As I spoke, my shoulder relaxed. My breath evened out. “Wow, I guess I really needed to unload.”
“I bet you feel like you’re fucking it all up.” Aspen was never one to sugar coat things. “Like there are not enough hours in a day.”
Its like she could read my mind. “I thought I had a difficult job before kids. But fuck. Everything is more of a challenge. Its all measured around whether or not I am fucking them up or doing what’s best for them.”
“From everything I heard, that won’t go away.” Aspen’s kids were a little older than Landon. “Emily still stresses about Annie.”
Emily was an army wife with a teen daughter about the same age as Dom. Annie was a really good kid, but her parents still worried.
A knock at my door had me looking up and smiling at Lilly.
“Aspen, I need to go.” I gestured for Lilly to come in. “But I will chat again soon.”
“I look forward to it. And when this all blows over. Maybe you can bring that lovely family of yours for a visit. I know the guys would enjoy seeing you. Maybe even bring your brothers and their families along. It would be good to see them all.”
“Will do.”
We said our goodbyes before hanging up and I turned to Lilly. She handed me a case file and sat in the chair opposite me.
“This one will take some time, so I don’t see a mission happening any time soon.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on my desk.
My office had few personal items. I had a few pictures of my family but not much else. My white board was empty but that was because I had no open cases. The only thing with any personality in that room were my hot pink chairs. Even my reclining office chair was upholstered in pink. I loved it and wanted to add more bold touches. Perhaps I could even add photos of the kids.
Lilly leaned forward. “I know Noah and Nick may need you for each of their jobs, but don’t feel obliged to do either.”
My brother, Nick, was a great strategist, probably the best I knew. Lilly was Ollie’s wife and a profiler. She could tell exactly who the best person for each job was. Together they made a hell of a team running Salinger Security. Nick, Noah and myself were Team Leaders. Ollie was one as well, but he’d stepped into training role recently. Though, he was the best at undercover work.
Nick’s wife, Anna, was one of our field agents along with Mason, Jake, and Jared. Mason was also an excellent sniper and Jared preferred to be behind a screen. Jared had been mentored by Tex as soon as he left the Navy. To the point where Tex could rely on Jared when he was stretched thin.
I scanned the file Lilly handed to me. “You’re looking into a string of bank robberies? Isn’t that something MDF PD should be investigating.”
“It’s federal, actually. There have been about fifteen up and down the coast, always the same MO, always something left behind.”
I narrowed my eyes at Lilly. “Do we have any idea of what happened at the Bayers’ house?”
“We’re not sure.” She pulled her chair closer. “The Marshals are sending over someone to talk to us about what happened at the safehouse. The FBI and the State’s Attorney will want to speak to Dom again, as well.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Tess confirmed that Adam Walker was the best out there, and Nick made it known that both the lawyer and I will be present when anyone questions him.”
She nodded. “If you want, I can do a cognitive interview with him. It will be hard as hell, but it could end all of this sooner.”
It wasn’t a bad idea, but I needed to talk it over with Logan. “I’ll let you know.”
“I think Drake Wilder is the Marshal assigned to your case.” Lilly raised a brow. “At least for the moment, since the case has now traveled down here.”
Bex smiled. “That should make things easier. Having to deal with a local.”
“Yeah, his last case in San Diego wrapped up and he was reassigned here. I think his boss figured it better to have a local deal with the Salingers. It's not like you lot are easy to handle.”
“Us lot?” Bex laughed. “You married into this. I didn’t have a choice but to put up with the craziness. You chose to be a part of it.”
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She straightened in the chair. “Anyway, Drake is meant to be here soon. He couldn’t give me a time since he was headed from San Diego and wasn’t sure what traffic would be like.”
“I’ll be waiting for him.”
Once Lilly left, Bex got to work sorting through the case she had. Basic research taught her more than she expected, but she needed the police reports on each of the robberies. They were across state lines and the FBI should have collated each report so they could look at the case as a whole. Still, she wanted to see each case individually. How were they different? Those differences were likely the mistakes and that was where she would start.
A knock at the door had her looking up. She smiled at the tall man with a US Marshal’s hat in his hand. “Drake. Hi.”
