For now?
He was going to make sure Zac paid for this. Every last bit of it.
Chapter 10
"Shit." Derrick ducked lower in his car seat, watching as Jade stalked onto her front porch, bent over, and then picked up her morning newspaper. It was Sunday already and though he hadn't seen any clues about whether or not someone was watching her, he still wasn't willing to give up his vigil.
Even if she didn't understand the severity of the situation, that was fine. Even if she'd boil over with rage if she knew what he was doing-that was fine too. Just so long as she was safe.
In his pocket, his cell phone began to buzz against the seat and he thumbed it on clumsily, careful to make sure Jade hadn't craned her neck to look down the street and notice his all-too-familiar car.
Frankly, he'd been shocked she hadn't caught him yet, but he supposed she had more important things on her mind. She did look weary, her blond hair hanging limply around her shoulders.
Probably the stress of the case.
Or the stress of what had happened between them...
He shook his head, and when Jade slipped back inside he held his phone to his ear and said, "Hello?"
"Oh, hey, geez. I thought there was a problem with your phone or something," his sister Andy said. "Long time no talk."
"I know, I'm sorry. Things have been...crazy at work." He opted for the safest answer, but given the pause on the other side of the line, he didn't think Andy was buying it.
"Everything okay? Nothing dangerous?"
"You know me."
"That's why I have to ask," She sighed. "Look, there's something I wanted to tell you and it's too important to say over e-mail."
"They're retiring Logan's number?" He guessed. His sister's husband was one of the biggest stars in the baseball industry, running neck-and-neck with their brother, Matt, who'd started in the majors again this season and was already breaking records.
"Not yet. Matter of time on that one." He could hear the smile in her voice and his heart squeezed inside his chest.
He loved that sound. The smile that was always implied when Andy was talking about her husband. It was almost the same tone that he had when he talked about Jade. Or when Jade was speaking about him.
"Okay then, shoot. What's the big news?" he asked.
"Logan and I are expecting!" Her voice hitched on the last word and Derrick smiled despite everything else blowing up around him.
"I'm so happy for you, sis."
"Thanks. I just wanted to kind of sort of tell you in person. E-mail didn't seem good enough."
"No, I'm glad you called."
"Good." Andy said, and then went on, "so you going to tell me what's going on? I've heard you when things are stressful at work, and you sound different than that."
"Maybe you should be the detective." He laughed.
"Maybe. I bet I'd be damned good."
"Me too."
"So, come on. Spill. What's going on? You finally make a move on Jade or something?"
He was silent and then his sister's gasp filled the line.
"Oh. My. God."
"Don't. Come on."
"This is huge. I had a bet going with Matt and I'm going to win so much money."
"You had a bet going?" Derrick raised his eyebrows.
"Of course. You think we didn't notice what was going on? One month you're sending sentence-long emails and then the next you're typing paragraphs about the new girl at work?"
"She's not new-"
"Not anymore. Jeez. Wow." Andy let out a long breath, and then said, "Okay, so what happened?"
"Nothing. It doesn't matter. She doesn't want anything to do with me."
"I'm sure that's not true."
"I called her out in front of our superior."
"Oh. Right." Andy sighed. "What would you do that?"
I was jealous.
"I don't know."
"Well, this is fixable. You need to do what I call the ol' bloom and beg."
"Bloom and beg?"
"Yeah, get her some flowers and beg on bended knee for her forgiveness. If she really likes you-and I think she does-she'll probably let you back into her good graces."
"Right. Bloom and beg." He considered for a moment, and then he remembered the look on her face as he'd spoken to their commanding officer. "I don't think that's going to work."
"Well, think about it."
"The thing is, I didn't do anything wrong. She was going to get herself in danger if I didn't-"
"Oh, here we go with the hero complex," Andy sighed.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, no offense, but you sort of have this thing you do where you think you can save everyone no matter what the situation."
"You don't even know the situation."
"I don't have to. I know you."
"Right." Derrick scrubbed a hand over his face.
"Just, you know, think about it. Bloom and beg. Works every time."
"I'll think about it." Derrick hung up then slid back in his seat and waited for Jade to walk outside again.
When Monday morning came around, Jade could hardly tear herself from the bed. All weekend she'd been curled around a surprisingly snuggly Lisa and mentally banging her head against the wall.
Stupid.
She repeated the word to herself over and over again, and still she couldn't bring herself to call Derrick and apologize.
I've got nothing to apologize for.
After all, wasn't he the one who'd made everything about their relationship? All she'd said was that Zac couldn't possibly be the mole, and she still felt that way. What kind of idiot would waltz into the department as the new guy and start selling information from day one? Who wouldn't build trust first?
She knew Zac well enough to know that he was smarter than that. It was so much more likely that someone in the department had been waiting for a scapegoat and Zac had been the perfect target.
And if that conclusion hurts my pride less, then so much the better.
She cringed at the thought, but knew it was no small part of her decision making. What kind of woman would she be if she had been interested in a guy like that? What kind of detective?
Lisa purred beside her and Jade snuggled into her fur. It had been a long time since she'd taken a sick day. Maybe if she did that, she could avoid seeing Derrick and...
And then what? Stay in her bed forever? Good plan.
She yawned and reached for her phone. Then, after a quick glance at the time, she groaned. Time to meet her maker. Pay the piper. Make the doughnuts.
Making quick work of prepping for the day, she shoved her hair into a ponytail and petted Lisa before scooting out the door and speeding to work. When she rolled into the parking lot, she was only ten minutes late.
"Not bad," she muttered, then scanned the parking lot for Derrick's car.
"Not here," she mumbled, furrowing her brow and looking around again. "Odd."
Hitching her canvas tote on her shoulder, she hit the elevator, waiting for the ominous creaking of the pulley, and then closed her eyes when the lift finally halted.
"Here goes nothing." With a little ding, the doors opened and she stepped into a room full of bustling, buzzing detectives.
It was like everyone in the department had already been there for hours, all shuffling and chatting and waving papers in the air. Again she glanced around for Derrick, but when she caught no sign of him, she made her way to her desk, careful to listen in on conversations as she passed them by.
"They're saying it's a code orange. All officers are to be on the alert-"
"Babe, I need you to stay calm-"
"It could be anybody-"
Jade pursed her lips and sat her bag in her seat before heading straight for the captain's office. Supervisor Sanders was sitting behind the desk, his jowled face resting in the palm of his hand while he reviewed some paperwork.
"Sir," she said, and he glanced up at her, though he didn't seem to register her presence. "Is everything okay? Did I miss the morning meeting?"
"I'm holding the meeting later in the day. When we have more information." He said it slowly, almost gravely.
"Right, um. Anything I can do?"
"Just get back to work for now. And remain calm."
"Right. Okay." She nodded and headed from the office. In all her time moping this weekend, she hadn't even bothered to consider what this breech might look like in the grand scheme of things-what her coworkers would do in the face of such a massive crisis.
Derrick's words rang in her ears as she headed back to her desk:
"Jade, we don't have time for this argument. My only concern is getting you someplace safe right now...You worked harder on this case than anyone else. If they're going after anyone, it's going to be you."
She could be in real danger right now. Greater than anything she'd ever been in before.
So why was it she felt so hollow?
"Hey," A deep voice sounded from behind her and she turned to find Zac leaning on the corner of her cubicle.