The past five months of having her just next door in the duplex he’d bought had been . . . nice. More than nice. Her very presence had helped him heal.

Molina cleared her throat, yanking him back. “You must be very proud of her.”

“I am,” he said fervently. “So damn proud.”

Liza had overcome so much to get where she was in life. It was too bad she was too proud to accept his help when he offered it.

He wondered if she allowed the butt-groping Mike to help her.

Molina paused in the doorway, giving him a calculated look. “I think that might come as a surprise to her.” And then she entered the meeting room, leaving him gaping at her.

Why would Liza be surprised to learn that he was proud of her? They’d been best friends for seven freaking years. She had to know.

“Agent Hunter.” Raeburn’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Are you planning to join us or not?”

Tom jerked to attention, realizing too late that he’d been standing in the doorway while the others took their seats. Seven of Raeburn’s agents, most of whom worked on cases other than Eden, watched him curiously, and he had to fight to keep his cheeks from heating.

Gideon Reynolds wasn’t in attendance, which meant Eden would be on the agenda. Gideon had been his trainer for the last few months, but Raeburn had assigned him to someone new after Gideon had been recused from the investigation.

His new trainer was Ricki Croft. She was in her late thirties and could be abrupt, especially before she’d had her morning coffee. She was a good agent, though, her career on a trajectory to make Special Agent in Charge one day. She was more by-the-book than Gideon had been, but far less than Raeburn, so Tom liked her well enough. She eyed him now, travel mug clutched in her hands, one brow lifted. She indicated the empty chair to her left, which Tom took, still feeling off balance.

Raeburn welcomed Molina back, then ceded the meeting to her. She allowed each agent to give an update on their cases, and Tom found his attention wandering for the first time during a briefing of any kind. He was known for his laser focus and his ability to remember nearly everything he heard, even the assignments that had nothing to do with Eden.

But his thoughts were on Liza now, on Molina’s startling disclosure. He needed to talk to Liza, as soon as possible. He needed to mend this rift between them. He needed to make sure she knew he was proud of her. She needed to know what she meant to him.

She wasn’t his oldest friend, but she was the one whom he trusted above all others. Liza knew his deepest secrets. For a long time, she’d been the only person in his life who’d known about Tory, about what she’d meant to him. About the life Tory had carried.