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“That is by design,” she said. “What is it you want to know? I will do my best to tell you what I can.”
Samuel paused and looked at Baruti, who gestured for Samuel to continue. “What is your objective?”
“Our joint task force is off-the-books. You understand I must be circumspect?”
“I do.”
“There is an insidious intelligence threat. Our aim is to root it out, stop it, and destroy it, if possible. We currently do not have a partnership with the FBI on this…”
Samuel and Baruti stared at each other.
They were two Black men in the FBI. They hadn’t gotten here without having to fight for their spot. Things didn’t just get handed to them. Not without reasons.
“We’ll have to think about this,” Samuel said. “Can you send me any details you’re free to share?”
“I can. And it’s done. I hope you join us, Mr. Jenkins.”
“I’ll be in contact.” He ended the call as Baruti whistled. “What is it?”
“She’s Black.” Baruti waved his phone, showing off an employee picture of one Zora Clark.
“I might be more inclined to trust her, but we need to consider Kelsey first. She’s out there. She hasn’t made contact in days. I’m worried, man, and I don’t want her to get lost in whatever this is.”
Baruti set the phone aside. “I hear you. I hear you. I’m with you.”
“And will we still be invited to the party if they know more about us?” Samuel asked pointedly.
“You mean, would they still invite us if they knew I was gay and married?” Baruti snorted and shook his head. “Ask me if I care…”
“Think about your family.”
“I’m thinking about Kelsey and what’s best for us.” Baruti leaned forward. “There’s a good chance if we let this task force pass us by, we’ll simply get shuffled to another case that keeps us working the hamster wheel. This might be the chance to be part of something big.”
Samuel grimaced. He tended to stay the course, take the slow path. Baruti pushed him out of his comfort zone. He’d arguably made Samuel a better person from the day they were partnered up. Of course, back then, they hadn’t been so keen about working together. My how the years had changed things and them.
What were their priorities? If they said yes, would it compromise what they’d worked toward? Would it distract them? Or would this be like Baruti suggested? The chance to do something that made the world a little better?
The only way they’d know was if they took a gamble.
A very big gamble.
Chapter One
Present Day. Fishing Expedition, Undisclosed.
Samuel Jenkins hated the outdoors.
Or at least he did today.
For weeks now, he’d all but begged the staff at the recovery facility to let him outdoors. He wanted to take a walk, get fresh air and space from the only other patient. But the staff had deemed the weather too unpredictable or too cold or too something at every turn. Doing yoga in the physical therapy space just wasn’t the same. He was about ready to stage an escape.
And then they’d suggested this.
A fishing trip.
Samuel had never understood the appeal of fishing. Plenty of other people who worked for the FBI went fishing all the time. To him, it seemed like far too much time spent doing nothing at all, with no guarantee of success. It felt too much like surveillance work, and he’d had enough of that to last him years. Especially after that last job.
He absently rubbed his shoulder, easing the soreness that was his biggest annoyance these days.