The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents #6)(17)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Her bare toes—adorned with bright red polish—curled against the hard wood floor. “I hope you don’t mind,” Gabrielle said softly, “but I didn’t have anything else to wear.”

Because the rogue had destroyed everything she had.

Bastard.

“I don’t mind at all.” The words came out too gruff. Too rough. He cleared his throat and tried again, saying, “I can go out and get some more clothes for you, if you tell me your size.”

Actually, he already knew her size. It was in the nice, tidy dossier that the EOD had given him.

“Why don’t you let me make a run?” Rachel interrupted.

Gabrielle’s gaze slid to her.

“Most of the stores will be opening in a few hours,” Rachel added. “I can get the clothes for you, no problem.”

Gabrielle hesitated. Then she cocked her head as her gaze slid between Rachel and Dylan, and the top of the stairs. “I’m sorry…what are you all doing here? I thought the cops were coming to investigate.”

“My name’s Dylan Foxx, and I am the cops, sort of,” Dylan said as he offered his hand to her.

Gabrielle took his hand. “Sort of?”

“I work for the government,” Dylan explained. Cooper was surprised by that truth. But then Dylan continued, twisting fact and fiction as he explained, “I have a crew that specializes in crime scene investigation for Uncle Sam. They’re upstairs now, and as soon as they’re done, I’ll be turning the results over to—” he glanced at Cooper as if for confirmation “—a Detective Carmichael?”

Cooper realized that Dylan was still holding Gabrielle’s hand. What was up with that? He maneuvered her away from Dylan. Dylan had a tendency to be a little too slick with the ladies.

“Do you work for the government, too?” Gabrielle asked Rachel.

Rachel nodded. “I’m Dylan’s associate.”

Gabrielle fiddled with the bottom of Cooper’s shirt. “By any chance, have either of you ever heard of the EOD?”

Cooper’s heart slammed into his chest.

Rachel frowned. “The what?”

At the same moment, Dylan shook his head. “No, can’t say that I have. Why? What is it?”

Gabrielle turned toward Cooper. “It was written in the blood at the crime scene. You saw it, didn’t you?”

He hated to do it, but Cooper shook his head. “No, sweetheart, I didn’t.”

She blinked. “But…it was there. Carmichael said he didn’t see it, but you had to—”

“I didn’t,” he made himself say again.

Her gaze fell. “I saw it,” she said softly, determinedly. “EOD. Clear as day. That was McAdams’s last message, and I’m going to figure out what it means.”

No, you can’t find out.

Her gaze touched his once more. “I’m going to call my editor at the Inquisitor. I want to publish an account of everything that happened. Somewhere out there, someone knows either who or what the EOD is.”

That couldn’t happen. There was no way that he could let her publish what she’d seen.

Dylan’s gaze met Cooper’s. He easily read the order in the other man’s eyes.

Cooper inclined his head.

“When your team finishes,” Cooper said, “give us a report.”

“Of course,” Dylan agreed. His attention shifted to Gabrielle. “I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”

“So am I.” Her lips twisted into a weak smile. “But if you and your team can help me to find the man who broke into my place, I’d sure appreciate it.”

“We’ll do everything we can,” Dylan told her. He backed away.

Rachel lingered. There were shadows in her eyes as she studied Gabrielle. “It doesn’t seem safe,” Rachel suddenly blurted.

Dylan frowned at her.

“The story that you’re following…all of the people that are winding up dead.” Rachel exhaled on a shaky breath. “Do you have family who live outside of D.C.? Friends? Maybe you should leave until the police catch this guy.”

“His first victim was killed four months ago,” Gabrielle said. “Four months. The police haven’t caught him yet, and I’m not the type to run and hide and just hope that things change.”

“Even if staying puts you in harm’s way?” Rachel pressed.

Gabrielle’s shoulder brushed against Cooper. “I’ve got my own bodyguard. I trust him to keep me safe.”

Don’t put so much trust in me.

The mission had started so easily.

But right then, he hated the lies that he’d told to Gabrielle.

Rachel got the sizes for Gabrielle’s clothes and she promised to be back first thing in the morning with the items. When she started to leave, Gabrielle reached out and gave the other woman a quick hug.

Surprise rippled across Rachel’s face.

“Thank you,” Gabrielle told her as she eased back. “After what happened, just knowing that clothes are coming—” This time, her smile was full and real. “It may sound crazy, but it means a lot to me. Actually, it means everything. This guy isn’t going to stop me. He won’t intimidate me. I’m going to get justice for his victims.”

Because that was what Gabrielle did, Cooper realized. She didn’t go after the criminals because she wanted attention or glory. She did it for the victims.

So they wouldn’t be forgotten.

Gabrielle slipped back into the apartment.

He turned to follow her, but stopped when he saw Rachel glaring at him.

That glare would have melted a lesser man.

He leaned toward Rachel, acting as if he were giving her a hug. “What is it?” Cooper whispered.

Her body was stiff and tense against his. “She deserves better than this,” Rachel hissed.

Better than you.

Yes, she did. Jaw locking, he followed Gabrielle inside his apartment, and he wondered just what he’d have to do in order to stop her from telling the world about the EOD.

* * *

BRUCE MERCER SAT in his office. His fingers tapped on his desk, a slow, steady rhythm as he listened to Dylan Foxx’s update.

The agent was rambling, unusual for him. That rambling meant—

“You found nothing in the reporter’s place,” Bruce said.

Finally, Dylan stopped his ramble about fingerprint dusting and DNA analysis. Dylan gave a quick nod. “The fact that they didn’t find anything is significant, sir.”