Full Disclosure (Nice Guys 2)

“Your information’s reliable?” Director Young questioned.

“Yes, sir, it is, so we’re in this holding phase. The kid’s gotta wake up, or we need time to find out who on the inside had motive.” Mitch sat back, let the weight of that information settle and then ran his hand through his hair as he thought about what more he should say.

“My concern, and what makes me toss this out with nothing more than my gut to go on, is that if that kid wakes and the person or persons responsible for this is there with him, then we might lose our chance of getting him to talk. Fear will hold his tongue, and out of all of the victims, he’s the only one that might be able to lead us in a solid direction.” Mitch ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. He could feel himself growing impatient with the silence in the room.

“Then we change the detail,” Director Skinner said reasonably.

“Greyson’s against it.” Director Carpenter stared directly at Mitch. “We thought there should be a change when the accident happened.”

“He’s not thinking clearly. I’ll take care of it,” Director Young stated.

“I’d like every Secret Service agent assigned to the Greysons to stay in town so they can be interviewed.” Mitch decided to throw that out there since he was already on a roll.

“Agreed,” Director Young said as he picked up the phone, dialing a number while Director Skinner stayed on speaker. After a second, the phone was answered and Young turned casual and cordial again.

“Don, it’s Hank, how busy are you right now?” Director Young asked. So his first name was Hank. Who knew? And “Don” had to be Don Smethsad, the head of Homeland Security.

“Hang tight, I’m on my way over,” Director Young disconnected the call. “I’m going to talk to Don. See if we can find an easy solution to all this. Carpenter, come with me. Knox, you’ll be shown the facility. If everything goes well with Smethsad, we’ll begin interviews with Secret Service tomorrow.” Director Young stood, speaking to everyone at once.

“Keep me updated, gentlemen,” Director Skinner instructed, before he disconnected the call.

“Knox, get Agent Connors caught up when you talk to him again.” Young gave him a nod and headed toward the door.

“Yes, sir,” he said and pushed to his feet.

“We’ll call the president on the way over to Homeland Security,” Director Young said to Carpenter as the men walked out the door. Mitch found himself standing alone in the office still wearing the stupid suit jacket with no clue where to go.

“Deputy Marshal Knox, come with me.” He turned to greet the person with the first pleasant voice he’d heard since he got there. A young woman stood in the doorway, and he gave her a slow smile. She was pretty and dressed properly according to the dress code, although that skirt might be a little short…

“Do you have my weapons and badge?” he asked as he got to the door.

“Yes, sir, they’re downstairs. I’ll show you around. I made you a copy of your code information so you can return that to Gladys. She’s very old school,” she said, snaking back around to Director Carpenter’s office. Thank god Gladys wasn’t around, so he left the paper she’d given him on her desk and continued to follow his new tour guide as they headed toward the elevator again.

“You can lose the jacket now, Deputy Marshal Knox,” she said as the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside. “You know, you’ve caused quite a stir here this afternoon,” she added, her tone very friendly as they exited the elevator one floor down. She walked him to the end of a long hall. Every eye stared at them as they passed by. She didn’t seem to notice, but Mitch did.

“I’m Anne, by the way. I know Ellen,” she said, and that caused him to give her one of his real smiles as he slid the jacket off, draping it over an arm.

“Oh great, that’s just wonderful,” he teased.

“Ellen said keeping you in line’s a full-time job.” As she spoke, her Southern accent became a little more pronounced.

“Where are you from?” he asked, his guess would be Texas or Louisiana.

“I started off in Texas, but landed in North Carolina. My father was military,” Anne replied, giving him the first genuine smile he’d received since arriving in DC.

“The guy I’m seeing’s from Texas. I could hear that accent in your voice,” he said casually and then mentally stopped. Why had he said that? What in the world would have made him say he was seeing Cody? He’d had a make-out session and phone sex with the guy. That certainly didn’t constitute seeing anyone. Did it?

“Figures. All the good ones are either taken or gay. You’re both,” Anne said, laughing at her little joke. He was still stuck on the potential Freudian slip regarding Cody.

“Here we are. This will be your office while you’re here, but I think you met in here yesterday.” She flipped a switch, illuminating the small, ugly vacant room. Funny, the room hadn’t magically gotten any better since he’d been here last. “Agent Connors office is right next door. His regular partner’s door is to the right.” She gestured to the open door. He looked where she pointed, and from his angle, he could see someone diligently working away, dressed as severely as Connors. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

“Agent Paul Brown, I want you to meet Deputy Marshal Knox, Connors temporary partner,” Anne introduced him. Brown looked up at Knox, then back down to his computer only to glance back up at him again with wide eyes.

“Oh my god, that’s hilarious,” Brown said, laughing as he dropped back in his seat.

“I know, right?” Anne said, leaning against the doorjamb, the same big smile on her face.

“You know, I might be getting a complex here,” Mitch said, watching them both.

“Nah, it’s not you, man, it’s my partner. Have you not noticed how OCD he is? Just wait till you meet his family,” Brown snickered.