Chase stands, arching her back to stretch. “Well, Ginny Lawrence knows who he is. Another reason we need to find her ASAP.”
“Hang on. Nobody in the casino found it odd that the unsub was wearing dark sunglasses at night? Indoors?” Fowler asks, then immediately answers himself. “Let me guess. He was hanging out at the poker tables.”
Andrews makes a ding sound, then says, “Bingo.”
Romero bulges his eyes at the speaker facetiously. “Well, was it poker or bingo?”
“Poker, ya smart ass,” Andrews retorts.
The SSA fights a rare smile, then immediately stiffens when Agent Carson catches her gaze. “What is it?”
“I just got an interesting email from someone named Tomer Stillman.”
“Who the hell is that?” I ask.
The speaker crackles as Andrews comes off mute to answer. “That’s my buddy Big Al’s son-in-law. Tomer’s the brains of Redleg Security. Former military intelligence.”
As if summoned by the mention of her employer, Kri knocks on the glass wall dividing our workspace from the other parts of the Violent Crimes unit. Despite the frosted glass obscuring our view, it’s clearly her. The powerful banging on the glass alone would have tipped me off. Lila trails a step behind her. Together, they make a beeline for the door.
I launch to my feet and cross the room.
As soon as I open the door, Kri proudly announces, “We found the car. And possibly your sister.”
FIFTY-SIX
The inner sanctum
LILA
“Let them in,”an austere female voice commands from somewhere over Reed’s shoulder.
I peek around my man to confirm my suspicion. Sure enough, the petite force of nature is impatiently waving us over.
Play it cool, Lila. And for the love of feathers, leave your nonsense buffoonery in the hall. This isn’t the audience for whimsy.
Moving swiftly, we join the agents in their inner sanctum. My first impression is that it’s way more exciting than Reed’s office or the small room where I gave my statement.
I scan the area to sate my curiosity.In the center of the room is a massive square table with seating for a dozen people. A handful of agents are seated in front of laptops or full-size PC monitors. A printer sits among various electronic devices in a line around the office perimeter. One wall has several corkboards tacked with paperwork and photos. The adjoining wall contains a large grease board with sloppy writing all over it. A bank of computer monitors fills the other wall.
No clue what I’m looking at, but it’s clear a lot happens inside these walls. If they could talk, I wonder what they’d say.
Reed’s boss recaptures my focus with the mere sound of her exhale.
How did she do that?
“Normally, I wouldn’t allow you in this space, but time isnoton our side today. Anything you hear or see remains strictly confidential without exception. I have no problem bringing federal charges against you if you don’t follow that decree.” She turns her withering glare on Kri. “As I understand it, you held a high-level military clearance once upon a time. I take it you still know how to keep your mouth shut.”
Standing at attention, Kri raises her chin confidently, not backing down an inch from the boss lady. “Yes, ma’am.”
Unlike my self-assured bodyguard, I inch toward Reed to use him as my human shield. Any attempt I’ve made in the past to convince myself I’m a strong and confident woman is melting under the heat of the head agent’s stare.
“You may call me SSA Chase.” She looks from Kri to me, head tipped slightly. “And do you agree to keep things quiet as well, Ms. Kent?”
I give her a trembling double thumbs up and a shaky smile. Undoubtedly, no better gesture could convey how worthy I am of her trust.
From the corner of my eye, I catch Reed rubbing his palm over the lower half of his face. I bet he’s hiding a smile. Or the shame he must feel to be in love with a dork like me.
Oh well. His problem. Not mine.
