Echo 8 by Sharon Lynn Fisher Read Free Book Online Page A

but what if you need someone who’s not one of them ?”
    â€œI’ll call you.” Tess eyed her over the rim of her cup. “You can’t be seriously thinking about not going. This is your biggest meeting of the year. Who’s going to give your funding presentation?”
    â€œYes, it’s important. But it’s two days , Tess. They know we’re working on something classified—I’ll tell them we have to reschedule.”
    â€œNo, don’t. It’s too late for that. Some of them traveled from out of state, right?” Tess picked up a piece of toast. “I’ll keep in regular contact, Abby. Go and don’t worry about us.”
    Abby leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She watched Tess inhale her breakfast. Tess was careful to keep her eyes on her food, because despite the confidence with which she’d dismissed Abby’s concerns, she would prefer Abby stayed, in case she needed help with the Bureau.
    â€œDon’t take unnecessary risks, Tess,” Abby finally said. “Listen to Ross.”
    Tess groaned and rolled her eyes. “Why does everyone seem to think I need a keeper?”
    Abby fixed her with a maternal glare, exasperation warring with affection. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
    â€œDo I?”
    â€œI couldn’t ask for a more dedicated researcher. You put your job before everything else. That’s okay—you’re young. You have energy and ambition. I know what this job means to you.”
    â€œIt’s bigger than me and the job, Abby. It’s—”
    â€œI know all that. I get it.” She folded her hands on the table. “God, Tess, you’ve learned everything from Goff—the best and the worst. You can’t do your job if you follow in his footsteps.”
    Tess dropped her gaze to the tabletop, feeling Abby’s words like a blow.
    Abby covered Tess’s hand with hers. “Don’t try to do it all yourself. Work with the task force. Let Ross protect you. That’s all I ask. Okay?”
    Tess met her gaze. “Okay.”
    Abby rose from the table. “Check in with the doctor the Bureau sent before she leaves. She’s next door to Ross. I’ll see you Monday morning.”
    *   *   *
    Ross had intended to leave the institute. He needed to clear his head so he could figure out exactly how much he was going to say to Director Garcia, and there was a coffee shop a couple blocks away. He’d only planned to be gone for half an hour. There was an agent on Jake, two more walking the halls, and a fourth outside on the grounds. Abby had checked the resident scientists into corporate housing for the weekend. The building was as secure as it could be.
    But no sooner had the barista placed the circa-1950 chipped porcelain mug in front of him than he asked for a to-go cup and headed back to Seattle Psi. He carried his bagel and coffee to the observation room adjacent to the lab, where he could send his email and keep an eye on Jake. He avoided questioning himself too closely about what other motives might have led him there.
    He sat down at a narrow desk that faced the one-way glass. Jake stood near the door on the opposite wall, and he could see Tess through its window.
    Ross listened to the end of their initial exchange, and when Tess excused herself to eat breakfast, he sat deliberating about whether to make his presence known. He wanted to see what she would do if she thought she was alone.… But was that serving the Bureau’s interests, or his own?
    He swore under his breath. He wasn’t used to second-guessing himself, and he couldn’t afford it in a situation where he needed to stay sharp. He debated again about whether to inform Garcia about what had happened the night before, with Tess. It was his duty to do so—the assignment had been compromised.
    Yet he hesitated.
    Tess reappeared at the window, and Jake