Deep Cover
The Extractor Series Book 4
Mike Ryan
Copyright © 2021 by Mike Ryan
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Design by The Cover Collection
Edited By Anna Albo
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
About the Author
Also by Mike Ryan
1
Bridge and Nicole walked into the hotel lobby. Almost immediately, they saw Chris Abbott spring out of his chair and run toward them.
“Oh no, not again,” Bridge said.
Bridge spun around to leave, but Nicole grabbed his arm and spun him back around again.
“What’s with this turning around and trying to leave on people thing you got going on now?”
“It’s not a thing,” Bridge answered.
“Yes, it is. You did it last month too, on that model kidnapping case. You didn’t want to talk to her either. It’s like your thing now.”
“It’s not a thing.”
“Sure seems like a thing.”
“It’s not.”
“OK. But it seems like it is.”
Bridge looked down at Nicole’s hand, which was still firmly grasping his arm. “Can you let go of me now?”
“Not till we do this.”
“Don’t do this to me.”
“Just hear him out,” Nicole said.
“Oh, Mr. Bridge!” Abbott yelled, putting his arm high in the air to make sure he was seen and heard. Not that it was easy to overlook him. Abbott was in his late twenties, but he was tall and thin and had a high-pitched voice. His voice was unmistakable, carrying through whatever room he was in.
Bridge closed his eyes and sighed. “Please. If you let me go now, I still have enough time to sneak out of here.”
Nicole laughed. “Just listen to him.”
“Nic, I’ve listened to him three times! My answer’s not going to be any different this time than it was the last one.”
“Well, maybe he’ll have something different to say this time.”
“Awe, come on, you know darn well he’s not.”
“We’re in the business to help people. Not turn them away.”
Bridge turned to look her in the eyes. “We’re in the business to help people and take on cases that we can actually do something with. Not this.”
“Well, he’s already here. If you run away today, he’ll just come back tomorrow.”
“So I’ll make up a different excuse. If you let me go, I’ll give you sex as many times as you want later.”
Nicole stared at him as if she was seriously thinking about it. “Just listen to him.”
“You’re passing up sex?!”
She shrugged. “I’ll get it later anyway. You know you can’t resist me.”
Bridge sighed, knowing she was right. By the time Bridge took his eyes off his beautiful girlfriend, Abbott was almost standing in front of them.
Bridge huffed. “Awe, it’s too late now. See what you did.”
Nicole smiled. “Hi, Mr. Abbott, so nice to see you again.”
“Oh, very nice to see you again too.” Abbott shook her hand.
“It’s been a while. Almost three or four days, I think.”
“A week to be exact.”
“That long, huh?” Bridge said.
“Could we go up to your room and talk?” Abbott asked.
Bridge sighed and looked at his girlfriend. “Sure.” He put his hand out and flung it in the air in frustration. “Follow me.”
The three of them got on the elevator and went up to Bridge’s room. Bridge went into the kitchen and poured himself a drink.
“Won’t you sit down?” Nicole pleasantly said to their guest.
“Yes, thank you,” Abbott replied.
Bridge came back into the room, only half paying attention to Abbott as he sat down and checked his email on his phone.
Nicole looked at her boyfriend and shook her head. “Why don’t you go ahead and start?”
Abbott cleared his throat. “OK, well, I’m sure you remember, I’m still looking for my brother’s murderer.”
“Chris, my heart goes out to you, it really does.” Bridge put his phone down on his lap for a moment. “But I’m not a private investigator or a police officer. Just let them do their jobs.”
“It’s been a year since he was killed. They’re giving up. Or have given up. Isn’t that what happens after a while when a case isn’t solved? They give up and it becomes a cold case?”
“Even if it does, I don’t take those kinds of cases. I don’t investigate murders. That’s not my thing.”
“Please, Mr. Bridge, I don’t know who else to turn to.”
“Call the police and ask to speak to the lead investigator.”
“I’ve done that. They just keep telling me they have no leads.”
“Then maybe there aren’t any. I’m sorry to say this to you, but not every murderer gets caught. That’s just life.”
“I can’t give up. Not yet.”
“Listen, here’s what you should do. Go home, look up a bunch of private investigators, and hire one. I’m sure they’d be glad to help.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve already done that,” Abbott said.
“You what?”
“I already hired one.”
Bridge looked at his girlfriend with a confused look on his face. “Then what are you doing here?”
“Well, after our last meeting a week ago, you suggested the same thing.”
“It was good advice.”
“I took it and hired one the same day.”
“See? Good for you. What are you doing here then?”
“Well, he went missing yesterday.”
“Say what?”
“He started looking into my brother’s death, and he went missing yesterday.”
“How do you know he’s missing?” Nicole asked. “Maybe he just hasn’t checked in yet.”
Abbott shook his head. “No. He’s given me an update every morning since I hired him. Except yesterday. I didn’t get one. Now, initially I thought maybe he was just busy, so I just figured I’d wait. But I haven’t got one today either.”
“Might still be busy,” Bridge said.
“I don’t think so. See, yesterday, well, maybe I didn’t wait so patiently. Last night, I tried to call him. The phone rang six times, then went to voicemail.”
“So?”
“This morning
