For some reason she had the feeling that bullets didn’t concern Doogan, and she wondered if they ever had.
“Eli doesn’t seem particularly fond of you personally, though,” she pointed out. “I thought he was going to demand to drive me home himself last night.”
Eli didn’t actually dislike Doogan, but Zoey sensed the younger agent rarely agreed with him.
“He may have made that demand of me,” Doogan admitted, crossing his arms over his chest. “I simply reminded him of the definition of boss.”
Zoey winced. Eli wouldn’t have appreciated that at all. He was young, but he had plenty of pride.
“He tends to get his feathers ruffled easily.” Doogan shrugged.
“Why are you really in Somerset, Doogan?” She asked the question before she could stop herself. “And don’t pawn me off with that excuse you gave last night.”
—
She was smart. Intuitive. Doogan had known that all along. Just as he’d known Lyrica’s knowledge of his presence in Zoey’s home would ensure that Zoey began questioning why he was there as soon as her sister left.
He was prepared for it.
“I’m here to oversee an active investigation,” he finally answered her, trying his damnedest not to lie to her. “And that’s all I can tell you.”
“All hush-hush, huh?” She peeked up at him from between thick, sooty lashes. “Are you going to get me shot at, Doogan?”
She was teasing him, and he was damned if he’d expected that from her.
“Not if I can help it.” The thought of getting Zoey shot at was terrifying. And not just because her brother would kill him.
“Well, at least you didn’t try to lie to me.” Full breasts lifted with a heavy sigh beneath the tank top she wore with the cutoff denim shorts and cowboy boots. “I would have never believed a full-out ‘No.’ Not with your reputation.”
He arched his brow curiously, finding it particularly hard to keep his eyes off those tempting breasts.
“My turn,” he stated.
Zoey inclined her head, indicating her agreement.
“How do you know so much about the agents operating in Somerset? I know for a fact Eli hasn’t given you that information, and you know a hell of a lot, even for a Mackay.”
“You know that old saying ‘the walls have ears’?” she said softly. “Farmhouses have really thin walls.”
His arms went across his chest, his brows lowering broodingly. That wasn’t a good sign, but she could go with it.
“I know for a fact when Dawg remodeled the bed-and-breakfast, the walls were rebuilt as well.”
Zoey lifted her brows and gave a heavy sigh, accepting the fact that she could give up a little information. “I stole some of Dawg’s bugs. God love his heart. He just keeps misplacing them.” She gave a shake of her head, her eyes widening innocently. “It’s pitiful. Old age, I think.”
Dawg would have a fit if he heard her say something so outrageous. Hell, it was all she could do to say it and keep a straight face.
Doogan’s eyes narrowed now. “My bullshit detector just exploded,” he warned her. “Want to try again?”
“I’ve been known to cause that.” She sighed, blinking at him with false remorse. “Dawg’s always having to replace his too.”
He just stared back at her, those brown eyes watching her as though not quite certain of the
response he should give to pull her back in line.
Yeah, Dawg had that problem too, she thought, reining in her laughter.
“So, do you want to make a parts list for me?” she asked him as though there weren’t a question on the table to answer. “I can pick everything up for you this afternoon when I go out.”