“Of course. Feel responsible for her.” That didn’t mean anything.

Nari finished the fruit. “Who’s protecting her right now?”

Wolfe rolled his eyes. “Roscoe is a dog. Dogs don’t count.” Though it was a nice try.

“Hmmm. What’s Malcolm doing?” Nari set her fork down.

Wolfe opened his mouth and then shut it.

“Who went with you to the mansion to confront Trentington?” She finished off her coffee.

Force and the new guy. “I get your meaning,” Wolfe said. He needed to stop relying on people who would just get killed. “You don’t know this guy—the one from my past. He enjoys killing, and he’s damn good at it.” Though Wolfe didn’t like arguing with the shrink, he was feeling marginally calmer.

“What are the odds that this mysterious guy somehow found you two and had you drugged last night?” Nari asked.

Wolfe had already considered the idea. “Zero. It’s not his style. He would’ve just bombed the entire party and then enjoyed the chaos and destruction. Drugging us is too . . .”

“Distant?” Nari asked. “From what you’ve said, this guy likes to get his hands bloody.”

Wolfe nodded. “Exactly.” He drew bills out of his pocket to leave beneath the plate. “I’m gonna miss these talks.”

Nari gathered her belongings and scooted from the booth. “What do you mean?”

He waited for her to stand and precede him to the door, waving a good-bye at Janice on the way. “Just what I said.”

Nari pushed open the door and winced at the heavy rain outside. “How about I give you a ride home?”

“No.” Wolfe escorted her to her compact car, checked the back seat and underneath the vehicle, and then opened her car door. “I’ll wait until you lock it, and please drive carefully.” He’d followed her one time, making sure her route was safe. She had an attached garage in her rental house outside of D.C., and she’d wisely driven inside and shut the door before exiting the vehicle. However, she hadn’t realized he’d followed her, so that was a concern. “Be safe, Nari.”

She looked up from her car. “Wolfe? I don’t understand. Usually I can read you, but I’m lost. We’re not finished meeting up once in a while.”

“We are.” If anything, their comfortable chat had shown him how close he’d let himself get to this team. He could never let Rock know what they meant to him. “I’ve challenged the past, and he’ll be coming soon. It’s too late to stop.”

A line formed between Nari’s brows. “I don’t understand.”

“I know.” She was an excellent psychologist, but sometimes evil just existed. There was no analyzing it.

Wolfe shut her door and planted his hand on the window.

She frowned but started the car and then drove carefully over the potholes in the parking lot.