Read Online DAYBREAK: a gripping thriller full of suspense (Titan Trilogy Book 3) by T.J. BREARTON - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T.J. BREARTON
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podium in front of him. He dragged a finger down the page. “Yeah, okay, I got you here. I’ll phone up.”
“That’s very good, Randy.”
Randy’s eyes flashed. “Excuse me?”
“I think you’re a helluva guy, Randy.”
They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Randy looked away, scowling, and picked up the phone at his small, high desk. As he called, Staryles took the opportunity to think about how nice it would be to kill Randy. Then he glanced over his shoulder at Jimena. Maybe he would have her watch.
CHAPTER SEVEN / WEDNESDAY, 3:21 PM
Jennifer looked around at the gray walls of the small room. There was a dance of light along the edge of her vision she could only chase by turning her head. She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them to stare at Brendan.
“Look; what we’re working with is that Nonsystem is ramping something up. Doherty claims there’s enough to get them on what happened to me last year. That’s why they’ve had me keep a distance. Get some of them to cooperate, turn in the others, in return for leniency. But they’re holding off, because they want to fry them for what they’re planning now. Catch them in the act.”
Brendan sat up a little straighter. He studied her. “Who’s lead prosecutor? Are you?”
The question struck a deep cord with her, made her feel hollow. Her muscles recalled the effects of the poison, twisting them into gristle, liquefying her organs. Over the ensuing months, she’d gotten the feeling her superiors and colleagues considered her a permanent wreck. They thought her integrity was compromised.
They thought: Thank you for playing, but thallus sulfate poisoning deprives you of further privileges within the Department. We’ll be managing your career until further notice.
No, she was not lead prosecutor.
So what was the FBI really doing by coming to her like this? Were they freeing her, or was it just more of the same, more close-watch, more shackles? Sometimes it felt like she was still trapped in that room, high up in the city. Not much different from Brendan, sitting there, chained.
“John Rascher is prosecuting. What the prevailing thought is, you know, the FBI do what they do best. They draw Nonsystem out. They get them talking, supply them with what they need, learn their full intentions.”
Brendan was quiet, perhaps considering this.
“I’ve spoken with the US Attorney General,” she went on. “Everyone is in agreement. They’ve got me taking a point position on this.”
“But they’re limiting your information.” He raised an eyebrow.
“That’s how it has to work some times.”
“So how am I supposed to help you?”
“We believe there is crossover between what’s happening now, and the XList investigation. And since you were the one to really bring XList out in the open with your case, I thought we could pick each other’s brains.”
“Ok,” Brendan said, relenting. “Fair enough. Let’s do this: tell me how you got into XList in the first place.”
“Well, now we’re going way back.” She winked at him, and then felt foolish for it. She took a drink of water. “Okay, let’s start with Wyn Weston. Weston was one of the first Justice Department investigators to look into the Rebecca Heilshorn murder during the trial of Olivia Jane. Reason being, county prosecutors alluded to a criminal enterprise surrounding Rebecca’s death. It grabbed the attention of the HTPU. Weston obtained the data from the case, including the financials on Alexander Heilshorn.”
“Which were relevant because of Rudy Colinas,” Brendan added.
She looked closely at him. “Because of you and Colinas. You had good instincts on that case.”
She saw the blood rise in his cheeks. He seemed tempted to look away, self-consciously, but he maintained eye contact and said, “If you say so.”
“You’re welcome. Then Weston left the case.”
“Why?”
She leaned back and lifted her shoulders. Her neck
“That’s very good, Randy.”
Randy’s eyes flashed. “Excuse me?”
“I think you’re a helluva guy, Randy.”
They held each other’s gaze for a moment before Randy looked away, scowling, and picked up the phone at his small, high desk. As he called, Staryles took the opportunity to think about how nice it would be to kill Randy. Then he glanced over his shoulder at Jimena. Maybe he would have her watch.
CHAPTER SEVEN / WEDNESDAY, 3:21 PM
Jennifer looked around at the gray walls of the small room. There was a dance of light along the edge of her vision she could only chase by turning her head. She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them to stare at Brendan.
“Look; what we’re working with is that Nonsystem is ramping something up. Doherty claims there’s enough to get them on what happened to me last year. That’s why they’ve had me keep a distance. Get some of them to cooperate, turn in the others, in return for leniency. But they’re holding off, because they want to fry them for what they’re planning now. Catch them in the act.”
Brendan sat up a little straighter. He studied her. “Who’s lead prosecutor? Are you?”
The question struck a deep cord with her, made her feel hollow. Her muscles recalled the effects of the poison, twisting them into gristle, liquefying her organs. Over the ensuing months, she’d gotten the feeling her superiors and colleagues considered her a permanent wreck. They thought her integrity was compromised.
They thought: Thank you for playing, but thallus sulfate poisoning deprives you of further privileges within the Department. We’ll be managing your career until further notice.
No, she was not lead prosecutor.
So what was the FBI really doing by coming to her like this? Were they freeing her, or was it just more of the same, more close-watch, more shackles? Sometimes it felt like she was still trapped in that room, high up in the city. Not much different from Brendan, sitting there, chained.
“John Rascher is prosecuting. What the prevailing thought is, you know, the FBI do what they do best. They draw Nonsystem out. They get them talking, supply them with what they need, learn their full intentions.”
Brendan was quiet, perhaps considering this.
“I’ve spoken with the US Attorney General,” she went on. “Everyone is in agreement. They’ve got me taking a point position on this.”
“But they’re limiting your information.” He raised an eyebrow.
“That’s how it has to work some times.”
“So how am I supposed to help you?”
“We believe there is crossover between what’s happening now, and the XList investigation. And since you were the one to really bring XList out in the open with your case, I thought we could pick each other’s brains.”
“Ok,” Brendan said, relenting. “Fair enough. Let’s do this: tell me how you got into XList in the first place.”
“Well, now we’re going way back.” She winked at him, and then felt foolish for it. She took a drink of water. “Okay, let’s start with Wyn Weston. Weston was one of the first Justice Department investigators to look into the Rebecca Heilshorn murder during the trial of Olivia Jane. Reason being, county prosecutors alluded to a criminal enterprise surrounding Rebecca’s death. It grabbed the attention of the HTPU. Weston obtained the data from the case, including the financials on Alexander Heilshorn.”
“Which were relevant because of Rudy Colinas,” Brendan added.
She looked closely at him. “Because of you and Colinas. You had good instincts on that case.”
She saw the blood rise in his cheeks. He seemed tempted to look away, self-consciously, but he maintained eye contact and said, “If you say so.”
“You’re welcome. Then Weston left the case.”
“Why?”
She leaned back and lifted her shoulders. Her neck
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