“I heard you, Ashford,” McGovan bit out. I should have known he’d turn on his asshole mode. He was good at that and fucking hated that I could make one phone call to my brothers, or God forbid to my father, and he’d be on a fucking bench. Not that I ever would, especially not my father. “This is a highly visible case and these two offered help that we clearly need since you still haven’t identified the predator.”
I narrowed my eyes on my boss. “Considering this predator has been around for the past four or five decades, I wonder what kept you or all your elderly associates from identifying him,” I snapped.
Maybe I sounded like a spoiled ass brat, but he couldn’t pin this predator on me. I had been busting my ass and chasing all the leads. Yes, I did it for personal reasons, but also because I didn’t want another boy taken. To disappear without a trace, leaving his loved ones wondering whether he was alive or dead. Praying that he was alive and yet scared to wish that on him.
“Ashford, we’re on the same side here.” McGovan must have sensed my mood. This predator and these kidnappings were my sore spot. “I got the authorization from up above that we can work with these two men.”
He was lying; I knew it without a doubt. The way his left eye twitched, the way he tapped his pen against the table.
“They have the identity of the predator,” he added and I returned my attention to the two Nikolaev men, eyeing them suspiciously. They just happened to have the identity of the predator that lurked in the shadows for the past five decades? But unlike other men, it wasn’t as easy to read the Nikolaev men. Their faces were unmoving, identical masks.
There was no question about them being dangerous. They projected the same kind of energy as my brothers, though my brothers concealed it a bit better under their polished manners and seductive smiles. Or maybe these two just didn’t give a crap to hide their nature.
“Fine,” I acknowledged my boss. Though he was crazy if he thought I’d blindly trust them. I trusted my partner to have my back, not these two whose appearances screamed that their ways were unscrupulous.
More than following the rulebook, I wanted the predator captured. Something about this specific case told me it would answer questions that lingered for the past twenty years.
“Good, good, good,” McGovan gleamed. I could practically see him mentally rubbing his hands together. “I want you to start with them this weekend. This case is high visibility and-”
"I have plans this weekend." I let out a heavy sigh. "I've been following this case nonstop for six months and haven't come any closer to figuring out who's taking these boys. I need some time off. To reset, to clear my mind, or I'm not going to be any good to anyone. And I have family coming in. I'm going to spend time with them. Come Tuesday morning, I'm here with bells on, ready to do what needs to be done to find this asshole in charge, but until then... I'm off the clock."
“You can cancel them,” he barked out. My best friends, Willow and Sailor, were coming and so was my oldest brother Byron. There was nothing on this planet that would make me cancel those plans.
I narrowed my eyes on my boss.
“No,” I told him firmly, and held eye contact with his beady eyes. “So if you need someone this weekend, find someone else.” Then to ensure he understood me, I added, “It. is. Nonnegotiable.”
Okay, so insubordination might get me fired one of these days. Except, not seeing my eldest brother wasn’t an option. This was the first weekend he’d had off in months, and I refused to miss the chance to spend time with him. And my best friends.
Besides, McGovan was too scared to fire me, considering he was an ass-kisser and scared of my father’s influence. The great Senator Grayson Ashford, the future of our country.
Thinking about Dad always left a bitter taste in my mouth. I owned up to my mistakes and my sins. My brothers did the same, but not our father. He used and abused, regardless of the cost to others. Even as a kid, I sensed it. I saw it in the way he treated my brothers. Like they were disposable.
I hadn’t learned until much later just how true that was. We were all disposable to him, including his illegitimate son and daughter, and my mother who had ties to the infamous Kingpins of the Syndicate. I learned about his illegitimate children while in high school. The rest I learned after.
My brothers kept me in the dark about it all, but eventually the little girl grew up. I learned my father’s sins, how much he cost our mother, and all my siblings. Especially the little sister who didn’t even know I existed.
Bottom line was that the Ashford family was just as ruthless and filthy as the criminals of the underworld.
“Okay,” he caved, just as I thought he would. “Can you give these men a summarized rundown of the kidnapping cases and your thoughts? You can send them details via email.”
I must have hesitated a heartbeat too long because McGovan started talking again, agitation clear in his tone.
“Keep in mind, Agent Ashford, they have knowledge of the potential individual behind this. Their information will help us capture him,” McGovan added, thinking he was explaining everything when in fact he only triggered more questions.
These men were outsiders and shouldn’t be getting information from the FBI. McGovan wanted me to share confidential information with visitors so this case could be solved as soon as possible and he could look like a hero.
God, I fucking hated politics. I knew he wanted to move up to D.C. and if this case came to a close under his supervision, he’d probably get that promotion. The entire country was watching him because the volume of kidnappings no longer skated under the radar and McGovan’s office was the one actively working the case.
I strode to the opposite side of the room and leaned against the wall, keeping myself close to the exit and my eyes on both men. I didn’t trust them.
My eyes connected with their gazes. Frigid. Pale glaciers. Their eye color was kind of freaky. They were so pale, there was something unnerving about them.
I shook my thoughts of their physical appearance. If they could help point us to the right culprit behind the kidnappings, I’d take it. It was the least I could do to make up for my wrongdoings.
“In Louisiana, the boys have been disappearing for about two years,” I started. “Random and far apart, geographically and time wise, so it was never picked up by the FBI. Until recently. But there are similar cases all over the country. Actually, I’m pretty sure even outside the U.S.” A short nod from the one in the suit, and suddenly, I had to agree with McGovan. These men knew something. “Specifically in New Orleans, the cases started, or maybe picked up, about seven months ago. First month, five boys went missing while roaming the streets, pickpocketing. They were mostly boys from disadvantaged families. Whoever is doing this specifically targeted those boys so it could be chalked up to the boys being runaways. Unfortunately, they are the type of troubled boys last to be noticed when they’ve gone missing. So it remained under the radar. Then the escalations started - boys pulled out of school by supposed friends, never to be seen again. Or drawn off the playground. Like this predator suddenly wanted his actions noticed. But only his actions, because nobody ever remembers a single thing about any of these men that I believe are working for him. Either they are excellent at blending in with the shadows or the predator’s features are not memorable.”
Another nod. I felt my heart rate pick up at the possibility of bringing the man guilty for so many tragedies to justice.