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I leaned back and rubbed my eyes. I loved my job, but sometimes, scrolling through endless spreadsheets and databases of financial data got a bit much.
Tapping my nails on my desk, I looked at my phone. I’d been working hard on a man employed by a local art auction house I was sure was involved in the money laundering. I was trying to convince him to give me any information he could find on anything that didn’t seem right. But he was skittish, and I hadn’t heard back from him yet.
My gaze shifted to the framed photo on the desk, and I smiled. It was of my sister Lexxie and me at Mardi Gras a few years back. We both had purple, green, and gold beads around our necks and Lexxie was wearing a ridiculous green wig.
Then my gaze shifted to the folded newspaper resting on my desk.
The photo right in the center of the front page showed a certain billionaire shaking hands with the mayor as they opened some new park Fury had paid for. He was smiling that smile that threatened to shortcut a woman’s thought processes.
Still, the photo didn’t do the man justice. All too easily, I could picture him in that fancy office of his this morning, gaze locked on mine. Like he was daring me to…
The rap of knuckles on my office door had me looking up. FBI Agent Vivian Lamb leaned in the doorway.
“I’m calling it a day,” the older woman said.
Our base was currently a few offices in the New Orleans FBI Field Office. It was a secure building north of the city on the edge of Lake Pontchartrain. The task force was made up of a mix of agents investigating sources of money laundering in New Orleans. I was with the Treasury Department; most of the team was FBI, but there were several IRS investigators as well. I was usually based in Vienna, Virginia, but I’d relished the chance to spend some time back in my hometown, and to catch up with my sister.
“You have plans for the weekend?” I asked.
I liked Viv. She was a few years older than me, unapologetically single, and married to her work. I had a bit of a girl crush on her. She’d closed some big cases in her career.
Viv brushed some of her ash-blonde hair back. “There’s a bottle of Pinot with my name on it.”
“Nice.”
“Maybe I’ll hire a yacht, or take a private jet to some fancy restaurant in Paris.”
I raised a brow.
Viv laughed and waved a hand. “Joking. On an FBI salary, that isn’t happening in my lifetime.” She rolled her eyes. “Some of the people we investigate, however…”
“You know what they say, crime pays.” I turned off my computer.
“It does…until you’re calling a cell at the Louisiana State Penitentiary home.”
I snorted.
Viv nodded. “Try to actually take some time off this weekend.”
“I will. Although, I might have a decent lead on art being part of this money laundering.”
The other agent’s eyebrows went up. “Really? Anything concrete?”
“Nothing yet. I’ll let you know when I do.”
“Great. Have a good weekend with your sister.
“Thanks.” My plan was to grab our favorite Chinese take-out on the way home. Maybe I’d convince Lexxie to join me in a movie marathon. Watching old movies had been a tradition of ours when she’d been younger.
I picked up the files on my desk, and a photo slipped out of one folder. Pausing, I lifted it.
It was like the universe was trying to rub this man in my face. I knew without a doubt that Kavner Fury had a yacht and a private jet. He probably had a fleet of them.
This photo wasn’t the grainy black and white one in the newspaper. No, it was full color and high definition.
The man sure was easy on the eyes.
I let out an annoyed huff. Even through the damn photo he exuded power and authority. Like a king who knew he was in charge, and had no plans to let that change.
