Why hasn’t anyone come for me yet? Rover should have called Stormy by now. Unless Rover was at some woman’s house last night. Then he likely wouldn’t answer his phone.
Fuck. I’m probably stuck here for a while. It isn’t bad compared to some of the shitholes I’ve been stuck in while in the service.
When a door slams shut nearby, I stand and go to the cell door.
“Cody Anthony.”
A familiar FBI agent in a suit walks toward my cell, followed by an officer. The officer unlocks it, and Agent Carter waves for me to follow him.
Why is he here?
He leads me to a room and closes the door. “Please sit down,” he says.
I oblige. “Agent Carter. To what do I owe this surprise?”
“Actually, it’s Assistant Director in Charge.” He gives me a cheeky grin.
I worked with Agent Carter and two other FBI agents on my last assignment in Fisher Springs.
“I was surprised to see you still in Washington state,” he tells me. “But then I did a little research and discovered you’re from here.”
“I am.”
Carter sets his briefcase on the table then pulls a file from it as he sits down. “It appears your case and my case have intersected.”
“How so?”
“Look, I know you didn’t kill Randy, but someone is trying to make it look like you did. And I think that someone is the same person I’ve been after for the last few months.”
“Who is that?” I demand.
“Lawrence Gardiner.”
I knew it. I lean back and wait for Carter to continue.
Instead, he stares at me and furrows his brow. “You’re not surprised.”
“Surprised? No. But I am curious what exactly your case is about. That man is the father of the woman I love, and he’s dead set against us being together.”
“You have a personal beef with him, then?”
I crack my neck, still stiff from sleeping on the bench. “He’s the one with beef. I just want him to leave us alone. Lucy has made it clear to her father that she doesn’t want him controlling her life.”
“And you’re involved with Lucy Gardiner.”
“It’s Lucy Taylor, and yes I am.”
“What do you think of her father?”
I laugh. “You said yourself he’s trying to frame me for murder. I think you can guess we’re not friends.”
I scan the walls of the room. There’s a video camera in the corner, but I’m certain it isn’t turned on. Something tells me Carter didn’t want this conversation recorded. You never know who is in Lawrence Gardiner’s back pocket, and I’m guessing a few officers on this force are.
“I’m surprised you’re here and not one of your agents,” I admit. “It’s rare for the Assistant Director to do fieldwork, isn’t it?”
Carter laughs. “You know how the FBI works?”
I shrug. “I’ve worked with a lot of agencies as a SEAL.”
