Page 69 of Four Cards Exposed

“Really?”

“Sure. I saw the way he looked at you, back in Sharp’s Cove. I just didn’t think he’d ever let himself act on it. James has always—”

The conversation stopped as the door flew open.

“Susan?” James’s face seemed to have recovered some color. He was wearing a gray tracksuit and T-shirt, exactly like hers, except it fit him much better. A white bandage peeked out from one sleeve.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Susan laughed, pointing at his shoulder. “Shouldn’t that be my line?”

“Just a scratch,” James said. He started rolling his shoulder, then thought better of it and stopped, six feet away from her.

It looks like we can keep things professional.

It looks like—

James crossed the distance between them in two easy steps, taking her hand in his.

His touch seared her, in a most unprofessional way. There was nothing professional about the way she wanted to step into his embrace and—Susan hissed as his fingers grazed the blisters in her palms. He let go quickly, his jaw flexing as he saw the damage to her already scarred palms.

“Susan …”

“It’s okay,” she said quickly. “Just a scratch.”

The joke fell flat with James, but Lorraine and the woman standing behind him laughed. Susan remembered the doctor, from before she’d gone undercover. Only a few weeks ago, but it felt like years.

“Officer Lopes, I think it’s time for us to have a chat. I’ll take good care of her, Special Agent Ramsay.”

Lorraine pushed James gently out of the room.

“How are you feeling, Officer Lopes?”

“Susan.”

“How are you feeling, Susan?”

“I’m not hurt, if that’s what you mean. These blisters are literally the only thing wrong with me.”

The doctor nodded and brought out some antiseptic from her bag—began cleaning her palms gently but efficiently. It burned, but not half as bad as Susan had expected.

“You’ll have a full debrief tomorrow. Tonight, I just need to know if you’re in need of medical assistance.”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“Who, Ramsay?” the doctor asked. “He’s going to be just fine. I’m good at my job. It’ll barely even scar. He should be more worried about that tattoo on his other arm. Are you sure you’re okay, Susan?”

Susan shook her head. “Yes. Tired.”

The doctor pointed to the bed. “That’s understandable. You can sleep here tonight. But first, I can also take out your tracker, if you’d like me to.”

Susan nodded and raised her sleeve. It hurt a lot less coming out than it had going in.

After the doctor left, Susan went to the bathroom. She washed her hands with a little unscented bar of soap, then brushed her teeth with the brand new toothbrush that’d been left for her.

That was thoughtful.

She wondered who set these things out.