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Carrie held up a hand. “Let me guess… Colombia?”

Tom nodded. “Then I started working with the NSA on analyzing budget data. Ripley started passing me intel under the table because he didn’t think the agencies were doing enough about the problem. He wanted me to go public with it. Report everything on air and in the paper. I was on the verge of doing just that, when I started getting threats from someone with pictures of Lola. Ripley was able to confirm that she was working for the Doll House doing more than just bar tending.”

Carrie stared in disbelief at her boss. “So, is that why you suggested I go to the Doll House as part of my research for the anti-trafficking bill piece?”

Tom shook his head. “Not exactly. My contact, Ripley, requested that I send you in. If you showed up, he was going to send you a package and feel you out to see if he wanted to keep working with you. But he brought your name up first.”

Carrie needed to sit down. “So, have you been in contact with Ripley this whole time?” she asked as she settled onto the couch.

Tom scrubbed a hand down his face. “No. I went dark. Stopped cooperating with the NSA all together and let Ripley know I wouldn’t be able to accept intel from him anymore. There was no way in hell I was going to put my daughter at risk. At the same time, I wanted this shut down, so I had to put someone on it. When he suggested you, I knew it was the right call. You’re the best.” Tom stood and came around to the front of his desk, leaning against it.

“So why did you bench me then?”

“I guess you identified yourself as a UNN reporter to the wrong person, because I got another threat to pull you off or else. I’m pretty sure the FBI agent you talked to the day after the bomb got left outside the Doll House wasn’t actually an FBI agent. He’s one of Carrasco’s men.”

Carrie wrinkled her nose. “Who the fuck is Carrasco?”

Tom scratched his head. “You might know him as Dino Carranza. His real name is Diego Carrasco.”

Carrie took a deep breath. “Damn Tom. I think I need you to start over. I’m still a little lost.”

Tom gave a wry laugh. “It’s confusing as hell. Tell me what you’ve figured out.”

Carrie went through the dots she’d connected.

“Carranza, or Carrasco I guess, is running some kind of sex trafficking ring. What I can’t figure out is what the Doll House has to do with anything. Upwood, for some reason that is beyond my comprehension is funneling him money to fund the operation. The other thing that is mind boggling is who is trying to kill Upwood and why?”

“The thing Ripley couldn’t figure out was where the money was coming from. In some of my analysis I accidentally found the money. I actually didn’t know what I had found until a few weeks ago, right before I nudged you toward the story.”

“God. I have so many questions, Tom. But the big concern right now is that nobody has heard from Ripley since a few days ago. He’s missed all of his check-ins with his handler.”

Tom cursed. “What about Lola? I haven’t heard anything about her in a while and I’m too scared to go down there for fear I’ll get her killed.”

“I saw her the other night when I went in there. She’s still doing OK. I think as long as we lay low, she’ll stay that way. I’m going to bring in a couple of friends to help us out if that’s OK with you.”

Tom nodded. “Do what you need to, Carrie. I trust you. I just want my daughter to be OK.”

“I’m going to go to my desk and work for a little while. I’ve got the rundown with Gina and we need to go about our day as normal. But we’re going to get these guys, Tom.”

In her cubicle, Carrie pulled out the various packages she’d received.

“Looks like you got another one,” a voice said. Carrie looked up, not understanding. It was the guy from the mail room, and he was holding another package like the ones laying on her desk.

Carrie’s pulse sped up, but she did her best to act natural as she accepted the envelope and waited for the intern to move on to the next row of cubicles. When he was out of sight, she opened it with shaky fingers. It was light, just a single sheet of paper.

You can’t trust Agent Mercer anymore, Upwood has turned him. We need to talk. Give me a call, we can meet at our spot.

Rip

A phone number was listed at the bottom and it looked oddly familiar to her, but she had no idea why. There was something terribly fishy about this note. It was typed the same way as the others, but it didn’t sound right. The hairs on the back of Carrie’s neck stood up as she pulled out her phone.

“Gage, I think I need you to come to my cubicle. Maybe see if Peter can meet us.”

“I’ll be there faster than small town gossip, hot stuff.”

True to his word, Gage was there in no time at all. As she was handing him the note, Carrie’s phone rang.

“What’s going on. Why didn’t you call me?” Peter sounded pissed.

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