Page 48 of Agent vs. Assassin

“Youare working with the president?” He laughs, the sound pure arrogance. “I find that doubtful.”

“Why don’t you call him? I’m sure you have a direct line. You are almost the governor.”

“I do, actually.”

“Good. After you hang up with him, tell the dweeb running your security team, Paul, or whatever his name is, to call me.”

“Paul happens to be the best of the best.”

I laugh, a real laugh, I have to force myself to stuff. “I don’t even want to know what your policy decisions will be if you believe that. He needs to be replaced after election night and I’m only telling you that because Andrew has been roped into working for you and I don’t want him to end up dead.”

“But it’s okay if I get hurt?”

“I guess it would just be the hard lesson you need, Dad, on hiring the wrong people. Kind of like me on the beach that night, right?”

He’s silent a beat and then, “Lilah—”

“Don’t say anything except, I understand, Agent Mendez.”

“I’ll handle it,” he replies, sounding like he has a stick up his ass and then the line goes dead.

He hung up.

Oh how he must hate having to be submissive to me. There’s no way Pocher believes my father won’t become power hungry. He has a plan to control him, perhaps some sort of ammunition, on him. I make a mental note to figure out what, later, when I don’t have two assassins running around my small town.

I text Andrew:Call him now. He should do whatever you tell him to do.

We are talking about the man we call father, right?he replies.

I call him because I don’t have a choice. “What happened?” he asks when he answers.

“I told him I’m working for the president.”

He snorts. “And he believed that?”

“I am working for the president, Andrew. Ellis took me to see him after Murphy was murdered.”

“Do I even want to know how that went?”

“He likes to say hogwash. I like to say fuck. It’s a relationship destined to fail.” Kit pulls up to the Walker house, or as close as he can with the police tape. “I need to go.”

“Wait. I think I should go back to the city and make sure we know what Dad’s up to.”

“Agreed.”

“That leaves you with Taylor to contend with.”

“If I can’t handle a sourpuss chief, I can’t handle you and we both know you’re my little bitch.” I hang up and exit the back door to find Kit already there waiting on me.

“My father’s event will remain in the city. I don’t want the extra press to scare off my targets, and I damn sure don’t want to give Ghost or Elsa extra places to hide.” I don’t wait for his reply. I head toward the unmanned yellow tape with Kit falling into step with me.

There’s one stoney-faced uniform at the door with a bald head and a bit of a belly, with a badge that reads “Berg”. Maybe I should invite Berg to the gym with Jay. I cannot stand a cop who doesn’t stay fit. It’s a sore spot for me. He’s risking people’s lives. One second too slow and someone dies. Kit’s right. The police academy is not the proper place to train Jay. Exactly why I need to start sparring with Kane again. Now. Today.

I flash my badge from where it hangs around my neck. “FBI Special Agent Love,” I say, as the name is well known in the town. “Anyone inside right now?”

“No one all day.”

“Someone is covering the back door?”

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