Frida didn’t have to look at Malco to know what he was thinking but decided to speak her mind. “I have nothing to lose, and I’m not afraid to be stung. Even if it’s the last case I ever work, I’ll clean out the force and make sure your boys are protected and safe.”
As Malco walked Ward and Mrs. Neal out, Frida made a quick call to Rina Flores, her assistant and research wizard, and arranged for her to be picked up by someone from Alliance and brought there. Even without knowing the details, Frida knew her research assistant understood that what she was asking was important and possibly dangerous, and yet she didn’t hesitate.
Alex and Mercy stood ready for her orders, and her first one had been to transfer everything into the conference room where they’d have more space and be more comfortable. In the meantime, Rina would arrive and would take charge of digging into the avalanche of documents and start making sense of them. In fact, she was magic at bringing forth the details that could make or break a case, and with this one, it would be even more important.
As she made a list of items Rina would most probably need, Malco came back, and without a word, started carting boxes with the two other agents. In no time, the office was emptied out. Alex started installing a couple of extra computers while Mercy picked up the list to go through it.
She was heading for the conference room, half looking at her phone when Rina arrived accompanied by Nicholas, who gave Frida a curt nod before disappearing.
Immediately, Rina gave Frida a huge hug. “Oh, Frida, what happened? You didn’t give us any details, and we’ve been worried.”
Frida stepped back, cringing a little. “I’m sorry, everything happened so fast and it couldn’t be helped. I’ll tell you everything.”
Rina dropped her bag in the corner and listened to Frida as she explained the situation, the possible trouble with the police, the gang uproar, the disappearance of a young boy, and why she had to ask for the Alliance Agency’s help. The more she gave Rina the details, the sharper her friend’s gaze became. It was obvious Rina was ready to roll.
In the conference room, Frida introduced her to Alex and Mercy, explaining they were her personal research slaves for the time being. Mercy laughed at the term and winked at Rina. Alex was more circumspect and rolled his eyes, probably not happy at being buried in paperwork, but as his eyes roamed Rina’s ample curves, she suspected he’d find some way to be entertained during this torturous journey. For agents used to jumping into the action, being stuck inside never brought forth great enthusiasm.
When she saw the trio were settled, Frida stepped from the conference room to see Malco talking with Shane and Emme. There were no smiles there either.
“We just got the news that Kasten went back to your office. The surveillance cameras picked him up. He only knocked on the door and left after nobody answered, but I guess he wanted to speak with you.”
Malco didn’t look happy by what Emme was saying. And neither was Frida if she were honest. “Without a warrant or any sort of evidence, he needs to be careful, or I could be tempted to accuse him of harassment. On the other hand, it kind of fires me up, because it means there’s something in one of the boxes here that makes him nervous. All we have to do now is find it.”
Shane didn’t look convinced. “Maybe it’s the fact that you’re digging around, and because he doesn’t know who’s behind it, he’s trying to bully it out of you.”
Frida nodded. “Yes, that’s probably true as well. And it’s one more reason to keep digging and make him even more nervous. I know he’s the kind of man who’ll inevitably make a mistake if pushed or provoked. I’ve seen his kind before, and his downfall will always be his ego.”
Malco shook his head. “How do you intend to rattle him when you’re here doing research?”
She had an idea of how. “I have Rina now to do the grunt work. I’m one hundred percent certain Kasten or one of his men is lurking around the Agency, trying to see who’s going in or out. So, let’s push a couple of his buttons and go to the Youth Center.”
“I already had plans to go and investigate myself. Alone.”
The man may have growled his answer, but Frida had no intention of being intimidated. “No, you don’t. You wanted to merge our investigations, so that means I’m going with you wherever you’re headed. I’ve glimpsed some of the documents already, and the more I know, the more I can make sense of what may be going on. Also, I can read people well. I have these amazing skills when selecting a jury, and I’ve never been wrong.”
Malco arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms, readying himself for a confrontation Frida knew he would lose.
“What am I thinking now?”
Mimicking his position, Frida looked up at his handsome face, his expression firing with a challenge, a look similar to what they’d exchanged while she was sitting naked on his kitchen table a few hours earlier, before it turned neutral.
“You’re annoyed, thinking we’re losing time with nonsense. You want to protect me, and you’re pissed that I don’t know better than to stay at the Agency.” Now it was her time to arch an eyebrow. “How close am I?”
He may have the best poker face in Miami, one she knew in other circumstances would be difficult to crack, even for her, but there was an amused warmth lighting his eyes, and a fleeting look she remembered that was definitely R-rated.
“Grab your bag. You’re coming with me.”
Chapter Nine
Arriving at the Youth Center, Malco noticed groups of
