Storm's Cage by Mary Stone (uplifting novels .TXT) 📕

Leaning back, Joseph stretched both arms above his head. “Nope.”

Amelia reached into the pocket of her black slacks to grab her phone. “That’s fair. I didn’t do anything on my lunch break, either.” Her eyes flicked down to the glowing screen and then back to Joseph. “Howison’s ready for us now, it looks like. Her meeting went faster than she’d expected.”

“All right.” Joseph closed the laptop, stood, and grabbed his coffee. “If she wants us down there in person, then it must be good.”

Amelia led the way out into the hall, and Joseph held back just long enough to ensure he’d have the perfect view of her body as he followed. He let his gaze rove along the curves of her ass, following the gentle sway of her hips as she power walked toward the elevator. Thanks to the hidden camera in her shower, he’d seen her naked every day for the past three weeks, but the novelty of that video feed was fading.

Soon, the imagery wouldn’t be enough, and he’d need the real thing.

He tightened his free hand into a fist to keep himself grounded in reality.

They didn’t run into anyone on their trip to the elevator, but as they arrived at the stainless-steel doors, Joseph caught the fiery red hair and slender figure of another woman approaching. His curiosity piqued, Joseph turned to get a better look.

Even in the harsh office lighting, the red hue of the woman’s auburn hair was as vivid as her contrasting blue eyes. Her ivory blouse was tucked into a charcoal gray pencil skirt that accentuated the hourglass curve of her body, and with her black pumps, she stood a little taller than Amelia.

He hadn’t seen the redhead in the building before today. There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d forget a woman like her.

Before he could pull his stare away from the alluring woman, he felt Amelia’s scrutiny on the side of his face. But when he went to meet her gaze, she’d already looked away.

As desire prickled at the back of his neck, Joseph fought to maintain his nonchalance and sipped his still-hot coffee. Amelia must have suspected he wouldn’t be able to resist the pretty redhead. She was sharp. Maybe too sharp.

And perhaps more than a little bit jealous?

The thought made his dick pulse in his pants.

Amelia’s expression was unreadable as she greeted the other woman. “Hello, Counselor. What brings you in here today?”

The lawyer returned Amelia’s greeting, but her expression looked strained. “I’m sure you already heard about Carlo Enrico. The U.S. Attorney sent me in here to wrap everything up with your office now that there’s no one to prosecute.”

Amelia gestured to Joseph. “Well, while Agent Larson and I find what we’re looking for, you might have a different perp to prosecute.”

Joseph saw his opening, a chance to return some semblance of normalcy to the air between him and Amelia. “You’ll get to prosecute the guy who killed Carlo Enrico instead.”

As the elevator doors slid open with a ding, the lawyer plucked her messenger bag off the carpeted floor. “That’s true. He was technically a Federal informant, so whoever killed him falls under our jurisdiction.”

A silence descended over them as they made their way into the empty car, and Joseph had no desire to break the spell of quiet.

Until Amelia and Joseph arrived at their stop on the second floor, no one spoke. With a polite goodbye to the lawyer, they made their way down a couple halls to one of the Bureau’s many forensics labs. A pane of floor-to-ceiling glass framed the door, and as soon as he and Amelia crossed into view, Bailey Howison greeted them with a wave.

Joseph swiped his work identification over a badge reader and pulled the door open.

“Afternoon, Agents.” Bailey rose from her chair. “Sorry about the delay. I’d have met with you first thing this morning, but I had a court appointment. Trial didn’t last as long as I expected, though, so that’s a plus.”

Joseph smiled politely. “We appreciate you and your team for working on this. I know there were a hell of a lot of fingerprints to sift through behind that door.”

The corners of Bailey’s blue eyes creased as she grinned. “There were, but I’ve got some good news for you. Come, take a look at this.”

As they followed Bailey to a pair of glowing monitors in the corner of the room, Amelia’s eyebrows arched suspiciously. “Good news isn’t something I’m used to hearing. Not when I’m dealing with the Leónes, anyway.”

Leaning against the edge of the computer desk, Joseph let out a laugh that sounded more like a snort. “Ain’t that the truth.”

Bailey’s expression brightened as she took her seat. “Well, I’m glad to be the one to deliver some good news for you, then.”

Amelia stood opposite Joseph. She’d crossed her arms over her white dress shirt, and the skeptical expression she wore seemed to have hardened. “All right. Let’s hear it.”

Even as he turned his gaze to the closer of the two monitors, Joseph wondered if he’d irritated Amelia by checking out the lawyer they’d met by the elevator. Was she jealous?

His pulse picked up at the thought, and he clenched his hand to keep the contemplation at bay. He’d have plenty of time to ruminate about his and Amelia’s relationship when he wasn’t in an FBI forensic lab.

With a couple clicks of the mouse, Bailey pulled up a new window. “You were right, Agent Larson. There was a hell of a lot of fingerprints on the other side of that door, but we found something else too.” Overhead lighting reflected off her wedding band as Bailey pointed to the document she’d opened.

Joseph squinted at the screen, leaning in closer for a better look. He needed a new prescription for his contact lenses, but he’d been too preoccupied to make an appointment with the optometrist. Nothing reminded him of his negligence quite like staring at a computer monitor.

“Those are the results