Read Online Edge of Control: An Edge Security Novel (Edge Security Series Book 1) by Trish Loye - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Trish Loye
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Would she scurry away? He found that he wanted her to be here for a legitimate reason. He wanted to go and ask her.
“To go,” he said gruffly. He tried never to let emotions play into his decisions. He’d learned that even before the Navy.
He grabbed the coffee and meant to walk out the door, but instead found himself standing in front of her table.
“Dani,” he said, wondering what the hell he was doing.
Her shoulders slumped and he wanted to laugh. Then she straightened and lowered the book. “Hey, Jake. What are you doing here?”
“My hotel is around the corner,” he lied. “Just stopping in for a coffee before heading off to that assignment you’re not supposed to know about.”
She blushed and he liked the spark of fire in her eyes. “What about you?” he asked.
“I’m here for the amazing poutine ,” she said. As if on cue, a waitress brought over a plate of thick-cut french fries with gravy and…
“Is that cheese?” he asked, sidetracked by the delicious smell of the gravy.
“It’s poutine ,” she said, pronouncing it puht-in. “Fries, light gravy, and cheese curds.” She pushed the plate toward him. “Try it.”
He sat down in the chair opposite her and picked up a crisp fry dripping with gravy and ensnared in melted cheese. “Cheese curds?”
“ Poutine ’s a Canadian staple. Right up there with maple syrup, bacon, and beer. You have to try it.”
He grinned at her enthusiasm for what looked like a heart attack on a plate, and ate the fry. The savory flavor exploded in his mouth and his stomach rumbled for more. He snagged another fry. Dani smiled at him. “I told you,” she said, pulling her plate back.
“You went home sick,” Jake said. He almost cursed himself when the light went out of her eyes and her smile disappeared. He hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but he had to know why she’d lied about going home.
Her eyes flicked away and then back, assessing him. “My friend is missing,” she said, a hint of desperation in her voice.
He went on alert. “Have you told the police?”
She nodded. “There’s not enough evidence for them to do anything right now.”
“So you’re going to do something.” His lips firmed. “Something illegal?”
Her chin jutted out. “I’m just waiting to meet someone who might be able to help. There’s nothing illegal about that.”
Instinct told him she was holding back information—a lot of information. He looked around the diner. This was not the place to question her.
“I’ve only been at E.D.G.E. a couple of days,” he said, “but it seems to me you should ask your friends there to help you.” She didn’t say anything. So he tried again. “I could help you, Dani.”
She froze, as if unsure what to do with his offer.
He sighed and stood up, snagging one last fry and giving her a salute with it. “I hope you find your friend.”
Her face softened. “Thank you,” she said.
He left the cafe, coffee in hand. He made sure she didn’t see him get back into the van. Now, it was time to see if the rabbit ran.
Hours later, Dani finally left the coffee shop. Jake watched her while Rhys watched the front doors of the building.
“She’s heading into the building,” Jake said quietly.
Rhys nodded. “Have her in sight.”
They watched as she hurried toward the revolving doors. Her ankle wobbled and she toppled, crashing into an Asian woman whose purse flew in the fall. Dani’s arms waved around as she helped the smaller woman to her feet and helped gather the woman’s purse and belongings. Then they parted ways and Dani strode through the revolving doors.
Jake frowned, tension thrumming through him. “What just happened there?”
Dani closed her book with a sniff. She loved happy endings. Too bad life couldn’t be like a romance novel. But there was no hero waiting in the wings to rescue her. She’d learned that a long time ago. She’d had to rescue herself.
The darkness of the third-floor
“To go,” he said gruffly. He tried never to let emotions play into his decisions. He’d learned that even before the Navy.
He grabbed the coffee and meant to walk out the door, but instead found himself standing in front of her table.
“Dani,” he said, wondering what the hell he was doing.
Her shoulders slumped and he wanted to laugh. Then she straightened and lowered the book. “Hey, Jake. What are you doing here?”
“My hotel is around the corner,” he lied. “Just stopping in for a coffee before heading off to that assignment you’re not supposed to know about.”
She blushed and he liked the spark of fire in her eyes. “What about you?” he asked.
“I’m here for the amazing poutine ,” she said. As if on cue, a waitress brought over a plate of thick-cut french fries with gravy and…
“Is that cheese?” he asked, sidetracked by the delicious smell of the gravy.
“It’s poutine ,” she said, pronouncing it puht-in. “Fries, light gravy, and cheese curds.” She pushed the plate toward him. “Try it.”
He sat down in the chair opposite her and picked up a crisp fry dripping with gravy and ensnared in melted cheese. “Cheese curds?”
“ Poutine ’s a Canadian staple. Right up there with maple syrup, bacon, and beer. You have to try it.”
He grinned at her enthusiasm for what looked like a heart attack on a plate, and ate the fry. The savory flavor exploded in his mouth and his stomach rumbled for more. He snagged another fry. Dani smiled at him. “I told you,” she said, pulling her plate back.
“You went home sick,” Jake said. He almost cursed himself when the light went out of her eyes and her smile disappeared. He hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but he had to know why she’d lied about going home.
Her eyes flicked away and then back, assessing him. “My friend is missing,” she said, a hint of desperation in her voice.
He went on alert. “Have you told the police?”
She nodded. “There’s not enough evidence for them to do anything right now.”
“So you’re going to do something.” His lips firmed. “Something illegal?”
Her chin jutted out. “I’m just waiting to meet someone who might be able to help. There’s nothing illegal about that.”
Instinct told him she was holding back information—a lot of information. He looked around the diner. This was not the place to question her.
“I’ve only been at E.D.G.E. a couple of days,” he said, “but it seems to me you should ask your friends there to help you.” She didn’t say anything. So he tried again. “I could help you, Dani.”
She froze, as if unsure what to do with his offer.
He sighed and stood up, snagging one last fry and giving her a salute with it. “I hope you find your friend.”
Her face softened. “Thank you,” she said.
He left the cafe, coffee in hand. He made sure she didn’t see him get back into the van. Now, it was time to see if the rabbit ran.
Hours later, Dani finally left the coffee shop. Jake watched her while Rhys watched the front doors of the building.
“She’s heading into the building,” Jake said quietly.
Rhys nodded. “Have her in sight.”
They watched as she hurried toward the revolving doors. Her ankle wobbled and she toppled, crashing into an Asian woman whose purse flew in the fall. Dani’s arms waved around as she helped the smaller woman to her feet and helped gather the woman’s purse and belongings. Then they parted ways and Dani strode through the revolving doors.
Jake frowned, tension thrumming through him. “What just happened there?”
Dani closed her book with a sniff. She loved happy endings. Too bad life couldn’t be like a romance novel. But there was no hero waiting in the wings to rescue her. She’d learned that a long time ago. She’d had to rescue herself.
The darkness of the third-floor
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