Page 44 of Rotten Apple

Gwen

Chapter 20

The hard metal chair beneath my butt was cold with only the thin fabric of the flowery skirt as a barrier. There was a mirror on the wall—two-way—a chair on the other side of the table. Handcuffs pinching at my wrists. Why in hell was I sitting in an interrogation room waiting on the United States Marshals to come and question me?

“I know my rights,” I said, glancing up at the two-way mirror while working my way out of the handcuffs. “Charge me or release me.”

I rose from my chair, dumped the cuffs on the table, and rubbed at the chafing on my wrists. I stepped to the mirror again. “I’m claustrophobic. If you come in now, I promise not to hurt you, but if you make me wait another minute, I won’t be held responsible for what I do next. I’m sure I can convince a jury that I went temporarily insane.”

The door behind me opened, and Marshal Dent stepped inside, carrying a file.

“Claustrophobic, huh? That’s not in your file. Please have a seat, Ms. Bennett.”

“I’d prefer to stand.”

“Sit,” he growled, holding my gaze.

I slid into a seat, knowing I needed whatever information he had if I was going to get them to let me go. “I don’t like you.”

His lip twisted up in a half-smile. “I’m sure you don’t. The reason we’ve brought you here is that there has been a threat to national security, and you seem to be at the center of it.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. What did I do?” I asked.

Marshal Dent sat back in his chair. “You turned in prints earlier to your FDG forensic team and had them run. Can I ask why you ran Ms. Sinclair’s prints?”

“She’s a person of interest in a stalker-death-threat investigation.” I leaned forward, my interest piqued. Why had that triggered the U.S. Marshal’s interest? “So, what is she, a witness or a criminal that you’re hiding?”

His smile fell. “She’s protected by the United States. That’s all you need to know, so drop her from your investigation.”

I slowly shook my head. “Witness Protection.” I nodded. “I didn’t see that coming, but just so we’re clear, she has access to the kid I’m protecting. If she hurts one hair on that child’s head, I promise to return the favor.”

“I just told you to back off, Ms. Bennett. If you’re unwilling, I’m sure I can find a jail to throw you into until you forget all about Ms. Sinclair. Do I make myself clear?”

I tilted my head and clasped my fingers together. “I couldn’t care less about Edna Sinclair, only that she’s a person of interest in a stalking case related to one of the children she teaches.”

“You think she’s a stalker?” he asked. “I can verify that Ms. Sinclair hasn’t had any spare time to do anything like what you’re suggesting. If she isn’t at school teaching, she’s spent all of her free time surrounded by marshals.”

“That’s a bit much for WITSEC, isn’t it? Normally you guys provide a new identity and then get them jobs and leave them to live their new anonymous lives. If this one has marshals still hanging around, she must be rather important.”

The conference room door opened, and Fillpot stood inside the doorway. He had a badge clipped to his belt. “Dent, I’ve got this. Take a walk.”

“Well now, this just got more interesting. Are you here to make more threats or steal back my Gram’s money?”

He huffed as he sat. “Ms. Bennett? may I call you Gwen?”

“Only my family and friends call me Gwen. You can call me Ms. Bennett or ma’am,” I answered.

“Fine.” He sighed. “Ms. Bennett, we took the money with every intention of returning it. We needed to verify your credentials.”

“A test for what?” I asked half in anticipation and half in dread as I leaned forward. “If the government is your employer, how in the hell was any of that legal?”

“You want to discuss legal? I must say that there are a few people interested in where exactly that money turned up.”

I grinned and winked. My look alone wouldn’t convict me.

“The invitation is for a secret task force, and until you accept, that’s all I can currently tell you, but from what I understand, you have your hands full with a client, or is he your new boyfriend?”

A boulder the size of Denver formed in my gut. “What do you know about my client?”

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