by Sarah Holman
“That’s why many people choose to live together before they tie the knot,” Thomas said, entering the office.
Logan raised the hand that held her ball and grabbed her coffee with the other. “Please, let’s not start that debate today.”
“Fine,” Thomas agreed.
Patrick shook his head. Thomas was happy to have women in and out of his life and was bold about it to his coworkers. It grated on Patrick’s nerves. It seemed that there were very few people who had shame anymore.
“I’m sure y’all will be able to work it out, Pink,” Brian said, giving Logan a pat on the shoulder. “Kathrine has some learning to do. Don’t let her get you or your ball down.”
That coaxed a smile out of Logan. She started her ball to bouncing between her palm and desk.
“Speaking of Kathrine, where is she?” Thomas asked. “We have a new case we need to go over. She needs to be here.”
Brian made a show of looking around the room. “Kim isn’t here either.”
Thomas sat down at his desk and folded his hands in his lap. “Thank you for pointing out the obvious, CU. She went with me to the briefing and is bringing the evidence and identity files. Now, where is Kathrine?”
“I’m right here,” Kate said, entering the office.
Patrick did a quick evaluation. She wore makeup, which she usually didn’t. It seemed to be thickest under her eyes. She was probably trying to hide dark circles. Her shoulders drooped slightly, though she was making a valiant effort to stand straight. She refused to look anyone in the eye. When she took her seat, she folded her arms across her chest. Not a good sign. Her whole demeanor reminded Patrick very much of the time in the interrogation room when they had first met…officially.
“Where are we headed to this time?” Brian asked, taking a seat.
Patrick sat across from him. He was ready for their next undercover case too.
“As all of you know, while colleges are out for the summer, we still have work to do.”
Patrick nodded. This team, staffed with college age-looking agents, couldn’t keep up with the demand when colleges were in session. However, they still found plenty of work to keep them busy in summer.
“We’re headed to spend the summer in Charleston, South Carolina. Summer jobs and tourists abound, and we have a unique case to solve.”
Patrick glanced up as Kim entered the room. She said nothing, only handed Thomas a bag.
“Unique as in…?” Logan cocked her head, tossing her ball between her hands.
Thomas reached into the bag Kim brought and pulled out a plastic-wrapped object. Looking around, he tossed it to Patrick.
Patrick caught it with ease and found a CD in an evidence bag. “Guitar Gus is the artist, and the album is Where I Am Today.”
Thomas nodded. “That’s a pirated CD. Here’s a real one.” He tossed a CD he had withdrawn from the bag and Patrick caught it.
He examined both and shook his head. “I can’t tell the difference between them.”
“There isn’t a lot on the surface you can see, but the one in the evidence bag is not the real thing. There are also pirated records of the same album.”
“How records are making a comeback, I’ll never understand,” Kate muttered.
“I don’t get it,” Patrick said, setting the CDs on his desk. “What’s so big about these and why are we looking into it?”
Thomas smiled. “I’m so glad you asked, Saint Patty. Last weekend there was a police chase that started in Charleston. It lasted for several miles and ended with the death of the driver, one Billy Adams, when he crashed into a concrete pylon.”
He paused as Kim brought a map up on their TV screen showing the route of the chase and a black dot marking the crash site.
“The police had spotted him as he was handing off some drugs inside the city, at the College of Charleston to be exact. When they opened up the back of the car, they found more drugs, pirated records, and pirated CDs. The man who was driving the car is a student at the University of North Carolina, lives in North Carolina, and had been in North Carolina earlier in the day. The police suspect he picked up the drugs and the pirated CDs in North Carolina and then drove them to Charleston. That means the case has crossed state lines and the local authorities are asking for us to help.”
Patrick looked back down at the records. “Who is this Guitar Gus?”
“You don’t know about him?” Logan asked, standing up as she caught her ball.
Patrick turned his attention toward her, grateful to see a smile on her lips and the sparkle back in her eyes.
“I watched a news story about him a couple of weeks ago. He’s a young man that’s become a big deal to Charleston. He’s a local singer and songwriter, singing songs about different places in the Charleston area. He has a Twitter account where he gives clues to where he is singing each day, and people try to find him. Like a treasure hunt.”
Patrick caught movement from Kate and saw her swiveling in her chair away from Logan and then rolling her eyes. Patrick was irritated but knew he couldn’t deal with that right now. He forced himself to focus on the case.
Thomas nodded, his tan fedora staying firmly in place. “He started doing that about three years ago, and his popularity grew quickly. At first, it was college students from the University of Charleston that followed his every move. Now, it has become a big deal for tourists to buy a record or CD, find Guitar Gus, and get him to sign it.”
“Some people travel to Charleston and spend their whole trip following him around,” Logan continued, sitting down, her ball making trips between her hand and the floor once again.
Patrick watched the ball for a moment and was distracted by the fact that Logan was wearing her FBI gun. She wasn’t able to wear it on their undercover cases and rarely wore it at other times. Patrick quickly put his hand to his mouth to cover a smile as a thought occurred to him: perhaps Logan had put it on as a warning to Kate.
“Is the pirated music affecting the legitimate sales?” Brian asked.
Thomas nodded. “Only two stores in the whole of Charleston are authorized to sell the music. According to the information that was provided to me, when Gus first produced the CD, he wasn’t well known in the area. Most stores wouldn’t sell it for him. Even though some larger stores have offered to carry the music now, he says he will only allow the stores that invested in him from the beginning to profit by him now.”
“Noble,” Brian said, nodding his head.
“Do you think that some stores may have become desperate to share in the profit and started making their own?” Kim asked.
Thomas shrugged. “At this point, there are a lot of theories we could come up with. One of mine is that Guitar Gus is helping to sell and distribute drugs and the pirated music. Even now that he is big, he doesn’t make much. He could easily be a drug distributor that most people wouldn’t think twice about because he’s known to move around. He could be benefiting from all the sales.”
“It could also be that the local drug runners are branching out,” Brian said, stretching his legs out and then crossing them at the ankles. “They could have decided that making copies of the music could be a great way to score extra cash from unsuspecting tourists.”
“Or they could be using selling the CDs and records as a front to distribute the drugs,” Logan offered. “Do we know where the copies are being sold?”
Thomas shook his head. “That’s why we’re going to need people in several different places to make this work.” He held up a stack of folders and then handed one to Kim. “I’ve arranged for you to work for Charleston code enforcement. This will give you access to just about anywhere we might need to check out with a surreptitious-entry warrant. You’ll also once again be in charge of the evidence and logistics, probably more so as I won’t be available.”
“Why not?” Brian asked, but was ignored.
Kim took the folder Thomas handed her, opened it, and then sat down at her desk.
“Ka
te and Brian, you’ll be tourists in Charleston. Your job will be to follow Gus and see either if he is connected to the drugs and pirating or if you can come up with something simply by being close to him. Of course, you are going to have the sweet jobs by being tourists.”
Kate and Brian both took their folders, but Patrick noticed Kate didn’t open hers.
“Which means you get a crumby job. What is it?” Brian asked like an annoying kid.
“Pink,” Thomas said, turning his back to Brian. Logan stopped her ball and gave Thomas her full attention. “We want you to find some of the places where kids hang out. The University of Charleston has summer school; find out where those students hang out and get a job there. The police said there were a few college-aged males that ran off when they started after the dealer from North Carolina. He also has a sister who is attending the summer classes for undergraduates, or Summer I, as they call it. We want to find out if there are connections there.”
“So why won’t you be available?” Brian persisted, folding a blank sheet of paper.
“Patrick, you’re now enrolled at the University of Charleston. You’re also twenty again according to your file. I envy you.”
Patrick stood and took the folder. He was curious to see the name they had chosen for him this time. Patrick Evans. He was glad he would be going by his own first name.
“Now are you going to tell us why you won’t be available?” Brian asked, picking up his completed paper airplane and launching it right at Thomas.
Thomas growled and batted the paper to the floor. “I’m venturing into the dark underbelly of Charleston with my old drug runner ID.”
“I guess Mr. Leo Brown will be getting out early on good behavior.” Brian retrieved his paper airplane. “You realize you’ll have to trade your hats for bandanas and wear those fake tattoos again?”
Kate raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Patrick guessed she had been as upset as Logan about their argument.
“Oh, and don’t forget he has to leave his nice clothes for T-shirts and jeans. Man, I had so much fun inventing that character,” Logan said brightly, trading in her black ball for a bright pink one and tossing it between her hands.
Thomas crossed his arms. “As much as it loathes me to bring back a character I was happy to see jailed, it seemed like Mr. Brown would be able to make more headway in a case involving drugs. Any questions?”
Patrick looked around, but no one said anything.
“Okay, you know the drill. You have the rest of the day to work out your new identities. Make sure to pack for hot weather and get to your plane on time. Charleston, here we come.”
Patrick glanced at Kate, but there was no enthusiasm or interest on her face. Something was wrong. Patrick wished she would allow him to help.
Assignment
Kate wavered for a few moments. She had read through her file but had only picked up on a few pertinent details. On her drive to the FBI building, she thought through her argument with Logan. This wasn’t the first time there had been friction between them, but this had been the worst.
She swallowed back her hesitation and moved forward.
“Thomas?” She folded her hands behind her back and lifted her chin, hoping it would give her the appearance of confidence as she stood in front of his desk.
Thomas looked up from Mr. Brown’s rap sheet. “Do you have a question?”
She nodded. “It isn’t about the case. It’s about my job.”
Thomas folded his hands in his lap and leaned back in his chair. “What about your job?”
“What would you think if I asked for a transfer?” Her heart pounded against her chest. She didn’t want to leave this team, but she also didn’t want to stay. They had become her friends when she had needed them most. Now they were causing pain and heartache. This wasn’t what she wanted. She couldn’t handle this pain.
Thomas shook his head. “I would say that would be a bad career move at this point. You still haven’t really proven yourself. You need more experience before you can think of moving to a different unit. Why?”
Kate shrugged and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her black slacks. “I’m not sure how much longer I can put up with all their…help.”
Thomas grunted. “Yeah, I picked them all because the files said they would be the best for this team. I didn’t realize I was getting a whole batch of religious people. What are the odds? Actually, I’ll tell you: one in a billion.”
Kate might count herself as a Christian, but for the moment, she felt she had more in common with Thomas. “How do you deal with them?”
“First, I won’t live with any of them. I limit the time I’m with them outside the office to a minimum. I work with these people, and we get along fine, but they’re not my friends. Secondly, I tell them to get out of my life when they try to get in. They may have a lot of issues, but when I tell them to back off, they do. My advice to you is to get your own apartment and tell them to mind their own business.”
Kate nodded. “I guess that’s what I need to do.”
“If you still want a transfer after this case, that’s fine. Of course, you’re technically in Witness Protection. If you want to leave the FBI, I think another identity could be found for you.”
Kate looked out the window that overlooked the parking lot. There wasn’t much to see, but she had a lot to think about.
“Make your decision if you want to leave the team after this case. I’ll do all I can to assist you.” Thomas turned his attention back to his file, closing the conversation.
Kate returned to her desk and sat down. His offer of help should have her feeling better; instead she felt worse. She looked out the window again. How she wished she could run and clear her mind. Running would help her cope with the lingering feelings of anger from this morning’s argument.
She shook herself. She was being paid to do a job at the FBI. She would have to put her personal issues aside for now. She could do that easily enough. She had plenty of practice.
Her gaze returned to the folder. Her eyes snagged on a fact. She reread it to make sure she was right.
“Thomas?”
Thomas swiveled around toward her, but he didn’t look pleased.
“I don’t think Brian and I should…”
Thomas cut her off with a wave of his hand. “If you have an issue with it, talk with Brian. He’ll be downstairs in the cafeteria.”
Kate stood up, taking her file with her. She made her way to the cafeteria and found Brian sitting in a corner, his laptop and file opened side by side. She swallowed. She wished Patrick was the one she had been teamed with. Not that she wanted to spend time with him, but he was easier to talk to. Despite his nickname and boyish looks, she found Brian intimidating. He was someone that many members of the team looked up to for wisdom.
She straightened and pulled her shoulders back. “May I join you?”
Brian lifted his gaze from his laptop. His wide, youthful smile was inviting. “I was wondering how long it would take you to come here.”
Kate cocked her head as she took her seat. “You knew I would be coming?”
Brian nodded. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you wanted to know about us being paired. I knew Thomas wouldn’t give you the answers you wanted.” He winked.
Kate’s gaze dropped down to her folded hands. “I’m not sure what will be expected of me in playing your sister.” It sounded like a stupid concern now that she had voiced it. She noticed two of her nails had ragged edges.
“Is it because you are uncomfortable around me or because I’m married?”
Kate pressed her lips together and kept her eyes down. It was both, but how could she tell him that? He had been nothing but kind to her. “Because you’re married.” She lifted her gaze to gauge his reaction.
Brian nodded. “You don’t have to feel guilty for having concerns. I have more respect for female coworkers who struggle with how things might look than those who don’t care at all.”
“First, let me tell you what it won’t entail,” Brian said as he closed his laptop. “It won’t mean physical contact or you being placed in awkward situations.”
“What does Jamie think of this type of thing?”
“Jamie, by the very nature of my work, can’t know everything my job entails,” Brian said seriously, his usual smile nowhere to be seen. “She trusts me, and I refuse to do anything that might hurt that trust. My rule is that I always act as if Jamie were standing in the room. If I wouldn’t want to do it while she was watching, then I won’t. My marriage is more important to me than catching the bad guys.”
Kate shifted in her seat. “Thanks for clarifying. I guess it could be worse. At least they don’t have us playing a boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Brian didn’t smile; his grave expression made him look closer to his real age. “It doesn’t matter what role they ask me to play, my response is the same. I might not get much of a say in the roles I play, but I always get a choice in how I respond.”
That didn’t mean it wouldn’t be an awkward role to play. Kate hoped she and Brian would never be put in that situation.
A smile tugged at the corner of Brian’s lips. His features returned to their youthful appearance. “Besides, physical contact can be easily avoided. I’ve found the best way to convince people of a relationship that doesn’t exist is to look at someone adoringly and giggle a lot.” Brian giggled to demonstrate.
Kate couldn’t help but crack a smile. “I think you had better leave the giggling to the girl.”
He winked, a mischievous sparkle in his eye. “If you say so.”
She took a deep breath and folded her hands on top of the table. “I’m glad we don’t have to play those roles. I wouldn’t know how to act.”
Brian leaned back in his chair and smiled. “How did you act around your last boyfriend?”
“I’ve had a couple of dates to some parties in my teens, but I’ve never really had a boyfriend. My dad was pretty strict about that when I was growing up. I decided when I was in college it would be better not to have one.”