“The man I stabbed in the back?”
“Yes,” White confirmed. “He’ll talk. We’ll know the truth soon enough.”
They remained silent for a while, and then they both started to say something at the same time and laughed.
“You go ahead,” Veronica said, sniffing.
“Listen, Vonnie, I have to tell you something,” White started. “The Secret Service—”
“I already know,” she replied, cutting him off. “My dad told me. You’re suspended, aren’t you?”
White cocked his head. Veronica’s mood had suddenly flipped, sounding almost happy at this unfortunate turn of events. “You don’t seem too upset about it,” he said.
“Well, are you?”
White wasn’t mad at the Secret Service. They were within their rights to suspend him. He would have done the same if he’d been in charge. “I think we both knew this could happen,” he said.
“My dad thinks you’ll get fired, Clay.”
“I won’t fight them if it comes to that.”
“Good,” she said.
“Good? You’re serious?” White chuckled.
“You do know that if you aren’t a Secret Service special agent anymore, it means we get married sooner, right?”
Of course he knew. But until a couple of minutes ago, he hadn’t been convinced that their somewhat uncanny engagement was valid. He wouldn’t have blamed her if she’d decided to give him back the ring. What would they say to their friends, and even to their future children, about how their engagement went down? It would be a crazy story, and one that wouldn’t necessarily bring back joyful memories.
“I think I’ll need to speak to your dad first,” White said. “And I’d love to propose to you again, if you don’t mind. Properly this time.”
“Maybe it could be a bit more romantic too?”
“I’ll try, but no promises.”
“Deal,” Veronica said.
“Your turn. What was it you wanted to say?” White asked.
“I just wanted to put you on speaker as I grabbed my laptop. But I have it now.”
“I thought you’d want to go to bed by now,” White said.
“I already slept on the plane. I need to link up with SkyCU’s servers for a minute or two. I need to check a few things before tomorrow’s meeting.”
“You can’t risk that,” White replied, surprised she’d even consider attending the meeting. “Can’t you postpone?”
“My father insisted I stay in Fort Worth for the time being,” she replied. “I’ll connect with the team remotely.”
White heard her groan. “What’s up?” he asked.
“I’m trying to access my SkyCU account, but I keep getting kicked out. I can’t log in.”
He heard the clicking of her keyboard and mouse pad in the background. It was a sound he knew all too well. Veronica often worked in bed late at night, and all that typing and clicking more often than not put White right to sleep.
“That’s weird,” she said. “It’s never happened before.”
“Maybe they’re updating their systems,” White suggested. “Is the mobile app working?”
“Updating the servers wouldn’t prevent me from logging in,” she replied, her tone impatient. “And yes, I was just on Drain. It’s working.”
Noting how aggravated she seemed to be, White asked, “Anything I can do from here? I can stop by their office if you want. I have the time, you know, now that I’m unemployed.”
His attempt at humor fell flat. “I’m not kidding, Clay,” she said, her tone dead serious. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“What’s going on?” White asked, suddenly alert.
“You know my dad has been against Drain from the start, right?”
“He did mention it to me once or twice,” White replied. “He’s afraid of you traveling the world without adequate protection.”
“Well, that’s just it,” Veronica said. “I think that isn’t the entire story.”
White had no idea where she was headed with this. The Secret Service agent in him kind of agreed with her dad. It would be difficult to protect Veronica twenty-four seven if she spent months overseas at a time.
“His point about your protection is valid,” White offered. “Especially after San Francisco, I think—”
Veronica cut him off. “I know. I already told him I wouldn’t travel until I get the all clear from the Secret Service.”