Page 28 of Taken by the Lawman

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“Which one of you can explain what the fuck is going on here?” Hamilton slammed his fist down on the desk, upsetting the pen holder and his cup of coffee. He didn’t even seem to care. His brooding dark eyes were on Kiersten, dragging back and forth from her to Deegan. His gaze carried enough venom to poison their bloodstream. She knew the man could make the bravest of agents shake in their shoes, and she was no different, although Deegan seemed cool and unaffected. “And after that, then maybe you can explain why your number was on this dead girl’s phone.” Hamilton dropped a sheet of paper into Deegan’s lap

Kiersten looked down at the printed picture of a young brunette but didn’t recognize her. However, Deegan’s calm mood slipped some. “Dead?”

“Found a couple of hours ago. Overdose. Now, tell me why in God’s creation did the local detective find your number as the last one she texted?”

Kiersten shifted.

“I can explain,” Deegan said.

“The hell you better,” he ranted. “You both have a lot of explaining to do. First, we have a homeless victim found dead in the same alley as the homeless guy last week, and now you two just happened to be in a hotel where a false fire alarm was pulled and shots were fired. I have damaged vehicles. Scared people. And the media up my ass. Cade, you look like you’ve been run over by a freight train full of pigs. Hell, I know I should be offering to make you some cocoa with sprinkles, but I have two of my best agents hiding shit and you know I don’t play games.”

Realizing that they both could go down for this, she volunteered, “We haven’t been hiding anything. I received a tip from an anonymous lead to the death of the homeless man, Gavin Franco I asked Bronx to meet up with the girl, our newest victim, who was in an illegal business with Franco and ask her questions.”

“I gave her my number in case she remembered anything,” Deegan added.

“Remembered anything about fucking what? And what lead?” Hamilton blew out a long breath and got up to round his desk, sitting on the corner. He was a pudgy, balding man who always had a red face.

“Pictures, sir,” Kiersten continued. “Pictures of Annie Steele. Someone had been following her, monitoring her activities.” She realized she’d get the heat for not coming to him sooner, but at this point she wouldn’t stop until she caught the killer. She had skin in this fight now.

“Well…well.” Hamilton shook his head. “Isn’t this just great! Where are the pictures?”

Deegan reached into his jacket pocket and handed them over. Kiersten felt the heat of his disapproving narrowed eyes. Apparently, he didn’t like that she took the blame for most of what had happened.

Hamilton looked through each photo, his face becoming redder and his lips thinner. “So, the woman had a stalker. Who else knows about these?” he sneered.

“No one except for the guy we came across in the hotel garage,” Kiersten said.

“Go on.” Hamilton dropped the pictures to his desk.

“The girl that was found in the alley was working with Franco. They stole briefcases, wallets, you name it, and sold them back to the owners. However, they came across those pictures in one suitcase and, because Franco realized what they were worth considering Annie Steele had been found dead and was the Senator’s mistress, he thought he could scam more money later. The owner of the briefcase shot Franco, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t kill the girl too. A source informed us that the syringe found on Annie Steele’s floor was laced with fentanyl,” Deegan said levelly. “She also had bruising that is evidence of foul play. She didn’t willingly overdose.”

“Where do the events in the garage come into play?” Hamilton asked.

“The girl gave us the number where they called to sell the owner back his briefcase,” Kiersten said. “Deegan called and made arrangements to meet the killer under the disguise that he was a scammer too.”

Hamilton went back to his seat. “Let me get this straight. You have pictures of a dead girl who not only was suspected of overdosing but is linked to a Senator. We have two more dead bodies that are connected, and Cade here almost got herself killed. What the hell!”

“Annie Steele didn’t willingly use those drugs,” Deegan said confidently. “She was murdered, just like Franco and the homeless girl, maybe because of something she knew or because her situation with the Senator was exposed.”

Kiersten looked at Deegan’s profile. Would he confess that Kline was his buddy, and about the video? However, he didn’t…

Hamilton rubbed his forehead in agitation. His face was three shades of purple and he had a grim look. “I should be putting both of you on unpaid leave. Do you realize how many lives you’ve put in danger?” He shook his head, looking back and forth at each of them. “But I won’t. What I do want is for the both of you to find the bastard who knocked around one agent and shot at another. Nobody messes with my agents and gets away with it.” He pounded his fist into his palm.

Realizing they were off the hook for now, Kirsten stood and Deegan joined her.

“Thank you, sir,” Kiersten said.

Before they could make it to the door, Hamilton muttered, “Hey you two vigilantes?” They turned to look at him.

“Yes, sir?” they said in unison

“Don’t screw this up. Make it quick and easy, but no bloodshed. You hear? This is off the record and I don’t want a bloody trail. Got it?”

They nodded.

“You have one week.”

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