Chapter Nine #2
Before I could move, my desk phone began to shrill. I snatched up the receiver.
“Agent Dixon.”
“Ah, I’m glad I caught you before lunch.”
I glanced down at the phone for the caller’s ID. Agent Evans. My stomach churned.
“I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. Any news on—”
“Dixon, you won’t believe this,” the other man muttered and I froze, barely breathing. “That connection you asked me to look into? Alroy Garcia? He’s a bigwig in the Colombian cocaine distribution chain.”
“That’s right. We had our suspicions about Ian Keller working with him.”
“He’s gone. Vanished. No trace.”
My heart stopped, palms growing sticky with sweat.
“What.”
“I’ve been on the phone with Colombian officers all day.
There was a report of a break-in at Garcia’s property, but when law enforcement arrived, they found the place burnt to the ground.
Forensics have confirmed the only casualties were a couple of hundred tropical fish in an aquarium,” Agent Evans muttered.
“I shit you not. No one has seen hide nor hair of Garcia, nor any of his entourage. It’s like—”
“He’s vanished off the face of the earth,” I all but whispered.
“Exactly.”
There was a tense moment of silence whilst my mind reeled.
It was happening again. The same thing that had happened with all of those cold cases.
Someone else was investigating this case, someone who wasn’t part of MI6, and if I didn’t step in, Ian Keller would become just another unsolved case in the file room.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
“Do me a favour, Evans? Sit on this for the time being,” I hissed. “Let me run some investigations of my own and I’ll come back to you.”
“Sure thing, Dixon. Sorry I couldn’t have been more help.”
I laughed breathlessly, scrubbing a hand through my hair. “You’ve been a great help, honestly. I’ll be in touch, okay?”
“Alright, speak with you soon.”
I slammed the receiver down and stared at it.
I needed to move on this, and quickly. I got up from my chair, pushing it towards the desk as I grabbed my suit jacket off the back of it and shrugged it on.
I spun on my heel and strode to the office door, nearly pulling it off its hinges in my haste.
I glanced up and down the corridor, relieved to see Charlotte a little way off, chatting with another agent.
“Agent Roberts!” I called out to her, pleased when her head whipped up. I closed my office door behind me and strode with purpose to meet her, the other agent excusing himself as I reached her.
“What’s up, Dixon? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Her eyes flickered over my face.
“I’ve been thinking about what we were talking about earlier.
I am tense. To tell you the truth, I’ve been feeling quite overwhelmed of late.
The kingpin investigation has been dragging on for such a long time, and then that stupid fucking side project.
Honestly, I think I just got a bit too into it, looking for conspiracies that weren’t even there. I’m burnt out.”
Just as I had hoped, deflecting the conversation to my wellbeing disarmed Charlotte. Her expression softened and she inched towards me. It was a little close for comfort, but I weathered it, silently praying she took the bait.
“I get that. It’s been a lot.” She paused.
Come on…
“Why don’t you take some time off?”
Hook, line and sinker.
“I couldn’t, not with everything that’s going on.”
“Nonsense.” Charlotte smiled. “You said it yourself: the Colombians are dragging their feet. I can’t see that changing anytime soon.”
“Would two weeks be too much?” When Charlotte’s brows rose, I hurried to explain myself. “I’ve seen a great deal for a getaway on a holiday website, but it’s too much. Forget I asked.”
“No, no. Everyone is entitled to a two-week break once a year, you know that. You’ve just never asked for one, so I was surprised. Sure, book that holiday. Rest. Recuperate. Get laid.”
Despite myself, I felt my body grow tense and I cast her a disapproving glower. Charlotte, ever the shameless flirt, didn’t bat an eyelash.
“You know, if it’s that last one you need help with, I could always—”
“No, thank you,” I groaned, perhaps a little too quickly.
Charlotte sniggered. “Whatever you say, but seriously – take some time off. You’ve earnt it.
” She turned her back on me, sashaying back to the door of her own office.
It was only as she tugged it open that she paused and glanced back.
“I expect you back fresh and eager to go, clear? I’ll keep you updated if we hear anything new. ”
“Yes, boss,” I replied, trying to ignore the sexy grin that earnt me.
As soon as Charlotte was out of sight, I sagged with relief.
She was going to be the death of me… but at least she had fallen for my ruse.
I dug my personal phone from my jacket pocket, unlocking it and thumbs tapping frantically against the screen.
I stormed away, pushing outside into the smoking area, glad to see it empty, before raising my phone to my ear.
“Good afternoon, British Airways helpdesk. How can I help you today?”
“Hi, I’m looking at booking a flight from London to Bogotá, Colombia.”
If the mountain wouldn’t come to Mohammed…