Jill clasped her hands in front of her chest and bounced on her toes. “Well, we have to do a final checkup. Then there is an interview, application, and reference check. However, since you’re a long-time donor, we can fast-track that for you. You may be able to have her as early as next week.”

It seemed way too long to leave her dog at the shelter, but she knew that the process had to be followed. “I just want to cuddle a little longer,” she whispered. “And then we’ll get started.”

It took ten more minutes before she was able to give Khunda back to Jill. The puppy had fallen asleep in her arms, and Raj didn’t want to let her go. After one last, longing look at the puppy in her pen, she went into Jill’s office with Ajay and filled out the required paperwork. Another fifteen minutes later, they were standing outside on the sidewalk.

“Congratulations,” Ajay said, dropping a soft kiss on her upturned mouth. “You are going to be a dog mom. After seeing you in there, Raj . . . I know Khunda is right for you.”

“Thanks for coming with me,” Raj said. She couldn’t have been more surprised at how much it meant to her that Ajay was there to share her first moments with Khunda.

“I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Ajay said, stroking a finger down her cheek. “It was . . . enlightening. Want to go to lunch to celebrate?”

Raj felt her phone buzz in her purse and pulled it from her crossbody.

The name Roshan flashed on the screen.

“I need to take this,” she said. “One second.” She moved farther down the sidewalk before she answered.

“Roshan.”

“Raj. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“You, too, traitor,” she said with humor. She looked up at Ajay who was busy checking his own phone a few feet away.

Would he know the name of Raj’s former employee that worked on his securities team? More importantly, did Ajay realize the magnitude of skill he now possessed. Roshan had been one of her top people. He’d also been the first to jump at the offer for more money. “Are you looking for another offer?”

Instead of taking the bait and teasing her back like the old friends they used to be, Roshan’s tone cut through her expectations of small talk.

“I found something at Bharat. I was going to call Sri first, but Raj, I don’t trust him.”

Alarm bells flashed in her mind. “Why is that?”

“He’s not very . . . transparent with the information he finds. I’ll have to tell him eventually, but I figured that you might have some insight.”

Raj stepped out of the way of moving pedestrians and leaned against the side of a building. “Tell me,” she said.

“Sahar Ali Khan wasn’t the mole.”

“Wait, what?”