Page 23 of The B-Team

“Okay.” Ms. Patel was all business. “Here’s the update. Joe is scheduled to be interviewed in a few hours. We expect he’ll be released soon afterward.”

Julia slumped into her sister’s arms.

Ms. Patel continued, “Unless they decide to hold him while they investigate terrorism charges, but as far as I can see, they appear to be reserving those for Lake and Callum, as well as your two techs, Elle and Evan—although, they do like using the term to apply pressure during every interview.”

“Are you kidding me?” Isobel exploded.

Sarah looked up to see her standing in the doorway, a large and very sharp knife in her hand. Slowly, not taking their eyes from the knife, Ryan and Beast closed in on either side of her.

Isobel didn’t seem to notice them; her focus was on the phone. “They’re investigating Callum for terrorism? What a load of crap! He pretty much single-handedly took down a terrorist cell in Scotland before handing them over to the police, and they think he’s a terrorist?”

“Technically,” Ryan said as he eased the knife from her hand, “the whole team was in on that.”

“Gimme back my knife,” Isobel growled.

Ryan wisely backed away.

“All we can do,” Ms. Patel said, “is follow procedure, which means sitting through each interview until the police casebecomes clear. Right now, I’ve no idea how they could possibly bring terrorism charges against anyone on the team, but saying that they plan to do so means they can keep suspects in custody for up to fourteen days.”

“Two weeks?” Isobel screeched. “Callum can’t stay in there for two weeks. He needs his wheelchair, and moisturizing cream for his legs, and his pain meds.”

“I’m sure we can arrange to have all of that brought to him,” Ms. Patel said. “Let’s see what happens first. Also, they’ve released Rachel and her husband because it appears Rachel is having contractions. I assume they’re on their way to the hospital.”

“Rachel’s in labor?” Isobel gasped.

Julia looked stricken. “She can’t have her baby before me. I’m due first!” She began to cry again, and Belinda rocked her in place.

Ms. Patel cleared her throat and carried on as though the outburst hadn’t happened: “The head of the American office, along with one of her American team members, a Rodrigo De la Cruz, have also been released. Their lawyer tells me that they’re on their way to the US Embassy to lodge a complaint.”

“Maybe that will help,” Sarah said hopefully.

“I wouldn’t pin your hopes on it,” Ms. Patel said. “Now, I really must go. Please call me if anything changes at your end.” She ended the call.

“I’ll call Rachel, Katrina and Rochelle to update them on what we know.” Ryan ran a hand through his hair, making it look like he’d just gotten out of bed. “But why the hell would they think Lake, Callum, Elle, and Evan are involved in terrorism?”

Sarah went to his side and wrapped an arm around his waist. He pulled her close. She pressed into him, lapping up the security of his strength and knowing he was more than capableof dealing with anything that came their way. He was a rock. Her rock.

“It doesn’t make sense to me either,” Beast said, sharing a worried look with Ryan.

“Fourteen days…” Julia muttered, making everyone turn to stare at her.

She’d stopped crying and appeared to be wrapped up in her own thoughts. Pulling from her sister’s hold, she dragged her laptop toward her.

“Fourteen days,” she mumbled again.

“What is it?” Belinda asked her.

Julia made an uncharacteristic shushing sound that left everyone shocked and bemused.

“You got any insight, Stats?” Ryan whispered.

Sarah kept her voice low so as not to disturb Julia, who was rapidly tapping on her keyboard and staring at her screen with intense focus. “I know it’s the maximum number of days the UK police can hold a suspect while they build a case, and that terrorism is the only charge that allows such a long detainment.”

“And the commander’s pushing for terrorism charges.” His muscles tensed under her hold, and he got that same look in his eyes she’d noticed whenever he resolved a tricky plot point in his book. “I think hewantsthem locked up for fourteen days.”

“You mean he’s trying to keep them off the streets for the next two weeks?” Unease gripped Sarah’s stomach, making her nauseous. “Why would he want to do that?”

“I don’t know,” Ryan said. “But it feels like it fits.”