Eleven (Brandon Fisher FBI Series)

Chapter 15 & 16

Chapter 15

PAIGE AND ZACHERY WERE IN the corner table of Betty's Place waiting for us. It was the best we could do for a conference room around here. Two plates on the table were empty with the exception of leftover coleslaw in small ramekins, and four red plastic toothpicks.

"Hope you don't mind we went ahead and ordered something." Zachery drew back on a can of pop.

"Looks like you ordered and ate." Jack pulled out a chair from the table, letting it scrape across the floor. He dropped onto it.

"Triple deckers," I said.

"Turkey, bacon and cheese on whole wheat. You should try one, Pending."

"I'm not that hungry—"

"He feels his life was threatened," Jack interceded.

"Come on, why would someone throw away their life killing you?"

I studied Paige's eyes. They communicated a vulnerability and empathic nature. Her hair framed her face with loose curls. I remembered putting my hands in that hair, sweeping it back from her face, taking her lips, kissing her neck. She let her eyelids fall slowly as if she were thinking the same thing.

She ended the eye contact. "There's no need to be like that, Zach."

"Why are you sticking up for him?"

"I take it seriously. Brandon is a Special Agent just like the rest of us—"

"Pending."

He'd never let me forget I had a twenty-four-month probationary period.

"We're family. We look out for each other. What if it was your picture?"

The smile faded from Zachery's face.

"Yeah, not so funny now."

Jack leaned back into his chair. "This is normally when I'd say we don't have time to eat but seeing as this is our only meeting place—"

My cell phone rang. The ring tone was different. It was my personal cell and it was Deb.

"Are you going to get that?"

I pulled out the phone and clicked ignore.

"Not important, Kid?"

My eyes were on Paige. Hers went to the table.

The ringing started up again.

"Sounds like you better get that."

I walked away from the table and answered. "I told you I'm in the middle of a case—"

"Are you going to be home tonight?"

"We talked about this."

"Brandon, I didn't realize you'd be away for days at a time."

"We talked about the possibility."

Silence.

"I've got to go."

"Brandon?"

"Yeah."

"I love you."

To hear her voice change from confrontation to this tugged at my heart. My life was threatened. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? "I love you too. I'll be home as soon as I can." I hung up the phone and headed back to the table.

"That wasn't personal was it Kid? We're on a case."

"It won't happen again."

"Hope it doesn't."