Unseen (Will Trent / Atlanta Series)

ago, Lena would’ve been saying the same thing, sounding the same way. She’d been so sure of herself before Jeffrey died. She was the one who was always right. She didn’t need help. She didn’t need some asshole trying to grab credit. Lena had taken on the world single-handedly every day—right up until the world knocked her flat on her ass.
    Denise said, “If you’d talked to that girl, listened to her mama, then you’d feel the same way as me.”
    “I know,” Lena said. She was glad she hadn’t spoken with either of them, otherwise she probably would’ve been sucked in right along with Denise. “You work the case. You don’t let the case work you.”
    “What does that mean?” Denise shot back.
    “This ghost you’re chasing—it’s affecting your life.”
    “In what way?”
    Lena didn’t answer. Denise wanted some bowling pins shecould knock down. Lena knew from experience that the job wasn’t kind to lonely women. It could make you too driven. Too hard. It could scare people away from you.
    Having Jared in her life had changed that for Lena. He’d shouldered some of the burden. He’d made her feel like it was okay to let go.
    And then there was the baby. Lena put her hand to her stomach. Her face felt hot. An idiotic grin spread across her mouth. It was the hormones. She was glad she wasn’t in the van with Paul and DeShawn. She was probably fucking glowing.
    “Come on, Adams,” Branson prompted. “Give it to me straight.”
    Lena shrugged off the challenge. “Did you hear DeShawn’s getting divorced again?”
    “And you think ’cause he’s black and I’m black that we’re a match made in heaven?”
    “Please, he should be so lucky.” As hypocritical as it sounded, Lena told her, “I’m just saying that you can’t do both—be married to the job and married to a wife. What are you working for if you don’t have someone to come home to?”
    Denise’s words were pointed. “You mean husband.”
    The phone line was deadly silent. Denise Branson went to church every Sunday. She made the appropriate noises when a good-looking man walked by. But so had Lena’s sister, and Sibyl had been as gay as a three-dollar bill.
    Denise was all business again. “Call me as soon as the meet’s over. If you can’t get Waller on tape, Lonnie’s gonna give us a come-to-Jesus talk. And I’m not gonna argue with him, because he’ll be right.”
    “Denise, give me a break.”
    “Don’t talk about break, girl, talk about broke. Do you know how much this is costing the department? Twenty-four-hour surveillance going on ten days. Overtime for everybody and their mother. We passed the half-million mark last weekend. I can’teven do the math on where we are now. I’ve been waiting for this meet to pan out so when I take it to Lonnie, he doesn’t kick my ass out the door.”
    “I know you’re taking heat for me.”
    “Shit,” Denise muttered. “I wish it was heat. I’m standing in a damn ring of fire.”
    Lena was almost to the van. She glanced around, making sure she wasn’t being watched. “I’ll get Waller. I promise.”
    “You don’t, then get a newspaper. We’re gonna both need to start looking for new jobs.” She let the phone slam down in Lena’s ear.
    Lena slipped her hand back into her pocket. She traced the edge of the ultrasound as she walked toward the white van with the AT&T logo on the side. As far as she knew, no one had bothered to get clearance from the phone company. Lena figured they should shut up and take the free advertising.
    “Hey, boss.” DeShawn came around the side of the van. He was so big he cast her completely in shadow.
    Lena’s hand went to her throat. “You sure move light for a Mack truck.”
    “That’s what the ladies say.” He winked at her. “You doing all right?”
    Lena felt her defenses go up. “Why?”
    He shrugged and shook his head. “No reason.”
    “You take yourself off the monitors and stand out here waiting for me for no reason?”
    He had the grace to admit he’d been caught. “I know this whole Waller thing’s been weighing hard on you.”
    “Why? Has Lonnie said something?” Lena knew that DeShawn was Gray’s eyes and ears, but she’d never thought of him as a tattletale. “What did he say?”
    “Nothing, and I didn’t say anything to him.” DeShawn looked at her like she was paranoid for no reason. “Come on, gal. You know I’m on your team.”
    “What’s going on?” Lena asked. Now that she was