'You always shoot,' Jade had yelled at the balding Head of Operations. 'You shoot and ask questions later. So he takes out a hostage, big deal. If you let him escape, who knows who he'll do next?'
The Head of Operations had replied without looking up. 'You throw temper tantrums like a child,' he said calmly. 'You have no grasp whatsoever of public relations. You don't follow orders and when you do, you do so grudgingly. You were the top agent in your entire graduating class, Marlow,' he said, finally raising his eyes to meet Jade's. 'And for the life of me, I can't figure out what you're doing here.'
Jade walked that day, and burned all his suits and ties that were part of the Bureau's uniform. He was on his own.
He was too good to be forgotten by law-enforcement officials, though, since during his five years as an agent he had had the top arrest record in the FBI. His combat skills and his abilities in criminal analysis and tracking were extremely well respected. He was best known, however, for his instinct. Jade had instinct like a tiger on the prowl; it seemed to come from the very blood running in his veins.
Local police units began hiring him to help take care of problems that eluded their own forces, everything from catching a burglar to tracking missing children. Eventually, even the FBI began to hire him for special cases, calling him in to coordinate and oversee operations. He felt a deep flush of satisfaction rise to his cheeks as he issued his conditions to them. He was the only outsider they'd ever hired for cases, and that knowledge was sweet revenge.
The FBI knew he was a risk. That was why they had asked him to resign. But in some cases, a risk was what was needed-an expert with a sharp tongue, a quick temper, and a quicker trigger finger. Sometimes, a threat arose that was so dangerous it was worth unleashing a tiger.
Jade Marlow was a tiger burning bright. He fed on the hunt, and his eyes sparkled green and yellow from the thrill of the pursuit. When he was angry, his face became downright cruel, and when he smirked, a thin scar across his left cheek rose slightly and highlighted the disdain on the rest of his face.
Jade left the San Francisco Fifth Precinct building, Hawkins and a group of officers behind him.
A brown Honda Civic squealed to a stop at the curb. The left-front side of the car's bumper was caved in, and one of the back brake lights was broken. A bumper sticker was stuck crookedly to the back, proudly declaring: MY SON BEAT UP THE STUDENT OF THE MONTH AT VISTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. A green, scented pine tree ornament dangled from the rearview mirror.
A woman in her mid-twenties fumbled at the door to get out. Her mouth was a red line, stretched thin with fearful anticipation.
'Oh my God.' She saw Hawkins and ran to him, her arms out-stretched. 'Are you the lieutenant? Is it true? Oh my God. Where's Dave?'
Hawkins consoled her as the other policemen departed quietly.
'The rookie's wife?' Jade asked the nearest cop.
'Yeah. Eight-year-old kid too.'
Jade swore under his breath. 'He should've fucking listened to me.'
'Well maybe he didn't-'
'He didn't fucking listen.' Jade pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. 'I really need this right now.'
The officer stopped and looked at Jade, not quite sure he had heard him correctly. 'You know, Marlow, you're a real asshole.'
Jade paused and ran his thumb across his bottom lip. 'He gets himself killed breaking cover and I'm the asshole. Astonishing logic.'
'He died.'
'He was my backup. He should have listened to me. If he had, he wouldn't have died.'
'You think you're fucking flawless?'
Jade leaned back against a police car, ignoring him.
The cop bit his cheek and looked away for a moment before facing Jade again. 'I heard you were a prick, Marlow. But this is unbelievable.' He pulled his shoulders back slightly, waiting through the tense silence for a response.
'You'd better move on, junior,' Jade said, looking straight ahead. 'You might hurt yourself.'
The cop stepped forward. 'You got something to say?' he asked, placing a hand on Jade's shoulder and leaning toward him.
The moment the cop touched him, Jade grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the police car. He moved his face right up to the cop's until he could see through the darkness of his sunglasses. The cop didn't move. His arms were out to his sides, hands opened passively. Jade held him for a moment, then let him go. He turned to walk away.
Dave's wife was walking toward him angrily, tears drying on her cheeks. She had overheard Jade talking about her husband.
'You bastard,' she cried. 'I knew it was trouble, him working with you.' She stifled a sob. 'And now. How dare you talk about him that way? He died helping you on this job.'
''Helping me,'' Jade said under his breath. He looked off in the distance, slowly shaking his head.
Her voice was wavering and her words blended together, but she forged ahead. 'I knew it. I knew it would end in blood. But he was so excited to work with you. The great Jade Marlow.'
'I think we should just-'
'How could you have let him die? He was there for you. He died covering you, and you didn't even try to help him.' She raised a finger, pointing it at him. 'You're a curse, a fucking death curse.'
Jade finally looked down at her, his eyes narrowing. 'I hate to burst your bubble, sweetheart, but he was breaking orders when he got shot.'
She slapped him, her hand ringing loudly across his face, leaving a red outline. She pulled back to hit him again, but Jade caught her arm and threw it away roughly. She collapsed on the ground.
'You'll get over it,' he snarled. 'Start dating.' He turned and walked slowly to his car, leaving her sobbing on the pavement.
Chapter 14
Three women clad in green-sequined bikinis gazed out from the yellowed poster. Its caption proudly announced: STRAUDERS FULL-BODIED BEER-IT GLITTERS AS YOU GUZZLE. The women held sparklers and curled their hands suggestively around the large brown bottles.
'You know, I never understood that shit,' Jade said, indicating the poster with a flick of his head.
Tony Razzoni shifted heavily in his chair and turned to face him. 'What shit, Jade?'
'Why they always put chicks all over when they advertise. Beer, cars, power tools. I don't get it. Are we supposed to be able to fuck these girls if we buy the shit?'
'No. No, I think if we buy the shit, then we're the kind of guys who can get laid by chicks like that.' Tony stabbed a meaty forefinger at the poster to emphasize his last words.
Jade glanced at Tony's rugged face, then down at his belly, which was wedged subtly beneath the bar. 'Oh yeah. Right.'
Tony had gone through six months of FBI training with Jade before dropping out. He'd gone into the police force and now headed up a squad for the small town of Falstaff Creek. He had remained friends with Jade, and now was one of the few people relaxed enough to endure Jade's abrasive personality.
Tony was a large man, about six feet, two-fifty. Much of his size came from muscle, though it wasn't readily apparent from his appearance. His face was round, his features soft. A thin sheen of sweat seemed always to cover his cheeks, and his snug-fitting shirt usually showed spots of dampness on the back. Jade couldn't remember ever having seen him when he wasn't sweaty.
Tony didn't lose his temper. Because of his size, he never had to. And he had a gentle touch, even when he wasn't being gentle. Tony's personality could be read right off his face. He was never mean, and fair all the way through. If he ever hurt someone, it was deserved.
'So…' Tony said. He paused to clear his throat. 'I hear you were a real asshole at the day care shoot-out
