had no choice but to answer to her. As for me? My teeth snapped together before

some very unwise words fell out of my mouth. She was no longer my

commanding officer, but I needed her resources, so silence was my best option.

There was no way I could agree to not use something that might come in handy

down the road. Especially without knowing what facing Ellery would entail.

What I did know was that I wouldn’t hesitate to use whatever I could to make him pay.

Tag redirected her attention before either Kayden, or I were forced to

respond. “Sir, Ramirez’s last known is in Phoenix. You want me to check it out?”

Delacourt continued to eye Kayden and I, before she turned to Tag and gave

a small head shake. “No, I need you in Vegas to check out the last known addie

on our missing person.” She rose, stretched, and then turned away. “You can work with Risia.”

Despite the strain in the air, it was almost comical how fast Tag’s easy-going

expression morphed into one of male horror at Delacourt’s last order. It was the

kind of fear you saw when a man was faced with a crying, or raging, woman.

“Risia?” He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “No offense, sir, but it’s probably better if you send Kayden.”

Slowly, Delacourt turned back to him, and pinned him in place with a

implacable stare. “That was not a suggestion, Gunderson.”

“Yes, sir.” He bit out. He turned back to the table and began to gather up the

various stacks. A muscle twitched in his jaw.

Just based on his reaction, I vowed somehow, someway to meet this Risia. I

stood and helped him collect the papers. Handing him a pile, I held on until he

looked at me. “What’s wrong, Tag? Did you finally meet a woman wise to the ways of your charm?”

If fire had been his ability, I’d have been a little charcoal brisket. “Not funny,

Cyn,” he hissed, snatching the pile out of my hands. “The woman’s a pain in my

ass.”

Patting his arm, I snickered. “There’s an ointment for that.”

He growled.

Teasing Tag carried a comforting familiarity and loosened something tight

and painful inside me. “This Risia, is she part of your team?”

“She’s a seer.” Kayden took an empty glass from the table to the kitchen.

“Scary accurate, too, but she’s zealous about her privacy.”

“Hopefully she’ll be able to work with Tag on locating Megan Rouser,”

Delacourt chimed in, as she paced the living room, most likely tired of sitting around. The colonel was never one for sitting still.

Running through my recently ingested information, I placed the name.

“Lance Corporal Rouser left on leave two weeks ago, right? So why is she listed

as a possible victim of Ellery’s?”

She came to a stop near the French doors and kept her back to us. “Rouser

took vacation. That vacation was up a week ago. She’s been my administrative

assistant for the past two years and is not one to disappear on a whim.”

“Is she psychic?”

Considering who she worked for, Delacourt’s answer was unexpected. “No.”

She didn’t turn around, but if her spine straightened anymore, it would

shatter. “But she does have access to information Ellery would find very useful.

I’d like to make sure she’s not in his hands.”

“Understandable.” I handed Tag one last pile to tuck away.

Delacourt turned back around. “Shaw, Arden, you two check out Ramirez’s

last known.”

“Roger that.” I grabbed the report on Ramirez and tucked it in with my notes.

“We may come up empty.”

She retrieved her satchel, took some papers Tag offered her, and tucked them