“Sure,” Anderson’s voice trailed off. He was about to sit when he walked toward the whiteboard. “What does the Water’s Edge Academy have to do with your case?”
Sin handed him a cup of coffee. “Why do you ask?”
“It’s why I’m here.”
“Come again?”
“Let me start from the beginning.”
“Good idea,” Sin said, pointing to a chair.
They sat at the table, and Sin waited patiently for Detective Anderson to collect his thoughts.
“First, I’d like to apologize for the way Captain Rand and the FDLE treated you. He really is a good man.”
“I appreciate the apology but it’s not necessary. It’s water under the bridge.”
Anderson nodded and looked at the board yet again. “Yesterday morning Sergeant Monroe, the big guy you took down,” he added, with a slight smirk, “came in with some news for the captain’s ears only. But…well, you know how word gets around.”
“Detective, get to the reason you’re here please.”
“Monroe overheard that the FBI had a raid planned for tonight on Water’s Edge Academy. He told the captain, and Rand organized a small raid of his own for last night.”
Sin’s mind was spinning in a thousand different directions. “Hold that thought,” she said picking up the wall phone.
“Evelyn, don’t let the team leave until I have a chance to speak to Duggen.”
Sin hung up before Evelyn could respond.
“The fact that you’re here, Detective, tells me something went very wrong.”
“We haven’t heard from anyone who went. No one is answering their phones, and their families haven’t seen or heard from them.”
“Fuck,” Sin breathed. “Thank you, Detective. Leave your number with Evelyn and I will call you as soon as I know anything.”
“I’d like to be part of whatever you’re planning,” Anderson replied.
Just then, the door opened and a huge man dressed in full SWAT gear filled the space. “We’re about to have our final briefing, O’Malley. What can I do for you?”
“Detective Anderson,” Sin said, “as much as I appreciate you wanting to help, I am not in a position to authorize that.” Her voice mirrored her empathy. “I promise that you will be notified as soon as we know anything.”
Sin and Agent Duggen spoke in private for the next half-hour before Sin joined the taskforce briefing.
“Attention everyone,” Duggen said. “I’m sure you have all seen Agent O’Malley around the office the past few days. We worked together seven years ago, and I’d personally put her up against anyone in this room.”
His introduction quieted the rumblings.
“She has something she needs to say, so listen up.”
Sin stepped in front of the room and eyed the twelve agents, all dressed in full gear. “As you know, I’ve been spearheading the Painted Beauty case. It just came to my attention that our two cases might have some things in common, specifically Water’s Edge Academy.” She referred to the photo of the campus that was displayed on the wall next to her. “I was just informed that one of Captain Rand’s men, Bert Monroe, overheard a conversation about tonight’s mission. He told Rand, and the captain decided to beat the Bureau to the punch.” The rumbling began again—louder this time. “The problem is,” Sin yelled over the noise, “no one has heard from him or his men since they left their precinct last night at eleven-thirty.”
“If he or his men were captured,” Duggen interjected, “our mission may have been compromised, so Agent O’Malley and I have made a few changes to our entry.”
“Before you move in,” Sin said, “a smaller team will go in and make sure an ambush is not waiting for you.”
“How small?” one man yelled.
“Who’s going in?” another said.
About to proceed with her plan, Sin heard a familiar clearing of the throat come from the doorway. She snapped her head around and saw Fletcher and Garcia standing in the doorway. “It’s about time,” Sin smiled. “What took you so long?”
“Traffic,” Fletcher shrugged.
Agent Duggen stepped forward. “Sin, care to fill me in on who these men are and what they’re doing here?”
“Special Agent Bill Duggen, allow me to introduce you to Agents Jasper Fletcher and Fidel Garcia, who will be joining me in the initial raid. With their involvement, I will only need two of your men to join us instead of the four we discussed.”
Duggen nodded his agreement. “What are your needs?”
“A sniper and someone with ice in his veins would do just fine,” Sin replied.
The big man laughed and slapped Sin on the back. “All my men fit that description.” Eyeing the room, he pointed, “Metcalf and King, you’re to go with Agent O’Malley.”
Duggen introduced himself to Fletcher and Garcia and they did the same in return.
“Fletch will do just fine, Mate,” Fletcher said extending his hand.
“And I prefer Garcia. I don’t know what my parents were smoking when they named me Fidel.”
“Agent Duggen,” Sin said. “If you would apprise your men on the plan we discussed, I’d like a few minutes to catch Fletcher and Garcia up on what’s going on. Then I’ll meet with Metcalf and King. With the new developments,” Sin eyed the men, “I would also like to push the mission back an hour with your permission.”
Duggen agreed. “You have fifteen minutes to bring everyone up to speed, and then my men will join you in the conference room. The rest of us will head south. We’ll be in position waiting for your word. If we don’t hear from you by two hundred thirty hours, we will proceed with the original plan.”
Sin shook Duggen’s hand, thanked the agents in the room, and walked out and down the stairs, followed by Fletcher and Garcia.
“Where the hell are you taking us?” Fletcher asked.
“The rooms are too small for my comfort. Not to mention, the walls are too thin. I’d feel better talking outside,” Sin answered, opening a steel door that led out to a small alleyway.
Lighting a smoke, she looked at both men. Fletcher and Garcia were two of the soldiers she had operated with doing contract work after being released from the FBI. Some would have called them
