11. He had a chill pill yesterday. #2
I thought about it, and then I grinned as an idea did occur to me, one that was open to public records—and would give me a better idea of how much data someone with a grudge and an internet connection could acquire.
“Actually, kids, there is something you can help me with, but I’ll need to get you computers first. If research is what you like to do, I have a project for you. ”
Perkins narrowed his eyes. “What are you up to, Sam?”
“I’m going to find out just how much information a pair of determined children can find on the internet. If they can find it, anyone can, and that can help us figure out just how compromised our security is—and how easy it would be for Winfield to accomplish what he’s been doing.”
“You’re trying to recreate the crime.”
“Something like that.”
“I can’t tell if you’re just ruthless, brilliant, or both,” my friend muttered.
“Go with both. I think it’s time we do a public audit, and who better to audit than a pair of determined children with a love of research?”
“I’m not going to argue with that, but I’m not sure what good it will do. Winfield had access to our systems.”
“Only for a while. So he’d have an edge on the kids, that’s true—but what I don’t know is how easy it would be for him to get information about specific members of the force outside of the system, and we’re quick to cut off access once someone is being fired.
So, it’s a safe assumption that while he knows our infrastructure, his knowledge wasn’t as strong as a full officer’s, and he was restricted.
He’d have to do a lot of research in the public system.
The kids can work on building a profile while we work with our intel. They might find something we’ll miss.”
Perkins sighed. “Maybe. Let’s get this show on the road. I have the feeling this just got a lot messier and a great deal more complicated.”
I worried he was right.
Bailey
My phone rang, and I checked the display to see Quinn’s number. I groaned but answered, “I’m not dead yet.”
“For which I’m grateful. How are you feeling?”
“I’m not dead yet.”
“I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s a situation.”
Uh oh. “Situation? What situation?”
“Do you remember Janet?”
How could I forget Janet? Janet was the queen of badasses, and I wanted to be like her if I ever grew up. “Yes, of course.”
“She’s missing, and I’m worried there’s a connection to the other issues we’re having. I want you to try to find her with your magic. I know you’re sick, but I think we need to locate her as soon as possible.”
I sucked in a breath. “Perkette? Pull over. There’s a problem.” While I loathed leaving my warm nest, I uncurled from my position on the floorboard and slithered onto the seat, gently moving Avalanche, who didn’t even stir from her nap. “What happened?”
“I was going to request for Janet to be transferred to the station, but she didn’t show up for work yesterday or this morning. We suspect foul play.”
I coughed, wrapped the blanket around myself, and narrowed my eyes. “For the record, if Janet was kidnapped, I will use lethal force as necessary to recover her alive. This is not negotiable.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” my husband replied, his tone darkening. “If she has been kidnapped, especially by gorgons, I want you to ask Tiffany to give you one of her homemade concoctions. I want what you did to Audrey’s hive to pale in comparison to what you’ll do to anyone threatening Janet.”
“Is that legal?”
“If Janet has been kidnapped, lethal force is permitted during rescue operations. You need to confirm, witnessed by an angel, that there were hostiles and that you acted in Janet’s interests.”
Death in defense of another was a thin, narrow line shrouded in darkness, but as long as I could confirm to an angel and did it to recover a police officer in peril, I’d walk without a mark on my record.
It wouldn’t even count as a premeditated murder despite going in knowing and willing to kill to secure Janet’s safety. “Noted.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Angry.”
Quinn’s chuckle had a dark, sinister edge to it. “Good. So am I. When you get a trail on Janet, I want a direction, okay?”
“Okay.” I eyed the roadside, which had an unfortunate amount of snow on it. “Tiffany? I need the map and chalk and other junk. I need to find Janet.”
“On it,” she replied, killing the engine and getting out of the SUV to dig the supplies out of the back.
“Here is how this is going to work, Bailey. Every time you cross a state line, I need you to let me know. I’m going to have every state you’re in added to your jurisdiction.”
“My boss is a dick, I’m going to be a terrible cop, and I don’t even know why some idiot thought I’d be a good police chief.”
Quinn sighed. “You were born for this kind of work. I wish I could ease you into this, but there’s just no time, not with Janet missing.
I’ll be able to get you jurisdiction rights, but you’ll have to work with the local chiefs and captains—and the feds—on the case.
Your job is to find her. If the situation looks critical, retrieve her.
You can handle just about anything, but I’m going to worry anyway. ”
Huh. What happened to the Quinn who wanted to wrap me in a bubble so I wouldn’t even get a scratch?
“I can handle anything from sticks of TNT to plastics. I could probably even handle a dirty bomb,” I announced, not bothering to smother my pride.
“Please don’t eat a nuke.”
“I can disarm them traditionally.”
Silence.
I smiled.
“Could you repeat that?”
“I can disarm them traditionally.”
“You don’t mean eat the payload, do you?”
The worry in his voice bothered me, but as he’d held my promotion close to heart, it was time I got a little of my own back.
Being sick made me a bitch, but I’d teach him a thing or two about clandestine actions.
“I’ve been working with the bomb squad behind your back because if something goes wrong and the bomb detonates, I don’t explode.
I’ve been formally trained in the disarming of most bomb types.
Tiffany helped me learn how to read the schematics, too. ”
My husband groaned. “I’m begging you, please tell me you’re not serious.”
“I think we’re now even on the secrets score.”
“You’re really serious. They had you on the bomb squad?”
“If I couldn’t disarm it traditionally, I ate the payload. Also, we’ve learned I have accelerated regeneration when transforming between unicorn to human when I don’t reverse naturally.”
“You were hurt?”
I smirked. “You can’t kill the bastards. They’re already dead.”
“Did you kill them?” he growled.
“No. That honor went to the bomb squad backups. I would’ve been delighted to light them on fire, but bullets are faster than my flames as a general rule.
Did you know the CDC has some damned good snipers?
They usually sent one or two out with me when I had sketchy jobs.
Also, we should recruit their snipers. I bet we could lure one or two to our team.
The CDC pays for shit by incident, and they’re not salaried, either. ”
“Yes, I was aware the CDC had snipers. No, I wasn’t aware they were contractors without salaries. If you like them, I’m willing to bribe them away from the CDC. Who put you on the fucking bomb squad?”
“The asshole in Washington, of course. Who else? The fucker probably wishes I’d fall over dead.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about him anymore,” my husband promised. “Your contract belongs to the NYPD now.”
“Your tone suggests that I belong to you and the NYPD can suck it,” I replied, smiling despite feeling worse than shit.
“You would be correct.”
Perkette got back into the SUV with the required supplies for me to work my magic.
“All right. I have the stuff I need to try to find Janet. I’m going to give the phone to Perkette and get to work.
Neither one of us are responsible for any shit my magic does to me, because I’m not waiting to get better to try to pick up her trail. ”
“I’m aware of the risks, I do not like it, and I’ll talk to Tiffany about what to do if things sour on us. I will even take a chill pill if she orders me to.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my husband?” I snarled. The harshness of my tone triggered a coughing fit, and I cursed at myself for getting sick, at the cold for making a mess of things, and I slung a few at Quinn for being a pain in my ass.
“I just recognize when freaking out would be detrimental, and I’m fairly certain Tiffany’s diagnosis of separation anxiety is correct.”