“I’d like you both to meet FBI Special Agent Carly Stevens.”
The woman extends her hand, and we take turns shaking it. She appears young, in her twenties, with dark hair that’s pulled back. She’s in a black pantsuit and gives an air of seriousness. She reminds me of CIA Agent Harding, whom we occasionally work with.
“Agent Stevens needs our assistance on a local assignment. I’ll let her tell you all about it.” Reed motions to Stevens.
Stevens moves a stray hair behind her ear before she begins. “We received an anonymous tip about weapons being held and possibly sold illegally. A lot of weapons. We believe they are coming in on ships and being stored in a warehouse down by the docks.”
“Anonymous tip?” Durango asks.
She pulls out a paper from the folder on her lap and hands it to him. “We have a website where anyone can anonymously send in a tip.”
“What kind of weapons?” I ask.
“We believe it’s guns.”
Durango hands me the sheet. It appears to be a printoutof the online form. The person wrote, “I’m pretty sure Robert is doing something illegal because he has no reason to have guns.”
I toss the paper onto Reed’s desk. “Why us? Why not use other FBI agents?”
Stevens glances at Reed, then back at us. “Because this involves the cartel. The other agents in my office pissed them off recently. I’m assured you haven’t.”
I groan but then cough to cover it up. The cartel is not my favorite group to deal with for many reasons.
“The tip states a man named Robert Kuffel is storing a lot of weapons at a warehouse he owns here in New York near the docks. A background check shows he’s not a gun dealer, nor does he have any reason to have a lot of guns. He’s a real estate broker. We believe these are stolen, and he is storing them temporarily for someone in the cartel.”
Robert Kuffel? Savvy’s boss?
“Did you say Robert Kuffel?” I ask.
“Yes.” Stevens turns to me. “Do you know him?”
“The woman who was with me in the explosion? He’s her boss.”
Stevens glances at Reed. “Explosion?”
I fill her in about what happened.
“I spoke to an officer this morning. He stated they don’t believe Clinton was the target and that Savvy was,” Reed says.
“Did they say why?” I ask.
“Because Clinton Jones does not exist. Apparently, the man used a fake name, and the police believe he’s possibly a suspect.”
Savvy was the target? I’m relieved she agreed to stay with Maria.
“That might be a coincidence, but I’ll have someone look into it just in case. What is Savvy’s full name?” Stevens asks.
“She’s not involved,” I say.
Stevens arches a brow. “You’re certain?”
“Yes.” My gut is certain, but I do want to talk to Savvy and find out what she knows.
“But someone tried to kill her? You think that’s a coincidence?” Stevens asks.
I really don’t know. “I’ll call her after this meeting. She’s in hiding now.”
“Okay, I’m willing to go to her.” Stevens turns her attention back to the assignment.
