AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swung the binoculars to the building Jack suggested and moved slowly across every peak and valley of the roof, the seconds ticking off in my mind.
“Come on, Jaye. Give me something.”
“I’m trying, dammit. I don’t see anything.” And then I did. Just a glint of the sun off a piece of glass or metal, but it was enough. “Got him.” I relayed the information to Greer so they could have agents move into place.
“Give me the distance measurement from the lower corner of the binoculars.”
I rattled it off, the adrenaline pumping through my veins as the seconds wound down, and I felt Jack make a tiny adjustment next to me. The shot wouldn’t be easy to make. I could only see the side of Tydell’s face and part of his arm.
I held my breath and watched through the binoculars as Jack pulled the trigger. The shot was loud and I heard people on the streets below screaming, but I kept my eyes trained on Tydell as the bullet made contact and he crumpled to the rooftop.
Chaos erupted below us, and I watched as agents swarmed from everywhere to contain the scene.
“You make a pretty good spotter, Doctor Graves.”
“Maybe so, but I think I’d rather be up to my wrists in a chest cavity than ever have to do that again. Much less exciting.”
“But now you have all that adrenaline to work off. I bet I could help you out with that.”
“Jesus. Only a man could think of sex at a time like this.” I was drenched in sweat, filthy from the rooftop, and sunburned.
“It’s a special talent. Like a superpower.”
“All I can say is that it’s a really good thing I love you. But maybe we could have a showerfirst before you show me your superpowers.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
We stayed the night in DC and spent most of the next day giving statements and signing official documents, so it was well after dark by the time we drove back to King George County. We rode in comfortable silence mostly, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
Having Paris Spencer and Grace Lieber see each other and Lester Grimm had worked out exactly as the FBI planned. They couldn’t wait to turn on each other in hopes of a lighter sentence. Not that it would work. Murder was murder. And they were both going away for a lot of years.
But in the end it was Grace Lieber who had masterminded the entire scheme—forming the charities for funding, finding someone to commit the kills, and cold bloodedly deciding to end the lives of all the men who had taken her sons away from her. She wanted revenge and she’d have stopped at nothing to get it. She’d stated for the record that she’d gladly do it all again. Her only regret was she hadn’t been able to see the contract fulfilled with Jack and Wolfe’s death.
Paris Spencer had pleaded to lesser charges of accessory, fraud, and cybercrimes since she’d been handling the money and technology end of things. She’d do time, but it wouldn’t be for a lifetime like Lieber.
I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Lester Grimm. Lauren had taken custody of him and whisked him away to the Department of Justice building. My only hope was they wouldn’t put him back out on the street to gather information. I had a feeling a man like Grimm held grudges a long time, and I didn’t always want to be looking over my shoulder. They’d need to keep a tight leash on him, and I hoped they didn’t regret whatever deal they’d ended up making with him.
All in all, I was glad to be back in our small slice of the country. I’d had enough of the FBI and the city for the moment, and I was happier than I thought I’d be to get back to the slow life. Maybe I’d gotten used to it.
To my surprise, Jack had turned down another job offer with the FBI. He was going to take his vacation and then see what happened with the next election. He wasn’t going to rush into anything and he wanted to take a break. I couldn’t say I blamed him. I was looking forward to taking that break with him and spending some time together as a couple without the interference of crime scenes and bodies. We were being selfish. And it felt pretty damned good.
“We’re getting married in a week,” I said. It was really starting to hit me.
“That’s the rumor going around. When I talked tomom this morning, she said she had everything taken care of. All we have to do is show up. And you need to find something to wear.”
“It’s a shame she can’t do that part too. I’ve never been very good at picking out clothes.”
“I don’t think it really matters. They’re all going to end up on the floor by the end of the night anyway. It’s what you wear underneath that really matters.”
I grinned and then something in the distance caught my eye. “What’s that?” Brightly colored lights pulsed and flashed in the sky about a mile down the road.
“Looks like a carnival of some kind. Why don’t we stop and check it out? I’m on vacation after all.”
“As long as you buy me some cotton candy and try to kiss me on the Ferris wheel.”
“I’m up to the challenge.”
“You always are,” I said, thinking of the night we’d spent together.
