by G. K. Parks
“Then it’s a good thing I’m here.”
“Why are you here?”
“You called and asked for my help, remember? And the great Alexis Parker never asks for help, so I knew you must be in real trouble.”
“I didn’t ask you to hop on the first flight out.”
“It wasn’t the first flight.”
“You shouldn’t be here. The city’s a dangerous place, especially for FBI agents. Remember Francisco Steele? He’s killing agents. I just haven’t figured out how.”
“Well, unless you pulled a badge out of a crackerjack box since the last time we spoke, you need me here. So quit bitching and say thank you.”
“Careful, boy scout, it sounds like you’re looking to break some rules. If you keep this up, they’ll take away your merit badges. Maybe more than that. You don’t want to follow me down that rabbit hole. Private security is too gray an area for you.”
“Aww, Parker, I never knew you cared,” he mocked. “Plus, I’m not officially here. I took some personal time and thought I’d volunteer to help. With Jablonsky out of commission and the Bureau treating you like persona non grata, you need my help.”
“You can help from a distance. Steele’s on the warpath. You need to go back to D.C. Your wife and kid don’t need to lose a husband and father.”
“The Marshals moved them to an undisclosed location and are keeping a close eye on them,” Lucca said. “That’s why I didn’t leave the moment you called. I had to take care of them first. They’re okay for now. But we have to find whoever’s responsible, or they’ll never be safe. None of us will.”
“Did Steele contact you too?” I asked, realizing I never called Lucca with the update that I’d promised.
“No, but Kendall did. He released a list of potential targets. My name’s on it, just like every other agent who worked the case, but since you and I used to be partners, Kendall figures Steele will send someone after me or my family next. Based on the intel we have, I don’t disagree.”
“Neither do I, which is why you should be at home with your family. I told you I don’t want to be responsible for your untimely death. You were lucky to have escaped unscathed the first time we worked together. You shouldn’t tempt fate again. I’m sorry I called. I don’t have many friends left with access to the reports and files.”
Lucca tried not to grin. “I always knew we were friends.”
“Only in the broadest sense of the word.”
“Regardless, this is our mess. We made it together. We clean it up together.” He jerked his chin toward the nurse’s station. “Do you need to tell your babysitter you’re leaving?”
“Babysitter?” I turned to see Martin watching our exchange and waved him over. “Eddie Lucca, meet James Martin.”
Recognition dawned on Lucca’s face. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Likewise,” Martin said, “though not under these conditions. I thought you transferred to D.C.”
“I’m just here to help out,” Lucca said. “Alex called, so here I am. What choice did I have? It’s not like she understands the word no.”
Martin grinned. “Glad it’s not just me.”
“Boys, I’m standing right here. And for the record, I’m tired and pissed.” I gave Lucca a look. “And don’t start that shit. I told you to go home. You’re the one who’s incapable of listening.”
“At least I follow orders.”
“Does Kendall know you’re here or why you’re here?” I challenged. “I doubt he’d see this as you following orders. You’re going to lose your job over this. Go home, Eddie.”
“Not a chance.” Lucca looked at his watch. “We need to get moving. Are you ready?”
“I guess. I just hope you know what you’re doing.” I turned to Martin. “Call me if anything changes. I’ll get back here as soon as possible.”
“I will, sweetheart.” He gave me a peck on the cheek and whispered in my ear, “It’s nice to know you talk about me to your friends.” He pulled away, a self-satisfied grin on his face. Despite the circumstances, Martin always handled meeting new people with poise and charm. “Just be careful. Both of you.” He nodded to Lucca.
“Will do,” Lucca said. “I’ll make sure she comes back in one piece.”
“Thank you.” Martin shook Lucca’s hand.
I stepped into the elevator beside Lucca. “I take it you have a plan, boy scout.”
“Isn’t that part of the code?”
“It’s five a.m. I’ve barely slept in the last two days. And I’m about as emotionally drained as humanly possible, so it isn’t wise to piss me off.”
“It never was,” Lucca said.
“Yet, you do it all the time.”
“Fine, I’ll tell you my plan. And then you can tell me if it’s the same as yours. We head to the prison and speak to Steele.”
“Sounds good, but what if he doesn’t want to see me?”
“It doesn’t matter. I have a badge. He has to see me, and since you just so happened to tag along, I guess that means he has to see you too. See how simple that is?”
I chuckled. “I guess so.” And had I not been so exhausted, I would have realized it before asking such an asinine question.
The elevator doors opened, and Lucca glanced at me from the corner of his eye. “We haven’t talked much since my transfer back to D.C. But for what it’s worth, the Bureau lost a good agent.”
“I’m surprised to hear you say that. Cooper’s death hit us all hard, but you led the investigation to find the mole at the OIO. I didn’t think you still considered him a good agent.”
“Not Cooper.” We exited the hospital and strode toward the parking lot. Lucca clicked the unlock on the fob, causing the lights to flash on his rental car. “I meant you.”
“You know I wanted out. I just didn’t realize my time served would come back to bite us in the ass. Kendall won’t temporarily reinstate me. He won’t even tell me what’s going on. I have no idea what kind of progress they’ve made. I’m working with the PD, but I don’t think Kendall’s sharing much intel with them either. You have access to the records, evidence collection, old reports, files, databases. You know more about what’s going on from the Bureau’s side of things than I do.”
Lucca stared over the roof of the car, noting the men who followed us out of the hospital. “Are those friends of yours?”
“Just give me a minute.” I called off the Cross Security team, promising to personally clear it with the boss as soon as he got to the office. Then I climbed into the passenger seat of Lucca’s rental. “Ready.”
During the drive, we went over the case. We spoke about the original investigation into the KXDs, Bard, and Francisco Steele, and then we discussed the two more recent crime scenes. Lucca had barely been briefed. For the moment, I possessed more information about the unknown assailant. But he had more details about the cartel and the gang’s other out-of-state affiliates.
“The cartel has hitters, but they wouldn’t seek revenge. If I’m wrong and the unsub is working for them, then Steele’s calls are just distraction tactics to keep our eye off the ball,” Lucca said.
“I don’t think Steele would agree to that. After we arrested him, he flipped on everyone except Bard. That’s the only person he’s loyal to. He wouldn’t put his ass on the line for anyone else.”
“Any idea why he suddenly decided to get revenge?” Lucca asked. “He’s already spent over eighteen months in prison. According to what I’ve seen, he’s been a model inmate. He got a sweetheart deal, a reduced sentence, and if he stays out of trouble, he’ll be breathing fresh air a lot sooner than he deserves. Why would he jeopardize it now?”
“I don’t know. He’s crazy. Irrational. He goes after what he wants, when he wants it. He has poor impulse control.” I thought about that one evening in Steele’s apartment, shuddering at the thought of what might have happened had the phone not interrupted Steele from taking exactly what he wanted from me.
“But he has
a firm sense of self-preservation.”
“So he’ll do just about anything to save himself. That doesn’t explain why he’s killing federal agents.”
“Maybe he figures this is the best time to get what he wants. After all, he has an airtight alibi.”
“I don’t know,” I hedged. “We’re missing something. Maybe something happened that set him off.”
“Could be.”
“Davis told me Jablonsky opened an investigation into drug activity and possible cartel connections in the city. The KXDs were just a local gang, but they got their raw materials directly from the source. Do you think that’s what set everything in motion?”
“It all depends on who’s orchestrating the hits, but my money’s on Steele.”
“Mine too.”
Lucca looked at me until I met his eyes. Then he turned his attention back to the road. “For all intents and purposes, Francisco Steele thought he owned Alexia Nicholson. He controlled where she worked, how much she worked, if she turned tricks on the side, if she got high, and where she scored.”
“I never turned any tricks,” I snapped.
“That’s semantics. As sexist and disgusting as it is, he believed he had power over you. That’s why he tested you and put you into those terrible situations. And you weren’t in a position to say no. You had to deliver.”
“I also raided the KXD facilities and arrested his ass.”
Lucca pointed at me but kept his eyes on the road. “And that’s what nearly destroyed him. Steele’s not a man who gives up power or control. He allowed Bard to have power over him, but no one else in the gang did. Prisons are different. Inmates control one another. There’s an entire hierarchical system within, but typically, the warden, the COs, they’re the top dogs.”
“Steele wouldn’t like that.”
“No, he wouldn’t, which is why he’s acting out. He needs to take back control.”
“That’s why he’s targeting us.”
“You, specifically. But yes, that’s why he’s targeting anyone who participated in his demise.” Lucca had always been a better analyst than field agent. Though, I had no intention of telling him that. “We just have to find out how he’s pulling it off.”
Lucca drove up to the gate, handed his credentials to the guard, and was directed where to park. He pulled the car into an empty space and let out a breath, watching the first rays of sunshine brighten the horizon. He placed his gun in the center console and shut the lid, seeing no reason to take it inside where it would be held by the guards on duty.
After checking to make sure he had his credentials and the necessary paperwork, he tapped the digital clock on the dash with his finger. “What do you think prisoners do at seven a.m.? Eat breakfast? Shower? Play hide the soap?”
“I don’t know. We should go inside and find out.”
Fourteen
Lucca and I waited inside a secure room for the guards to deliver Steele to us. I looked around at the security measures in place, feeling antsy and trapped. Wire and thick metal bars covered the small window. Decidedly, I didn’t like prisons.
The door buzzed, and I turned, watching two guards escort a shackled man in a prison jumpsuit inside. The prisoner took a seat at the table and stared up at us while one of the guards secured the bindings and the other stood in front of the door. The prisoner looked up at me, smiled, the sun glinting off one silver tooth, and made a kissy face.
“Who the hell is this?” I asked.
The guard finished what he was doing and looked up. “The inmate you requested to speak to. This is Francisco Steele.”
“No, it isn’t,” I said.
The guard looked at me like I was crazy and turned to Lucca, figuring the two of them could band together against the insane woman. Lucca stared at the prisoner for a long time. “Where’s Francisco Steele?”
“I am Steele,” the prisoner replied, keeping his eyes glued to me.
“See, this is Steele,” the guard said again.
“In that case, you have a big problem,” Lucca said. “I suggest you double-check.”
“All right,” the guard said, “wait here. If you have any problems…”
“Yeah, we know,” I said.
Again, the guards went over the rules regarding our interactions with the prisoner. I tuned them out. Lucca liked rules. He could pay attention, if he felt so inclined. I took a seat across from the inmate. The numbers on his jumpsuit matched the inmate number assigned to Steele. In fact, the two did share an uncanny resemblance. They were roughly the same height and weight and had the same hair color, eye color, and skin tone. Even their faces were similarly shaped. But they weren’t the same. The unruly facial hair masked the more obvious differences. I didn’t know where Steele was, but having a doppelganger take his place must have been part of his plan.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“You don’t recognize me, chica?”
I bristled, recalling Steele’s pet name for me. “Where is he? He obviously told you to expect us. What else did he tell you?”
The prisoner chuckled before falling silent.
Lucca sat down beside me. “It won’t take long to figure out who you really are, so why don’t you go ahead and tell us why you took his place? Where’s Steele?”
The prisoner didn’t break. “I knew you’d come. I wondered why you didn’t pay me a visit sooner, chica. We had such a great time together.” Again, he made the same annoying kissy face, and I thought about knocking out the rest of his teeth so they’d all be silver.
Instead, I fought to keep my temper in check. “Did you? Do you even know who I am or what I’m going to do to you if you don’t tell me where Francisco is?”
He snorted. Of course he knew my name, I’d called in my request prior to the visit, but he seemed familiar. Maybe we had a prior run-in. “You can’t do shit to me. You’re not a cop or a Fed. You’re no one. And you have nothing on me.” His gaze wandered over what little of me he could see. “I preferred you in the bikini top and the tiny sequined boyshorts. You sure as shit weren’t much of a stripper, but memories of your lap dances still keep me warm at night.”
Lucca glanced at me, probably afraid the prison guards would have to tear me off of the Francisco Steele impersonator. But I kept my cool. The more this asshole talked, the more likely he was to let something slip.
“Oh yeah, you liked that, huh? Maybe I should give you an encore performance right here. What was the name of that titty bar? I forget.”
“The Black Cat.” The prisoner leaned back. “Cheap brews and cheaper whores.” He winked at Lucca. “You ever tap that ass? She’s a real firecracker.”
“Watch your mouth,” Lucca warned.
The prisoner laughed. “Did she ever tell you about the night in my apartment? Or the handy in the car on the way back from the club? Bet those things didn’t make it into the official report.” The chains clanged as he made air quotes around official. “I bet if they came to light, you would have been discredited and I wouldn’t be here right now.” He glanced at Lucca. “Is that why she doesn’t have a badge anymore? Because of misconduct?”
I couldn’t figure out why this asshole was determined to prove he was Steele. I wouldn’t fall for it, and neither would Lucca. Perhaps this was an attempt to discredit me in front of my former partner or make me question my sanity. But Lucca knew exactly what Steele looked like. He even testified against him in court, except this guy didn’t know that.
“Francisco didn’t tell you I’d be bringing a friend, did he?” I asked.
“I am Francisco,” he spat.
“At best, you’re a poor excuse. Francisco’s smart and ruthless. And he holds grudges. He wouldn’t forget the agents who testified against him.”
“I am Francisco,” he bellowed.
“So tell me, Mr. Steele,” I jerked my chin toward Lucca, “what’s his name?”
“I don’t remember. There were too many of you. All you suits look alike.”
; I gave him an evil grin. “Fine. In that case, why don’t you tell my buddy here exactly what happened in your apartment? Don’t be shy. I put the entire play-by-play in my report. I’m sure you ought to remember that. After all, you brought it up.” I wasn’t sure where I was going with this, but I’d do anything to get him to crack and tell me where Steele was.
“I don’t kiss and tell, chica.”
“We didn’t kiss,” I said.
“Maybe not, but you let me fuck you every which way.” The prisoner stared defiantly at me. “And you begged for more.”
I pushed away from the chair. “Is that what Francisco told you?”
“That’s what happened.” He made the kissy face again, and I shoved against the table, but it didn’t budge on account of the bolts anchoring it to the floor.
“Alex, don’t,” Lucca warned. Before he could say anything else, the guards returned with a manifest. “Well?” Lucca stared at them expectantly.
“This is Francisco Steele.” The guard handed Lucca the paperwork, complete with Steele’s mugshot. “You’re looking right at him.”
“If this is Steele, what happened to his tooth?” Lucca asked. “Francisco Steele doesn’t have a silver tooth, at least he didn’t the last time I saw him.” The guard shrugged, which was the least helpful thing he could possibly do. “Do you have a fingerprint scanner?”
“I think so,” the guard said.
“Get it,” I urged.
“Ma’am, I don’t think–”
“That’s right. You don’t think,” I said, exasperated. “And you don’t want to think one of your inmate’s isn’t who he’s supposed to be because that means someone screwed up. But this isn’t Steele, so you need to fix it. Now get the damn scanner.”
“Please,” Lucca said, though his please didn’t sound particularly friendly.
The guard mumbled something under his breath but agreed after Lucca threatened to have his boss call a few higher-ups in the BOP and have them sort this out instead. Again, we waited. This time, another prison guard remained in the room, but he didn’t speak to us and we didn’t speak to him.