Page 101 of Paths
“We warned her when we were there yesterday.” He looks at me and raises a brow. “I can’t say more, but I know for a fact her security is good. They know the threat is real.”
I look back to the senior MacLachlan as he sits with his arms crossed. He just invoked his Miranda rights and is waiting on his attorney.
I glance at my watch. “I’m wasting my fucking time here. If you have the body, there’s no need for me to stick around. The plane leaves in twenty and I want to be on it. We’ll be on the ground in Virginia in no time. Let me do my fucking job and finish this.”
Bennett looks to me and shakes his head. “You had a good run and you’re a good agent, but you know what this means, right?”
I’m pissed I couldn’t do more. Still, I’m not a good agent, I’m a fucking great one. I know exactly what’s gotta happen, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it, so I growl, “I know. Now let me finish this in Virginia before I have to move on.”
He ignores my demand. “You’re not gonna get to choose where you go.”
I exhale, because I didn’t know that. That pisses me off. Just for that, he better let me finish this. “Dammit, Bennett. I’ve gotta be on that plane. The clock is ticking. You gonna let me go or am I gonna go against orders? Either way, I’m taking down Weston MacLachlan.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t fuck it up, Eli.”
Finally.
I smirk. “I’m a good agent, remember? I deserve one more hurrah before you send me off to Timbuktu.”
He looks to the one-way glass and crosses his arms. “I’ve heard the word Texas mentioned, not quite Timbuktu. I’ll still miss you, even though you’re a pain in my ass at times.”
I don’t waste a moment. I need to grab my bag and make it to the plane.
“Pettit,” he calls, and I stop, frustrated. He narrows his eyes on me and lowers his voice when he stresses, “I want that little fucker alive. Now that we have him for multiple charges of capital murder, I want his ass rotting in a cell for consecutive sentences. Get it done fast, I’m ready to wrap this up.”
I say nothing but nod. After months of dealing with the MacLachlans, I’m ready to wrap this shit up, too.
*****
Grady –
Rolling Hills Ranch, hours later…
“Most of the Buffalo crew is in custody, including your dinner buddy, Ronald MacLachlan.”
As I listen to Asa brief me over the phone, I watch Maya from across the room. She was leading Bingo, but now she’s dancing around with the residents doing the Chicken Dance, of all fucking things. I’m not sure if it’s the news that the MacLachlans are out of business or watching my fiancée shake her ass with the old ladies, but one of the two makes me smile.
That is until she moves to Foxy and he rubs his old ass against hers. That’s enough to wipe the smile right off my face.
“Did you hear me? And what the hell’s going on there?” Asa asks.
“Yeah, sorry. I heard you. They’re dancing. It’s good for their circulation.” I turn away before I’m forced to watch Foxy go in for the bump and grind. “Won’t be very many more years until you’ll be moving in here.”
“I’m only forty, jackass,” he bites out before moving back to the topic at hand. “They have an eyewitness—Weston’s the one who killed Byron Murray.”
“No shit?”
“Yep. When they find him, he’ll be charged with first degree at the very least. Who knows what else they’ve got racked up on him. Agents from New York, along with some from the Northern Virginia office, are in the area. I know you are, but be on the lookout,” Asa warns.
“I am. I’m not even leaving her on her own in the tasting room.”
The music ends and Maya returns to the front of the room for more Bingo. I take my seat next to Miss Lillian Rose and grab a new card off the stack being passed around the room.
“I wanted to update you,” he finishes. “If you need anything, call.”
I hang up and slide my phone back into my pocket.
“I can’t believe you and our little Maya are engaged.” Miss Lillian Rose smiles at me. “Have you set a date? Will we be invited?”
