CJ came bounding down the stairs, with a duffel bag and his computer bag. “There better be internet service wherever you’re putting me up,” he said and gave Jennifer and Tom a nod as he followed Cleary and Sarah out the front door.
Tom crossed to the window, watching them pull out. A chill skittered down his spine and he turned, glancing at Jennifer.
“Looks like it’s just you and me. Feel like going out to dinner tonight?”
He raised an eyebrow and pointed at the ankle bracelet.
“Shit,” she muttered and leaned back into the couch.
“Are you okay?” he signed.
She laughed and shook her head, her chuckles turning into sobs and she buried her face in her hands. He took a seat on the couch and pulled her to his shoulder, just saying, “shh,” over and over while she cried.
When she finally settled down, she wiped her face and her bloodshot gaze met his.
“I’m sorry, Tom. I’m sure me falling apart was the last thing you needed.”
He offered a smile. “I’ oay,” he said. “How did your audition go?” he signed.
“I didn’t make it. Sarah called me to give me a heads up about CJ’s subpoena and I turned around and came home,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he signed.
“Don’t be, it’s not your fault,” she said and took a deep cleansing breath before turning toward him. “So, how was your day?”
Tom leaned back into the cushions. “As crappy as yours,” he signed.
“Why?”
“I had a confrontation with Bear and Raven confided something in me that has me real worried,” he said and pulled the cast off his arm, tossing it onto the table. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Always,” she said.
“How did you know Steve was the one?”
Jennifer sighed, thinking back to the moment he walked into her college apartment. That was the moment she knew, but she wanted to give Tom some background. “He was my neighbor for years and his sister was my best friend.”
Tom’s eyebrows arched. He thought they met in college.
“After she died, we got really close, but at that time, the age difference was huge. Five years is an ocean when you’re talking eleven and sixteen. For years I had the biggest crush on him and after they moved away, I used to wait by the mailbox to see if he sent a letter. It was kind of pathetic,” she laughed and traded a glance. “The letters dropped off after a while and I stopped waiting for them.” Jennifer paused and stood, crossing to the sliders.
“When he walked back into my life my senior year in college, I knew. I can’t tell you exactly how I knew, just that I did. Being around him is better than any adrenaline rush out there, even now. I still feel the electricity between us whenever he’s around. And he knows how to make me laugh.”
She turned and shrugged. “I know, you haven’t heard me laugh in a while, but he can make me giggle like a school girl.”
Tom grinned. He couldn’t see her giggling.
“Life hasn’t been kind to us and we’ve had to struggle through some horrific times, just like you and CJ have, but there’s no one I’d rather have at my side.” Tears filled her eyes again and she looked away. “I just can’t see how I’m going to get through this if he’s locked up for the next thirty years.”