“I didn't betray you.”
“You contacted Mercer.”
“Yes.”
“You gave him information about me.”
“I gave him information that I thought would protect you.”
“You gave him my name.”
“I was trying to stop them.”
“By helping them?”
“I had no choice.”
Naomi laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“That's what everyone says.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Who?”
“Everyone who hurts you.”
He flinched.
She continued.
“They always have a reason.”
Daniel looked down.
“I knew they were watching you.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
Naomi stared.
“Six years.”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
“You asked me not to.”
“No.”
Daniel looked up.
“You did.”
“When?”
“In Baltimore.”
Naomi's face tightened.
“I don't remember.”
“I know.”
“Tell me.”
Daniel hesitated.
“You recruited me.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
Naomi stared at him.
“Recruitment for what?”
“Northstar.”
Atlas moved between them.
Daniel stopped.
“He remembers.”
Naomi looked down at the dog.
Daniel continued.
“Northstar wasn't a criminal organization.”
“Then what was it?”
“A covert investigative network.”
“Investigating what?”
“Corruption inside federal contracting.”
Naomi's eyes narrowed.
“And Victor Harlan?”
“He was one of the contractors you were investigating.”
“And you?”
“I was technical support.”
“You were my husband.”
“I became your husband afterward.”
She stared.
“What do you mean?”
Daniel looked at her.
“You didn't know me when we met.”
Naomi's stomach tightened.
“I met you in Baltimore.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“You were already injured.”
Her voice dropped.
“Where?”
“Warehouse on Mercer Street.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Blue door.
Concrete.
Rain.
A gunshot.
Atlas barking.
A man's hand.
Daniel shouting.
Naomi touched her temple.
“Stop.”
Daniel immediately stopped.
She breathed slowly.
“Who shot me?”
“We never identified him.”
“Victor?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Daniel shook his head.
“We believed it was someone inside Northstar.”
Naomi looked at him.
“You said I recruited you.”
“Yes.”
“Why would I recruit you if I didn't trust you?”
“Because you didn't trust anyone.”
“Then why trust you?”
Daniel's eyes became wet.