Thomas seemed confused. “What?”

“I’m hungover. Crackers are for breakfast.”

“What do you mean, I’m trying too hard?”

I looked up at him. “You like me.”

“I…you’re okay, I guess,” he said, stumbling over his words.

“But you’re my boss, you don’t think we should date, so now you’re scaring away any interested parties.”

“That’s quite a theory,” he said.

I pulled apart the plastic package, put a stack of saltines on a plate, poured a glass of tepid water, and used the counter for a table. “Are you saying I’m wrong?”

“You’re not wrong. But you’re emotionally unavailable, remember? Maybe I’m just doing Sawyer a favor.”

The crackers crunched between my teeth, and the cotton mouth I was experiencing from too much alcohol became worse. I pushed the plate away and took a drink of water.

“You shouldn’t be so hard on Sawyer. He’s just being a team player. You’re trying to save your brother. This is important to you. For whatever reason, your family doesn’t know you’re a fed, and now, you’re forcing your brother to join the ranks. We all get it, but no need to piss on every idea your team brings you.”

“You know, Liis, your observations aren’t always correct. Sometimes, things go deeper than what you see on the surface.”

“The reasons leading to the origin of the problem aren’t always simple, but the solution always is.”

Thomas sat on the couch, looking distraught. “They don’t get it, Liis, and you definitely don’t get it.”

My tough shell melted at the sight of his tough shell melting. “I might if you explain it to me.”

He shook his head, rubbing his face with his hand. “She knew this would happen. That’s why she made him promise.”

“Who’s she? Camille?”

Thomas looked up at me, completely pulled out of his line of thought. “What the hell made you think of her?”

I walked the ten feet to the couch and sat next to him. “Are we going to work together on this or not?”

“We are.”

“Then, we have to trust each other. If something is between me and getting the job done, I remove whatever it is.”

“Like me?” he asked with a half smile.

I recalled our argument in the fitness room and wondered how I’d found the courage to tell the ASAC to get out of my way. “Thomas, you have to fix this.”

“What?”

“Whatever is messing with your head. Sawyer seems to think you’re too close to this case. Is he right?”

Thomas frowned. “Sawyer has wanted this case since I brought it to the supervisor. He wanted it when I was promoted to supervisor, and he wanted it when I was promoted to ASAC.”

“Is it true? Were you promoted because of the break you got in the case?”