You used yourself as bait? Are you fucking insane?”
I smirk. “Sometimes, I wonder.”
Her eyes widen as she picks up the Drano. “I am going to look at this and assume you were unclogging a drain and ignore the funnel on the bar.” She leans in close. “I need to know if you tortured him.”
“He broke into my house, the son of a bitch is lucky I didn’t’ splatter him across my wall.”
“What did you get out of him?”
“I recorded our convo on my cell.” I text the file over to her. “There it’s sent to your phone.”
“Lobos, I think you should stay somewhere else. Let me put you up in a hotel.”
“Fine. Just make sure they allow pets.”
“Don’t worry. I will make arrangements for your fur baby.”
***
I enter the spacious hotel room and set Isis down and let her find a spot, and of course, she chooses the bed with white satin sheets; so her little black hairs can show. The room is laden with thick grey carpet and peach-colored walls. It has a large flat screen hanging on the wall. I flip on the light switch in the bathroom and see a two faucet sink and a large walk-in shower with a detachable showerhead, and an average-sized toilet. Fancy grey bathrobes are folded in the linen closet. I drop my pants and sit on the throne, dumping some water. Peeling off my clothes, I take the large walk-in shower for a test drive. The warm water steams up the bathroom as it runs over my face. Water pressure is better than my condo, and I need to get me one of these showerheads. I squirt moisturizing soap on to the loofah and lather myself up.
It’s hard to believe Drake is the victim in all this. But to hell with the case for the night. I just want to enjoy this shower and get some sleep.
I slip on a bathrobe and stretch out on the covers. I glance over at Isis, and she is under the covers passed out.
“I feel ya, girl. I’m gonna be to be doing that soon.”
I flip on the TV, and some asshole left it stuck on CNN where they are ranting about the pub shooting and screaming it’s an indictment of assault rifles and video games. I change the channel to something else before I scream at the TV. After flipping the channels for a few minutes, I come to a re-run of some post-apocalyptic fantasy show. My niece and I love this show for its flashy swordplay, martial arts, and its well-written story and dialogue. My eyes grow heavy as I try to stay awake for the whole episode. I click the off button on the remote. Oh well, I will hog her Netflix and catch up on the series. I crawl under the covers and snuggle up next to my best friend. She nuzzles her head against my shoulder.
Chapter 26
The sun beats down on the balcony as I light up a smoke. It’s slightly warmer than it has been. I prop my arms on the railing as I puff smoke into the wind, thinking about Drake’s story of brainwashing. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve laughed in his face and arrested him, but the evidence is piling up to substantiate his story.
There was nothing in his file about him killing innocents in Iraq. It’s time I call someone on the outside. I call Major Goodwin, who is now in charge of a Military Police unit. The phone rings for a few minutes, and someone picks up. “Staff Sergeant Lobos! How ya been girl?”
“I’m good, GG. So what’s up with you?”
“I’m still adjusting to this damn Texas heat, but I’m good.”
“I was stationed in Texas once and hated it, so I feel your pain.”
“So, what do you need from your ole Army buddy?”
“I’m working the Moonlight Killer case, and I need some outside help.”
“I thought that case was over and done with?”
“I thought so too, but there is some shady shit going on with this case.”
“Can you talk about it?”
“Drake was supposed to be sent back to England to be tried for his crimes, but he killed his handler, and now his people, along with a company of PMC’s are trying to kill him and me and the FBI agent I am working with. Hell, a US Army Colonel, was mixed up in this shit, and they killed her too. MI5 is already crawling up MI6’s ass.”
“And now they’re culling anything and everybody who knows about it.”
“Yeah.”
“So, what do you need from me?”
“I was wondering if you have any contacts in the 13th SAS from your Ranger days.”
“As a matter of fact, I do. What do you need me to ask him?”
“I need you to ask about David Drake’s conduct in the 13th SAS.”
“Hey, anything for a sister in arms. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, that’s all for now.”
“Okay, I will get back to you as soon as I speak with my contact.”
“Thanks, GG.” I hang up the cell.
I holster my gun and smudge the cigarette in the ashtray. My cell chimes with a text.
Lobos, meet me in the station’s parking garage by my car now!
-Jason-
Be there in 15.
Damn, he probably found out the whole shit going on with Drake.
***
I pull in the empty parking spot next to Jason’s maroon Mazda. I step out of the car, and he glares at me. “What the hell, Lobos.”
“Nice to see you too, Jason. Now, you want to tell me what the 3rd degree is all about?”
“You lied about Drake, and now I hear you think Drake is a victim?”
I put my hands up. “Hang on.
