An hour later, Athena bumped into Assistant Special Agent in Charge Duncan McCulloch in the hallway. “Much obliged for the assist,” he said. “This was my day off, or I’d have gotten the call instead of you. I’ve been after these guys all summer.”
She considered the older man with his bald spot encircled by graying hair and the caterpillar mustache on his face. Retrieving a white handkerchief, he polished his glasses while she gave a polite response.
“You’re quite welcome. We lucked up when the cleaning woman called in the disturbance.”
“Well, tell your guys they did a smash-up job, and I’ll take it from here.” He smiled and patted her upper arm.
A sharp tension ran through Athena as she gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to lash out at his chauvinism. “I can’t do that, McCulloch.”
His eyes rounded in surprise, and his feeble jaw dropped an inch.
“We just cut a deal with Bennie Baylock, and he gave us a world of information you need to close the entire cryptocurrency theft ring. I can’t have you ruin my reputation by denying him the arrangements we promised. However, I’d be more than happy to work with you to bring down the sophisticated ring that’s been perpetrating these crimes.”
A sly smile curled on Athena’s painted lips as a surge of satisfaction ran through her.
“Well, yes, of course,” McCulloch backpedaled. “I didn’t mean to diminish your role and would certainly never negate a deal you’d made. I only meant—”
“But of course.” Athena flashed him a triumphant grin and spun on her high heel. “I’ll see you at eight-fifteen tomorrow to compare notes and plot the takedown of the gang leader. Good night.”
Chapter 5
Athena felt like celebrating the day’s victories, except the woman she wanted to celebrate with was two time zones away. After buckling herself into the driver’s seat of her blue Lexus, she glanced at her phone, spotting a message from her friend Cam.
Are you surviving without your personal first responder to give you CPR?
She smirked, huffing a laugh at the question, and typed a reply.If it wasn’t for my personal first responder, I wouldn’t need CPR.She started the engine, its quiet hum a reminder of the privilege she’d been born into. Then her phone beeped again.
Me and a couple of buddies are on our way to Pistolero’s for drinks and nachos. Come! That’s an order.
Athena pushed Cam’s phone number.
“Yo.” Cam’s tenor voice rang through the car speakers as Athena checked her rearview before backing out.
“You know I don’t take orders. Are you already soused? You’d better not be driving.”
“Neither one, but, hey—I got you to call me.”
Athena could picture the grin she heard from the stocky butch woman, probably wearing a checkered button-up with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, her graying comb-over gelled in place, and a snarky twinkle in her amber eyes. Camilla Davis had been the first woman Athena had met after moving to Houston, and, while they’d failed as lovers, they’d succeeded as good friends, despite Athena’s habit of losing herself in work.
“Flash doesn’t want you sitting alone in that dismal apartment worrying if she’s the marshmallow at a BBQ,” quipped Cam.
“You’re the one whose goose will be cooked when I get there for even suggesting such a thing,” Athena retorted. “You’re in luck, because I feel like a party after my wins today. Save me a seat.”
“Consider it done!” Cam clicked off, and Athena wondered how many “buddies” she’d have to share Cam with. To be honest, she wanted to bounce her concerns off her friend to see what she thought, and she didn’t want to spill her guts to a bunch of strangers or acquaintances. Practice runs of how to word everything looped through her mind on the drive to Pistolero’s.
A friendly face smiled while a meaty white arm waved at Athena from the patio seating area. Pleasant aromas of lime and grilled meat filled the air, which had cooled to an ideal temperature after an oppressive day. Summer hung on in Southeast Texas until Halloween or longer, followed by a brief, comfortable fall and a short, cool winter. Swimming was practically a year-round activity, as was consuming ice cream and chilled beverages.
Athena returned the smile, too conservative to add the wave, and laced her way around to a table where three women in their forties or early fifties sat with frosty drinks and a platter of nachos.
“Good evening,” Athena greeted them, sliding into the empty chair beside Cam.
Wrapping a muscled arm around Athena’s shoulders, Cam gave her a squeeze. “You remember Courtney and Jodi, don’t you?” A lean woman with black hair and a deep tan waved, followed by a grin from the more full-figured one, her ash-colored hair held back in a rainbow headband. Athena, for the life of her, couldn’t remember meeting either one of them before.
“Nice to see y’all,” she responded.
“What’s it like to date a firefighter?” asked the buxom woman, before sticking a straw in her mouth and slurping up something sweet.
“Courtney!” Cam scolded, narrowing her brows in reprimand. “I told you two not to hammer Athena with silly questions.”
