“Why did you choose the Army?” Lydia asked.

“That’s a good question.” Jo gave it some genuine thought. “In high school, I knew I wanted a military career, and ROTC seemed like a good way to go. I liked what the Army offered.” She smiled. “Maybe the recruiter just talked a good talk with me.”

“You became an officer?”

Jo nodded. “It was a way to get a college education, and some experience and training at the same time.”

Lydia studied her. “You were good at what you did?”

“Yes,” Jo said. She wasn’t bragging; she had been good.

“You went into Civil Affairs?”

“That came later.”

It felt as if Lydia wanted her to talk more, and Jo saw the woman’s curiosity as a way to build more rapport. So she opened up more than she might have under different circumstances, sharing how her career had evolved. She was an overachiever and had excelled in the Army—she’d been an expert markswoman, and she was gifted with foreign languages. Jo had developed a reputation as a skilled asset on intelligence operations, which led to more missions. All that had been a good fit with CA.

She finished right as the server brought their drinks.

“I’m not hungry,” Lydia said. She looked at Jo.

“Nothing for me,” she said, following her boss’s lead.

Lydia looked at the server. “We’ll stick with our drinks for now.”

“Of course,” he said, and backed away.

As Jo took a drink of water, Lydia sipped her martini, then set down the glass.

“You never know where things are going to go,” she said. “I went to college, and that’s where I met JD. I’d gone to a party and then for drinks, and he was there. It wasn’t love at first sight, but there was an attraction, and we started dating. Even though we came from different backgrounds, I knew he was something special. I knew he would go places. He did, and I was proud of him. And he was fine with me focusing on charities, trying to do things to help out.” She took another drink. “I never thought I would end up . . . here.”

Jo knew she didn’t mean at the bar, rather at this place in her life. She contemplated her new boss, seeing a woman who desperately needed a listening ear, someone to offer some comfort. Jo was tempted to reach out and touch her hand, but she didn’t. Instead, she spoke as softly as she could over the din around them.

“Is there something you want to talk about?”

Lydia pressed her lips together firmly, and the muscles in her jaw worked. She seemed at war with herself, not sure what to do or say. But whatever load she was carrying had become too much to bear. Her eyes watered, and she glanced toward the window, where no one could see her face.

“You can talk to me,” Jo encouraged her.

Lydia thought long and hard, and then she turned back to face her.

“My husband is having an affair,” she said. She sucked in a breath as if saying the words had been like someone hitting her. Then she took another drink, her hand shaking. The glass rattled when she set it back down. “Oh, who am I kidding? He’s had multiple affairs.”

“I’m sorry,” Jo murmured.

Lydia flicked a hand at her. “No, don’t start with apologies. It is what it is, and I’ve pretended like it wasn’t happening for far too long. Like, if I didn’t acknowledge it, it wouldn’t be true.” She gulped. “But it is true. All of it’s true. Everything Mackenzie said, and probably everything that happened . . . way back then.”

Jo kept a straight face, not showing the exhilaration she felt. She couldn’t blow it now. She nodded, trying to look sympathetic. Sometimes it was better to wait. People liked to talk, and Lydia was someone who desperately needed to tell her story.

The woman squirmed in her seat for a moment, and then went on.

“There were rumors of something going on with JD, a long time ago. Mackenzie brought that up last night.” She blinked back tears. “Back then, I knew something was up. JD didn’t act like himself, and it was obvious there was some kind of strain on him. I told myself it had something to do with his work, because I knew that could be stressful for him.” She covered her eyes for a moment and then dropped her hand. She looked out the window. “What a fool I’ve been,” she said forcefully. “I should’ve seen things, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to believe JD could be capable of anything wrong.”

Now Jo hazarded a question. “There was more than the affair?”

“I think so. I don’t know what, but something illegal. Something he and Kline covered up.” She stopped talking, and her face went tight. She stared hard at Jo. “Let me tell you, I’m not putting up with it anymore. He may be worrying about what others would do if he gets caught, but he should be worrying about me. He is not going to drag me through the muck. I’m going to find out what’s going on, one way or another.” She tapped the table for emphasis. “This ends right now.”

“If you’re right, how would you prove what your husband did?”

She fixed her gaze on Jo. “You’re going to help me.”

Jo feigned surprise. “What? How?”

“If there’s proof that JD did something wrong, it might be in his office. That’s a starting place, anyway.”

Jo pretended to be uncertain, but she couldn’t believe Lydia had given her the exact opportunity she desperately needed. She held up her hands to her boss.

“I don’t know. I just got here, and I barely know you. I’m just your driver.”

“You’re my driver, and my confidant,” Lydia said. “You’re supposed to help me where I need it. This is where I need it.”

Jo took a moment, playing it up, and then she said, “What do you want me to do?”

Lydia downed the last of her drink slowly, as if giving herself time to think. “We need to search JD’s office. I know he has a locked drawer in his desk. If we can get into it, maybe we find something.”

“You have a key?”

The woman shook her head. “We’ll see if he hid one somewhere. If not, you’ll have to break the lock.”

Jo sat back. “Me?”

“Please,” Lydia begged her. “If something goes wrong, and you get caught, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll smooth things over with JD and Kline, and I’ll pay you handsomely for your troubles.”

“I don’t know.”

“I need your help,” Lydia said. “Please.”

Jo looked at her, knowing what her answer would be. She acted hesitant, resisting as much as she dared to without losing the break she’d been given.

Then she looked down and sighed, before making eye contact once more. “I’ll do what I can.”

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Kline was speeding toward downtown Dallas when one of his people called.

“Talk to me.”

“We found the woman.” He didn’t say Sabrina’s name. “She’s with an old family acquaintance named Rosa Gutierrez. Apparently, she hasn’t talked to Rosa in a long time.”