Man of Action (Omega Sector: Critical Response, 4) - Softcover

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.2016
 
Andrea stood in front of a bathroom mirror inside OmegaSector headquarters. She smoothed her straight black skirt and madesure--again--that her blouse was tucked in neatly before checking her reflectionin the bathroom mirror one last time. Blond hair, cut in a sleek bob--the mostprofessional haircut she'd been able to think of--was perfectly in place.Makeup tastefully applied and nothing that would draw attention to herself.
 
She was about to be fired from her job as a behavioralanalyst at Omega Sector's Critical Response Division.
 
Why else would Steve Drackett be calling her into his officeat ten-thirty on a Monday morning?
 
Actually she could think of a half dozen reasons why hewould be calling her in: a new case, a new test, some assignment he needed herto work on, or a video briefing where her analysis was needed. But her brainwasn't interested in focusing on any of the logical reasons he wanted to meetwith her.
 
"Steve and Grace both know your background and stillwant you here," she told her reflection. The scared look didn't leave hereyes. She forced herself to vacate the bathroom and head down the hall. IfSteve was going to fire her, there was nothing she could do about it.
 
No one said hello to her as she walked through the corridorsand Andrea didn't engage anyone. She'd utilized this keep-to-herself plan eversince she had realized exactly how important Omega was, and the caliber ofpeople they had working here in the Critical Response Division. Ever sinceSteve and Grace had officially offered her a job four years ago after six weeksof testing.
 
She may have a gift of reading people, but Andrea didn'tthink for one minute that she was the sort of person Omega normally hired.
 
She'd known from the beginning she needed to keep her past asecret. Announcing to her colleagues that she was a runaway, dyslexic, highschool dropout, who, oh yeah, used to be an exotic dancer, would not inspiremuch confidence in her. So she'd made it a point not to tell anyone. Not toever discuss her past or personal life at all. If it didn't involve a case,Andrea didn't talk about it.
 
Her plan hadn't won her any friends, but it had successfullyworked at keeping her secrets. She could live without friends.
 
Andrea pushed on the door that led to the outer realm whereSteve's assistants worked. One of them stood, welcoming and walking her toSteve's office door and opening it. The clicks of Andrea's three-inch heels onthe tiled floor sounded more like clanging chimes of doom in her head as shestepped through.
 
"Hey, Andrea, good to see you," Steve said frombehind his desk, looking up from a stack of papers.
 
She supposed he was handsome, with his brown hair grayingslightly at the temples and his sharp blue eyes, but since he was nearly twentyyears older than her she'd never even thought of him in that way. She respectedhim with every fiber of her being. Not only for getting her out of a dead-endlife back at Jaguar's in Buckeye, Arizona, but because of how fair andrespectful he acted toward all the people who worked at Omega.
 
But he was tired. Andrea could tell. "You need avacation, boss. Some time away from this circus."
 
Steve put his elbows on his desk and bridged his fingerstogether, grimacing just the slightest bit. "You know why I don't inviteyou in here very often? Because you see too much." But his words held nofire. He knew what she said was right.
 
Andrea nodded.
 
"Sit down, Andrea. I'm afraid what I have to say mightbe a little difficult to hear."
 
Oh my God, he was going to fire her.
 
Andrea took a breath through her nose and tried not to lether panic show. She had known this was a possibility from the beginning. Notjust a possibility, a probability.
 
She tried to mentally regroup. Okay, she wasn't the samegirl who had left with Steve and Grace from Buckeye. She had managed tosuccessfully complete her high school equivalency degree and even had two yearsof college under her belt. Yes, her dyslexia made some classes difficult, andshe had to take them at a slower pace than most people, but she was makingprogress.
 
She could get some other job now. She had money in savings.She didn't have to go back to Jaguar's and let those people paw at her again.
 
"Andrea."
 
Steve's tone made her realize it wasn't the first time he'dsaid her name. She finally forced herself to focus on what he was saying.
 
"I don't need to have your gift to see that you'repanicking. What the hell is going on in that brain of yours?" She couldfeel waves of concern flowing from him, and it was easily readable on his face.
 
She rubbed her skirt again. "Steve, I understand if youneed to let me go. I've always known that was a possibility--"
 
"Andrea, I'm not firing you."
 
"But you said this may be difficult."
 
"And it probably will be, but why don't you let mefinish before you jump to conclusions."
 
Now Andrea felt the reprimand. She sank back a little in herchair. "Yes, sir."
 
"I need you for a case."
 
He really wasn't firing her. "Okay."
 
"It involves a serial killer. He's been striking in thePhoenix area, with the last woman found dead just outside of Buckeye."
 
Her hometown. The place she swore she'd never go back.

USA TODAY and award-winning author Janie Crouch has loved to read romance her whole life. She cut her teeth on Harlequin Romances as a teen, then moved on to a passion for romantic suspense as an adult.

Janie lives with her husband and four children in Germany, in support of her husband's U.S. Department of Defense job. Janie enjoys traveling, long-distance running, movies of all kinds, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

For more: www.janiecrouch.com