career at the Service had swiftly propelled him from the trenches to the power tower, and Sean noted he had quite the spring in his step right now.
They blocked Sean and Michelle’s way.
Sean feigned surprise. “Hey, you guys out for a stroll too? Great minds and all.”
Sour Face said, “We know where you’ve been and who you just talked to and we’re here to put the kibosh on it right now. The last thing we need are two cowboys—” He paused and leered at Michelle. “Excuse me, and
cowgirl
screwing this up.”
“I never did get your name,” said Sean pleasantly.
“FBI Special Agent Chuck Waters, WFO.”
“That’s good to know,” put in Michelle. “Because I’ve just been referring to you as
dickhead.
”
“Maxwell,” snapped Betack. “You show some damn respect.”
“Show me something I should respect and I will,” she shot back.
Waters inched closer to her and waggled a finger an inch from her nose. “You just back the hell off, little lady.”
Since Michelle was nearly four inches taller than Waters, she said, “If I’m a
little lady
that must mean you’re a dwarf.”
“And just so you know,
Chuck
, this little lady here can kick all of our asses without breaking a sweat, so back off,” said Sean.
Betack, who was the same size as the six-foot-two King with even broader shoulders, cleared his throat and gave his FBI colleague a cautious look and then a shake of the head. Waters’s face flamed red but he did take a noticeable step back.
Betack said, “Sean, you and Maxwell are not investigating this case. Period.”
“Last time I looked at my pay stub it didn’t mention Uncle Sam.”
“Nevertheless—”
“There’s no nevertheless. We met with a prospective client. We have agreed to represent said client. This is America. They allow that sort of thing here. Now, we have a case to get working on.”
“You’re really going to regret this, King,” barked Waters.
“I’ve regretted a lot of things in my life. And yet here I am.”
He pushed past them and Michelle followed. She made sure to let her elbow impact with Waters’s shoulder.
When they got back to Michelle’s SUV she said, “I was really proud of you back there.”
“Don’t be. We just made enemies of two of the most powerful agencies in the world.”
“Go big or go home.”
“I’m serious, Michelle.”
She put the SUV in gear. “So that just means we have to solve this thing fast.”
“You really think that’s even remotely possible?”
“We’ve cracked tough stuff before.”
“Yeah, and none of it happened fast.”
“Allow me to be cautiously pessimistic. Where to first? Tuck?”
“No, the kids.”
As they drove along she said, “And what did you think of Jane Cox’s story?”
“It seemed pretty straightforward.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“And you didn’t?”
“You never did tell me how you know the lady.”
“How does anyone really know anyone else?”
“Cut the existential crap. I want to know how you know her.”
“Why does that matter?”
“It matters because if your judgment is clouded—”
“Who the hell says my judgment is clouded?”
“Come on, I saw how she put her hand on top of yours. Did you two have an affair or something?”
“You think I was banging the president of the United States’ wife? Give me a freaking break!”
“Maybe she wasn’t the First Lady when you knew her,” Michelle said calmly. “But I don’t know that because you refuse to tell me, your
partner
, anything about it. Talk about a one-way street. I’ve bared my guts to you, I expect a little reciprocity.”
“Okay, okay.” He fell silent and looked out the window.
“Okay, what?”
“I did
not
have an affair with Jane Cox.”
“Did you want to?”
He shot her a glance. “What do you care?”
Michelle, who’d been grinning at him, now looked flustered. “I, I don’t care who you lust after. That’s your business.”
“That’s good to know, because I’m
They blocked Sean and Michelle’s way.
Sean feigned surprise. “Hey, you guys out for a stroll too? Great minds and all.”
Sour Face said, “We know where you’ve been and who you just talked to and we’re here to put the kibosh on it right now. The last thing we need are two cowboys—” He paused and leered at Michelle. “Excuse me, and
cowgirl
screwing this up.”
“I never did get your name,” said Sean pleasantly.
“FBI Special Agent Chuck Waters, WFO.”
“That’s good to know,” put in Michelle. “Because I’ve just been referring to you as
dickhead.
”
“Maxwell,” snapped Betack. “You show some damn respect.”
“Show me something I should respect and I will,” she shot back.
Waters inched closer to her and waggled a finger an inch from her nose. “You just back the hell off, little lady.”
Since Michelle was nearly four inches taller than Waters, she said, “If I’m a
little lady
that must mean you’re a dwarf.”
“And just so you know,
Chuck
, this little lady here can kick all of our asses without breaking a sweat, so back off,” said Sean.
Betack, who was the same size as the six-foot-two King with even broader shoulders, cleared his throat and gave his FBI colleague a cautious look and then a shake of the head. Waters’s face flamed red but he did take a noticeable step back.
Betack said, “Sean, you and Maxwell are not investigating this case. Period.”
“Last time I looked at my pay stub it didn’t mention Uncle Sam.”
“Nevertheless—”
“There’s no nevertheless. We met with a prospective client. We have agreed to represent said client. This is America. They allow that sort of thing here. Now, we have a case to get working on.”
“You’re really going to regret this, King,” barked Waters.
“I’ve regretted a lot of things in my life. And yet here I am.”
He pushed past them and Michelle followed. She made sure to let her elbow impact with Waters’s shoulder.
When they got back to Michelle’s SUV she said, “I was really proud of you back there.”
“Don’t be. We just made enemies of two of the most powerful agencies in the world.”
“Go big or go home.”
“I’m serious, Michelle.”
She put the SUV in gear. “So that just means we have to solve this thing fast.”
“You really think that’s even remotely possible?”
“We’ve cracked tough stuff before.”
“Yeah, and none of it happened fast.”
“Allow me to be cautiously pessimistic. Where to first? Tuck?”
“No, the kids.”
As they drove along she said, “And what did you think of Jane Cox’s story?”
“It seemed pretty straightforward.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“And you didn’t?”
“You never did tell me how you know the lady.”
“How does anyone really know anyone else?”
“Cut the existential crap. I want to know how you know her.”
“Why does that matter?”
“It matters because if your judgment is clouded—”
“Who the hell says my judgment is clouded?”
“Come on, I saw how she put her hand on top of yours. Did you two have an affair or something?”
“You think I was banging the president of the United States’ wife? Give me a freaking break!”
“Maybe she wasn’t the First Lady when you knew her,” Michelle said calmly. “But I don’t know that because you refuse to tell me, your
partner
, anything about it. Talk about a one-way street. I’ve bared my guts to you, I expect a little reciprocity.”
“Okay, okay.” He fell silent and looked out the window.
“Okay, what?”
“I did
not
have an affair with Jane Cox.”
“Did you want to?”
He shot her a glance. “What do you care?”
Michelle, who’d been grinning at him, now looked flustered. “I, I don’t care who you lust after. That’s your business.”
“That’s good to know, because I’m
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