I sat down and laced my fingers together on top of my desk. “Just tell me what you want to know, Val. I have things to do. I think I just got Agent Grove fired—or arrested.”

“What?” Her eyebrows shot up for half a second, and then she was frowning again. “You might be an ace at diversion, but I know when someone’s not telling me something, and you, Liis, have a secret.”

I covered my eyes with my hand. “How can you tell? I’ve got to get better at this.”

“What do you mean, how can I tell? Do you know how many interrogations I’ve sat in on? I just know. I’d say I’m psychic, but that’s stupid, so I’ll just say, ‘Thank you, Dad, for being a cheating bastard and heightening my bullshit-o-meter.’”

I pulled my hand away and gave her a look.

“What? I tell the truth—unlike you, you…fake, foul friend.”

I wrinkled my nose. “That was harsh.”

“So is knowing that your friend doesn’t trust you.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Val. It’s just none of your business.”

Val stood and walked around the club chair, placing her hands on the back. “Quite frankly, I’d rather you not trust me. And…you’re no longer invited to Fuzzy’s.”

“What?” I shrieked. “C’mon!”

“No. No Fuzzy’s for you. And they love me, Liis. Do you know what that means? No Fuzzy’s for lunch. No Fuzzy’s forever.” She emphasized every syllable of the last word. Then, she widened her eyes and turned on her heels before shutting the door behind her.

I crossed my arms and pouted.

Five seconds later, my landline rang, and I picked up the phone. “Lindy,” I snapped.

“Hurry up. I’m hungry.”

I smiled, grabbed my purse and shoes, and hurried to the hall.

Chapter Nine

“SO,” VAL SAID AS SHE CHEWED, wiping the mixture of mayo and mustard from the corner of her mouth, “you have a date with Maddox in three weeks. Is that what you’re telling me?”

I frowned. “No. It was what you pulled out of me.”

She smiled, pursing her lips to keep the large bite of BLT from tumbling out.

I rested my chin on my fist, pouting. “Why can’t you just leave things alone, Val? I need him to trust me.”

She swallowed. “How many times have I told you? There are no secrets in the Bureau. Maddox should have assumed that I’d find out eventually. He’s acutely aware of my talents.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Curb the jealousy, O.J. I mean that Maddox knows we’re friends, and he knows I can sniff out any secret better than a coon dog.”

“A coon dog? Who are you right now?”