Page 39 of Summer Heatwave
“I’m just here catching up, but you and I are going to have a private conversation after this is over.”The intense glare from her partner made Kam a little uncomfortable but she’d handle him later.
Agent Chadwick scattered pictures across the conference table.“If the cars coming and going from the dollhouse are any indication, this place makes bank.”He looked over at Noellyn.“We are running down each and every tag.So far we have movie producers, actors, a federal judge, a commercial real estate agent, several CEOs, CFOs, COOs, and corporate executives.These men have money and power.”
“And they’re buying kidnapped little girls.”Kam leaned forward, forearms on the table.“And we’re going to take them down and throw their rich asses in jail.Agent Vivano, what do you have for us?”
The SpecOps team leader assigned to Kam smiled.“Pictures.Video.Audio.We’ve got enough to bury the johns.If they’re smart, they’ll settle out of court.I can’t imagine any of these men allowing what we have to be made public.”His knowing smile told the table he had even more.“We didn’t even bother setting up surveillance.We just tapped into the existing system.It was clean and undetectable because they’re using Wi-Fi.One little receiver on the outside of the building was all we needed.There are cameras absolutely everywhere including the bathrooms.Sometimes there’s more sex going on in the stalls than in the bedrooms.”
He glanced over to Noellyn.“Our resident computer genius is backtracking the system to see if we can find their storage.We’re quite sure they’re blackmailing the men with sex tapes.”
“Okay.Do we have anything else?”Kam’s gaze swept the table.“Great work, every one of you.I have to brief the chief.I’d appreciate it if you’d be available in case he has questions.”
Everyone left the room except Jeremy.“Are you okay?”
Kam thought about the wonderful weekend she’d had with Mike.“I’m great.I’m staying with a…friend.He’s a Navy SEAL, so I’m safe.”She let out a small giggle.“His house is beyond secure.”
“Is this the kind of friend you bring to supper at my house?”He suggested.
“Yeah.I’d like you to meet Mike.”As she said the words, she realized that she wanted her partner and friends to get to know him.“Maybe we can do that after we close this case.”
There was a knock at the door before Clara came in.“The chief wants to know if you’re ready.He’s got a busy schedule today.”
“Absolutely.”
An hour later, after Kam’s team leaders came back to the table, the chief announced, “We’re going in tonight.If these men have enough balls to attack the Special Agent in Charge, no telling who they’ll go after next.They’re not going to expect retaliation this quickly.Jeremy, I want you to coordinate the assault.”
Kam felt like someone just shot her in the gut.“But, sir, I’m?—”
“Agent Hood, they’re watching you.They know your routine.You're high-profile to them.You’re the decoy tonight.I don’t want you to change anything in your routine.You will leave here, followed by that frog, and stay tucked away in his ultra-secure home.In the meantime, everyone else at this table is going to be in Los Angeles, including me.”
Fuck.Damnit fuck.The chief was right, but Kam still wanted to be there leading her team.
“If I can’t be there, I want constant contact.”Her eyes met Noellyn’s.“Can you set up my computer so I can see everything that you do as operations control?”
“Sure.”She held out her hand for Kam’s computer.“Can you check with Mike to see if his Wi-Fi system is secure or encrypted?If it isn’t already, I can make it that way.”
Kam was already typing a text to Mike.Given the original use of the property, she was relatively sure she knew the answer.
“Already encrypted.”Kam handed her the phone naming the software system Guardian Security used.
Noellyn raised her eyebrows.“The latest and greatest.Good for them.Good for us.”
“It’s over.”Kam blew out a long breath and glanced at the clock in the corner of her computer screen.It was after three in the morning on Tuesday.
Mike rubbed her tired shoulders.“I know you wanted to be there, but I’m glad you were right here.It was you leading your team that brought this organization down.What I can’t believe is how many SEALs were involved.I served under Captain Johannes Desmond.I thought he looked the other way far too often when our men got in trouble, but I had no idea he was such a douchebag.”
“When we caught him, we thought we had Big Daddy, but he was far too new to the organization.”Neither of them spoke of the reality that Big Daddy had gotten away.Retribution against Kam was almost guaranteed.She was in even more danger than she’d been before.
Mike spun her chair toward him.“Stay with me.You’re safe here.I’ll protect you.”
She cupped his face in her hands.“I can’t stay with you forever.”Although she’d like to.
“Yes.You can.I love you, Kam.”He took her hands in his.“I know this might seem fast, but you body-slammed your way into my heart.At our age, we know what we want in a life partner.I want you, forever.You make me laugh and no one has done that in a long time.You understand the secrecy of my job.You don’t mind getting up in the morning and going jogging with me or hitting the gym for an hour several times a week.”His eyes pleaded with her.“If you don’t love?—”
Kam placed two fingers over his lips so he couldn’t finish that statement.“I thought I was crazy, the way I feel about you.Instead, I’m crazy in love with you.Actually, I think I’m in love for the first time in my life.”
Mike kissed the two fingers in front of his lips before he took her hand and lowered it.“It’s late and I want to make love to you.”
Epilogue #1
