Serves you right.
I told the disappointment brewing inside me to fuck off.
There was a steady stream of various agencies through Laurel’s room after Bill showed up. Derrick and I gave ourstatements and filled out the paperwork for firing our service weapons while on duty. And then finally, after what had seemed like a hundred hours and not just four, I was allowed to join Laurel while Bill gave us an update.
She barely glanced at me when I came in.
It made me feel insignificant. Like she allowed me to be there only because it was necessary. As if there were no connection between us and only business. I’d asked for this, and sure-as-shit, she’d given it to me.
And Ihatedit.
So, I leaned up against the dresser directly across from where she sat on the bed so her gaze would naturally go to me.
“Here are the sheets on the two men from the gas station.” Bill passed one to Derrick and one to me. “They lawyered up before we got much out of them, but both have ties to Goran Markovic.”
“Who’s he?” She folded her legs under herself and shifted on the bed so she was facing Bill and didn’t have to look at me.
“He’s a particularly nasty Serbian mob boss. His eldest son, a real gem in comparison to his father, is currently on trial for negotiating the sale of illegal arms. Driskell was the first judge to preside over the case.”
“And the judge she saw murdered,” I said. “He was the second?”
“Yes. The FBI informant that Markovic’s son tried to sell to has gone missing. The Bureau won’t tell me if his whereabouts are known or not, citing security reasons. But seeing as the case hinges on the informant’s testimony, I’m betting he’s still alive. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to go after another judge.”
“The laptop?” I asked. “What about the second date?”
“We’re still working on that. It’d be nice to have him in custody before then.”
It was clear what my mentor was saying. We had nothing. If this second date was another hit, we didn’t know the target or the location. We’d have to wait for a break in the case or hope for a mistake on Frey’s part.
He’d already made a colossal one by letting Laurel live. I doubted he’d make another so soon.
When she’d identified him, there’d been a brief moment of validation for me, proving Frey was a killer as I’d always suspected. Relief eased some weight off my shoulders—only to have it stacked back on top of me and heavier this time, with the worry for Laurel’s life.
Shit, what would happen if he found her?
The thought made me clench my fists.
15
LAUREL
I knewJason’s focus was on me, but I pretended not to care. It would be best if I kept my distance.
The endless parade of agents through my room made me uncomfortable, but I could understand why Jason respected his boss. Bill had a disarming quality, and his soft, kind eyes helped set me at ease.
Well, somewhat. Two men had tried to kill me earlier, and it wasn’t like I could forget that.
Beth from the OEO had materialized at one point with an enormous stack of papers. Guidelines for entering WITSEC, I was told. I politely accepted them, deposited the bunch on the dresser, and successfully fought back the irrational idea to push the whole heap into the trash.
All I wanted was to be back on stage with pins jammed in my hair, dancing the choreography I'd labored for a month to learn.
“We’d like to keep you here a few days,” Bill said, “and then move to another location. You might notice a few more marshals around until then, to assist Jason and Derrick.”
“Looks like you’re stuck with us a little longer,” Derrick quipped.
I hoped no one could tell that the prospect of spending a few more days with Jason made my stomach do a flip-flop.
My gaze slid toward the dangerous marshal I’d climbed on top of and kissed this morning. His face mimicked what I was feeling inside. Surprise. Panic.
