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CHAPTER 1
SALEM
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Seattle, Washington
Salem Hubbard sat outside the office of her FBI supervisor, waiting for the ax to fall. His secretary avoided eye contact, and when Salem covertly caught Hazel looking her way, Hazel’s face was sympathetic. Her boss had warned her time and time again about liaising and sharing information with the local cops, so being called to his office didn’t come as a surprise. It was a shame, though. Salem thought the whole ‘turf war’ and posturing between feds and locals was stupid and unproductive.
Besides, it wasn’t like she’d given Dani Morris classified information. Dani was a childhood friend, and they’d stayed in touch over the years. Hell, she’d mainly just confirmed some things Dani already knew.
Okay, and run a deeper background check on a suspect. Dani could have gotten it by going through channels, but it was easier and faster to contact Salem, and it hadn’t been the first time they had helped each other. Salem had done the same thing in reverse dozens of times. So, when Dani had called looking for background info on a suspect, Salem hadn’t thought twice about giving it to her.
For months, word around the office had been that Salem’s boss, Guy Craigie, was looking to get rid of her. He didn’t like female agents in general and Salem in particular. She couldn’t blame him. Salem refused to play his bullshit games or put up with his chauvinistic attitude.
Despite the ax hanging over her head, she wasn’t worried. Dani had already talked with her boss at Seattle PD, and there was a job waiting for Salem if she needed it. Dani had gone to her boss after Salem had broken Craigie’s nose when he’d drunkenly groped her at an office party.
“Hubbard!” Craigie shouted through the door, making his secretary wince. “Get your ass in here.”
Slowly, Salem stood, shaking her head and letting her body come back online after sitting for more than an hour waiting. “I see he’s in a cheerful mood,” she said as she walked by Hazel, opened the door to his office, and stepped inside.
“You’ve really done it this time,” smirked Craigie.
The short, paunchy, balding bureaucrat was a caricature of every officious boss in every sitcom ever made. He didn’t look sorry at all. In fact, he looked almost gleeful. Looking at the man he’d become, she wondered that he’d ever been a field agent.
Salem took a deep breath to give herself a moment to rein in her temper. “I’m sure I have—at least as far as you and your cronies are concerned. But I did what I thought was best…”
“Without going through the proper channels and getting permission.”
“And if I’d asked you?”
“I would have considered your request and given my answer.”
Salem snorted. “You wouldn’t have read past who had made the request before you wadded it into a ball and tried to lob it into your trash can. Dani was investigating a string of murders and needed some unclassified—let me say that again, unclassified—information. And she needed it fast. She didn’t have time for me to request it, you to reject it, and then to go over your head to get it, which we both know she would have. It’s not like she’s a reporter or some random person off the street. She’s a decorated detective. Last time I checked, appearances to the contrary, we were supposed to work cooperatively. I don’t think the Bureau ever intended for you to make this your personal fiefdom.”
“I have always cooperated with the Seattle PD. I just expect people—especially my own—to go through proper channels. You didn’t, after several written reprimands for failing to do so.”
“Just the excuse you needed to get rid of me,” said Salem.
Craigie grinned maliciously, clearly enjoying himself. “Not an excuse, a reason. Anyone can see when they look at your personnel file that you have a track record of failing to follow procedure or recognize the established lines of authority. Well, your buddy and the Seattle PD have lost their insider with the Bureau.” His grin grew broader, and she could almost imagine him rubbing his hands together with glee. “Effective immediately, you’re being transferred to the Anchorage office.”
“Anchorage? As in Alaska?”
“Yep. Pack your long johns and parka. The Bureau will help you with your move. You are relieved of your duties in this office immediately.” He glanced at his watch. “I expect you to clean out your space and be gone by noon.” He raised his hand and waved her off. “That’ll be all.”
Salem could never have imagined a transfer as the outcome of this confrontation. Termination? Yes. Alaska? Oh, hell to the no.
Maybe I ought to punch him again.
The Pike Pub
Seattle, Washington
“He did what?” Dani hissed quietly. “Quit. Come to work for the Seattle PD, hire a lawyer, and sue his misogynistic ass.”
Dani bit into her Broken Arrow Burger with a vengeance. Warrick, Dani’s gorgeous fiancé who most often referred to Dani as his ‘mate,’ loved Dani’s curves and encouraged her to eat what she liked rather than starve herself to fit into some arbitrary size society dictated to women.
Salem regarded her friend as she took a bite of her Pike Chop Salad, no hard-boiled eggs. She wasn’t quite sure how Dani managed to hiss quietly, but she did, and Salem wasn’t all that surprised. Her friend seemed to be able to do anything, including snagging the dishiest guy she’d ever seen, even though, like Salem herself, she was considered curvy, competent, and caustic—all qualities that seemed to turn off most men. She even managed to maintain the highest closure rate in Seattle’s homicide department.
