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44
River
Gage quickly leadsme to the back where their office is so I can take the call without screaming over the music.
My stomach churns with anxiety as we step into the office. I’m worried this has something to do with Natalie’s death. Maybe we didn’t clear up the scene well enough and it got linked to us somehow. Or maybe the FBI somehow found a way to link Julian’s death to us.
All sorts of things flash through my mind, but I take a deep breath and answer the call.
“Agent Carter,” I say, trying to sound surprised and nonchalant. “What’s going on?”
I brace myself for probing questions about where I was on the day of Natalie’s death, or for him to start asking me for details about the Kings or something.
“I need to talk to you,” Carter says, getting right to the point.
He seems agitated and different from normal. Usually he’s very put together, and he asks his questions in that way that’s cool and businesslike.
But now he just sounds… weird.
“Wearetalking,” I tell him. “You’re talking to me right now.”
“No,” he says, letting out a breath. “In person. Soon.”
“I don’t have any more information for you. I don’t know anything else about Julian.”
“It’s not about that,” Carter tells me, and it sounds like he’s barely keeping it together. “There are things you need to know. Things I should have told you before. Or maybe not. Fuck. I don’t know.”
It almost sounds like he’s talking to himself at the end, like some kind of internal debate is coming out.
It just adds to the strange, distracted way he’s talking, and worry cuts through my stomach like acid.
“You’re not making any sense.” I shake my head, tightening my grip on the phone as I glance over at Gage. “What do I need to know?”
“I want to meet with you in person,” Agent Carter insists. “We can talk then. I can’t say this over the phone.”
I hold Gage’s gaze, knowing he’s close enough that he can hear Carter’s voice through the phone’s small speaker. He looks as concerned as I feel, but we both know that we pretty much have to go.
Saying no or hanging up isn’t really an option, because whatever Carter wants to talk about, it either already affects us or it will, whether we try to avoid it or not.
Gage nods, and I let out a messy sigh.
“Okay,” I say, tapping my foot in agitation. “We can meet.”
“Tonight?” Carter asks immediately.
“Yeah, okay. Give us an hour.”
“Fine. One hour. Meet me at the docks.” He gives me directions to a specific spot near the river, and we agree to meet there.
As soon as I hang up, Gage drags his fingers through his dark brown hair.
“I don’t like this,” he mutters. “What the hell does he want with you now? Why this clandestine meeting? Something feels... off.”
“Allof it feels off,” I reply, chewing on my lip. “That’s not how Carter usually is. Something’s got him spooked or rattled or something.”
“I’ll call the others,” Gage says. “I want them all there as backup. And I’ll have one of our people go to the house to watch out for Cody while we get this over with.”
“Thanks.”
