Page 66 of Wired Strong

Waxman’s pale brows rose. “A messy one.”

“Sophie got this from Connor last night. This victim is the man they call the Master. I sent it to each of you so that we could discuss the situation before we reach out to the international part of the team,” Marcella said. “I thought you’d appreciate a heads-up first.”

“The number of stab wounds seems excessive,” Gundersohn said in his pedantic way.

No one had any response to that statement of the obvious.

“Who killed him?” Pillman asked.

“Connor told Sophie that he did. She got another communication that they’re pinning the murder on Pim Wat. She escaped from the compound after the confrontation. Assassin teams are searching for her.”

Waxman opened his hands to the group. “Well? What do we think? Does Connor deserve an immunity deal for doing wet work for us in Thailand?”

Pillman tightened his lips. “I don’t want that vigilante murderer anywhere near the United States.”

Gundersohn knit his heavy brow. “We should wait to offer the deal until he nails Pim Wat, as well. Of the two, we want Pim Wat more.”

Waxman inclined his head “I concur that Pim Wat’s an important target. Not only did she escape our custody, but we have a number of assassinations that we can trace back to her. The Master has always been a shadow behind the scenes—he’s probably had a hand in things, but Pim Wat was the executioner, if you’ll pardon the pun. Let’s put this latest news out to the larger team, and hear what they have to say.”

The meeting with their international partners was mercifully brief.

Marcella left the conference room with a tension headache building behind her eyes. The consensus of the group had been that, while they were glad the Master was dead, they still wanted to see Pim Wat’s head on a platter, too. Connor wasn’t going to be getting any thanks from the group until he brought in an additional trophy.

The whole thing made Marcella sick. She hadn’t gotten into law enforcement to make deals involving murder and assassination.

“Some people just need killing,” she muttered. “But I don’t have to like it.”

Having to look at the Master’s mutilated body for the last twenty minutes and knowing the man who’d done it made the coffee go sour in her belly.

Sophie wasn’t going to be happy with this news. “Or maybe she will be,” Marcella murmured.

In any case, Marcella needed an exercise break to slough off the disgust and horror that seemed smeared onto her skin ever since she’d received that ugly image. She changed quickly into workout clothes in the women’s locker room, and took the stairs all the way to the top of the roof.

The Bureau maintained a helipad and a running track around the edge of the building. She did a few laps, taking in the bold blue sky, the high white cumulus clouds soaring across the ocean, a few seabirds wheeling by. All of it helped to lighten her mood. Nature was a tonic through any kind of stress.

She slowed to a walk, thumbed to Sophie’s number on her favorites, and called her friend.

Sophie’s voice sounded raspy with sleep when she answered. “Hello? Marcella?”

Marcella frowned. “It’s eleven a.m. Did I wake you?”

Sophie yawned. “I had a bad night. We’re wrapping up our case with the Kama`aina Schools, so I thought I could take the morning to sleep in.”

“You deserve it!” Marcella infused her voice with positivity. “I was just out doing a few laps in the fresh air, but I could meet you down at the Fight Club gym if you want to go do a heavier workout.”

She could hear the smile in Sophie’s voice. “I just told you I had a rough night and wanted to sleep in. I was thinking that my workout would be lifting a fork to my mouth and eating a hefty breakfast. Pregnancy has a few benefits, you know.”

Somehow Marcella had forgotten Sophie was pregnant. “Yeah, of course it does. Are you still at your dad’s place?”

“I am. And from what I can smell, he’s making me pancakes again.”

“How lovely.” Marcella mustered her resolve. “I just got out of a meeting with Waxman and the international team. They don’t want to offer the immunity deal to Connor until he brings in Pim Wat, as well.”

Sophie didn’t reply.

Marcella started walking again for something to do.

Sunlight struck the little bits of mica in the gritty surface of the running track. Someone had thrown their coffee cup into one of the corners of the building’s parapet, and a few leaves had gathered there as well. Marcella paused and picked up the rubbish.She could tidy this little corner of the world, at least.

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