Chapter 22
You have to be like wolves: strong alone and in solidarity with the pack.
Axel
Sex should’ve quenched my thirst for the sexy woman sitting in my SUV. Instead, like drinking salt water, I crave more. Placing one hand on her upper thigh, I drive back to the FBI building in DC. After I sign her in, I walk her down the long hallway, past the cube farm, to one of the offices. Not wanting to be blindsided by my boss, I quickly plug in and log in while Gwen rolls a chair beside me.
A highlighted internal message cc’d to my team informs me of Bourdeau’s many aliases and his IP. Minutes later, I access his computer and view his emails.
When I click on one sent to him from the capital building, an error message pops up. “Shit, it’s locked.”
“Check his trash.” Before I can move my mouse, Gwen presses my touch screen and snickers. “People are such idiots.”
Copying and pasting the code, I unlock the email from Congressman Kevin Rhinesmith. All it contains is a twelve-digit number. “What the fuck?”
“I think I know.” Reaching into her pocket, she plugs in the Canadian’s flash drive, types in the digits, and gasps. “Oh my God, it’s bitcoin. I did not see that on my traitor-bingo card.”
I whistle through my teeth. “Me neither. That’s a hell of a lot of zeros.”
“Jeesh, I never heard of this guy. Who is he?”
I type Rhinesmith’s name into the FBI database and pull her into my lap. “He’s a nobody from the Midwest, pro-peace, and never votes outside party lines.”
“Call him.” She turns, her butt grinds against my fly, and my rod hardens.
“Babe, you’re killing me.” One hot kiss later, I press dial on my soft phone. It takes a bit of effort, but I eventually reach a human being. “This is the FBI. I’d like to speak with the congressman.”
His assistant, who sounds about sixteen, stammers. “I-I’m s-sorry. He’s on a f-fishing trip in A-Alaska.”
“Do you have a number where I can reach him? It’s urgent.”
“N-no. If you leave your number, I’ll see he gets it. He usually checks in once or twice a day.”
Once I hang up, I swivel my chair in the direction of the heavy stomps.
“Oh-oh.” A pale-faced Gwen jumps to standing, and I follow, albeit more slowly.
Fuck me, I’ve run out of time.
Flanked by one crew-cut rookie in front and another in back, my boss strides between the cubes and stops at the office door.
“Dr. McGee, you’re under arrest for attempted murder and you, Agent Wulf, are to hand over your badge and weapon. You’re on temporary leave pending an investigation. I suggest you contact your union representative and find yourself a lawyer. Now, if you would be so kind as to follow me.”
In the interrogation room, I tamp down the anger bubbling inside me. “You’re the one who told me to seduce her. I can’t be held responsible for her actions while I’m undercover, and you know it.”
At the breathy cry outside the open door, I turn, and my heart fucking cracks. My beautiful babe’s eyes widen, her jaw drops, and the tops of her cheeks turn bright red.
Fuck me dead. Stillman set me up? “You bastard.” I may end up in the cell beside her, but I don’t care.
Vaulting over the table, I race to her side. “Gwen, wait. It’s not what you think.”
“Leave me alone. I never want to see you again.” Sobbing, she pushes my chest, and I step back.
One of the two newbies glares at me and apologizes before leading her away.
As I watch the only woman I have ever really loved, led down the hall, my boss holds out his hand. “Your weapon and your badge.”
What reason could he have for messing with me? Then, it dawns on me. The congressman must sit on a critical finance committee. I know those rules. You scratch my back, and I’ll screw this guy over.
The minute I’m escorted from the building, I sit in the parking lot, open my laptop, and type like mad. I need intel fast. Soon, the IT team will lock me out.
After I find what I’m searching for, I call Lucky. Before I can say hello, he starts ranting. “What the fuck, mate? The bloody Feds arrested mah wife. I swear to God, some heads are gonna roll if she’s not back home in time for sup-pah.”
Shit. Things are worse than I thought. “Don’t do anything rash. Ring Patten’s lawyer. What’s his name… Quinn?”
“Yeah. On it. Give me a second to conference him in.” While I wait, I picture Gwen’s horrified face and swallow hard. She may never forgive me, but as God is my witness, I will make this right.
I am such a fucking idiot. I should have known my boss had it in for me. My self-flagellation ends when the on-hold music stops, and the famous attorney speaks. “What trouble are you in now, Lucky?”
“Not me, mate. It’s me missus.” He pauses, and Quinn clears his throat.
“Time is money, gentlemen.” No doubt, we interrupted an important meeting.
In the silence, I take the lead. “Special Agent Wulf here. The assistant deputy director has arrested Dr. Guinivere McGee and Lucky’s wife, Calliope.”
The man hisses under his breath. “What’s the charge?”
“Selling secrets to foreign entities. Give me a moment to explain. The FBI suspected Dr. McGee was leaking intel and tasked me with finding evidence. At my request, I asked Lucky’s wife to hold a team-building exercise at Rehoboth Beach. Out of her regular environment, I’d hoped my suspect would get sloppy. Instead, a Canadian mercenary used an RF weapon on her co-worker, Henry, who was collaborating with her. They were actually selling false intel, which is a long story, better suited for when you arrive. Are you with me so far?”
“Please continue.”
“The same man ambushed us as we were returning to DC. While cuffed in the back seat, he threatened Gwen’s daughter, and she used my gun to shoot him in the leg. From my understanding, he only needed ten stitches, but the locals are charging her with attempted murder.”
“Why aren’t the Feds taking over the investigation?” Quinn’s sharp mind gives me hope.
“Excellent point. The suspect had a bitcoin flash drive worth half a million dollars. This is where it gets interesting. The code to unlock it came from Congressman Rhinesmith’s email.”
“Understood. Don’t talk to anyone about anything. I’m in Virginia. I can be there in a couple of hours.”
After he hangs up, Lucky and I create a plan, and I wait for my boss to call. Grinning, I whistle and walk back into the building.
Payback’s a bitch, motherfucker.