Page 111 of State of Retribution

“Okay…”

“Avery…”

“I’m here.What’s going on?”

“I’m going to tell you something that you’re going to need to find out on your own.Do you understand me?”

“I do.”

“Look at Officer Dylan Offenbach on the drones.”

“As in MPD Officer Offenbach?”

“Yes.”

“What’s his deal?”

Sam filled him in on their history and how he’d been busted down from sergeant to Patrol and dumped by his wife after the sniper investigation.“Naturally, he blames me because I was charged with finding everyone who had precision shooting capability when we were working that case.It was completely my fault that he wasn’t where his boss or wife thought he’d be.His new boss is the one who told me that he’s obsessed with drones, and that’s the word he used.Obsessed.”

And then she had a bigger, even more upsetting thought.“Archie.”

“What?”

“Lieutenant Archelotta is the one who tracked Offenbach’s phone and determined he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.Archie’s girlfriend is the one who was kidnapped and assaulted…” Sam was on the verge of completely losing her shit as the words tumbled out of her mouth.

“All right.I’ve got this.I don’t want you to tell another living soul about this, do you hear me?No one.Not Nick or Freddie or Captain Malone or anyone else.”

“I hear you.”

“I understand the stakes and the urgency, and I promise I’ll put the full weight of the FBI behind this investigation.That’s all I’ll ever say to you about it.”

“Thank you, Avery.”

“Of course.”

The line went dead, and she closed her phone without the usual satisfying slap.The full-body trembling reminded her of being wrapped in razor wire, doused with gasoline and threatened with fire.

A sharp knock at the door roused her.She took three more deep breaths, looking for a scintilla of calm so she could get through the rest of her tour.“Come in.”

The knob didn’t turn.

Shit, she’d locked the door.She stood and was forced to take a pause to ensure her legs would hold her before she went to unlock the door and admit Captain Malone.

“Why are you locking yourself in?”he asked.“Have we finally driven you mad?”

“Not quite, but close.What’s up?”

“We’ve got a problem.”

She wasn’t sure she could handle another one.“What’s that?”

He handed her a piece of paper, which had her sinking into her seat as she quickly scanned what turned out to be a lawsuit against her, Malone and the department, filed by Hector Reese.“Oh my God.”

Malone sat in front of her desk and sighed.“This is bad, Sam.He’s got medical reports and a witness statement from the sergeant on duty in the jail the night you interrogated him.Captain Norris said he’s booked on all the big cable news shows this afternoon.”

“Should we get out in front of it?Should I take the blame?Say the interrogation got out of hand?”

“The chief is consulting with the attorneys about the best way to handle it.I told him it’s true and we’re both complicit.”

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