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I nearly snort. “Who wouldn’t be? As far as I’m concerned, this is bigger than New York.”
“You’ll be fine. You are a great agent, and I will back you up all the way. It isn’t just you putting your reputation on the line. I’m doing the same, and I’ll be making this as big of a deal as I possibly can. Once you send me your report, I can get started on mine,” he reminded me.
“You took enough heat for the Las Vegas raid,” I teased.
“You’re funny, kid. You know taking the heat is part of our job description. We are held to a very high standard, and there is no room for fuckups, even though we are human and mistakes are bound to happen. Just do what you can,” he reassured me.
“Why is this all so complicated?” I asked, trying to keep my head from hurting.
“Because this isn’t a solo operation for intel with a field office you trust. This is espionage on your own agency, and that is never easy,” he answered without missing a beat.
“Okay, sending over everything now,” I told him, and I opened my laptop. The words of my report stared back at me.
“Stay safe—and good luck tonight. I’ll see you soon.”
I ended the call and shot off several encrypted emails to Bob with everything I had gathered on the field office and the human trafficking ring. Bob was going to need to submit the report and gather more agents with no ties to the local FBI office here. In a matter of twelve hours, they’d be here, and then we could raid the compound and arrest a bunch of fucktard douchebags. That was assuming they didn’t try to make a transport tonight. If they did, then it would be just me and the guys.
I hoped we didn’t get that unlucky. I knew they were probably itching for some action, but I really didn’t want to intervene without Bob and the agents he’d bring. I wanted as many credible witnesses as I could get.
After I forwarded the emails, I powered off the laptop and grabbed my room key. I slipped on a pair of sneakers and peeked my head out into the hall. None of the crew were there, so I quickly made my way to the emergency stairs so I wouldn’t chance running into one of them in the lobby.
Adam was going to be pissed when he realized that I left the hotel, but I didn’t care. At this point, their investigation on the ring had enough evidence to warrant a full-scale raid on the compound, and those wheels were in motion. Their job here was done, aside from surveillance tonight—but a nagging sensation told me my investigation into the FBI office was not. The video of the agents showing up to the compound was circumstantial at best. Sure, Bob said I had enough to bring the big dogs in, but what if I could get more? I wanted to get evidence that proved they actively ignored reports about trafficking. If I could get more evidence against them, well, I’d feel much better about this. I was putting my credibility and career on the line, and a minute’s worth of video was the only real evidence we had. I needed something that couldn’t be explained away easily.
My best bet was to go back to the FBI office and speak with the agent I interviewed before. After all, he was one of the two agents that showed up to the compound. He was inexplicably tied to all of this, and I just couldn’t pass up the idea of digging his hole deeper.
I threw on another bikini with denim shorts and a crop top. I had a cover as a partying criminal justice college student to play, and I knew just how to use that angle.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
abby
“Where the hell have you been?” Adam asked as I approached the resort. I had purposefully been ignoring his calls and hoped he’d just focus on his mission instead, but I had been wrong.
“I had something I needed to do to strengthen my own case against the FBI,” I said as I approached.
“Did you tell anyone what you were doing?” he asked, still fuming.
“Yes, I told Bob what I was up to,” I lied.
“But you couldn’t send me a quick text?” he asked. His face scrunched up with concern, and hurt flashed across his eyes and pinched his eyebrows together.
Annoyance and frustration instantly flared in my chest. All the mixed emotions I had about his case came to a raging head, and I couldn’t hold back any further. Bob didn’t feel the need to question me like this, so why was Adam? Why couldn’t he trust me to have my own back? “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Adam, but I don’t have to tell you if I’m doing anything. I am not your girlfriend, and you are not my superior.” I let out a breath and dropped the tone of my voice lower. “I suggest pulling the giant stick out of your ass before it gets stuck there. I didn’t want to argue with you, but you are pushing my buttons.” I jammed my finger into his chest and then walked away.
“Don’t walk away from me,” he hissed as he stalked behind me.
I turned around quickly on my heels. “Did anything I said sink in?” I asked, exasperated.
“Oh, I heard it, but it bounced right off. You may not be my girlfriend, but I still care about you. It’s a common courtesy to let others know when you might be doing something a little risky, especially if it could jeopardize their mission,” he said.
“I didn’t jeopardize your mission,” I said, seething. My fists clenched at my sides.
“You better hope you’re right,” he said and walked away from me.
I hoped I was right.
I went back up to my room and opened my laptop again, searching to see if Agent Gordon made a report for my “incident.”A few minutes later and a couple of refreshes and there was still nothing. I felt disappointed. I had secretly hoped that maybe Bob and I were wrong, and maybe they were at the compound checking out a lead or something. Every minute that passed with no entry into our system, the more obvious it became that he was a dirty agent and their whole office couldn’t be trusted. Bob and I did the right thing by calling in other agents and preparing to move forward with the raid.
I stood up from the desk and then slammed the laptop closed.
