Page 111 of Whistleblower

“Thank you, Bambi. That’s sweet.”

Waiting until the door clicks shut behind him, I lunge for my phone and pull up my preferred flight search engine. A last-minute ticket to California will cost a small fortune, but thanks to my new job, I have a little money in the bank—untouched and ready for me to put it to good use.

Linc faced his fear, now it’s time for me to face mine…

Enough is enough. I can’t continue to live like this…because it’s not living. It’s time to get to the bottom of this mess and put Empress behind me for good. Getting to Hanesville won’t be particularly troublesome. The real difficulty will be escaping Linc’s home, unnoticed.

Closing my browsers, I send a quick message before Linc has a chance to return.

Me

I have to get to the bottom of this, and I need your help.

Don’t tell Linc.

THIRTY-NINE

EDEN

A light tapping on my shoulder wakes me from my slumber. I wipe the bottom of my chin and try to hide the evidence. I must be exhausted if I’m drooling from a plane nap.

The agent next to me wears his FBI badge proudly around his neck, right on top of his neat tie. I secretly used to call him Agent Smith number three when I’d seen him at the compound, but his actual name is Harmon.

Agent Harmon loves Mexican food, has two handsome blond haired, blue-eyed little boys, and his wife makes the best cinnamon coffee cake on the planet. We had a little time to get to know each other over the past eight hours. From the moment Harmon picked me up in the middle of the night from Linc’s place, through the drive to the airport, and our nearly four-hour flight to California, he’s been my shadow.

These were Callen’s conditions. He’d help me get to Hanesville to talk to Porky, but with an agent escort. Callen assured me Agent Harmon is his best, most trusted, in-house resource. Outside of him, I’m to tell no one what I’m doing, where I’m going, or why. Callen arranged my visit to Hanesville and by now Porky should be expecting me.

Our hope was, by the time Linc realizes that I’m not actually out having a “girls’ day” with Cricket, I’ll be home safe and sound with some answers, all before his rage has time to boil over. By now, he must’ve found my note, so the clock is ticking. I’m sure he’s calling my phone in a panic, but Callen instructed me to keep it off. Linc’s outrage at the fact I slipped out will only be a distraction. We’ll deal with the fallout when I get back. Callen will probably face it the worst. My master plan is to strip down naked the minute I’m home to calm Linc’s fury.

“Ma’am, wheels down in less than thirty. How are you feeling?”

“Dear God, Harmon, for the last time, stop calling me ma’am.”

His thick blond eyebrows furrow. “I don’t think I can. Force of habit.”

I scoff dramatically. “Well, I’m feeling fine.”

“Do you want to go over your questions again?”

“I think I’m set,” I say assuredly. Once upon a time, Porky was a friend. I adored him actually. He was one of the deciding factors for me taking a full-time role with Empress. I was impressed and inspired by Pierre and his vision. Or the vision I thought he had anyway.

“Just make sure you—”

“Don't say too much. I know. We want him to lead with the details.”

“Good,” Harmon says, nodding once. “I can still go in with you if that would make you more comfortable.”

“No.” I shake my head. “This is between me and him. He won’t talk if you’re with me.”

Actually, I’m not sure if he’ll even talk to me. I just need to look him in the eye, so he can see me and remember the person he’s terrorizing is an actual human being. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I’m tired of paying for mistakes I didn’t make. There’s still good in him, deep down. I know it.

No more guns, no more violence.

I’m solving this with a goddamn conversation.

“Just so you’re aware, he won’t be cuffed at a minimum-security facility, but you’ll have guards nearby if you need anything, and I’ll be waiting right outside the front doors. If at any point you feel uncomfortable—”

“I know. Thank you. I’m ready.”