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She laid her other hand over their joined ones. “There’s my hero. Unfortunately, no. The blood loss… I don’t remember it clearly enough to place it, just that I was sure I knew the person. Either way, I’ll recognize him.”
He nodded, slowing down to take some small nondescript road off to their right. “Don’t get me wrong, but isn’t this a job for the DEA’s special ops team? Don’t they want this bastard caught?”
“Oh, I’ve tried. Spent the past month begging every senior officer I could track down to let me go back in with a team — find the fucker. But no one believes me. They all claim it was just my brain’s way of making sense of the loss. That they did a thorough investigation, and they couldn’t find any trace of a mole. Even Rogers insisted the remaining agents were clean. That I must have gotten this incident mixed up with something else. That he’d been keeping tabs on me the entire time, and we were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught in the middle of a drug gang war.”
“But you don’t believe that.”
It hadn’t been a question, and Callie simply shook her head. “If it was a gang war, why were we the only casualties?”
“So, this lack of faith from your agency is why you’re going back alone.”
“I’m not alone. I have you. And, before you ask…” She pulled out a burner cell from her pocket. “Yes, my current boss in Florida — Ted Higgins — is aware of what I’m doing. Well, mostly aware. I didn’t tell him your name, or who you worked for, just that I knew someone who could get me back to that piece-of-shit shack on the down low. He’s given me a very short leash. I’m supposed to observe and report, only. Keep him up-to-date of my whereabouts, then call him if I unearth any kind of evidence so he can send in a sanctioned team.”
“But, you don’t plan on standing down.”
“Let’s just say I’m leaving my options open.”
“Sounds reasonable. So, why the big secrecy?”
She glanced away for a moment, staring out the window at the rain puddling on the road. “I guess I didn’t want to give you any reason to say no.”
“Why on earth would I say no?” He sighed when she looked back at him. “You were worried I wouldn’t believe you, either.”
“Even my office shrink thinks I’m crazy.”
“That’s because they don’t know you like I do. If you say some dick agent set up your team, then we’ll hunt the bastard down. Just, try to give me some warning before you go allBlack Widowout there. So I don’t look like a complete pansy when you do all the heavy lifting.”
She was staring. She knew she was, most likely with her mouth slightly open. Maybe some drool dripping down one side.
Callie wiped at her face, thankful it was dry then just shook her head because the guy was nuts. Certifiably crazy to trust her with nothing more than her word. Especially when no one else had even considered it. Which only made those lingering doubts she’d had seem foolish because Booker Hayes was definitely one of the last true warriors.
She nodded, turning to look out the window, again, hoping he hadn’t noticed the tears pooling in her eyes. How close to the edge she was, and all because he’d given her the benefit of the doubt. Traveled a few thousand miles on the hopes the mission was justified.
That she wasn’t playing him.
“I’ll do my best.”
“Good, because whatever crappy hanger Charlie’s sending us to is just around that next bend. And I have a feeling we don’t want to waste any time.”
“Awwww, don’t worry, Booker. I’ve got your back if more bad guys show up.”
“Wasn’t worried about you having my back. More that those bad guys will bring a bunch of friends with bigger guns.”
“You’re really something, you know that?”
“Funny, Kirby said the same damn thing at that bar, which I’m sure you overheard, since you were shadowing me. But I’m hoping your meaning is slightly different.”
“I only got snippets. You were too vigilant to get that close. Are she and Wyatt stillkeeping it casual?”
He laughed. “Yup. I’ve been listening to Wyatt go on about how it’snothing seriousfor several years, now. I’m still hopeful they’ll eventually figure it out.”
“I think Kirby already has, she just needs to believe in it. From the few conversations we’ve had, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one with trust issues. Which reminds me, in case I don’t get a chance later… Thank you. You really didn’t have to come.”
“And miss a chance to show you how awesome I am? I don’t think so, sweetheart.” He smiled at her. “And you’re welcome.”
“Let’s just hope you’re half as awesome as I remember, because this isn’t going to be easy.”
“Easy’s overrated.”