The Omega Team: Hot Target (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Free Page B

minute. A cold case? Don’t they have local LEOs to take care of this? Why us? And why you?”
    She had wondered that too. Why had they asked for her by name? Local law enforcement officers were usually overworked with current cases. Cold investigations were handled as detectives had time or if new forensic advancements could shed light on evidence and bring life to an old case, so she understood Grey’s pushback.
    “Well, I have years working homicides and I speak Spanish, but beyond my qualifications, this request didn’t come from law enforcement. It came from a local politician and he’s already wired a retainer.”
    “It still doesn’t sound urgent, if it’s a cold case. You can deal with your brother when you return. We can send him back to Chicago and fly him out another time, when he’s ready to do this again.”
    “No, I disagree. I think this case is perfect. Despite it being a five-year old murder investigation, they want boots on the ground yesterday. Something about politics and unrest in the drug cartels have centered on this old case. I’ll know more after I get there.”
    She could tell the link to the drug cartels had appeal to Grey. Anything he could do to disrupt ‘business as usual’ with a drug cartel, he liked the notion. It showed on his face, along with his lingering concern.
    “Sounds like a powder keg waiting to go off. You sure you want the added complication of Rafael with your team?”
    “You trust me?” she asked.
    Grey pursed his lips.
    “This is one of those trick questions. I’m damned if I answer either way. What do you have in mind, Athena?”
    “A stellar poly test doesn’t mean we’ve got a good field agent. Let him prove himself on this mission. I’ll take full responsibility and the team can see him in action.”
    “I don’t like bending the rules. Not when it comes to what we both built this organization to be.”
    Grey didn’t have to spell things out to her. She understood completely. They had formed this agency based on an above-reproach code of conduct and dedication to duty. They took on dangerous missions in order to do the right thing, always.  She wouldn’t jeopardize the very foundation their organization had been built upon.
    But she loved her brother, Rafael, and knew he needed her now more than ever. She had to trust her gut when it came to him.
    “If it’ll make you feel any better, we can make Rafe a probationary member of our team. We would pay him like an outside contractor. The team gets to see him work and I’ll get a chance to dig at the truth.”
    “I trust you, Athena. You know that, but you’re asking our team to—”
    “He’ll be with me and I won’t put anyone else at risk. Like I said, I know Rafe will have my back.”
    Grey fixed his intoxicating stare on her. He didn’t need to tell her what his answer would be. She already knew she’d have Rafe on her next mission. Athena smiled and grabbed her brother’s file off Grey’s desk.
    She couldn’t wait to find Rafael and give him the good news.
     
    ***
     
    Le Méridien Tampa
    An hour later
    The Le Méridien hotel on North Florida Avenue made Jacquie wince as she crossed the intersection on foot. She’d parked down the street so she wouldn’t have to deal with valet parking, but as she gazed up at the huge columns and headed toward the intimidating stairs at the entrance to the luxury hotel, one question popped into her head and wouldn’t leave.
    What the hell are you doing?
    Outside the revolving doors, she tugged at her tight black dress and glanced down to make sure her nipples were behaving and not making a surprise peek-a-boo. She’d borrowed the low cut dress from a friend and the screw me stilettos—her friend’s shoe name, not hers. She was already tall at five feet ten inches, but in monster heels, she could look Rafael in the eye if she were lucky enough to find her unicorn.
    She knew Omega had booked Rafe to stay at the posh hotel. They did that for all