Derrick offered a half-smile in return, waiting for him to mention the paperwork they'd filed with HR, but the other plowed on to ask where everyone stood on their projects for the day.
Jade cleared her throat. "Um, excuse me, but wasn't there another important community update to go over?"
The supervisor's brow furrowed. "I don't—"
"From Human Resources, maybe?"
The old man's mouth thinned into an impatient line. "Lockhart, you clearly have something to add. Add it."
"Fine, okay, well, um, Dare—I mean Derrick and I are officially seeing each other. So, you know, don't treat us any differently, we just thought everyone should know." Derrick followed her gaze as it swept over the table.
Nobody moved. They barely even reacted. It was the reactionary equivalent to announcing that they were breathing oxygen—like everyone already knew.
Jade's gaze darted to Flynn and Derrick frowned, noticing that he was the only one in the room who frowned at the news. Not in disappointment, he didn't think. No, there was something else behind the man's expression. Like he was thinking hard about something.
"That's it?" Jade said. "Nobody has anything to say?"
"I believe I speak for all of us when I say we thought you were just too lazy to fill out the paperwork." The supervisor looked down at her, then at Derrick. "Congratulations."
"Yeah, uh, best wishes guys." Freddrick chimed in.
"Thanks." Jade frowned, then glanced at Flynn's thoughtful expression again, apparently waiting for him to get down on his knees right then and there and beg for her to change her mind. Derrick's fists clenched at his sides, but he let them go and did his best to focus on the rest of the updates before the supervisor finally dismissed them to their projects.
As people filed past him on their way out, a few detectives clapped him on the shoulder and said things like "about time, Archer," or "Good luck with that one. She's a hellcat," before leaving him be. Across from him, he saw a few of the women do the same thing to Jade.
But Flynn?
He was the first one out the door.
After a moment or two had passed, it was only Jade and Derrick in the room again, and she frowned at him, expectant.
"What?" he said.
"What the hell was all that?" she asked.
"I don't know—"
"Oh come on. Didn't you expect a little more reaction than that?"
"I guess we were better at seeming like a couple than we thought."
"Maybe." Jade turned thoughtful, and try as he might, Derrick couldn't bring himself to hold his tongue.
"Flynn looked unhappy enough. Isn't that the main goal?"
"Yeah, yeah it is. It's just weird. A bunch of people said things like 'what took so long?' while they were walking by." Her brows knit together.
"Because if they were you, they would have tried to bag me a long time ago. Now come on. We've got a case to focus on. The big night is coming and you've got plenty of paperwork to do." He tried to smile, but then he thought of the look on Flynn's face again, and the grin died on his lips.
"Yeah, right," Jade said, then got up and strolled out of the room.
* * *
Jade tapped her pencil against her desk and stared blankly at Freddrick's collection of troll dolls. Not because their blank, unsettling expressions fascinated her, but because if she focused hard enough she could just spot whether or not Zac was coming or going from his desk.
He'd been there all morning, resolutely pouring over the files on Scaglietti and his friends. And when he wasn't busy doing that, he was off in the debriefing room, studying the case board she and Derrick had revised earlier that morning.
Jeez, Derrick.
Pursing her lips thoughtfully, she glanced past Freddrick's desk over to place where her friend sat, tapping away mindlessly on his computer. He'd hardly said a word to her today, even when they were working the case together. She'd messed up while she was coming into the room and hit herself in the face with the door.
He hadn't even laughed.
Weird. It was all weird. Just like their stilted, awkward conversations after their kiss yesterday. She'd had half a mind to call him up when she got home and tell him to forget about the whole thing, that she'd figure something else out. But then she wondered if he'd think she was a bad kisser.
And, deep down, she lamented not being able to kiss him again.
Which was a crazy, wild thought. She didn't even know where it had come from. If anything, the way she felt was just some weird reaction to not having anyone in her life for so long. The human contact had felt good—better than good—but that had nothing to do with Derrick.
That had to do with her. Her and her womanly needs. And if she'd taken care of those womanly needs as a result of the kiss later that night? Well, that was natural.
When Zac finally moved from his desk, Jade got up and followed him until the two of the them were alone in the debriefing room. When the door closed behind them, he turned to face her, apparently unaware of her until now.
"Jade, just the girl I wanted to see." He turned his thousand watt grin on her.
"Is that so?" She smiled back.
"Yeah, I've been reviewing this case all day and I think I'm missing a few pieces of information."
"Oh," her heart plummeted into her stomach. "Right."
"There are some sources in the files that are blacked out—can you help me sort out who they are?"
"Well, not really. All that stuff is classified. You know that."
"Right, right." Zac glanced at the giant cork board behind them, then fingered a piece of red yarn on the table. "I'm just thinking...a few of the notes are sketchy. I wonder if we have false information, and it's hard to go back and check that kind of thing when you don't know who to talk to."
"Right, I get that." She gazed out the window to where Derrick was sitting and for a moment she thought she'd caught him glancing back at her, but just as quickly he was facing his computer, typing away again.
"I'm sorry, I guess I'm just so distracted because of this new thing with Dare."
"Right, totally." Zac nodded, though he didn't bother to look at her while he spoke. In fact, even his voice sounded far away. Like he was only half paying attention to her.
"He's just so great, you know?" She tried again, a little edge to her voice, but he traced a photo on the board and nodded.
"He seems like a great guy. I'm a little surprised. He doesn't seem your type, but," he shrugged. "I haven't seen you in years so what do I know?"
"Not my type?"
"Yeah, I mean, you've always been the girl who goes after the brains, right? An army guy like that doesn't seem like someone you’d be into."
She blinked, not sure what to say and oddly stung by the remark. "Are you saying Derrick is stupid?"
"No, no, I'm just saying...Look, maybe I'm off track here, I've been wrong before."
"He's a detective. One of the best."
"Not according to my files. Half his paperwork is misfiled and the other half is missing swaths of information. Are you sure he's doing everything he's telling you he is?"
Jade chewed on the inside of her cheek, biting back her next response, when suddenly it hit her. The plan was working. It was so obvious now.
Zac was trying to turn her against Derrick so that she'd be his. He was jealous.
Now the only question was whether or not to call him on it.
"If I didn't know better—" She started, but he cut her off, tapping the photo of Scaglietti on the board.
"How sure are we that this guy is actually the head of the operation?"
She reeled back, caught off guard by the question. "Um, about a thousand and one percent sure."
"No margin of error?"
"No. Not that I can—"
"I wouldn't be so sure. This paperwork has been garbage, so I'm thinking..." He trailed off. "Look, I'm sorry if I insulted your boyfriend. I just really want to crack this case and see the right g
uys go to jail. Sometimes I guess I get a little intense about it. Forgive me?" He looked up at her through thick, dark lashes that matched his mocha eyes and she shook her head.
"Yeah, totally, I know you didn't mean anything by it."
"Great. Great." He dropped his hand from the board, placing it on his chin instead. "Now, have you filed your reports about yesterday's interviews? What else can you tell me about those?"
"Oh, um, well, they didn't give us much of anything. They only really help to inculcate the perp behind the robbery, not Scaglietti. We just need him in order to get him to turn and give us some intel."
"Right, I figured as much." Zac nodded, his full lips drawn together as he thought over what she'd said. "You know, you're a good detective. Someone should make sure you hear that."
Heat rushed to her face, but that fluttering feeling she always used to get when he spoke to her was gone. Instead, it was like every butterfly had turned to stone and one by one they were sinking in her stomach, making it twist and turn while she considered him.
Sort of like...guilt.
Again, she glanced at Derrick, but he wasn't looking at her. And why would he be? He had a job to do.
So did she.
"Maybe I should head back to my desk," she said, backing toward the door.
"Oh jeez, I did it again, didn't I?" Zac shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry. I was just hoping we could find some time to catch up. If Derrick isn't cool with that, it's fine. Maybe all three of us could hang out. Talk about the case a little and get to know each other, you know? Just...think it over."
She nodded, then left the room as silently as she entered it, careful not to glance at Derrick's desk again on her way to her seat.
Zac had hit on her. It was everything she should have wanted. Everything she'd hoped for.
And yet, Derrick's words were the ones ringing in her head.
Hitting on another man's woman? Isn't that the sort of thing a scumbag does?
Maybe she'd been wrong and he wasn't hitting on her at all. Maybe he really just did want to catch up. She should give him the benefit of the doubt, shouldn't she?
But what did that matter? She wanted him to hit on her. Wanted him.
Right?
Chapter 5
Jade glanced at her tabby cat and tried her best to determine whether the judgment in the animal's eyes was all in her head or if she was actually scowling at her outfit. Worse, Jade wasn't sure if she could blame the cat for her attitude.
At best, she was dolled up in second-rate hooker attire, stuff she'd had from way back in college when she'd been a regular in the shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She glanced in the mirror and smoothed her hair over the more revealing cleavage from her black studded corset. On her hands, she wore black lace gloves—like a reject from a Madonna video. And on her feet were the tallest platform stilettos she'd been able to find—complete with rhinestone heels.
She looked like what she was supposed to be.
A stripper on her way to the job.
God help her.
She'd had to spend the better part of her afternoon practicing how to walk in the shoes, all while her tabby's watchful eyes judged her from the couch, but she'd finally managed it. Now, all she had to do was walk into the club tonight and act like she belonged.
"That would be a lot easier if I could breathe in this thing." She fiddled with the zipper on the front of her corset, but then left it alone. The thing was precarious enough as it was, no need to tempt fate.
So, gathering up her things, she sat in front of the bay window in her tiny living room and hoped that Derrick would show up before any of her neighbors could catch sight of her getup. God only knew what old lady Johnson would say. She'd already nearly had a fit at the idea of Jade being a police officer. If that wasn't a respectable job, then...
Derrick's rickety white SUV pulled into her driveway and she briefly considered how bad it would be to cancel, but then she kicked off her shoes, picked them up, and sprinted as fast as she could to the car. Once inside, Derrick stared at her for a long minute—a strange twisted expression on his face.
"I'm not sure about this," he said at last.
"What do you mean?" She leaned over and put her shoes back on, careful to secure the heel. "Don't I look the part?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just..." He paused, and she was all too aware of the fact that they were still sitting there, idling in her driveway for all the world to see.
She ratcheted up her corset a little higher.
"Look, you don't have to do this. We can probably find a way to get one of the girls who works there involved—"
"These guys are dangerous. I'm not putting anyone else in the line of fire. Now come on, I'm going to miss my big debut." She grinned at him, and he eyed her for another long moment before backing out of the driveway and onto the street.
The rest of the ride was quiet enough, though the tension between them was as palpable as ever. Still, she couldn't tell whether it was just the nerves that went along with a gig like this or simply the fact that she didn't agree with him that had Derrick's wide shoulders locked so firmed and his square jaw set so tight.
But then there was a third option, too. One she wasn't willing to allow herself to consider.
One that might explain why he'd kept his gaze so resolutely on the road since she'd gotten into the car.
That simply wasn't possible. Derrick was just her friend. Their kiss had proven that. Sure, it had been warm and full and made something inside her sizzle, but that was because she'd been imagining what Zac would do if he saw them together.
It was all because of Zac.
Derrick pulled over to the side of the road and unlocked the door. "Okay, you can walk the rest of the way. Don't want them seeing us in the same car."
"Right." She nodded. "So...I'll see you inside." She craned her neck to look up at him as she scooted from the seat, but his gaze stayed fixed on the road as he gave her one firm nod.
"Great." She said, "And, um, you checked your wires and mics and everything?"
Look at me.
"Yep, all set," he said.
Look at me.
"Okay, awesome. I checked mine too, so, um, good." She closed the door and watched as he sped away, moving so fast she was surprised he didn't spew exhaust in her face. The club was only just around the corner, so the walk shouldn't be so bad. It would give her one last chance to learn how to walk in her heels.
And one last chance to figure out why he wouldn't look at her...
She shook her head. Stupid. What did it matter? He was probably just being professional as always, acknowledging that she was likely uncomfortable with baring so much skin. Not looking at her was the thing a gentleman in his position would do.
And yet...
The Slippery Beaver loomed in front of her, the yellow glow of the sign illuminating the parking lot and making the building behind seem even seedier than it did by day. With a deep breath, she skirted around to the back of the building and went through the dancer’s entrance, ready to put her game face on.
When she got there, a gaggle of women were running around on high, pointed heels, refreshing their makeup and changing into and out of skimpy ensembles. Compared to everyone else, she looked like a nun in her tiny shorts and full corset.
"You must be the new girl," the raspy-voiced woman said so close to Jade's ear that she nearly jumped.
"Yeah, uh, that's me." She nodded, swallowing hard as she watched the other woman's beehive hairdo sway back and forth, like a wig that hadn't been properly secured.
"Right, well, Crystal is going to help you get changed. A few of our bigger patrons are out there tonight and they always like new faces, especially ones as pretty as yours." The woman pinched Jade's cheek. "Normally we've got the new girls waiting tables a while, but Mandy is out sick and we need someone to fill her slot. You're on in ten, so make sure you're warmed up."
Jade reeled for a moment, then
the words settled in. "On? But I..."
But she what? She was a cop? That wasn't exactly the deal, now was it?
"You're going to be great, darling, don't you worry." The old woman smiled not unkindly, then snapped her fingers and shouted, "Someone get Crystal over here!"
It didn't take long for Crystal to arrive, though she was clad in nothing but a very tiny thong and a smile that quickly vanished when she caught sight of Jade.
"Hey," Crystal said to her, then focused her attention on the older woman. "What's up, Ruth?"
"Um...I'm sorry sweetie, what's your name?" She touched Jade's shoulder.
"Daisy," Jade offered.
"Daisy here is filling in for Mandy in ten. Can you find her something to wear and make sure she's ready to go? You know, tell her Mandy's songs. I've got to dash." And just like that, the woman and her swaying beehive were moving through the crowd of girls, barking orders and stepping over discarded panties.
Crystal watched the other woman until she'd disappeared into the club, then turned on Jade with narrowed eyes, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm just—"
"Don't you think I remember you?" she hissed, then grabbed Jade's arm and pulled her off into an uninhabited corner.
"Look, if you remember me, then you know what I'm doing here."
"You don't understand. You can't just—" Crystal tried, but Jade held up a hand.
"I'm a trained professional. I appreciate your concern, but—"
"You're going to get me killed. You're going to get yourself killed." Crystal hissed.
"Nobody will know it was you. Now come on, I've got ten minutes. Teach me everything you know about how to be a stripper."
* * *
Tonight was the first time Derrick'd ever been in a strip club, and so far he had to admit he was far from impressed.
He looked around at the rest of the tables in the VIP section, trying to spot the faces that were so familiar to him from every daily debriefing, but rather than the head honchos he could only spot the minor players—the guys lined up to take a fall when something went wrong. The guy who hadn't yet been made.
Sworn to Be His (The Archer Family Book 3) Page 4