Epilogue
One year later
Payday! “I found you, you wily bastard. You can run, but you can’t hide.” Michaela grinned at the computer. Her distraught client would be relieved. The Luturnan woman had come to Perine they’d had to turn down some cases. When they first started the agency, the government and even Tervik had thrown a few hard-luck cases their way and then word had spread, and now, they had a full caseload.
They’d worked out of their new, more comfortable apartment at first, but soon their growing business had demanded a separate office.
“I’m so glad we have Mandy,” she said. Six months ago, they’d hired a temp through GAL Friday.
Supremely capable and sharp, she’d morphed from an admin assistant to an investigator-in-training, handling the simpler cases and freeing her and Ruyn for the more complex ones.
After Mandy’s contract with GAL Friday expired, she hoped to continue to work for their agency long term.
They wanted that, too. They were counting on it.
“Hopefully, the government will extend her work visa like they promised,” Ruyn said.
“Fingers crossed.” They had a good working relationship with the government, who’d expedited Michaela’s citizenship application since she and Ruyn had been instrumental in helping them capture a Prellim operative. She now held dual Earth and Luturnan citizenship.
“How’s Korsan?” she asked. Ruyn had gone to visit his brother in prison. She often went, too, but this morning, she had followed up on the lead enabling her to crack the case of the missing husband.
“In good spirits. Looking forward to his release.”
In exchange for his testimony and documentation, Korsan had received a reduced sentence and would get out of prison in a month.
He’d kept better records than any of them had thought, and it helped the prosecution tremendously.
Murta and her cohort family had gotten life sentences.
Murta’s husband, a Prellim, and Chaumi had been among the band of thugs who’d attacked Ruyn.
The other man, a Luturnan Prellim sympathizer, had been rounded up, arrested, and convicted.
“You give any more thought to my suggestion?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“I’m still thinking,” he said.
Upon his release, Korsan would need a job.
She had suggested they hire him to do the admin work Mandy wouldn’t be doing when she became a full-time investigator.
Happy in her new life with Ruyn, her animus toward his brother had faded, and forgiveness had come.
Besides, he was family now. She wanted to give him a second chance—although she would never assign him to a position where he could jeopardize their business.
“He hired me when I needed a job, but the reason I needed a job was because of the attack, which he was indirectly responsible for.” Ruyn still limped, and some days, he still ached.
“I understand,” she said. Hiring Korsan would be his decision, but she had a feeling the time he spent with her family during their visit would soften him toward his sibling.
“You ready to leave for the day?” he asked.
She shut down her computer. “Ready. Let’s go home.”
Arm in arm, they left the office.
* * * *
I hope you enjoyed Badass Alien Boss (GAL Friday 2).