Eleven Days: An Unexpected Love by Lora Lindy - HTML preview

Chapter 39

Day 16

The team waited in Mike's office anticipating the case to chase Angelino Marquit. They did not want time to grieve over Lana. They wanted their pinned up emotions to guide them.

Raymond and Joe knew if Mike couldn't get this case, he would quit the Marshals. Dread filled their emotions, and they hoped Mike got his wish. The team knew if Mike quit, the Marshals would lose an incredible investigator.

When Mike entered Deputy Director Craven's office, he was on the phone. He motioned

Mike to sit down in the chair across from him. Mike didn't want to sit, but he did anyway. The director got off the phone within a few minutes. Mike solemnly sat there, waiting.

The director sat in his overstuffed leather chair and took a deep breath. "Mike, I'm so sorry about Lana. She sacrificed her life for Joe, and we will be eternally grateful." He paused long enough to write down a phone number on a piece of paper.

"Thank you sir, do you know why I'm here?" Mike decided if the director didn't give him this case, he was prepared to forfeit his badge and Glock. Mike usually took whatever assignments were given to him, and many times he wanted certain assignment that the director didn't give him. This one he wanted or he would quit.

"Raymond mentioned something about it."

Mike knew perfectly well Raymond did more than mention this case. "I would like my team to hunt down Angelino Marquit." Just saying his name added fuel to Mike's fire that he felt deep down in his belly. He knew he would hunt Marquit like a dog. He remembered Lana telling him that she wanted to kill him. I'll get him for you, and I promise I'll kill him. Just thinking about Marquit made his face turn red hot.

The director looked in Mike's eyes; he wanted to see if there were any telltale signs that Mike should or should not get this case. Mike had a poker face, he couldn't tell the level of anger in his heart. "You are too emotionally involved," he finally said.

"That makes me more determined, and besides it's not only me—it's also my team." Every word in that statement was a true as it gets. He knew Joe and Raymond would work overtime to catch this guy.

"I knew you would come ask me for this case, and I've talked to the FBI Director, and we came to a conclusion."

"What's that sir?" Mike's jaw tightened because he knew he would be asked to take a backseat to the FBI investigation.

"Since the FBI started on a new serial killer case, and they need all the men they can get.

Normally, they wouldn't be pulling men from this case. But since you are so determined to catch him, they are willing to turn the case over to you."

The news couldn't have been any better. Catching Marquit would take top priority, and he wouldn't work any other cases until he's caught. Excitement filled every ounce of his body when he knew that he would be in charge of finding this killer, and nothing pleased him more. "I hear a-but in this agreement."

"Yes you do. You can only take three men besides yourself and one tech investigator. I recommend Gopher. He's the best at hacking, and he's a deputy. Sara will have orders that assisting you will take top priority. By the way, she asked me for this assignment. She loves you guys, and I don't understand why; the way you all tease her. There's another catch. You have no more than thirty days to find him, or the case goes back to the FBI."

"Yes sir. What about Ken Summers? Is there any way I can have him on the team?" Mike knew between Gopher's hacking and Kens profiling they would be an unstoppable team.

Director Craven already heard about Ken and his computer; both were out of his

jurisdiction. "I'll have to talk to the FBI director, but I doubt he will give him up, or his computer. But maybe I get all the help you need, even if it's long distance. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes sir, it is."

"One more thing," Craven paused and checked the date on his watch.

"Yes sir."

"See those boxes over there?" Director Craven pointed to the boxes in the far left corner of his office.

Mike looked at the boxes and nodded.

"Those boxes are all the case files and your thirty days starts at midnight. I know you will not need that long, you never do. Good luck Mike and again my condolences." The director handed Mike a piece of paper with all the FBI agents who had been working on the case. "I've been told you can have one FBI agent to help. You may want to talk it over with your team before you decide. Anyway, you have the list. They know more about Marquit than anyone else."

"Thank you, sir." Mike glanced over the list of names trying to see if he recognized any of them, and any he could trust. There were a couple of names.

Mike picked up two of the ten boxes and walked into his office where Raymond and Joe were waiting. He sat the boxes on his desk.

Raymond asked, "Well?" Through the years of working together, he knew the answer before Mike spoke. He could read his face. Mike didn't have a poker face with Raymond.

"The three of us, along with Gopher, get the case and all ten boxes are in the director's office. These are the first two. I also get one more person to help, and I thought of someone, but I wanted to ask you both first. Her name is Jacque Real, and she is an FBI agent. She has been following this guy for awhile. I know we probably won't need her, but she might prove to be valuable. What do you guys think?"

Raymond and Joe looked at each other, and Raymond shook his head no. "You know we have worked with the FBI before, and it's hard to cross paths. There are too many alpha males, or in Jacque's case—moody females. I say no."

"Since I have never worked with the FBI, I'm going to remain neutral."

"Well, how about we give her a week and if it doesn't work, we send her packing." Both men shook their heads yes. "Good, so let's go get the boxes," said Mike.

Raymond grinned and said, "Let's go get them."

Before they left the room, Mike paused. "One more thing, I want everything to be set up at the beach house," Mike said as he looked at the guys trying to gauge their reaction.

Joe looked confused; he thought Mike would not ever want to go back to the house.

Raymond couldn't tell if Mike wanted to go back to stir hatred, or to heal.

Mike answered their doubting glares. "I think the reminder of Lana will help us work harder and help us remember why we need to solve this case. There is one more thing."

Both Raymond and Joe asked simultaneously. "What?"

"We only have thirty days to solve this case, or it goes back to the FBI."

They all three smiled and Raymond said, "That's twenty days longer than we need."

Mike's phone rang. "Hey Sara what do you have for us?"

She was so upset she hardly could talk. "Mike it's not good news. Not good at all." … to be continued…. Thirty Days: The Hunt for Angelino Marquit available now. Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D610Y6A/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=15355237

22&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-

1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0092E19M8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=11P5R5EW

PH7KC3K9P1DA 

*****

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Lora Lindy