Chances Are - By Christy Reece Page 0,3
teeth on.
The buzzer on his desk sounded. He sighed resignedly as he pressed the button. “Yes?”
“Can we talk about it?”
Her eagerness to get started was apparent. Hearing the excitement in her voice made him want to agree to anything just to keep it there. However, he refused to make a rash decision just because of that. “We can talk but I still haven’t made up my mind.”
“I’ll be right there.”
In spite of the grim nature of their upcoming discussion, Noah barked out a dry laugh. When she wanted something, Angela could talk a blue streak. He’d seen her wear down more than one person just by her sheer volume of words. Most of his operatives were taciturn at best. A dynamo with energy to spare, Angela could talk anyone into almost anything.
Her long-legged stride full of determination, she entered his office without knocking. Angela was one of LCR’s most valuable assets and, other than Noah, knew the organization better than anyone. She had been in her late teens when she’d responded to his advertisement for a receptionist. As an upstart rescue company, Noah and his friend and business partner Milo Evans, had no clue on how to go about finding good help. Milo had often commented that the good Lord was looking out for them when he’d sent Angela their way. They had been looking for someone to answer phones and discourage unwelcomed visitors. What they had gotten was a computer genius with research skills not even the government could match.
Noah had liked Angela’s energy and intelligence but most of all he had liked her loyalty to her loved ones. She had been determined to take on so much at such a young age and make it work. Even if she hadn't been a computer genius, he would have hired her.
There wasn't an LCR employee who didn't appreciate Angela’s contributions. She made everyone's job a thousand times easier and had saved lives in the process.
She dropped down into the chair across from him. “So, what's your biggest concern?”
Noah had intimidated more men and women than he could remember, but to his knowledge, he had never done that with Angela. She had always acted as if they'd known each other since birth.
“My biggest concern is that you could get yourself killed.”
“Since this guy is slicing and dicing his victims, that's a given. But whatever op I go on, something similar could happen.”
“The creeps we go after aren’t usually serial killers.”
He knew better than to encourage her to take some time off and just enjoy life. That argument had already been made and lost. After all she had been through, one would think she’d want to spread her wings, maybe even explore life outside the confines of LCR. When he’d made that suggestion, he had been reminded once again of Angela’s single-minded determination. When she wanted something, she went after it with everything within her. She wanted to be an active field operative. Now.
“There are plenty of other ops I can assign you. Dropping you into the deep end of the pool makes no sense. Only our most seasoned and experienced operatives should be on this case.”
“I'm well aware that I don't have the experience, Noah. And I know which operatives you’re assigning—remember, I saw your list. Eden, Shea, Sabrina and Riley are some of our best. But you trained me just like you trained them. I know what they know.”
“There are some things you can't get in a training session. Real world experience is a hell of a teacher.”
“So let me go out and get that experience.”
Noah shook his head. “We're talking around the issue. I know you've got the skills, I just don't know if throwing you to the wolves your first time out is a good idea.”
“Then assign someone to me who'll watch my back.”
That was a no-brainer. If he put her on this op, he already knew who she would be paired with. A former military man and ex-Chicago cop, Jake Mallory had the discipline and drive that Noah looked for in an LCR operative. He also possessed the protective, kick-ass attitude of a seasoned professional. And with the bond Noah had seen growing between the two, he knew that Jake would battle the fires of hell for Angela.
Apparently under the impression he was considering which operative he could partner her with, she added, “Seth and Honor already know this case. Assign Seth to me. Or how about Dylan? He just came off an op and—”
Noah held up