“I am. I’d already put in for a personal day. I figured Rafe would need help getting the guests to and from the airport. But the security firm is doing a good job and there will be an FBI presence at the Sokolovs’ for at least another day or two.”

“I know. I’m here,” Jeff said glumly. “It’s like we’re in prison. I hope it’s over soon.”

“Your mouth, God’s ear.” Tom held his finger over the end button. “We done?”

“Yep. I’d go to sleep, but I want to be the first one in the kitchen when Irina wakes up so I can tell her that she’s out twenty bucks.”

“She bet, too?” Tom asked, clearly affronted.

“Oh yeah. We had ten people in the pool.”

Liza chuckled quietly, patting Tom’s hand. “Who won?”

“Karl,” Jeff grumbled. “He always wins. Zoya and I had a side bet that she won. But I get to announce it, so I’m good. Bye.”

The call ended and Tom set the phone and his tablet aside. “We’re going to Walnut Creek.”

“We as in me and you?” Liza asked, hoping. “Or you and Croft?”

“I’ll see if she wants to come with us.”

Liza beamed up at him. “Thank you. It means a lot to me to help right now.”

“I know.” He kissed her lightly. “Will this be enough, though? Once we get Belmont in custody and the folks in Eden to safety, will your need to help be satisfied, or will I need to always worry that you’re exposing yourself to danger?”

She wanted to frown at him for asking the question, but she supposed it was fair. She was trying to make amends for the people she hadn’t saved. “It should be enough. By July I’ll be in nursing school and can focus all that guilt on getting good grades and being a damn good nurse.”

“The best.” He shut off the bedside light and slid back down until he was under the sheets with her. “You wake up unfairly chipper.”

“I was a soldier,” Liza said, snuggling into him when he wrapped his arm around her. His chest was the nicest of pillows. “We learned to sleep with one eye open.”

“I bet you’ll go right back to sleep, won’t you?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m awake now.” He guided her hand to his erection. “What do you say?”

She wrapped her fingers around him and squeezed, his answering hiss like music. “Yes.”

TWENTY-SIX

ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA

MONDAY, MAY 29, 8:30 A.M.

Tom reached for his coffee cup, frowning when he found it empty. He’d been looking for a way into Sunnyside’s security network for the past few hours and had come up with nothing.

Liza had gone back to sleep after he’d made love to her for the second time, but he’d been unable to quiet his mind. All he’d been able to think was that she was going into a hostile situation from which she might not return. And that he’d lose her after just finding her.