Chapter 15 #3
“Not you. Him.”
When Ashley pointed at Coulter, the two brothers shared a look of confusion.
“You’re looking for me?” Coulter clarified, his focus sliding back to her.
Ashely nodded. “There’s a woman here to see you. She introduced herself as Supervisory Special Agent Lena Price. Her ID says she’s with the CIA?”
What the—
“Price is here?”
Well, this can’t be good.
“Who’s Lena Price?”
“My unit chief.” Coulter turned to his brother with a frown.
“She’s your boss?”
Ashley moved to the side, giving him room as he walked into the hall. “Yep.”
Garrett caught up to his hurried steps. “Why would your boss come here looking for you?”
“That’s a great question.” Frustration raced through his veins.
What was Lena thinking, coming to his brother’s place of work? And how did she even know he was here? If he hadn’t just finished telling Garrett the truth about his job, her presence would have put his ass in a massive sling.
She’d better have a damn good reason for this.
“Agent Price?” Coulter found the powerful woman standing near the large reception desk.
She turned her unreadable expression his way. “Mr. Morgan. We need to talk. Is there someplace we can go that’s a little more private?”
At forty-three, Lena Price was a badass in her own right. Though to look at her, one would never know it.
The intelligent woman was admittedly attractive with sharp features and hazel eyes that had seen more of the world’s evil than most. Her brown hair was kept in layers, the longest of those reaching just below her chin.
She was petite, standing at barely five-four and weighed in at about a buck twenty, maybe a buck twenty-five.
Dressed in jeans, a black t-shirt, matching boots and a black belt, she appeared ready to hit the streets at a moment’s notice. And from the look his boss was giving him now, that may be where he was headed, as well.
“You can use the conference room,” Garrett told them both.
“Thanks,” Coulter muttered, motioning for his boss to follow. “It’s down this way.”
The three made the trek down the narrow hallway to the room where the team often met to discuss their ops. Coulter had been in there a few times but never in any official capacity.
Today was different. Everything about this seemed different.
Something is wrong. I can feel it.
“There you go.” His brother opened the door and waited. “The room’s yours for as long as you need.”
“Thanks, man.” Coulter gave Garrett a small slap on the arm. Seconds later, he and his boss were alone. “What’s wrong?” He shot Price an expectant stare.
“Crawford’s out.”
“What do you mean, he’s out?”
“I mean, he’s out. As in, he’s pulled out of the deal.”
What the hell?
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m very good at my job, Agent Morgan.” Her tone was sharp. “Though, I’m not so sure I can still say the same thing about you.”
Okay, ouch.
“Look, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I just spoke to the guy last night.”
“Oh, I know.” Price smirked. “He and Cyrus Vas were both at your girlfriend’s place, as were you. I’m not sure what you said to piss the guy off, but he’s out, and he’s made sure everyone in his network knows it.”
“Have you been following me?”
“That’s what you’re focused on right now?”
Shit. The woman was right.
“Listen, I—”
“You what, Agent Morgan? Let your personal life interfere with you doing your job?”
“My personal life has nothing to do with this. The guy showed up at Alex’s apartment completely out of the blue. Honestly it’s a damn good thing I was there, because I’m pretty sure the asshole’s got some kind of sick obsession with her, and I—”
“I don’t care.”
He blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“Did I stutter? I said . . . I don’t care. What Crawford does or does not feel about Miss Webb is not my concern. What I care about is the fact that, as of this morning, your alias has been effectively burned.”
“Burned, how?”
“There isn’t a buyer in even the lowest sex-trafficking circles who is willing to do business with Cole Morris now. Every person your girl Shadow sent invites to for the auction? Yeah, they’re off the map now, too.”
“What are you talking about?
“Those accounts are gone, Coulter. As in vanished. Erased. Poof.” She motioned with her hands at the sides of her head. “Just like Crawford.”
“Wait, are you saying he’s in the wind?”
“I’ve had eyes on him and his minion since his plane landed at a private air strip north of the city last night.
The thing is, the agents lost him and Vas in the morning rush hour traffic.
Crawford and his guy must have switched vehicles at some point, because they haven’t been spotted on any of the CCTV cameras since. ”
Son of a—
“What about the plane?”
“I’ve got eyes on it, too. So far, there’s been no movement on that end. But even if there is, all we can do is continue following the bastard until we can find a way back inside his circle.”
“I can do it,” he vowed. “I’ll get back into his good graces, and I’ll—”