Snow sighed. “He’s inexperienced—as were we all—with that population. We feel the UC blew any chances at getting them to open up, because honestly, it’s not like Leo can go down there to give them the profile. We’re also hindered because we don’t have a physical description of the killer. Though we’ve had other UC volunteers here in the L.A. field office since the first UC made the attempt. SAC Bradley has decided he wants a member from a Tac Team to try instead.”
“Us?”
“He feels you’re more equipped,” Lincoln said. “Perhaps you can conceal a weapon on your person and you all have hand to hand combat-ready skills. I thought of this team before the other Tac Teams in the office who can’t boast the same training.”
“Special Ops training,” Candy said.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I can tell you right now, sending in a bunch of guys who look like we do, isn’t going to make any residents of a homeless encampment feel warm and fuzzy. They’re unlikely to spill thebeans about a serial killer who may be hiding among them.” Nash said what we were probably all thinking. He gestured around the room. “Look at us. Patsy is the only one of us under six feet tall. I mean he is the least intimidating—”
“Feck off!” I said.
“You know what I mean, Pats. We all love you, but you’re…you know.” Nash waved a hand up and down.
“I’m still big enough to kickyerarse, knob cheese,” I grumbled.
Several people laughed but Candy’s glare silenced the room.
“We won’t let you go in alone, if you decided you wanted to volunteer, Agent Good,” Lincoln said. “And I’d want at least one other to pitch a tent with you. But this assignment might not last one or two nights. You may have to stay there to build rapport with the residents for a while as I’ve already pointed out.”
“Agent Good is an integral part of my team,” Candy said, glancing over at me. “And even if he agrees to the assignment, I’d insist on assigning another agent as backup, leaving me two men down. That basically negates my team from performing our duties. I somehow doubt SAC Bradley would approve that. We’re just not set up to loan out team members for long undercover assignments, Lincoln.”
Lincoln sighed again. “It was worth a try. I guess we’ll have to do this another way then.”
I was willing to help. I’d taken chances all my life, throughout my military career and afterward. I just didn’t see a way to do this if I wasn’t expected to go in alone, The idea that this killer might be living in a homeless encampment really pissed me off. Nash was right. Everyone else was big enough todraw attention to themselves and make the locals down there suspicious and standoffish.
I suddenly realized Napolean was calling my name. I was so off with the fairies I hadn’t heard him and he’d probably called me at least twice, if I had to guess by the way everyone was staring at me.
“What?” I said, shaking myself out of my reverie. “Sorry, I wasn’t listenin’.”
“He asked if you think Weston would be willing to help,” Nash said.
I sat up straight. “What? Feck no…erm…sorry, I meant that would be dangerous as Snow said. Wes is a civilian. He’s a mathematician, for Christ’s sake, Lincoln.”
“But he lived in homeless camps before, right?” Napoleon said.
I frowned at my best mate, slightly pissed off at the way he talked about Wes even though it was the truth. “He’s been homeless, but he lived in his car and like Snow says, those places are bloody dangerous. There’re drugs everywhere, hidden weapons, and enough loonies to keep a mental institution full for a decade. I don’t want to ask him to put himself in danger.”
“I’m sorry,” Snow said, “but who is Weston?”
I sat up straight. “Weston Chaudry is my boyfriend.”
“Your boyfriend is homeless?” Snow asked.
“Not anymore, Lincoln. He lives with me now.”
“I didn’t realize the relationship status had changed,” Candy said. “Is this something recent?”
“As ya know, he’s been stayin’ with me since the robbery and we’ve only recently made it kinda permanent,” I said, feelingmyself blush. I needed to have that conversation with Wes when I got home tonight. Everything was moving fast with us, but I sure as hell had no plans on kicking him out of my place anytime soon, especially after last night.
“I see.” Candy turned to Lincoln. “I doubt we can be of any help to you, Snow. Agent Hampstead has a point. Patsy is the only one of us who won’t stick out like a sore thumb down there and sending in a civilian isn’t a good idea anyway.”
But was it really?My mind was whirling. I hated the idea of putting Wes at risk in any way, shape, or form. But at the same time if we got some intel on the vicious mongrol who was killing prostitutes just doing their best to survive day to day, how could I not ask Wes? I’d protect him with my very life. “I’ll ask him,” I suddenly blurted. Everyone in the room turned to look at me.
“What?” Candy asked. I couldn’t remember ever seeing his eyes so round with surprise.
“If I’m there with him, I’ll protect him. Sure, don’t ya need this animal off the streets? If he’s hidin’ out in a homeless encampment, the people down there will have an idea that this guy is off somehow. Psychopaths aren’t that hard to spot even if people don’t know what they’re seein’ when they’re seein’ them. I know that from comin’ face to face with enough of ‘em in Afghanistan.”
