Page 123 of Protecting Love

He hated walking away from it when he left, but if he stayed until all his cases were solved, he’d still be there.

Solve one, two more pop up.

“That’s right. About ten months ago, we were really digging in. Brought it down about four months ago completely. But there were still accounts out there we could never trace back to. Money they were laundering through businesses.”

“Fuck,” he said. “And that file I gave you, it’s connected?”

“Yep,” Avery said. “I haven’t passed that on yet. I found out last night right before I was leaving. I guess I need to know what was going on before I do it.”

“Nothing illegal on my end. I told you, it’s a client. She was hired as a strategic planner.” He filled Avery in on what had happened and the results of the last communication on Thursday. “It all lines up now. They showed money issues right about the time the feds were really closing in on Ivan and his organization.”

“I’ve got to let your replacement know. I’m giving you a heads up. Not sure where or how that’s going to come back on your client.”

He sighed. “She’s in the clear. I told you, she didn’t even know she had the file. And once she discovered it, she couldn’t get into it.”

“Does anyone know she has the file?” Avery asked.

“Just the HR Director who gave it to her. Debra Holding. She says she didn’t know what was on it.”

“Probably not if she couldn’t access it.”

“I’ll call Robbie myself,” he said of his replacement. “I’ll keep your name out of it.”

“Nah,” Avery said. “You asked me for a favor. I did it on my own time. I’m good with it. Maybe it will get me a nice commendation in my file for the future.”

“I’ll make sure of it. I owe you for this, Avery.”

“Yep, you do.” She looked around his place again. “Damn. I mean it. If you need someone, you know where to call.”

“First on my list.”

He let her out, picked up his phone and called West.

“What did you find out?” West asked.

“Not much I can disclose. The file was cracked by an old employee of mine, and accounts tie back to a case I had.”

There was silence after that. “Does Paris have anything to worry about?”

“I don’t think so, but I’m going to bring it right to the head of Organized Crime myself. She’ll be questioned.”

“She’ll have Braylon and Spencer with her. Most likely her father too.”

Good Lord. “I’m not sure she needs that much legal protection.”

“She’ll still get it and we’ll cover the costs of anything else if it’s a conflict.”

He expected nothing different. “I’m going to make the call in a few. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Are you going to tell Paris?”

“Not yet,” he said.

She’d be pissed, but there was no reason to explain something he didn’t know the answers to.

If he were still in that position at the FBI, he’d bring her in for questioning, but nothing more.

He’d want access to the files she had and that would be where her attorneys would come into play.