Reese glared at the lawyer. “All right. Let’s start here. Where did your client get the three hundred thousand dollars we found in the motel?”
Noni stiffened.
Symington just calmly reached for another piece of paper to nudge across the table. “My client hired a firm called Krill Associates.”
Reese leaned back. “I’ve heard of Krill.”
Noni barely kept the surprise off her face. She opened her mouth to speak, and her lawyer shook his head. Oh yeah. Silence.
“I have no doubt,” Symington murmured, handing over another paper. “Here’s the agreement with signatures, and here’s a trace of the cash to the corporation’s account. They’d like that back as soon as possible, by the way.”
Malloy leaned forward. “I haven’t heard of Krill.”
Reese sighed. “Krill is an international security firm that specializes in kidnap prevention and hostage release services. Usually overseas but apparently sometimes in the States.” He dropped his chin and focused on Noni. “How in the world did you find them to hire?”
Symington shifted in his seat. “She posted information online, and the firm found her. They don’t like street gangs kidnapping babies. I’m sure the FBI doesn’t, either.”
Reese studied the attorney for a moment and then took something out of his own folder. “You’re telling me this guy works for Krill.” He shoved a picture of Denver across the table. The picture looked like it had been taken by a security camera when he’d been in the truck driving with a gang member early that morning.
A pit formed in Noni’s stomach.
Symington shrugged. “I don’t know the players. Never seen that guy. If he is a Krill operative, he’s long gone. You know that.”
Reese’s lip curled. “This guy is being sought by the law in North Carolina. Supposedly killed an owner of a boys home years ago.”
“Don’t know anything about that,” Symington said. “Sorry.” He handed over a stapled set of papers. “Here’s the correspondence on the dark web about the gang, their site, and the baby exchange. You can use this to find their drug trade.”
This time, Reese didn’t even look down. “Right.”
Noni’s hands started to shake, so she set them quietly in her lap. This was crazy. Who was this lawyer guy? She scooted away from him just a little. The pipe smell was getting a little overwhelming. She cut a look at Malloy to see fire burning in the cop’s eyes. He was furious. Oh, this was so not good.
Symington kept acting like nothing was amiss. “All righty, then.” His accent somehow deepened.
“How did a Southern attorney end up in Alaska?” Reese asked, his gaze sharp.
Symington smiled. “My mama married a fisherman. It’s the oldest story in the book.”
Reese frowned so hard, lines cut into his forehead. He obviously didn’t like what was happening, but there didn’t seem to be much he could do about it. “I want the Krill employee, or your client is in a world of trouble.”
Symington shook his massive head. “Sorry, but I have no clue where he is. He’s probably already on another case, perhaps in Colombia. Krill is the international kidnapping champion, you know.”
Reese slowly lowered his chin, obviously not liking the sarcasm. “Your client is going to need to cooperate if she wants to keep that baby.”
Noni gasped. Wait a minute. “Hey—”
“No,” Symington said smoothly. “No talking. I have the hearing tomorrow covered. This is just a threat, and quite frankly, it’s beneath you, Agent Reese.”
Color clashed across Reese’s hard face. “If your client is impeding a federal investigation, she has much bigger worries than finding the right diaper.”
Symington scratched his beard. “She’s obviously cooperating with you.” He shoved the second folder toward Reese. “Here is the will from the deceased mother as well as the signed form relinquishing parental rights from the father listed on the birth certificate. Oh. That’s there as well. Just for your records.” He turned and groaned as he stood. “Let’s go, Miss Yuka. We have to prepare for tomorrow morning’s hearing.”
Noni flattened her hands on the table and stood. The FBI was letting her go? “Okay,” she whispered.
Reese also stood. “Malloy? You’re in deep shit. Tell me what’s going on here.”
Malloy blinked, suddenly wide-eyed. “Agent Reese, I used proper channels to create an op last night that saved a baby and shut down a dangerous drug-running gang. I think I’ll survive this one.”
“We’ll see,” the agent said grimly. “For now, I’ll go through these documents and no doubt have more questions for you, Miss Yuka. At least then I’ll know what exactly to ask you, and I expect you to answer for yourself. I take it you’re staying in town for now?”
