When she disappeared from the room, I stared at the empty doorway, chuckling under my breath. What in the hell was I going to do with her?
Almost immediately, I pulled out my phone. It was early, but if I knew anything about my old partner, she’d already gotten in her run for the morning. The only issue with making contact was that she was a team player. There was no way Agent Carrie Tappers would keep our conversation private. Then again, maybe pushing the envelope was exactly what I needed to do.
“Agent Tappers.”
“Finished with your daily run?”
She didn’t react at first. Then she didn’t bother trying to hide a bitter laugh. “Look what the cat dragged in. How are you, Maverick? Rich, I see.”
“And your contempt is still intact.”
“Touché. To what do I owe this… pleasure?”
“My guess is you figured out I might contact you.”
“Wells’ execution. I thought by now you’d be over the case,” she said, half laughing.
“I’m curious. What do you know about me being denied access to the main system?” The slight catch in her breathing meant I was right.
“You don’t work with the FBI any longer. You should have no need to gain access to your old cases.”
“That I could understand except for one small issue. The only limitation is on the Wells case. I find that fascinating given the date of his execution was pushed up by what, a year? Two?”
“Nothing our office has anything to do with.”
“Why do I get the distinct feeling everyone involved with this case is eager for the man to be six feet under?”
“Let me offer you a piece of advice, Maverick. You did your job with the case. You put the right man behind bars. Let it go. Whatever reason both you and Ms. Martino are so interested is beyond me. The man is guilty. Everyone knows that and those same people want the situation done with. Do you understand what I’m saying? Some things are better left alone.”
The contentiousness of our relationship had been a thorn in my side, but she’d always been a straight shooter. She was issuing a warning. “Yeah, loud and clear.”
“Do me a favor. Don’t call me again.”
With that she ended the call.
What in the fuck was going on?
I flexed my fingers several times before fisting my hand. Whatever we’d stepped in the middle of was about to be driven underground. Literally.
The need to protect Alexia was stronger than ever. I didn’t need to wear my FBI hat to realize she was the missing piece within the Python Killer’s fragmented brain. He wanted her back, a prized possession.
To hell with him. No matter the lengths I’d need to go to, I’d hunt him down the way I’d wanted to all those years ago.
And when he was captured, there would be no further hesitation because there was no rule book to follow.
He would face the punishment he deserved.
CHAPTER 17
Alexia
The prison system. I’d been to the Federal Detention Center in Miami a few times. While I hadn’t enjoyed the experience, there hadn’t been anything overt that had stood out to me. I hadn’t felt afraid or even disgusted. I’d been there as part of my job and nothing more.
However, the Federal Coleman Complex was high tech, high security, and housed some of the worst of the worst, although I had been surprised that Samuel had been allowed to stay in Florida. What I’d learned after becoming an attorney was that it had taken someone being leaned on to keep him in the state where he’d committed such heinous crimes.
Now that Maverick had mentioned one reason why he could have been locked out of the FBI’s system, a few other memories I’d paid little attention to were forming a pointed edge in my mind. Jabbing me to push them closer to the forefront for examination.
I reminded myself how young I’d been at the time, still believing in the system. After discovering Maverick’s personal disgust of law enforcement in general, I’d felt even closer to him. He hadn’t exactly hidden his disdain in his stories, but he’d come right out and used a vigilante group in his books, including the one just released.
