Page 32 of Summer Heatwave
“I’ve seen dead bodies before,” Kam defended herself.“I worked a homicide at least once a week when I was a cop.”
“But it’s completely different when you pull the trigger.”Mike was right.It was different.She was now different, changed in a small way but forever.
“I have a homicide scene to handle.Kam, when the detectives get here, I’ll bring them over.We need to confirm death so we can call the ME.”Her friend smiled.“Guess who is on duty tonight.You’re going to get lucky all the way around.”
Emilee strode back to the police cars where a third and fourth now filled the lot.She gave out several assignments to her officers just before two of them entered the house.
“Have you called Jeremy?”It was as much a suggestion as a question from Mike.
Kam let out a long sigh.“No, but I should.He is my partner.”She should also call her boss, but it was now twelve-thirty on Saturday morning.She hardly knew the chief but was well-aware of the protocol.Phone in hand, she started dialing and reciting the facts.
When the medical examiner’s van pulled in front of Kam’s place, Dr.Audra Lambert was the first one out.“Oh, sweetie, I’d hug you but some fucking idiot with a cell phone would take a video of us and if God forbid, this ever goes to court, they’ll use it against us.But I can guarantee you, I’m going to be as thorough as possible with these examinations.Now, I need to get to work.”
Sometime after one o’clock, while walking a detective through her exact steps upon arrival home, Kam was shocked when she was told that her chief was waiting for her outside.
“Sir, you didn’t need to come out in the middle of the night for this.”
“When one of my agents is personally threatened because of a case they're working on, I’m here for you.I understand they left a message.I want to see it.”He lifted the badge he wore around his neck to the officer protecting the perimeter.As Kam guided him through the house filled with crime scene techs and the medical examiner’s crew, she led her boss to the painted wall above the bed.
She felt kind of creepy having her boss in her now messy bedroom, but she hadn’t vandalized it.Besides, he didn’t get to be chief without some damn impressive credentials.He’d worked for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, and had been a special agent in charge of a unit that hunted homegrown terrorists.She thought he may have also served in the military, but she wasn’t sure if that was a rumor or fact.
When he said nothing, simply turned and left the room, she followed him out to the porch where Mike had been waiting for her.
“Kam, where is your weapon?”Her boss’s tone sounded curt.
“The first officer on the scene took it.It still might be here, but that man has left.If you want?—”
“I’ll handle it.This just became a federal case and the top priority for my office.Technically, after an agent is involved in a shooting, you’re supposed to be put on administrative leave.”Her boss wasn’t telling her anything new.
“But I want you to get this fucker.Ramp up the pressure.I’ll issue you a new sidearm.I want you to take the weekend off, what’s left of it.Monday morning, I want a complete brief in my office.I’m going to assign you a protection detail.”
“Sir.I don’t need bodyguards.I have an excellent team and?—”
“They aren’t with you twenty-four seven.”He tilted his head toward the house.“Next time they could follow through with their threat.”
Mike stepped up at that point.“Sir, Kam will be staying with me and I can assure you she will be protected when she’s not at work.”
The older man in his mid-fifties eyed Mike from his gym shoes and jeans to his polo shirt.“And what makes you think you can keep my agent safe?”
Mike held out his hand.“Commander Mike Gallagher, Commanding Officer Team 1, Coronado Naval Base.”
The smile her boss gave Mike was the first she’d ever seen.He chuckled.“That’ll do.I was Marine Special Forces, back before they were called Raiders.Take care of my agent.”He turned his attention to Kam.“I’ll see you Monday morning.”
When they were alone again, Kam turned to Mike.“When did you decide that I was going to stay with you?”
“When you called and needed me.”He pulled her into his arms and brushed a kiss across her lips.“I’ll keep you safe.”
Chapter14
It wasafter two o’clock in the morning before Kam could leave.Mike had stayed vigilant, never letting her out of his sight.It wasn’t because he’d promised her boss, it was because he knew what was coming and wanted to be there to catch her.The adrenalin would wear off and when it did, she was either going to cry herself to sleep or be ravenous for sex.Either way, she was going to fall asleep in his arms.In his bed.
Since they’d already taken the pictures in her bedroom, Emilee offered to allow Kam to collect enough clothes for a few days, but it couldn’t be anything the perpetrators handled.Just the thought of her wearing something those vile men had touched made his protective side roar.
He was willing for her to leave everything.They could stop at a Walmart and pick up essentials for two days, but then he nixed that idea.If anyone had been watching her place, they could easily follow them to an all-night clothing store and snipe her while walking through the parking lot.Mike wasn’t going to take that chance.
“No problem.I’ll just grab my go-bag from my car when we get to your house.”She went on to explain, “I have to be ready to travel on short notice.Sometimes I don’t even have the opportunity to go home and pack, so I keep a bag with everything I need for three days.”
“How about you grab your bag now and we’ll leave your car here so they can check it.I want to make sure no one has tampered with it before you drive.”Mike wasn’t sure how far those guys would go.
