“I can’t—”
“We don’t have to act on those feelings.” Her voice was strong. Confident. She was getting better at this all the time. “We’re both adults. Neither of us is going to change, and that’s all right.”
“I’m in charge of this case. You’re off-limits. There can’t be anything between us. I’m sorry.”
She hadn’t thought he could wrench any more pain from her heart, but his words cut her to the core. He had choices. They both did. He was intentionally barring himself from her. He was intentionally barring his heart from her.
She sucked in a breath. “You have nothing to be sorry about. This was never going to work, and that’s all right. Some things don’t. That’s life.”
There was a part of her that hoped he’d say they could get together when this was all over. A naive, romantic part of her. But that was a foolish thought. Deep in her heart, she’d known that all along. He wouldn’t wait for her because time wasn’t the problem.
He heaved a breath. “You don’t have to do this. We’ll find another way.”
They’d both see this through, no matter the personal cost.
“I have to do this,” she said. “For Timothy. For Sam.”
Corbin’s jaw worked. He dropped his hands to his sides and backed away. “All right. We go to work as usual. Both of us. But it’s my call. At the first sign of trouble, it’s over. No arguments. Understood?”
She could love this man.
The pain nearly took her breath away. She bit down hard to keep her chin from quivering. She could easily see them spending the rest of their lives together. He was not indifferent to her. Even as he tried to distance himself, his actions showed another side of him. He cared more than he was willing to admit, but he’d always be holding a part of himself back.
She rose on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss against the rough stubble of his cheek. “Understood.”
His arms tightened around her shoulders before dropping away. They’d officially said their goodbyes. Though the truth pained her, she was entitled to a man who had a heart and soul to commit to her.
She deserved more. She deserved his whole heart.
TWELVE
Corbin pulled onto a side street near Quetech and put the car in gear. He smoothed his tie and glanced at Beth. “I’ll drop you off here. If we arrive together, we risk further speculation.”
Everything he admired about her was on full display this morning. She was calm. She was composed. She was beautiful. She’d neatly alleviated him of all responsibility for anything that might have happened between them.
She’d spared him an awkward conversation and put their relationship back on solid footing. He should have been relieved.
She met his steady gaze without flinching. “All right.”
Her eyes haunted him. She’d given him a chance at a future together.
She’d given him the opportunity to tell her that he’d wait for her. That they could be together when the case was finished and he was no longer bound by professional ethics.
In that instant she’d shattered all the notions he’d had of himself. She’d ripped apart all the plans he’d set in place for his future. But he couldn’t change. He couldn’t be the man she wanted. The man she needed. Though he’d nearly been undone by her touch, he’d rejected her offer.
Because in that moment he’d felt the consequences of his actions. Knowing someone close to him was in danger had filled him with a terrible emptiness. He’d known then there was no future between them.
Despite everything he knew in his heart, he wanted nothing more than to put the car in gear and drive until the past was nothing more than a distant memory.
Instead, he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “You know what happens after today, right?”
“Witness protection.”
“Temporarily.” They’d pushed everything into high gear. Calls had been made, and the marshals had agreed to the speedy timetable. She’d be under their protection from the moment she exited the building. “Just until we know it’s safe. Might be a few weeks. Might be a few months. I can’t make any guarantees.”
She’d be safe. Everything else he left unsaid. He didn’t tell her that he was falling in love with her. He didn’t tell her that he wanted to be near her, every minute of every day. He didn’t tell her that she’d left an indelible impression on his heart.
This way was better. Better to lose her now than risk losing his heart and soul to grief later.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I knew what I was signing up for.”
Now was the time for action. They’d said everything they needed to say.
He’d take a full breath when this was all over, and he knew she was safe in the hands of the marshals. “Get in and out of the building as quickly as possible. Speak with as few people as possible. You don’t need to be rude, you’re busy. Behind schedule. Holiday weekend put you behind.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll run interference.”
“I know you will.”
Despite agreeing to everything, they remained in the car. Silent. Staring at the dashboard. Throughout the endless night, he’d come to a few troubling conclusions in the early hours of the morning. He wasn’t protecting his parents from his job, he was protecting himself. He’d used the job as an excuse, but he was drifting apart from his family because he didn’t know where he fit anymore.
Being together only reminded everyone that someone was missing. He’d chosen to abandon them instead. But what purpose did that serve? Was he doing Evan’s memory justice by destroying what was left of his family?
Instead of being there while they were grieving, he’d chosen the selfish path. He’d chosen to manage his pain privately.
The job was just an excuse. He was going to make some changes. He was going to be honest. Evan’s death had changed them all. Their relationship was different. And that was okay. Different was neither better nor worse. Different was just, well, different.
Beth’s smile was sad. “You’re a good man, Corbin Ross.”
He knew it then. This was goodbye. What he knew was right for both of them. Yet he felt as though he’d stepped off a cliff and was tumbling into an abyss. They’d see each other again, they’d have to. The case. But their relationship would be professional. Superficial.
Corbin swiveled in his seat. “There’s something I want to do.”
He’d faced armed men with less trepidation. He wouldn’t burden her with his feelings, but he wanted her to know that she’d meant something to him. Something precious and important.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Can I kiss you?”
Her expression softened. “Always.”
His heart constricted painfully in his chest. Her mouth was so close, and when she shut her eyes and leaned toward him, he surrendered to a need that was more powerful than his good sense. Their lips met, and an unbearable yearning tightened in his chest. Her hands tangled in his hair, and his fingers caught on the silk of her blouse. The embrace was fierce and over too soon.
She pulled back and studied him, her gaze intense, as though memorizing his features. “Thank you. For everything.” She tweaked his glasses. “You’ll always be my superhero.”
She was out of the car before he could speak.
His throat closed, and he fought back a wave of longing. He knew then that she was embedded in his heart and soul more deeply than he’d ever thought possible.
* * *
Beth frantically pulled up the files and attached them to the digital folder. She cast a surreptitious glance behind her, searching for Corbin, then faced forward.
Karli had cornered him with the news of Sam’s death the moment he’d walked into the building. He’d been attempting to extract himself for the past fifteen minutes. Though Beth sensed his
frustration, the encounter was actually proving useful, giving her time to accomplish her task.
As she hit the final key, a shadow appeared behind her.
Janice hovered in the doorway of the cubicle, her eyes red-rimmed, and her face pale. “Matt wants to see you.”
Beth clicked a few keys. “I’m just finishing up here.”
“He says now.” Janice sniffled. “He says it’s urgent.”
Unease skittered along Beth’s nerve endings. Matt had hired her. He must have suspected something. Sam’s death probably had him frightened, but she wasn’t allowed to tell him the FBI was involved until the information was safely out of the building. Which meant she had no words of reassurance for him. She was just a friendly neighborhood whistle-blower going about her business.
She yanked the flash drive from the USB port and tucked her key ring into her pocket. “I was sorry to hear about Sam.”
“Me, too.” Janice sniffled loudly. “I just can’t believe it.”
“Maybe you should go home.”
“I might. I thought I’d feel better if I was here. But I don’t.”
Beth watched the devastated woman retreat down the corridor, her heart heavy. Such a waste. And for what? Greed. Plain and simple. No one at Quetech was fighting an ideological war. Someone had gotten greedy, and lives had been shattered.
She searched the empty corridor and bit back her frustration. There was no sign of Corbin. She’d promised she wouldn’t stray from her cubicle without telling him. He was paranoid enough without her disappearing.
Janice paused at the end of the corridor. “You better hurry,” she said. “Matt doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
Beth tugged her lower lip between her teeth. She’d make some excuse to Matt and leave immediately. Resisting Janice’s order was bound to cause even more suspicion. The office was quiet, voices hushed. Everyone was on edge.
She followed Janice a few feet, then turned. “I forgot something. I’ll be right back.”
Once in her cubicle, she hastily scrawled two words: “Matt’s office.” Janice was sniffling her way back to her desk when Beth emerged once more. She tweaked her collar and strode down the corridor.
Matt’s door was propped open, and he gestured her inside. “Can you close that?”
“Sure.” She jerked her thumb toward the corridor. “I have a meeting in five.”
The chief executive officer was handsome in a slick, frat boy kind of way, though she avoided him whenever possible. He had an aggressive sort of charm she attributed to his shorter-than-average stature. He was obsessed with working out and filled the breakroom refrigerator with food for his paleo diet. When he wasn’t talking about his cardio routine, he was bragging about how much weight he could bench.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “This shouldn’t take long.”
She took the seat before his desk. He stood and circled toward her, then perched on the edge, his knees inches from hers. A twinge of anxiety settled in the pit of her stomach.
She plastered a grin on her face. “How can I help you, Matt?”
“Did you know that every email you send from this company goes through our computer servers? We flag certain information. Sensitive information.”
He knew.
Her nerve endings buzzed, and her heel tapped against the floor. “Why did you ask me to audit the accounts if you knew what I’d find?”
His chuckle was hollow and grating. “I didn’t hire you. Sam did.”
The pieces fell together, and nausea rose in throat. “You lied to Janice, and Janice lied to me.”
She’d never even questioned the information.
“Yep.” He leaned over her, but she refused to cower from him. “You attempted to steal information from this company.”
There was no use denying the truth. She smoothed her quaking hands over her skirt. “I’m protected by the Whistle-blower Act.”
He braced his hands on the desk, leaning back, and for the first time, she noticed he was sweating. “Pretty gutsy, coming back here to try again. But you have to understand, I can’t let that happen.”
“You can’t touch me, Matt.” She fisted her hand over her mouth and cleared her throat. “The FBI knows I’m here. If anything happens to me, you’ll be implicated.”
A bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. “You’re bluffing. If you’d been to the FBI, where are they? Security has orders to alert me of any visitors. We just have regular staff today. You’re on your own. Are you wired?”
“N-no.”
He tilted his head. “Strangely enough, I believe you.”
His braced arms quaked. He wasn’t nearly as confident as he was trying to let on. He wasn’t a killer. He was middle management caught up in something over his head.
The sooner she left, the better.
“If that’s all—” she stood “—I’ll be going.”
“No.” He flipped open a box on his desk and brandished a pistol. “I’m sorry, Ms. Greenwood. I can’t let you.”
Her knees weakened, and she flashed her palms. “Don’t do this, Matt.”
“You don’t understand.” His voice cracked, and the gun wavered dangerously. He swiped at his forehead again. “I don’t have a choice.”
He wasn’t a killer by nature, but he was desperate. Frightened. A volatile combination.
“How did this happen?” She sneaked a glance over her shoulder. The frosted windows prevented anyone from seeing anything but hazy shapes inside the closed office. “You can still get out. You’re a good man. A kind man. There’s nothing that can’t be fixed. Think of your family.”
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” He gave an agitated shake of his head, revealing his thinning hairline. “It started small. I just needed some time to cover a bad investment. A bridge. But that’s not how these things, work, is it? I was vulnerable when they approached. The guy didn’t seem like a terrorist. I thought he was a low-level player looking to launder some drug money. No real harm in that, right? After one transaction, I was compromised. They had me on tape. They had a paper trail. They blackmailed me, I swear.”
Her instincts were correct. He didn’t want to do this, but he felt trapped. He wanted an escape. She had to find a way to give him one.
“Then go to the FBI.” She took a cautious step back. “Tell them what you know. Make a deal.”
“I can’t.” He swiped the back of his hand across the sweat beading his forehead. “I told them Sam was suspicious about what they were doing. They killed him. I’ve laundered money for terrorists. My reputation is shot. They’ll lock me up and throw away the key. Or I’ll be dead. I got no good choices. You gotta understand, Beth. I didn’t have a choice. It’s you or me. I’ve called in a couple of guys. They’re coming for you.”
Her breath caught. “Yeah. I’ve met them. You helped them plant the tracker on me, didn’t you?”
“I just thought they were going to talk some sense into you. Maybe bribe you.”
“You knew exactly what they were going to do.”
Any sympathy for him died. He was saving himself. At any cost.
Matt was nervous. He was trying to build up the courage to commit murder. He couldn’t shoot her. Not here. But she feared if she made any sudden moves, he’d act impulsively. He was clearly a desperate man at the end of his rope.
The fire alarm blared. Matt jumped, and nearly dropped the gun. She cringed, expecting him to accidentally pull the trigger.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
Corbin. Corbin had pulled the fire alarm.
“There must be a fire,” she spoke calmly. “We need to exit the building.”
“No. No. It has to be a drill.” The gun dipped. “This is good. The building will empty. Fewer people, fewer witnesses. This is good.”
Her heart th
udded against her ribs. Her dad always said there was nothing more dangerous than a terrified man with a gun. Perspiration darkened the collar of his shirt. Matt Shazier had just turned into a very, very dangerous man.
The alarm blared, and her head throbbed. Panic threatened to overwhelm her, and she clenched her hands. No. She had to work the problem. She had to think. An unnatural calm came over her. The decisions she made during the next few minutes were going to be the difference between life and death.
She inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. “What are you going to do, Matt? What’s your plan?”
He awkwardly shrugged out of his coat, switching the gun from hand to hand, then yanked on his tie. His desperation was palpable, raising the temperature of the room.
He glanced at the flashing red light on the ceiling. “Why don’t they turn off that stupid alarm?”
An acrid scent teased her nostrils. “Do you smell that smoke? There’s a real fire. We should go.”
“But they’re not here yet. I’m just supposed to hold you until they get here.” Confusion and horror flitted across his features. “All right.” Matt waved his gun. “Go. Open the door. Let’s go. We’ll take the stairs.”
The alarm blared even louder outside his office, though the corridor was eerily empty.
A flash of movement near the stairwell caught her attention. Maybe Corbin. Maybe not. There was no way for him to signal her without alerting Matt.
They passed the coffee nook, and she quickly calculated her odds. She was alone. Matt had a gun. He was desperate.
Without giving herself time to think, she snatched a coffeepot from the warmer and swung wildly. The blow caught Matt on the temple. He shrieked. Glass shattered, and scalding liquid spilled over his hand. She released the handle and dove away.
Keeping low, she wove her way through the cubicles. As she passed an open space, a hand clamped over her mouth. She jerked around. Her heart leaped into her throat.
Tweedledumber.
He yanked her upright, the gun pressed against her temple. “Come out, come out wherever you are. I’ve got your girlfriend.”
No Safe Place Page 18