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“Following in her sister’s footsteps.”
“Let’s hope not,” she muttered as she opened the door to TFH and tried to ignore the rock in her belly that always appeared when her career with the FBI came up. She had left in a cloud of suspicion and embarrassment. The fact that she had landed a job with Dillon Security, which then led to TFH, had been a Godsend.
It was quiet in the headquarters, especially this early in the morning. She knew that they had a call out the night before, one that she had been happy to miss. A dead body at two in the morning was not her thing. She could do the work, but she had always been considered a terrorism expert, and that was where she felt most comfortable. But as part of the team, she sometimes had to handle those calls as well. Thankfully, she hadn’t been on call last evening.
She saw TJ Callahan, FBI agent and husband to TFH’s forensics expert Charity, talking to their boss. Whatever it was, it was serious. TJ was frowning as he spoke.
“Do you know what he’s here for?” she asked.
“Probably has something to do with the DB last night. Might have an FBI connection. Or, he’s avoiding work.”
She snorted. The Hammer—his nickname due to the fact that his parents had named him Thor—didn’t screw around, and he was wearing a suit, so he was definitely going into the work. The agent noticed Tamilya and Marcus and must have said something to Del because he turned around, then motioned with his hand.
“And we have been summoned,” Marcus said with a smile in his voice.
No one resented Del. She knew many people hated their boss, but Del was a different kind of guy. She’d worked with men who treated her like an idiot. Del was always respectful of every woman in TFH, especially his wife Emma, who had a genius IQ.
She walked to the door and TJ opened it just as she reached it.
“Morning,” he said. He glanced at Marcus, then back to her. TJ knew their history, as did everyone else in the office. She could see the calculation in his eyes. He saw the two of them coming in together—except they hadn’t been together, unfortunately.
Dammit. No, Tamilya. Stop daydreaming about the walking heartbreak Marcus Floyd.
“Morning. What are you doing here?” she asked, happy that her voice actually sounded normal.
“It has to do with the body from this morning,” Del said as she stepped into the office. “He has a tie to the FBI.”
She got a good look at Del and remembered he had been on call last night. Unlike the others, though, he hadn’t been home yet. She knew that because there were dark circles under his eyes and his hair…well, it needed a good brushing.
“A tie?” Marcus asked.
“Yeah. We’ve identified him as Andrei Golubev,” Del said.
The name had her blood running cold as she looked at TJ. “Golubev? I thought he was dead.”
“That was our doing,” TJ said. “Well, not mine, but someone had him spilling secrets for the FBI. The man had a lot of information and evidence to back it all up.”
The ramifications of what he’d just disclosed hit her hard. A dead Russian who had apparently been in FBI protection giving them secrets? Damn. This wasn’t just a little screw up. This was definite a FUBAR situation.
“Jesus, TJ, that is a big screw up,” Tamilya said.
“Who is this guy?” Marcus asked.
TJ didn’t say anything, so she filled Marcus in on the guy.
“He wasn’t a big player, but more like a lackey with money. Putin used to call him his favorite little runt—or whatever the Russian expression was for it—because he was just a little over five foot and not that attractive. He would also do anything to make Putin happy. And you all faked his death? Did you tell the CIA?”
“Again, not my decision. And, to the best of my knowledge, no, they didn’t tell them.”
“Damn, TJ, the CIA is not going to be happy. They are going to crucify you in the press and any congressional hearings.”
He shrugged. “That’s for someone at a higher pay grade to handle.”
“So someone leaked to Russia that he was cooperating?” Marcus asked.
“That’s our best bet. He had no family left. Not married, no parents or siblings.”
“That’s not the problem,” Del said. “Tell them.”
