Code Name - Rook (Jameson Force Security 6)

“Four men just burst into our apartment and kidnapped Jaime,” I reply, knowing that will get his attention.

“What the fuck?” he barks.

I can hear Joslyn in the background, asking, “What’s wrong?”

He doesn’t answer her, but demands, “Tell me everything.”

So I do, along with my suspicions as to what the fuck is going on. “I think this has to do with her brother. He’s been borrowing money from her and acting sketchy. I had Bodie look into it, and her brother has some loose criminal ties. I’m thinking he’s in deep with someone, and they’re using Jaime to force him to pay whatever he owes.”

“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Kynan says, and the calm in his voice grounds me. “I’m going to get Griffin involved as we’ll need law enforcement help, and he’s a better asset for us than the local PD. I’ll have him come to the apartment with a forensics team for evidence.”

Griffin is an FBI agent who is dating the woman who makes so many good things happen for Jameson in the way of information and technology, Bebe Grimshaw.

Speaking of which, Kynan continues. “I’ll have Bebe get all surveillance video from her apartment building and surrounding ones—maybe even street cams.”

And by get, he means Bebe will politely request the video once, but if she doesn’t get it the legal way, she’ll hack her way in and get it no matter what.

“We need Jackson,” I say to Kynan as I’m trying to help with his game plan. “He did me a favor last weekend and trailed her brother to see where he was hanging out. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to him about it, though, with the mission down in Colombia.”

“Got it,” Kynan replies. “You want Bodie to stay or use Ladd as a backup?”

Bodie’s my best friend, but this is business. He plays an important role in the Vegas office, and he’s headed back there this evening. “I’ll let you make that call.”

“Understood,” Kynan replies, then gives me instructions. “Stay there until Griffin arrives; he’ll want to get your statement. I’m going to send Bodie to Vegas, and I’ll meet with Jackson about what information he gleaned by tailing him. We’ll see what Bebe can come up with as to the ability to track these guys by video—maybe even luck out and get a license plate number of whatever vehicle they were in. Our first priority will be in locating Jaime.”

“And what do you want me to do after I give my statement to Griffin?” I ask, feeling a little left out.

Kynan chuckles. “You’re going to go and introduce yourself to your new in-laws. Tell them what happened. As her husband, you technically have the right to hire Jameson to handle this alongside law enforcement, but you need them on board. More importantly, you need to talk to that shit of a brother of hers and see what he knows. If she was taken so he’d pay money, then he’s going to be contacted soon with demands.”

Fuck. I rub my hand over my beard, wincing at the pain in my jaw where I took a knee. I think of how scared Jaime must be right now, and my blood boils.

“Okay. Get Griffin over here ASAP so I can head to her parents’ house.”

“On it,” Kynan replies, then disconnects without another word.

?

I open the apartment door, taking in the man standing there with a thick, navy-blue jacket with the FBI crest on the breast pocket and the forensic investigator behind him holding a case to collect evidence. He’s got blond hair, cropped close on the side of his head and just a tiny bit longer on top with a severe part on the side. It’s minimally speckled with silver, but he doesn’t look more than in his late thirties.

“You’re not Griffin Moore,” I say by way of greeting, taking in the tall FBI agent.

The man attempts a smile, sticking a hand out. “Griff’s actually out of state on a case right now, and he asked me to come cover. I’m his new partner, Clay Brandeis.”

I shake his hand. “Come on in.”

The agent steps over the threshold, followed by the forensics man, but they don’t go further. “Walk me through what happened,” he says, taking out a notepad and pen.

I go through all the details I can remember. Because Clay is apparently good at his job, he asks me several follow-up questions, often picking at the same detail until he’s sure I’ve remembered all I can.

We then stand in the kitchen, watching the forensics investigator take photos and roll for hairs and fibers. He doesn’t bother with prints since all the men were wearing gloves.

“So you’re Griff’s new partner?” I ask to make conversation. Griff just transferred to the Pittsburgh office from New York so he could be with Bebe after their own harrowing experience with a psychopath who tried to kill Bebe.