AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shit.
“Boss,” Faith said, “she was ruled out as a suspect already.”
“Was she given confidential clearance when she was ruled out?”
“Boss,” Michael said, “she had a right to know how her husband was killed.”
“Save it for the book tour, Prince. Look, I still trust you guys as investigators. I still stand behind your ability to catch bad guys. But lately, you two have been pretty shit about minding yourp’s andq’s. In a perfect world, it wouldn’t matter so much, but in a perfect world, gas would be fifty cents a gallon. You’ve both been around long enough to learn how a discipline problem can end an otherwise promising career. Ask me how I know.”
Neither agent said anything. Before Faith’s time in the Bureau, the Boss had engaged in a very public argument with the current Deputy Director and had essentially ended his chance at rising to the same position.
“Right,” the Boss said. “I take your silence for understanding. Tighten it up, follow procedure, and if you need more help, call Jonas at the Phoenix office and get him to send you some greenies. I wouldn’t use your two friends anymore.”
“Loud and clear,” Faith said.
“Yep,” Michael agreed.
“Good.”
After the Boss hung up, Faith swore. “Those bastards!”
“They knew they screwed up with that collar,” Michael said, “they must have decided to spread the blame around before it all came back to them.”
“And you didn’t feel a need to maybe file a report, so the Boss knew what actually happened?”
“Well, I didn’t think they were going to go whine to the chief!” Michael protested.
“Well, they did,” Faith said, sighing and rubbing her temples.
“Well, that’s not my fault,” Michael said.
“No,” Faith said, “it isn’t. I’m still pissed.”
“Well,” Michael said, dialing a number. “here’s a chance to direct your energy in a more positive way.”
A moment later, Travis answered. “What is it now?”
“How about fuck you?” Michael said.
“What?”
“You heard him,” Faith said. “What’s with throwing us under the bus about Porter and the pawn shops? Porter was your screw-up, and the pawn shops were a valid lead.”
“What are you talking about? We didn’t throw you under the bus.”
“No? You didn’t tell your chief that it was our fault that you played Keystone Kops with the Porter interrogation? You didn’t whine about spending your precious time investigating pawn shops?”
Travis sighed. “Look, he asked us a question, and we answered,” he said. “I didn’t think he was going to go after you like that.”
“How did you answer, though?” Michael said. “Did you tell him it was your own poor judgment that caused you to point a half-dozen shotguns at an innocent person, or did you say, ‘well, the FBI said he was a bad guy?’”
“Will you come off it?” Travis said. “We didn’t mean to throw you under the bus, okay? We’re sorry.”
“Well, that’s just wonderful,” Michael said. “Do us a favor, next time we need help from you, remind us that you like stabbing backs.”
“All right,” Travis said. “You seem determined to be pissed at us. Have fun with that.”
He hung up, and Michael flung his phone across the room. Turk jumped and turned to stare at him in shock.
