Page 15 of Beyond the Badge: Crew

“What else is she good at?”

“Kicking ass. Do you want to test her? Okay… Why does… What’s her name?”

“Camila Cabrera.”

A chuckle came through the phone. “Please tell me she speaks fluent Spanish.”

“Fuck off.”

The chuckle became a full-blown roar of laughter. “Oh, man. The conversations between Torres, Rez and her should be interesting.”

Crew sucked at his teeth. “If you can understand them.”

“There’s an app that’ll help you learn so you don’t feel left out,” Fletch said, still laughing. “No wonder why your panties are in a twist. So, why does Cabrera need a place?”

“She just transferred from Virginia and has been staying at one of those extended stay hotels,” Crew explained.

“Well, I guess if she stays in my place, then you guys won’t have to keep going over there to check on it.”

“The house would be safer with an occupant,” Crew agreed. Cabrera staying at Fletch’s would kill two birds with one stone.

“Yeah, especially when the house sitter would be a highly-trained federal agent. But just how long do you think we’ll be on this assignment? I’d like to sleep in my own bed again sometime in this decade. Do you expect us to stay undercover all the way up to indictments?”

“No, but I don’t expect her to stay in your place very long. It’s only temporary.”

“Because she’ll get her own place?”

“No. My guess is she’ll eventually cry mercy and ask to be transferred elsewhere.”

“Damn, you’re going to try to run her off? That’s a dick move. What’s wrong with her besides her being young and bilingual? Especially when neither are real problems. Actually, both can be assets. The whole father thing maybe not so much. For you, anyway.”

“She’s only been an agent for a year.”

“Okay? That doesn’t mean she can’t do the job. Still not hearing the issue,” Fletch said.

“They’reallissues!” Crew yelled into the phone, then grimaced, hoping no one heard his outburst.

“The only real issue I hear is with you.”

Crew sighed. “And I first met her when she was only ten.”

“I assume that means you know her father personally.”

“I worked a case with him eighteen years ago when she was a little kid.”

“Yeah, only being ten means she was a little kid. What am I missing?”

“She’s no longer a little kid.”

“Yeah, you said she’s twenty-eight now, so…”

Crew dropped his head back and gritted his teeth. He shouldn’t have admitted that last part. Especially when he heard Fletch yell, “Oh fuck!” then laugh his ass off.

“Let me know when you’re done,” he said dryly.

Fletch’s voice came muffled through the phone. “No, he didn’t tell me a joke, baby. Crew’s just a fucking idiot. That’s why I’m laughing.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Crew muttered. “Are you interested in renting out your place or not?”

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