Page 82 of Jagged

"Thanks for bringing the evidence you obtained legally and with appropriate investigative licenses to the FBI," she said, tossing a glance at me over her shoulder.

I glared at Sali immediately after. "What have you done?"

"Nothing." She shoved a brown evidence bag into my palms. "Good work."

"What's even happening with you people?" The crunch of the paper bag annoyed me, but I held on to it anyway.

"Just doing our jobs," said Sali.

"Yeah, but dragging me along like a probie."

"Comparatively, you are." Sali nudged me with her elbow. "Just follow and learn."

"How to let other people do my job? I don't think so."

"Jagger," called Maggie in a gentler tone. "You're still connecting the pieces within the realm of your limits. We exist so you can go beyond that."

"It shouldn't be that way," I said, and glanced to the kid who walked side-by-side with Donovan now while looking left and right. She didn’t seem to care about us at all, only the sights around her.

"Gordo asked a colleague to join us here," said Donovan while pushing open the door for all of us. "Some specialist."

"Good," said Sali, then glanced to the kid again when she walked right up to the man waiting inside.

"Sali, don't let her see too much," warned Maggie when the girl ran ahead. "She acts calm, but it will follow her later."

"She likes sciences, Mags."

"Yes, but forensics is a different kind of science. She can see the science, but not the photos or the conversation. I'll take her for a snack when it gets to that part."

Sali nodded in the serenest way ever. The subdued nature of her submissiveness to Maggie unnerved me. In a way, I'd grown used to her flying off the handle at any suggestion that wasn't her own.

"What's up, Phoebe gal?" The curly-haired man asked as he bumped fists with girl.

"I thought you were in Cyber Crimes, Gordo? How come you're here to learn about the genealogical matches of the evidence? Is it the computers?" The girl, who I now knew to be called Phoebe, asked in such a way that it struck me with an air of familiarity.

"You betcha. I'm working with these guys here—" Gordo jabbed his thick thumb over his brawny shoulder— "to help get some new equipment set up. Want to watch?"

"Yeah!" Phoebe clapped her hands once and bounced on her tiptoes. She followed him that way the entire time, walking in a shy, yet excited posture.

Sali chuckled and glanced at me. "It makes her happy."

"I see that. Think she'll be a P.I. like you some day?"

"Fuck, I hope not." Sali grinned and nudged Maggie. "C'mon."

Once again, I followed them into a room where Zay stood waiting for me. Beside him, Agent Roderick, who I knew to be a colleague of Donovan, joined the fray. Four technicians stood around the equipment meant for interplanetary exploration, in my opinion. They all seemed tied up in their work. Ainsley Monson swung around the corner with a thin tablet held to her chest and she smiled at me right away, a wave following. I returned the gesture awkwardly, per usual.

No one really said anything and seemed focused on Donovan who must've called this coup to order. Only Phoebe and Gordo chattered about tech on their way to a row of computers that hid the users behind their screens.

"Let me introduce you, Pheebs," he said, then led her over to the row in question.

A pause followed, until Phoebe piped up. "I really like genealogy in forensics. Do you think we'll be able to trace back the genetic structure to infamous people one day and learn about more victims? Or maybe their blood lines. Do you think the children of serial killers and other bad people become bad people, too?"

Maggie came to stand beside me while I looked on, and Zay broke away from Roderick to join us.

"Clementine would love that kid," I said, to no one in particular.

"Doctor Wright?" asked Zay, and I nodded. "She's right there. The kid's talking to her."

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