Chapter 6
“But Grandmother! What big teeth you have,” said Little Red Riding Hood, her voice quivering slightly.
“The better to eat you with, my dear.”
Axel
Making a fist, I cough to hide my grin. A lesser man would’ve been insulted. Me? I’m intrigued. Who uses fairy tales as an intimidation tactic?
Her arms crossed over her ample chest, she purses her plump, kissable lips. “If you weren”t aware, I signed a government nondisclosure so ironclad, it will make your great-great-grandmother’s frypan die of envy.”
My head turns, and I smirk. Too bad she’s a traitor. I can’t remember the last time a woman amused me so. Unbuttoning my jacket, I sit and place my laptop on the small table.
“My security clearance covers your whole project.” Once I twist my screen, I log into the EMF team’s shared portal and raise my brows. “Well?”
“You could’ve stolen a username and password. And how do I even know this is an FBI office? We could be in a Siberian warehouse.”
She pulls a virtual zipper across her lips. “Mmm mm mmm mmm-ing.”
“You do know I can’t understand you with your mouth closed.” I conjure my boss’s ghostly grimace in the two-way mirror and roll my eyes.
Having been up all night and chewed out by him, my patience snaps. “I assure you, Miss McGee. We are in DC, and I, Special Agent Axel Wulf, have proven that we can access your files. Now, I will ask you some questions, and you will answer truthfully.”
Brown hair flies as she shakes her head back and forth. “It’s Doctor McGee. You think I’m stupid? An immensely handsome man and his dog miraculously happen along the beach and play the hero? Nu-uh. Not working, bub.”
A chuckle sneaks from my otherwise impeccable mask. So, the attraction is not all one-sided. “I tell you what. How about we call Callie? Will you believe her?”
“No. AI can imitate voices.” She says this to me as if speaking to a five-year-old.
The exasperated sigh that escapes my chest is not my fault. Her conspiracy theories are beyond all reason. “You can verify it’s her by asking her a question only she can answer.”
“Fine.”
“Excellent.” Once I ring Dr. James, I press the speaker icon and place my mobile phone on the table. “Callie? This is Special Agent Axel Wulf. Dr. McGee is here and wants to speak to you.”
“Gwen? Tell me you’re alright.” Under the circumstances, Lucky’s wife is way too kind.
My prisoner stands and leans over the electronics. “Where were we when we first met?”
“The lady’s room in MIT’s Building E3. You said you would never work for the government.”
“Well, in all fairness, that was before I saw the salary.”
The two women laugh then my gorgeous suspect whispers, “Callie. I need help. I was kidnapped by the…” She glances at me. “Are you Russian or Chinese?”
“Neither.” Tired of the nonsense, I use my official voice. “Your employee refuses to speak until you give her permission.”
I hold the phone so Ms. Conspiracy can hear her employer’s response. “Gwen, honey, he’s a white hat. Tell him what he needs to know.”
Brows raised, I tilt my head. “So, are you convinced?”
Gwen nods but continues to eye me as if I were the enemy. “How about this? After you answer my questions, I will answer yours.”
“Shoot.” Quid pro quo is not how the FBI works. Not wanting to be here all day, I play along.
“Did Bear see a weapon?” Her question surprises me. We established this fact back at the beach.
“Judging from his behavior, it’s more than likely. Did you?” I search for a tell, but her face remains stoic.
“I can’t be sure.” The vent in the ceiling blows frigid air down, and she shudders. Those damn tits pebble under her black dress, and not for the first time, I wonder if she’s wearing a bra.
Were the stakes lower, I’d pursue the electricity sparking between us. Dammit, man, focus. “Did you recognize the shooter on the beach?”
If I’m not careful, she’ll come to her senses and lawyer up. “Gah, if I knew him, don’t you think I would’ve warned Henry?”
“But you did warn him.” After I point out this obvious fact, she pounds a fist on the table.
“Only after I noticed the weapon. Why are you doing this?” Tears well and she swallows hard. “I didn’t do anything illegal. I swear it.”
Seeing her weaken, I pick up my chair, place it beside her, and grab her hands. “Tell me about the text message, and I will do everything in my power to help you.”
The tops of her cheeks redden, as does her neck and what I can see of her chest. “It was nothing… a picture of my daughter in bed. My ex was right. Sometimes I over-react.”
“What about the one you received on the way here?”
Realizing she can no longer hide things from me, she sighs heavily. “It said, ‘If I care about Abigail, don’t say anything to anyone.’”
When she shoves her phone screen under my nose, I memorize the Rehoboth address. “Abby is staying at my ex”s beach house. Whoever sent me this text may have already gotten to her.”
“Give me a moment.”
Outside the room, I call Lucky. “Someone threatened Gwen’s daughter. Texting you her location. Can you put a guard on her?”
“Yeah, sure. Mah wife is giving me holy hell. Sort this out soon, or I’ll be sleeping on the couch.”
Picturing his enormous frame on a tiny sofa, Ichuckle. “McGee is fine but reluctant to talk.”
“Mate, go easy. Her ex did a real number on her. Worst case of gaslighting I’ve ev-ah seen. Her self-esteem’s in the shit-tah. She’s been seeing a therapist and getting bet-tah. She may appear prickly on the outside, but inside, she’s fragile. Get my drift?”
“I do, and thanks for the insight.” Scratching the growth on my chin, I take a moment to discard the overpowering need to protect my suspect… from me.
Once I have the feeling under control, I take a deep breath and walk back into interrogation. “Lucky has agreed to put a guard on your daughter.”
Ginormous brown eyes glance up at me. Tight shoulders drop from her ears, the lines around her mouth loosen, and she whooshes a long exhalation. “Please don’t let anyone see she’s being watched. My ex will try for full custody, and I can’t afford the fees.”
Nodding, I text the Patten bodyguard and sit down across from her. “Spill. Everything.”
“Callie insists on doing this team-building shit every year. I hate karaoke, and my turn was next, so I circulated some lame excuse and escaped. Seeing my friend had done the same, I ventured onto the dunes to join him. As I slogged over the beach, a man in an impeccable suit marched straight toward Henry. I remember looking for the bride or other wedding party members.”
“Something about his gait caused me to become nervous. I tried to walk faster, but the dunes were too soft and deep. At this point, I recognized our EMF prototype. When he aimed it at my coworker, it made a buzzing noise. Then, the man aimed his weapon at me, and I dove onto the sand. If not for Bear, you would’ve had to choose between Henry or me.”
Grimacing, I ignore the tightness in my chest. “So, our enemies have a next-generation EMF pistol better than ours?”
She shakes her head and slays me with those sensual brown eyes. “I said smaller, not superior. Theirs didn’t kill Henry. Ours would’ve.”
“Perhaps he didn’t mean to, or maybe he simply wanted to send you a message?” The urge to spank her surfaces as she flutters her lashes in a ridiculous attempt to appear innocent.
“Why ever would he want to send a message?”