Today’s little sumthin’ sumthin’ comes from RETRIBUTION, which is releasing on 4.23.24 YOu can order is on Amazon or from me, directly at the above link. You’ll get your print copy autographed that way, hee hee.
After Kella is outed by the Assistant FBI Director to the press, the team worries she’s now compromised and will leave. This scene is the aftermath of that.
Kella was disconnecting a cell phone call when they came into the room.
Frowning, she looked up at Tucker from her chair.
“Don’t tell me, I already know,” he said, putting up a restraining hand. “Sean’s furious and wants me dead. You can tell him I feel pretty much the same way.”
Kella leaned forward, grabbed his hand, and said, “Yes, he’s furious, but no, he didn’t say anything about killing you.”
“That’s because he’s smart and doesn’t want you tagged as an accessory.”
Good humor restored, she grinned and squeezed Tucker’s hand. Hard. “You’re an idiot, but I love you anyway. The one saving grace, in Sean’s opinion, is that the Assistant Director didn’t give the media my name.”
“That’s a very small comfort, Kel, because those people are human bloodhounds. Especially people like Donovan Rule who make their living off people’s secrets. My guess is that by the end of today, one of the major networks will find out who you are and broadcast it all over the airwaves, official confirmation or not.”
“He’s right, you know,” Anna said, pouring two mugs of coffee. She handed one to Tucker and kept the other for herself.
Kella watched as he absentmindedly took a sip of the brew, closed his eyes, and sighed.
“I figured you needed that,” Anna said. “That press conference was anything but pleasant.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Tucker told her. Kella knew that he never noticed the hint of a pleased blush that spread across the younger woman’s cheeks. “Well, so much for keeping you out of the limelight.”
“It couldn’t be helped, Tuck. Myrna Rowlands is big news,” Kella said.
He nodded, sipping his coffee. “I’m sorry. I did my best.”
She squeezed his hand again and said, “I know.”
“Does your husband want you to come home?” Anna asked, sitting down across from her.
“If you can believe it, no.”
“I’m safe for another few days, then?” Tucker asked, his face and expression deadpan as always.
“Actually, no,” she told him. “He’s flying up as soon as he makes sure everything’s okay at home and at the restaurant.”
Tucker took a moment to register her words. “Is he going to stay?”
“That’s the plan. He says he knows I want to see this through to the end but he says there’s no way I’m staying here without him. He thinks the same way you do, that the media hounds will find out who I am. He wants to be there if they do and keep me protected.”
Anna couldn’t help herself. She sighed, loudly, and dropped her chin into her fist on the table. “He really loves you.”
Tucker turned to her.
Kella’s smile was wide and open. “Yeah, he does. So it looks like you’re going to have to find us a hotel. Both of us can’t stay with Anna. And the FBI’s paying,” she added, a stern warning look in her eyes. “That is if you think you still need me. I’d like nothing better than to go home and let you and the Posse finish this up.”
“No. You’re staying,” Tucker said. “Not another word.”
Intrigued? I hope so.
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Peggy Jaeger, Author 