# THOMPSON-HAYES: BLOOD MONEY
## Chapter Eighteen — Cole and Nathan
They were alone in her apartment when it happened.
Mia was at school. Jake had gone with Cole to the FBI meeting. It was the Tuesday after the Sunday planning session and Patricia was at the courthouse filing the final hearing documents, which left Nathan working at the kitchen table with his audit spreadsheet and the particular focused silence he brought to things that required precision.
Cole came back from the FBI meeting at noon without Jake — Jake had stayed to answer follow-up questions from Agent Vance and would take a car back later.
Cole came in, saw Nathan at the table, poured himself water, and sat across from him.
Nathan looked up from the spreadsheet.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
This was, Mia w
