But she lowered the volume as she planned her strategy.

If Stephanie had gone into the woods to smoke, a hike around the property would have to move up on her priority list, cold weather or not.

And despite Kayla’s warning, she wasn’t going to avoid Noah Evans. Just the opposite, after her roommate’s loaded comment.

As soon as school started, she’d find an excuse to seek him out and see what he knew about a missing student who’d gone to him for guidance—but perhaps had gotten something else entirely.

“What do you mean, that’s it?” Phone to ear, Zeke began to pace in the living room of the high-end condo where he’d be spending his free hours until he finished the Ivy Hill job.

“I mean, that’s it. Confirmation of employment with the County PD. Period.”

Translation? Cate was at the school on official business. In an undercover role, from what he’d observed.

But why would she do that? She’d never had any interest in clandestine work.

He raked his fingers through his hair. “What happened to interagency cooperation? Can’t someone pull strings? Go higher? Find out what she’s doing there?”

“If I push too hard, they’ll want to know why we want to know. You want us to spill our operation?”

Checkmate.

Too much effort had been invested in this setup to risk any leaks.

“Fine. I’ll get my own answers.”

“Whatever she’s doing there, she won’t want to jeopardize her position either.”

“I’m aware of that.” He paused at the window as ice pellets began pinging against the glass.

Wonderful.

The commute tomorrow morning for the first day of school was going to be a bear.

“I’ll work some other contacts discreetly on my end, but you may get answers faster from the source.”

“Yeah.” Zeke rubbed his temple, where a headache was beginning to throb. “Thanks.”

“Good luck—and keep us in the loop.”

“That’s the plan.”

Zeke ended the call, slid the cell back into his pocket, and retrieved a soda from the fridge. Popping the tab, he wandered through the rooms filled with upscale furnishings.

Quite an improvement over most of the places he’d set up camp in during the past eight years.

He could get used to this sort of environment, though, now that the shadowy, dangerous existence he’d once embraced was beginning to wear on him—as veterans had warned him it would.

Like it or not, and despite his commitment to his job, burnout was setting in.

He stopped at the window again, shifting his weight off his bum leg.