“On the contrary,” Agent Corcoran said. “We found the mole, and it’s none other than Chief Adam Stensland from the New Mesa PD.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Shocker.”
Rumors about Chief Stensland have been going around for years. No one could prove it, though, or at least until now.
“The evidence on Stensland’s burner suggests he was selling information to Dorian “The Bull” Dimitrou," Agent Corcoran explained. “We also found texts Stensland exchanged with the recently escaped inmate Rodrigo “The Skull Crusher” Douglas. We believe that Skull Crusher knew the location of the safe house and ratted Santiago out. That explains today’s unfortunate events.”
“Just out of curiosity, who did you send to spy on me?” Adam said, laughing bitterly. “No, let me guess. It was Trigger, right? I never liked that pompous, self-centered asshole.”
“Adam,” I said, swallowing with difficulty. “Can I have a word—”
“I can’t discuss the details of the mission with you,” Agent Corcoran cut in. “You know how these things work, Detective Markland. Let’s just say that our best agents handled it. They are too trained to have their cover blown, so don’t bother dwelling on it. Instead, I suggest that you...”
Agent Corcoran kept talking, but I stopped listening when the sky-blue gaze landed on me. I froze on the spot, unable to move. I wanted to speak, but I lost my voice. I wanted to defend myself, but there was nothing to defend. I was gone… smaller than a pea, and more worthless than a grain of salt in the Dead Sea. Still, the worst of it was the silence. Not the silence in the room, because Agent Corcoran kept talking, but the silence behind the stare.
When Adam abruptly stood up, his chair clattered to the floor. He stumbled out of the room, and I rushed after him, but Maddox stood in my way.
“No, Slade. Stop, before someone gets hurt.”
“Get out of my way,” I growled. “Adam, wait!”
“Markland, you have been played,” Buck said through laughter. “Little Jordie fucked you over. That’s hilarious. How the mighty have fallen.”
“Shut the fuck up, Buck,” Maddox bit out, glancing at him.
When Adam pulled a gun out of his holster, I swallowed back tears. I wasn’t afraid. I was just grief-stricken.
“I always found it weird that you liked me, but it all makes sense now,” he said, scratching his forehead with his gun.
“You’re mistaken,” I managed to say, my voice echoing oddly in my ears. “I do like you. Please put the gun down.”
Adam chuckled without mirth. “I can’t believe that you let me fuck you to keep your shitty job. You must really like it.”
“You know that’s not what happened,” I said, my throat tightening. “It’s just your excuse for —”
When Adam fired his gun, and the bullet hit the ceiling, everyone gasped, including me.
“My excuse?” he shouted. “Did you really say that to me, you lying piece of shit? Who the fuck do you think you are?”
After that, all hell broke loose. Buck hid behind his desk, calling security. Chief Bibb came out of his office, threatening to fire us all. Adam left without looking back, and I would have followed him if it weren’t for Maddox stopping me.
“Slade,” he said with a smile that should have alarmed me. “I’m doing this for your own good.”
It was the only thing I could remember before his fist hit my face, and the world around me disappeared.
Chapter 16
The Real Jordan Slade
Two years earlier
Jordan
“Sit down, Agent Slade.”
“Captain,” I said, sitting across from him.
“First, I would like to thank you for serving your country. The battle for Sommet province was a bloody massacre. It says in the folder that you have been critically injured and spent three months in the hospital?”
