..…CHAPTER 36…..
December 29th
Being a student in the House full of professionals was an oddity. Phoebe knew that. But she had yet to feel ostracized. The witches here were mostly friendly, and those who weren’t were at least not hostile or rude. She could even count a few of them as friends. Even the Handlers were numbered among them, starting with Oscar, but Randall was a staunch, if soft-spoken, ally.
She wasn’t looking forward to the day Oliver couldn’t teach her any further. It was still a few weeks away, according to him, but still… The Academy had become a looming shadow in her mind.
No. It had always been a dark terror, something learned from her father’s inner demons that he’d taken out on her.
Grief counseling was helping. But her guilt was still firmly entrenched and going nowhere. Today’s session had focused on that, and Phoebe felt raw and tight inside from it.
Hands full of files, she entered the elevator, Melinda’s directions still in mind. When she wasn’t training, counseling, or seeing the doctor for her injuries—she’d had her last check-up last week, thankfully—she was helping out. She didn’t mind, but she really missed the kids. She missed her class so much it hurt.
She even missed Dad.
This was her last task for the day, then she was free for dinner in the cafeteria. The elevator opened onto the first floor and she hustled down the hall to the filing room. She’d been shown how to file them properly, so she put them away, making sure to close all the cabinet drawers.
The door of the room was inset by about a foot, so when she stepped out the door, she wasn’t visible when she heard Jesse’s voice.
Something about it made her freeze.
Phoebe frowned as she peeked down the hallway. She knew they didn’t see her. With the way they were behaving, she didn’t want them to.
Because she wanted to get close enough to hear them. They were up to something. She knew and liked Ian, so she knew it wasn’t him; she didn’t recognize the shorter, Asian man. But she knew the tall one was Jesse, despite facing away.
“Anything new?” the short man demanded.
“Nothing of note.” Jesse’s voice brimmed with resentment and defiance.
“We need your eyes on this, Straus,” the other man hissed.
“If you haven’t got proof after years of suspicions, what makes you think I’ll find anything?” Jesse snapped back, clearly reluctant and getting angry.
“You’re close to them! Get closer! Find out.”
Jesse made a frustrated sound. “All I saw was him getting dressed down like a newbie. Doesn’t mean anything.”
The shorter man drew a breath for patience. “Anything else? Anything at all?”
“No.” Jesse’s voice was cold. “If you haven’t found anything, and I haven’t seen anything, you might want to consider the possibility that you’re barking up the wrong tree.” Jesse’s dislike was clear, and she suspected it had nothing to do with the man himself, and everything to do with getting grilled.
“Any odd behavior? Anything they’ve said? It doesn’t have to be obvious.”
Jesse shook his head, then hesitated. “No. But it was very odd the way they acted before their conversation. Once they came back, all was right again.”
The stranger made a soft noise of interest. “Fine. I’ll pass it along. Anything else? I know you know something.”
Jesse snorted. “Whatever, Kinku. Leave me the hell alone. I haven’t seen or heard a goddamn thing other than what you’ve already heard.”
“Your daughter misses you,” he said abruptly.
Jesse stiffened. “Fuck you,” he hissed.
“Keep that in mind.”
“Go to hell! I’m sick of this game, and I’m about to…”
“Careful, Straus,” he said coolly.
Jesse went quiet, then he turned and strode toward the dark room where she hid. She ducked back inside, easing the door shut. She could hear his steps, quiet as they were, because this floor was already empty for the night.
Phoebe’s heart nearly stopped when Jesse did…right on the other side of the door from her. But he carried on, muttering something she didn’t hear.
When the other man strode by without hesitation moments later, she listened for both footsteps to disappear, listening to the spaces and the air.
When they were gone, she collapsed against the wall, shaking. Damn. That was close.
Shoving off the wall, she wondered what the hell they’d been talking about. Jesse was clearly being forced to do something he didn’t want to do, though she couldn’t guess at what it might be. Spying? Or was he stalking a spy himself? He’d overheard an apparently covert conversation. He was watching someone?
Phoebe shook her head at herself. Her overactive imagination was probably playing a role here, but she couldn’t ignore what she’d overheard. She had to tell Oliver and Oscar. But they’d already left for the night, so it would have to be tomorrow.
Phoebe’s hand shook as she opened the door, her imagination painting a bad guy on the other side of the door. But her magic told her no one was there, and there wasn’t, when she stepped out, closing the door quietly behind her.
Spies. Inside the FBW&R.
What the hell had she fallen into?