Page 53 of Liaising Kai

He read her expression, his big hand sweeping over her hair, cupping her jaw. She turned her face into his palm, an ache in her throat. It magnified in seconds, and she tried to smother it, hating the weakness, but then he said, “Go, babe. Find out what you want. Find your way through. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Kai nodded and couldn’t stop the tears. She clung to him, her fingers digging as her throat constricted. “You better be,” she whispered.

A soft knock interrupted them, and she composed herself before calling, “Come in.”

Jason entered with a small bag. “Just some clean clothes for you and the essentials.” He hefted the bag, then set it on the floor near the door. He turned to leave.

“Jason, could you give me a ride back to the office? We should get this all taken care of, and I want a few moments with Freddy.”

He nodded. “Of course.” His gaze went to Davis. “I’m glad you’re okay. But don’t make me haul your dead weight up in a rescue chopper again.”

Davis chuckled. “Thanks for the save. I owe you one.”

“You owe me more than that,” he said, then looked at Kai. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Freddy went to push her hair off her face, but the handcuffs hampered her movements. Apprehension skated through her as she waited in the NCIS interrogation room. There had been several arguments outside the door. She smirked. She was a hot commodity.

“Are your government agencies fighting over little old me?” she asked. She had a wealth of information as her ascent to the leadership of the Los Esmeraldas and their subsequent work for the new Alzate Cartel had been paved with bribes. She had bargaining chips to play, and she was going to get out of this unscathed.

Her awareness of her surroundings amplified. Not like the scent of air but its movement against her skin. Not her vision, but the clarity of her eyes. The door opened and the woman who had chased her across the docks walked in, a white bandage on her wrist. This steely-eyed woman was a definite threat. “Hello, Freddy. I’m Special Supervisory Agent Kai Talbot.” She sat across from Freddy and opened a file. She started speaking.

“Petty Officer Second Class Mayta Mosquera, Special Agent Carter Lennon.” As she spoke she set down photos. “US Attorney Betsy Marlowe, ATF Agent Francisco Martinez, DEA Agent Cal Huff, US Marshal Clyde Jackman, ICE-HS Investigator Rita Cabbreao, US Coast Guard representative, Lieutenant Sasha Young, and NCIS Special Agent Nathan Curran.” She paused and looked at Freddy with a stare that could freeze her blood. “Solange Cordero, Roberto, María, Camila and Jorge Jiménez, Eduardo Mosquera, and Colonel Cesar Aguilar.” She put down the last photo, and Freddy had to admit she flinched at that one. She’d had a bit of a soft heart for him. “Senator Barlow Finch.” She leaned back with a satisfied look on her face. “We have plenty of evidence to put you away, especially the gun we found in your vehicle that matches the one who killed Mayta and Senator Finch.”

“Collateral damage,” Freddy said, shrugging, none of the names moving her, except the distaste and hate she had for Mayta and her father Eduardo, who had stupidly sent his daughter a sensitive and damning text. “It’s too bad Mayta wouldn’t give up her mom or tell me where her phone was. If I’d had that information, there wouldn’t have been the need for any deaths. All those people would have lived, except Special Agent Lennon. He wouldn’t have given up trying to find out who killed his woman.”

“Neither would NCIS,” Kai said coldly.

“Fair enough. She was brave but stupid.”

“You’re looking at the death penalty. Your case will be tried in federal court.”

“I don’t think so.”

Kai leaned forward and set her elbows on the table. “Why is that?”

“If I was a betting woman, I’d say all that activity outside the door was all about the US attorney arguing that I should be given over to them.” She smirked when Kai’s eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you fetch her for me? I have information I can sell for full immunity and a new life that only your excellent WitSec can provide.”

“Leigh, you can’t be serious,” Kai said, her anger spiking as she left the interrogation room and went into the observation room. When she’d gotten to the office, her boss had held off the attorney general and the other agencies clamoring over Fernanda Delgato. She was one of the most wanted fugitives in the United States.

Leigh winced. “I know, Kai. Believe me. This decision isn’t mine, and I know it’s unpalatable, but I answer to the attorney general who in turn answers to the president,” she said, her tone placating. The look of disgust on her face made Kai feel marginally better. “Our hands are tied. I’m supposed to sign an agreement, get her statement, then turn her over to the marshals.”

“What a bitter pill for them to swallow,” Kai said. “Having to guard and give a new life to a woman who was instrumental in killing one of their own.”

“Yeah, the director had a few choice words for my boss, but in the end, he realized that to get full justice for our murdered colleagues, we have to grin and bear it.”

Kai turned to the two-way glass and stared at Freddy. She looked calm, serene, but Kai detected a slight trembling in her hands. Deep down she was afraid of whoever set all this in motion with the death of Mayta, and she was about to rat out the Los Esmeraldas and an unforgiving and vicious organization.

Now it was time for her to have a target on her back. As Leigh sat down and they started to talk, Kai left the room. She had done her job at great personal risk. It was time for her to wrap up things so she could have a few days to be by herself and contemplate her next moves with Davis.

When she got to the bullpen, Austin looked up. “They’re cutting her a deal, aren’t they?” he said, Derrick, Amber, and Lucy all focusing on her.

She nodded. “I’m afraid so.” There were choice words and looks of disgust on all their faces. She understood it completely. “But the information she gives us will lead to the big fish, and the tools to dismantle the Los Esmeraldas in San Diego at least. Maybe farther afield if we’re lucky.”

“That’s at least something,” Lucy said. “I think we did a monumental job clearing this case.” Kai loved her enthusiasm and her ability to stay positive. Lucy pulled her drawer open and pulled out a bottle of scotch. And there were several comments, ribbing her, but she just smiled. “My dad said that it’s appropriate to toast a job well done.” She grabbed four shot glasses and came around her desk, opening the bottle and pouring the amber liquid into each glass.

She distributed them, then held up her glass. “To perseverance in the face of tough odds, and justice for Mayta and all the victims affected in this case. Cheers.”

Kai threw back the shot, the alcohol burning all the way down, leaving a soft, warm glow in her gut. “I want you all to go home and take the rest of the day off. This has been a grueling few days, and I’m thankful to have you all working with me.”

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